Park Ridge and Neighbors: Stop Laurel Ranch Carwash and Convenience Store
Park Ridge and Neighbors: Stop Laurel Ranch Carwash and Convenience Store
The Issue
Park Ridge and Surrounding Community Petition
Stop the Construction of a Carwash & Convenience Store
on Laurel Road & Country Hills Drive
What is being Proposed:
Laurel Ranch Carwash and Convenience Store (PRE2023-0006)
Description of the Project:
Developers are proposing a new 2,800 square foot carwash with 18 vacuum stations and a 2,500 square foot convenience store that will sell beer, wine and tobacco. The proposed project includes 35 parking spaces.
The proposed hours of operation for the Carwash are from 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 7 days a week.
The proposed hours of operation for the Convenience Store are from 5:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. 7 days a week.
The proposed carwash will be located at the SW corner of Laurel Road & Country Hills Drive, APN 053-060-064, a parcel of approximately 1.354 acres in size (see below map).
The next public hearing on the matter is scheduled to take place on Tuesday June 11, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 200 “H” Street in Antioch, CA. This is a public hearing - all are encouraged to attend.
Email City Council before the public hearing to further express your opposition and view the Notice of Public Hearing by clicking this link.
More Project Details are available through this link: City Council Agenda (Start at p. 103 of the PDF)
Petition:
We, the undersigned, are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed construction of the Laurel Ranch Carwash & Convenience Store (the “Carwash and Convenience Store”), which is immediately to the north of our community, Park Ridge. We are residents of the over 500 single family home Park Ridge Development and surrounding neighborhoods (the “Community”). As concerned residents of the Community, we believe that this Carwash and Convenience Store would have several detrimental effects on the local environment, public health, property values, safety, and living conditions of the Community.
Prior Opposition:
The developer of Park Ridge, Davidon Homes, previously sent a letter via electronic mail to the City of Antioch Planning Commission, dated February 14, 2023 for a previous version of this project, attached to this Petition (“Davidon’s 2023 Letter”), and followed up with a Letter via electronic mail to the Mayor and City Council Members Dated June 7, 2024 (“Davidon’s 2024 Letter”) (collectively, “Davidon’s Letters”)
Davidon’s Letters are attached hereto as Attachment 1 (at bottom of Petititon).
We join in Davidon’s objection to the project, for the reasons stated in Davidon’s Letters as well as the additional reasons stated below in this Petition.
The reasons for our opposition include:
Noise Pollution, Light and Glare, Nuisance: The operation of a carwash involves high-pressure water jets, vacuum cleaners, and other machinery that generate significant noise. This constant noise will disrupt the serene, walkable and enjoyable atmosphere of our residential Community, making it difficult for residents to enjoy their surroundings. Further, the light and glare presented by a business with long hours of operation, 7 days a week, will further disrupt the serenity and park-like, residential, walkable setting of our Community and surrounding areas, the overall effect of which could create a nuisance. The light glare from a business that is open until 2:00 a.m. every day will disrupt the several homes that immediately abut the proposed Carwash and Convenience Store
Air Quality, Health, and Environmental Concerns: Carwashes often use various chemicals and cleaning agents that can become airborne. The proximity of these substances to a residential neighborhood and walkable area raises serious health concerns for the residents of the Community. Additionally, the exhaust fumes from cars idling and being washed could further degrade air quality, posing respiratory risks. Taken together, these also pose significant environmental concerns from waste runoff, garbage, and airborne particulates and chemicals.
Traffic and Safety Issues: Increased traffic flow from cars entering and exiting the Carwash and Convenience Store will lead to congestion in the area, making it more difficult and dangerous for pedestrians. This is particularly concerning for families with children, elderly residents, and others who frequently walk the surrounding areas of the Community. Additionally, the clientele that may be drawn to the Carwash and Convenience store, particularly late at night (during the hours the business is proposing to be open, and afterwards, for the short 3 hour window the business proposes to be closed each day) will likely cause a disturbance (loud music, gathering, loitering) and further attract and encourage loitering, side show, and street racing culture and activity, which the Community has already been actively working to abate. Additionally, a Convenience store, particularly one that is open from 5:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. 7 days a week that also sells beer, wine and tobacco will likely serve as an attractant to vagrants and further encourage encampments, garbage, and other blight which the city has actively tried to address. For these and many reasons, the type of business this Carwash and Convenience Store project proposes would seriously undermine the City of Antioch’s and the Community’s efforts and create a larger public safety concern within a Community that has already been struggling to counter blight, crime and these types of undesirable activities.
Aesthetic Degradation & Property Value Loss: The visual and auditory intrusion of a carwash and convenience store is incompatible with the aesthetic qualities of our tree lined and walkable pathways, trails, park, and neighborhoods and is inconsistent with the single-family neighborhood character of the Community. The noise, the sight of cars being washed, and the overall industrial nature of the Carwash and Convenience Store would detract from the scenic, aesthetically pleasing, and safe ambiance that already exists within the Community. This will also pose a significant loss to property values to the homes in the Community as the quiet, walkable, and serene ambiance of the neighborhood will be lost with the addition of this type of commercial/industrial business and the clientele that it will attract.
