Costco is at it again, trying to add another massive 32 pump gas station to the Tustin Ranch area and we as residents have major concerns about the negative impact the proposed fueling station will have on traffic, air quality, property values and public health in Tustin.

In July, the Tustin City Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit and Costco is seeking a Mitigated Negative Declaration which is to say that NO comprehensive environmental impact studies on the traffic, fuel tanks, idling cars and pollution that this project will generate are going to be conducted.

A coalition of concerned Tustin residents, neighbors and merchants appealed the Planning Commission's decision to the Tustin City Council which has scheduled a public hearing on October 15th to decide the final fate of the project, including our request that a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) be conducted to determine the impacts that a huge fueling station will have on the hundreds of homes, families and two public schools that are located near the proposed station- some as close as 700 feet.

Below are a list of significant concerns that we and hundreds of other Tustin residents and merchants have about the proposed Costco fueling station.

Traffic

The Planning Commission was presented with a traffic study that concluded based on a study of the Temecula Costco Wholesale that the traffic situation will not be worsened by the addition of the 32 pump station, however us residents know that is not the truth. They also stated that in order to build the Costco Wholesale Gasoline Station changes needed to be made at the corner of Auto Center Dr and El Camino Real. As residents we all know that traffic on El Camino going through the Tustin Market Place can be bumper to bumper during rush hour and weekends. This plan will not alleviate those current issues but make them worse. Additionally, it is hypothesized that the gas station will pump 1.5 million gallons of gasoline monthly servicing over 3,500 vehicles daily. Again as residents of the Tustin area we know that traffic is already an issue on Bryan Ave and Tustin Ranch Rd in which adding a high capacity fueling station will only make matters worse and put the burden on the tax payer to fix infrastructure. Additionally, the close proximity to the 5 Freeway will make this gas station more appealing than that of the Tustin District location which has had major issues in the past. It is also rumored that the Tustin District location will downsize available pumps once the Tustin Ranch location is open making the traffic situation at the District on Park Ave worse. On top of all these concerns the proposed location and traffic flow for the fueling station not only takes over much needed parking the lot but at its queue additional parking will be blocked to accommodate the lined up vehicles.

Hours of Operation

The current proposed hours of operation are 5am to 10pm. This contrary to the Costco representatives is open longer and earlier than other Costco Gasoline Stations. This means that the station will be available to commuters on the 5 Freeway earlier causing a delay on surface streets during rush hours and weekends. This on top of the fact that there are local schools in the area that have students walking or riding bicycles at those times and the potential for injury is higher with commuters in a rush to get to work or get back to the freeway. This also means that the station will be open earlier and later than the Costco Wholesale in their own backyard. 

Environmental Impacts of the Project NOT Adequately Studied

According the Tustin City Planning Commission the project is exempt from California Environmental Standards and no environmental study has been conducted to show residents of the area the hazards or cautions to having a high profile fueling station in their backyards. This is worrisome as there are residential neighborhoods within 700 feet to the north and 1200 feet west of the proposed site. This will effect home values in the area and could prove problematic for several types of home insurance and loan types. The proposed queuing system will allow for 72 vehicles to be in the fueling station area and additional vehicles to queue up behind them blocking lanes of parking near the Tire Center. This means nearly 100 vehicles at any one time can be idling producing high emissions and pollution that will travel in to our neighborhoods. 

Lets be honest, the City is blinded by the promise of more sales tax revenue and is willing to put the interests of a multi-billion dollar chain store over the health, safety and quality of life of its residents. But we have a voice and vote on how our community grows and the future that we want here in Tustin for our families.

Please join with your friends and neighbors in attending the public hearing on October 15th and in signing this petition. There are simply more questions than answers right now about the impacts that a huge fueling station next to hundreds of homes and two public schools will have on the surrounding neighborhood, roads, traffic and air quality. We deserve and need to demand that the City Council slow things down and require that a full EIR be conducted on the project.

Let's stand up to Costco Wholesale and tell them we don't want a part two of the Tustin District Fueling Station Monster. For more information or to get involved, visit www.ProtectTustinRanch.org or email ProtectTustinRanch@gmail.com