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Fighting A Mega Gas Station in Camarillo
Costco has submitted plans to build a new 160,000 sq. ft. warehouse, tire center, and 30 pump mega gas station, on 12 acres of open space at the corner of Springville Drive and W. Ventura Blvd. in Camarillo- across from Home Depot and less than 5 miles from the Costco in Oxnard.
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At first glance, this didn’t sound like such a bad idea to some neighbors, until they started to realize that this big development is being hushed and rushed to approval by the City, with few neighbors even knowing about it! What more, the planning department is not being very transparent about the project- they won’t share or post copies of the Site Plans for the project online (it is public record and common practice to do so), and it took several inquiries before they would disclose the true size of the proposed gas station- 30 pumps by the way! One has to wonder and ask, why all of the secrecy?
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Perhaps it’s because the City is hoping that no one will notice that they are planning to use an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) approved over 15 years ago (way back in 2008)! Those studies were for a proposed Kohl’s anchored shopping center, and did not include all of the cumulative impacts from the many new developments and construction that has since sprouted up along Ventura Blvd; it’s like comparing apples and oranges with a huge Costco and 30 pump gas station today!
Demanding a New EIR
We think that it is not only reasonable, but responsible, to demand that the City require that a new EIR be conducted, so that neighbors will know the true impacts this project will have on their daily lives and on traffic, commute and emergency response times, pollution (air, water, noise and light), public safety, and on existing businesses and jobs in the surrounding neighborhoods.
More Traffic, Longer Commute Times
The proposed Costco is estimated to generate anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000 new daily vehicle trips per day (even more if they decide to close the nearby Costco in Oxnard, which is possible), and it will add dozens of big semi-truck deliveries for goods and fuel every day, at all hours, on our local roads. This will significantly impact traffic, commute and emergency response times, and public safety on Ventura Blvd., Springville Drive, Ponderosa Drive, and surrounding roads. What mitigations are being proposed to offset and deal with all of this new traffic? And who is going to pay for it, taxpayers, or the developer?
Study Responsible, Alternative Uses that Better Protect Our Environment & Families
We think that the City should ask for an alternative plan without a mega gas station. There are already five gas stations within two miles or less of the proposed station, why do we need a 30-pump station and what happens to many of these small stations when they close down because they can’t compete with Costco’s member subsidized gas prices? And why is Costco not being required to install any electric charging stations when we are moving to decrease emissions and the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035? We simply do now want or need another gas station in this area, least of not, a 30 pump mega gas station!
More Questions Than Answers
We understand the perceived convenience and arguable benefits of having a Costco in our community. However, there are simply more questions than answers that still need to be addressed before the City approves anything. We need your help in demanding that the city slow down and require that a new EIR be conducted and consider alternative plans that will have less of a negative impact on our community.
Receive Updates & Get Involved
An engaged community is where change is made! Please email us at info@vccagainstmegagas.com to receive updates about the project and also to learn more about getting involved. We thank you for your interest and support!