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As was almost predictable with a construction project that has been trying to move forward for more than 10 years, the proposed Alameda gas station in San Juan Bautista did not get the unconditional approval sought by applicants Harman Bhullar and Deval Dalla from the San Juan Bautista Planning Commission at its Dec. 2 meeting.
After a lengthy presentation by newly appointed City Planning Manager Arielle Goodspeed on the project’s history and the development agreement, commissioners expressed several concerns about the document, in particular the reimbursement agreement that was made to cover the costs of the new right-turn lane on Hwy 156 that leads into the station.
The commissioners accepted the project pending a reassessment of the reimbursement agreement and other issues, such as lighting, ahead of a final version of the plan for presentation at the Dec. 16 City Council meeting.
In discussions following the presentation, Commissioner Eddie Sanchez questioned the cost estimates, citing changes to traffic patterns brought on by the increase in the local population since the project was first proposed in 2014, including the near-adjacent Copperleaf development, which was built after the initial agreement.
Commissioner Chris Martorana agreed, saying he believed the city staff at that time “had a habit of underestimating costs badly” to expedite the passage of developments. The developers are responsible for covering the costs of the turn lane, estimated currently at $800,000, with the city reimbursing 50% of the total in yearly installments.
“I think it’s difficult to get our head around some of those numbers,” Martorana said, “until we get a little more concrete value on this. Because that number is going to be a big number.”
He also said that he was “challenged” by receiving the agenda packet detailing the agreement just one day in advance, and he didn’t have a chance “to adequately review it in any way, shape or form.”
Saying he was not in favor of moving the project forward without more time to consider it, Martorana suggested holding a special meeting in the near future to resolve any questions.
Commissioner Elise Brentnall asked if the city could reimburse the developers through a tax reduction or a reduction in the station’s water bill. She also expressed a concern over the lighting at the new turn lane, which, as Commissioner Dan DeVries pointed out, was the site of a nighttime accident which resulted in a pedestrian fatality several years ago.
Dalla was visibly impatient with the idea of new issues slowing down the process of finalizing the agreement, saying that, after building six other stations and two hotels in other locations, he had “never seen such an incompetent city, to be honest.”
“Arielle is doing a wonderful job,” he said, “but before, you guys had turmoil. We have been waiting for months and months, and we are paying for this right-turn lane up front. The reimbursement agreement has already been set.”
There have been numerous delays in the project since it was first proposed to the Planning Commission in December 2013. The commission approved it in February 2014, over the objections of Frank Leal, who was in escrow over the purchase of the San Juan Inn—now Hacienda de Leal—directly adjoining the property.
Leal immediately appealed the decision, which set off years of legal action between him and the gas station developers. When the matter was resolved in Bhullar and Dalla’s favor, they were still stymied by the rejection of several design concepts for the station.
Starting at commission meetings in 2020 and ending with a final rejection in 2023, the designs were dismissed as too generic or not reflective of the architectural history visible in the town.
A suggestion from the city’s historian consultant, Cara Vonk, was to have a design reflecting the site’s historic use as a sheep farm owned by Antione Taix. In addition, De Vries suggested using the Windmill Market complex as a jumping-off point. From there, a new plan by architect Fred Avila was received with enthusiasm by the commission in May.
The final project differs from the original plan by reducing the number of pump islands from eight to seven and adding eight EV charging stations. A quick-serve restaurant, which disappeared in a later plan, has returned, though it will not be allowed as a drive-through. In addition, to the consternation of Dalla, who said Starbucks is interested in the site, the eatery will have to conform to the city’s restrictions on chain businesses.
Final approval of the plan will be considered at the Dec. 16 meeting of the San Juan Bautista City Council, which will include time for residents to comment on the proposal.
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