Planning Commission Approves Conversion of Existing Shell Gas Station

The current Cerritos  located on the southeast corner of Studebaker Road and South Street may soon get a facelift, after the Planning Commission approved the property owner’s proposal to convert the business.

At its April 6 meeting held in Cerritos’ Council Chambers, the Commission voted unanimously to allow the property owner, J & A Enterprises Group, Inc., to convert the existing full-service automobile station, which also has three mechanic bays, into a convenience service station.

The decision is pending City Council approval.

Substantial changes to be made according to the agenda report available at the meeting, would be the elimination of the mechanic bays, creation of an additional handicapped parking space, and stucco and re-painting of the exterior of the building.

During the public comments portion of the meeting while the proposal was still being considered by members of the Commission, Sherrie Olson, a representative for J & A, said, “We’ll be putting in fresh food such as sandwiches.”

She continued, “We’ll have great crime deterrence as well. There will be cameras located on the inside of the building and cameras outside the facility.”

Olson’s comments were in response to several residents who live in the adjacent neighborhood to the station, who expressed some concerns about the conversion.

None of the residents were present at the meeting, but Senior Planner Sandy Cisneros shared their concerns to the members of the Commission. 

Cisneros said a handful of residents expressed their concerns by leaving messages on her voicemail on topics such as alcohol sales, lighting, propane tanks and business hours.

Cisneros said she consulted with the city’s fire inspector who told her the propane tanks behind the building were up to standard. She also said shields would be installed on the building’s lights and that due to a city ordinance; alcohol would not be sold after 8 p.m.

Olson said the convenience store will employ a computerized system that will not allow cashiers to sell alcohol after 8 p.m. She added that the store would contain five coolers, equipped with automated locks.

No timetable has been set for the conversion.

Commission Recommends Progress Report to City Council for Approval

Director of Community Development Torrey N. Contreras provided members of the Commission a review of the aims and functions of the Cerritos Certified Housing Element Annual Progress Report during the new and old business portion of the meeting.

The Commission unanimously passed a resolution to send the Progress Report to the City Council for approval, which held a public hearing on Sept. 23, 2010 of the document, according to the agenda report.

From there, the Council sent the Report to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for final certification. The HCD deemed to document to be in compliance with the State of California Housing Element Law in a November 2010 letter, according to the agenda report.

The Housing Element’s function was explained in the agenda report as a means to generally address “the manner in which the City plans to accommodate a variety of housing types for persons of all income levels as established by the State’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment (RHNA).

The next Planning Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 20 at 7 p.m. in the Cerritos City Council Chambers.