In April 2020, Costco Wholesale proposed adding a gas station adjacent to its existing store in the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center. This is Costco’s second attempt to build a mega gas station next to its store.

If built, it would become the largest gas station in Novato and Marin.

The project includes the construction of an approximately 10,000-square-foot canopy to cover 14 fuel dispensers and accommodate 28 fueling positions. Additionally, it contains three 40,000-gallon gasoline underground storage tanks (UST), one 1,500-gallon additive UST. The huge USTs would be buried in low-lying ground, bay mud, with a high water table, 

The planned Costco gas station is just across the street from the Tamalpais Pediatric Clinic and right next to the Beverly Ehreth Ecological Preserve, a pristine watershed. Behind the Costco Warehouse lies the vast Rush Creek Open Space, a 522-acre preserve that serves as a wetland wildlife area. This region is part of a larger network of habitats and breeding grounds that is frequently visited by birds such as the white pelican.

Why is it essential to oppose a mega gas station in Novato?

Gas stations are classified as toxic hot spots. This mega gas station will significantly increase traffic, air pollution, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) in this area, our city, and beyond. Therefore, a Costco Gas Station would negatively affect our health and the quality of air, water, and soil, as well as the atmosphere, with short- and long-term consequences.

Costco expects the gas station to increase site visits by 4,620, bringing the total to more than 6,500 a day.

We are all affected by the Climate Emergency. Global temperatures are rising rapidly, and extreme weather events- including intense heatwaves, droughts, wildfires, heavy rainstorms with flooding, and landslides- are a wake-up call, reminding us that our survival is at stake. We must transition away from burning fossil fuels for transportation and all other energy consumption.

Scientists urge people and governments of cities, counties, states, and countries to target net-zero emissions in five to eight years to combat Climate Chaos and to avoid a catastrophic ‘Hothouse Earth’.

In November 2020, the Novato City Council acknowledged the Climate Crisis by declaring a Climate Emergency. In the Climate Emergency Resolution, the City of Novato announced that it will elevate climate issues in its goal-setting process; give precedence to climate mitigation and adaptation when evaluating policies and purchases, and planning for projects.

In March 2021, Novato City granted Costco a use permit to build a mega Gas Station in front of its warehouse in the Vintage Oaks Shopping Center, but a lawsuit by concerned residents has halted the process. 

In November 2022, Novato approved an Ordinance to prohibit New Gas Stations from being built in Novato. Because it was already under city review before the ordinance was passed, the ban does not affect the planned Costco gas station.

In September 2025, the Novato City Council Members unanimously adopted the Novato Climate Action Plan 2030, to reduce GHG emissions by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. According to Novato’s 2022 greenhouse gas inventory, 64% of our community's emissions come from transportation, predominantly from passenger vehicles. 

On December 8, 2025, the Planning Commission directed the City to prepare the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the proposed project. Once the FEIR is drafted, the Planning Commission will schedule a hearing, review the FEIR, and provide its recommendation to the City Council (tentatively in April 2026 ). The City Council will make the ultimate "up or down" vote on the actual building permit.

On April 6th, 2026, Novato City released the FEIR  https://www.novato.gov/government/community-development/planning-division/planning-projects/costco-fuel-facility

On April 13th, 2026, at 7 PM, the Planning Commission will hold a hearing to consider certification (approval) of the FEIR and approval of the project's entitlement at this hearing.

Let the Novato City know:

It makes no sense to approve the largest Gas Station in Novato, which provides discounted gas to Costco members and keeps dirty, CO2-emitting transportation running, thereby compromising our air quality and the wetlands and wildlife they support. Don't prolong our dependency on fossil fuels for transportation by approving this gas station.

This project pursues only short-term financial gains at the expense of already constructed local stations. It fails to consider the price that taxpayers of this and the next generations will have to pay for health and environmental degradation.

We must build and invest in a livable, healthy future for us, our children, and our grandchildren by transitioning to 100% clean & renewable energy.

The solution is to decarbonize our economy by electrifying transportation and private and business infrastructures as quickly as possible.

Therefore, please sign the petition and ask your friends and neighbors in Novato to tell the Novato City Council, "No Costco Mega Gas Station." " Don't add fuel to the fire"!

Protect our Climate, Air, and Wetland!