Presentation:
Santa Rosa City Council
August 19, 2025
Elm Tree
Station
Project Description
Gasoline fueling station and electric vehicle charging station Neighborhood fresh food market
One-bedroom caretaker’s apartment
Trail connections and bike path
Parcel 1:
Retail
Commercial
.75-acre
Privately maintained park for public use
Small retail building
Park amenities: patio/trellis area, benches, picnic area and bike path
Parcel 2:
Park 0.23-
acre
Understanding Why
We Are Still
Processing This
Application
BACKGROUND
2015 – 2017: Status of Project
Approvals
▪ CUP, DR, and Subdivision set to expire on
October 24, 2015
▪ AB 116 grants a two-year extension (October
24, 2017)
2018: Status of Project Approvals
▪ February 2018: The City determines approvals have expired ▪ April 2018: New Use Permit (CUP18-040) and Design Review (DR18-029) applications are filed
▪ May 2018: The City determines approvals have not expired. The subdivision is to be processed by a Certificate/Parcel Map waiver
▪ June 2018: Application for a Certificate/Parcel Map waiver is filed
▪ July 2018: The City issues a letter granting CUP and DR extensions
2019 – Present: Status of Project Approvals
▪ December 2019: Certificate/Parcel map is approved. Appeal is filed. ▪ 2020/ 2021: The City determines CUP and DR have expired. ▪ December 2021: CUP and DR applications are filed.
▪ August 2022: Appeal of the Certificate/Parcel Map waiver denied. ▪ August 2022: The City adopts the gas station ban. Project specifically exempt.
▪ April 2024: Environmental document reviewed and accepted by staff. ▪ October 2024: Project scheduled for Planning Commission. ▪ April 2025: The Project is denied by the Planning Commission. Appeal is filed.
The Appeal
Zoning Consistency
▪ The Market: The market is a fresh foods market, not
a convenience store.
▪ Caretaker’s Unit: The caretaker’s unit is permitted
by the zoning and encouraged by staff.
▪ Gas Station: If the propane dispensary on the
adjacent parcel is a gas station, the use is illegal. A gas station is not permitted adjacent to residential.
The Blue Star parcel adjoins residential.
General Plan Consistency
▪ Urban Design:
▪ The site is 440 ft. south of the intersection of Hwy
12/Fulton Rd.
▪ North Wright Rd. is not a scenic corridor
▪ The project is low in scale and mass
▪ Approved by the Design Review Board
▪ The DRB found the project to be of superior
design
General Plan Consistency
▪ Increases recreational opportunities
▪ Pedestrian connection from the Joe Rodota Trail
▪ Bicycle connection from the Joe Rodota Trail
▪ Privately maintained park for public use
▪ Trellised area
▪ Seating areas
▪ Water fountain
▪ Small concession stand
Site Plan
Environmental Concerns
▪ Traffic:
▪ Three traffic studies and a VMT analysis were completed.
No significant impact. 70% of the trips are passerby.
▪ Water Quality:
▪ Phase 1 Environmental Assessment: No on-site
contamination.
▪ The city’s WSA anticipated the scope of the project.
▪ A SUSMP completed. All BMPs are incorporated.
▪ Section 401 Certification approved by RWQCB
Environmental Concerns
▪ Air Quality
▪ Gas Station Health Risk Assessment prepared in 2023.
▪ Not a single TAC (toxic air contaminant exceeded BAAQMD thresholds.
▪ Greenhouse Gas Emissions
▪ A GHG analysis was prepared in 2024.
▪ The annual project emissions were 39% lower than the
BAAQMD thresholds of significance.
Project Merits
Retail and
Business Service
Local serving
uses
± 70% of the
vehicle trips are
passerby.
Fuel pumps
operated by
solar power
Electric vehicle
charging stations
Fresh food
market
Connections to
the Joe Rodota
Trail
Privately
maintained
public park with
amenities
One- bedroom
apartment
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Features
▪ Four electric vehicle charging stations that can be expanded ▪ Solar-powered fuel pumps
▪ Pedestrian and bicycle connections off the Joe Rodota Trail ▪ Public park with a water fountain, concession stand, and trellised seating area.
▪ Fresh food neighborhood market.
▪ Caretaker’s unit.
Estimated Revenue
▪ One-Time Fees
▪ Building Permit/Impact Fees: $ 200,000 - $ 230,000
▪ Annual Revenue
▪ Gas Tax: $ 1,640,000.00
▪ Retail Sales Tax to the City: $250,000.00
▪ Public Park
▪ No expense to the City
Project Status
▪ Wetland mitigation credits purchased: $ 177,744.00
▪ Section 404 Permit authorized by the Army Corps of Engineers ▪ Section 401 Permit authorized by RWQCB
▪ Agreement with Sonoma County Parks and Recreation finalized ▪ Final SUSMP approved
▪ Certificate/Parcel Map Waiver (subdivision) approved
▪ Building Permits: Issuance upon project approval and DRB Summary
▪ Gasoline and electric fueling options
▪ The fueling dispensers are solar-powered
▪ The fresh food market for recreational visitors and the neighborhood
▪ Pedestrian and bicycle access off the Joe Rodota Trail ▪ The privately maintained public park serves as a destination for walkers and cyclists
▪ A caretaker’s apartment
▪ The gas station was specifically exempt from the gas station ban ▪ The Health Risk Assessment and GHG analysis found that all potential impacts were below BAAQMD thresholds of
significance
APPENDICES
CUP and DR have not expired. Extensions Possible
CUP and DR Extensions Granted