San Ramon Costco Gas Proposal: Planning Commission Delays Vote

SAN RAMON, CA — The San Ramon Planning Commission delayed its vote on the proposal to bring a 32-pump Costco gas station to the city after two commissioners raised questions about certain aspects of the proposal.

The decision to hold off came after an approximately three-hour discussion on the project during the commission's Tuesday night meeting. The commission is slated to meet again next month to rehash commissioners' concerns.

Costco proposes to build a self-serve and attended service station on the nearly three-acre lot at 3111 Fostoria Way, where a commercial building currently sits, according to the proposal. The gas station would offer lower-than-average prices and be open 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day.

The site is located just across the street from Danville's Costco store at 3150 Fostoria Way. Costco has proposed to implement an intersection with a traffic signal and four-way pedestrian crossing to facilitate safe crossing from the warehouse to the gas station, and minimize traffic delays on Fostoria Way.

The controversial project has been criticized by group Safer San Ramon, which argues that a Costco gas station would significantly increase traffic and noise, and pose public health and environmental hazards to the community. Planners maintain that these variables would either be insignificant or addressed in the plan.

Many testified during the hearing and reiterated these concerns, while others expressed support for the convenience of the gas station and skepticism that the gas station would cause an additional, significant impact to the neighborhood.

While Commissioners Eric Wallis and Jean Kuznik said they did not feel that traffic impacts would be as high as some anticipated, Commissioners Howard Frank and Rick Marks felt that more analysis was needed before they could support the project. Chair Wallis asked city staff to address their concerns and be prepared to resume the discussion at the Planning Commission's Dec. 14 meeting.

Traffic was among the key concerns raised by Frank and Marks.

An analysis performed on behalf of Costco by Kittelson & Associates indicated that the gas station could bring 6,870 trips to the station, with 345 net new gas-only trips. A number of those gas station trips would likely be from existing Danville Costco members who would already be visiting the warehouse, according to the analysis.

Costco determined that 9,500 members who frequent the Danville store said they used Livermore's Costco gas station, said Anna Shimko, a land use and real estate lawyer retained as outside counsel for Costco, during the hearing. Danville Costco regulars also shopped for gas in Concord and Hayward.

Frank noted that San Ramon's plan for the North Camino Ramon planning area — created in 2012 — includes a 49,250 daily vehicle trip budget and the Costco gas station would eat up 14 percent of that budget, based on current estimates.

That "speaks to a size and scope issue that is disconnected from [the North Camino Ramon] specific plan," he said.

Mark said he felt that it's difficult for engineers to ascertain an accurate daily vehicle trip estimate in light of the pandemic and stay-at-home order.

Wallis, however, said he felt it was a "mistake to consider a trip budget in a plan almost 10 years old as an impediment" to a project that's otherwise in line with the neighborhood and city plan.

"I don't think it will be the onslaught people anticipate," Kuznik said, adding that she felt the traffic signal would improve safety on the road.

In response to other public concerns about public safety and air quality, planners stated that gas stations are subject to federal and state public safety regulations, according to the proposal.

Addressing concerns about noise from nearby residents of the Fostoria Terrace Towers, planners determined that the noise impact would be insignificant based on standards set in the city's general plan.

Frank said he'd also like to see an independent analysis of several items, including environmental impacts and an assessment of cumulative impacts on the neighborhood.

Read the full proposal and rebuttal to community criticism here. Read more about Safer San Ramon's concerns here.