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Memo to the Planning Commission <br />October 22, 1996 <br /> <br />Page 2 <br /> <br />Currently convenience stores such as Super America, Cenex and Hohday are <br />treated as motor vehicle service stations They are treated as such because of the <br />sale of gasohne. The only use that includes gasohne sales is motor vehicle <br />service station. The definition for motor vehicle service station is as follows: <br /> <br />"A place where gasohne or other automobile engine fuel, kerosene or <br />motor oil and lubricants or grease for operation of motor vehicles are sold <br />directly to the pubhc on the premises; including the sale of minor <br />accessories and the servicing and minor repair of automobiles." <br /> <br />This definition is fine for the old style Joe's Gas Station but is probably outdated <br />with the coming of convenience stores and the separation between gas sales and <br />auto repair. There are very few service stations today that would fit this <br />definition. Certainly it is a stretch to include a convenience store as a motor <br />vehicle service station, but there is no definition for a use such as a convenience <br />store which includes retail sales and the sale of gasohne. <br /> <br />Uses <br /> <br />One of the purposes of the C4 district is to prov/de land use opportunities to <br />attract convenience retail stores and personal service estabhshments. The sale of <br />gasohne could also be considered a service provided to surrounding residential <br />neighborhoods and businesses. Traditionally residents and workers buy gasohne <br />at places that are close to their home or place of employment because of the <br />convenience. As such, it would be consistent with the stated purpose of the <br />neighborhood commercial district to include gasohne sales in the C4 district.. <br /> <br />With stores that conduct both retail sales and sell gasohn~, the impact of traffic <br />on the neighborhood seems to be one of the main concerns. If the sale of <br />gasohne is allowed as a conditional use, this can be addressed during the <br />process of applying for a conditional use permit. If the generation of traffic is a <br />concern, the number of gas pumps can be hmited in order to reduce the amount <br />of trsf-fic generated by the facility. This would allow the facility to be scaled <br />down to meet the character of the surrounding area. <br /> <br />If gasohne sales were allowed as a conditional use, a business such as a Tom <br />Thumb or a Brooks Superette, ff they did not sell gasohne, would be allowed as a <br />permitted retail use. If they decided to sell gasohne at the site, that would <br />trigger the need for a conditional use permit for the sale of gasohne. The plans <br />would then be reviewed by the Planning Commission and City Council. <br /> <br />On a related matter, this discussion of including gasohne sales as a conditional <br />uses leads to another auto related use that is currently allowed as a conditional <br />use, motor vehicle specialty service station. Uses included under this definition <br />include businesses such as Midas Muffler, Tires Plus, Goodyear and Firestone <br /> <br />s:\planning\p c\oa96-14.doc <br /> <br /> <br />