Existing Businesses in Surrounding Area: There are already several carwashes and convenience stores one exit further East on Highway 4, and further down on Laurel to the North and in the immediate surrounding area including Pinky's carwash, a carwash on Lone Tree & Empire, on Lone Tree by the Rosebud community, and an existing ARCO station car wash with vacuum station (see below list for examples). These existing businesses already provide ample car wash and convenience store services. There is simply no need to add another business of this type, particularly this close to single family homes in a residential area.
- Zip Thru Car Wash - 2650 Empire Avenue
- SuperClean Xpress Carwash, Brentwood, CA
- Super Clean Xpress Carwash, Oakley, CA
- Brentwood Auto Spa, Brentwood, CA
- Quick Quack Car Wash, Brentwood, CA
- SaversCarwash, Brentwood, CA
- Tri City Express Lube Car wash, Brentwood, CA
- Shell car wash, 2701 Hillcrest Ave
- Jack's Car Wash, 924 Fitzuren Rd
- Shell Car wash, Brentwood, CA
- PInky's Car Wash, 300 E 18th St
- CAR WASH, Pierce St, Brentwood, CA
- 10th Street Self Service Car Wash, 811 W 10th St
- Parkway Carwash, 8150 Brentwood Blvd, Brentwood, CA
Given these significant concerns, we urge the planning board and the City Council to reject approval of this project. We strongly believe that the construction of the Carwash and Convenience store in this location is not in the best interest of the Community, and we respectfully request that the application be denied.
We trust that the planning commission and City Council will take our objections into serious consideration and will prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of our Community and preserve the natural and picturesque character of our neighborhoods. Please stop the proposed construction of this Carwash and Convenience Store.
Thank you for your careful consideration of our concerns and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
The Park Ridge HOA Board, Community, and Surrounding Neighborhoods
Attachment 1 - Davidon's Letters
499
The Issue
Park Ridge and Surrounding Community Petition
Stop the Construction of a Carwash & Convenience Store
on Laurel Road & Country Hills Drive
What is being Proposed:
Laurel Ranch Carwash and Convenience Store (PRE2023-0006)
Description of the Project:
Developers are proposing a new 2,800 square foot carwash with 18 vacuum stations and a 2,500 square foot convenience store that will sell beer, wine and tobacco. The proposed project includes 35 parking spaces.
The proposed hours of operation for the Carwash are from 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. 7 days a week.
The proposed hours of operation for the Convenience Store are from 5:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m. 7 days a week.
The proposed carwash will be located at the SW corner of Laurel Road & Country Hills Drive, APN 053-060-064, a parcel of approximately 1.354 acres in size (see below map).
The next public hearing on the matter is scheduled to take place on Tuesday June 11, 2024 at 7:00 P.M. in the City Council Chambers, City Hall, 200 “H” Street in Antioch, CA. This is a public hearing - all are encouraged to attend.
Email City Council before the public hearing to further express your opposition and view the Notice of Public Hearing by clicking this link.
More Project Details are available through this link: City Council Agenda (Start at p. 103 of the PDF)
Petition:
We, the undersigned, are writing to express our strong opposition to the proposed construction of the Laurel Ranch Carwash & Convenience Store (the “Carwash and Convenience Store”), which is immediately to the north of our community, Park Ridge. We are residents of the over 500 single family home Park Ridge Development and surrounding neighborhoods (the “Community”). As concerned residents of the Community, we believe that this Carwash and Convenience Store would have several detrimental effects on the local environment, public health, property values, safety, and living conditions of the Community.
Prior Opposition:
The developer of Park Ridge, Davidon Homes, previously sent a letter via electronic mail to the City of Antioch Planning Commission, dated February 14, 2023 for a previous version of this project, attached to this Petition (“Davidon’s 2023 Letter”), and followed up with a Letter via electronic mail to the Mayor and City Council Members Dated June 7, 2024 (“Davidon’s 2024 Letter”) (collectively, “Davidon’s Letters”)
Davidon’s Letters are attached hereto as Attachment 1 (at bottom of Petititon).
We join in Davidon’s objection to the project, for the reasons stated in Davidon’s Letters as well as the additional reasons stated below in this Petition.
The reasons for our opposition include:
Noise Pollution, Light and Glare, Nuisance: The operation of a carwash involves high-pressure water jets, vacuum cleaners, and other machinery that generate significant noise. This constant noise will disrupt the serene, walkable and enjoyable atmosphere of our residential Community, making it difficult for residents to enjoy their surroundings. Further, the light and glare presented by a business with long hours of operation, 7 days a week, will further disrupt the serenity and park-like, residential, walkable setting of our Community and surrounding areas, the overall effect of which could create a nuisance. The light glare from a business that is open until 2:00 a.m. every day will disrupt the several homes that immediately abut the proposed Carwash and Convenience Store
Air Quality, Health, and Environmental Concerns: Carwashes often use various chemicals and cleaning agents that can become airborne. The proximity of these substances to a residential neighborhood and walkable area raises serious health concerns for the residents of the Community. Additionally, the exhaust fumes from cars idling and being washed could further degrade air quality, posing respiratory risks. Taken together, these also pose significant environmental concerns from waste runoff, garbage, and airborne particulates and chemicals.
Traffic and Safety Issues: Increased traffic flow from cars entering and exiting the Carwash and Convenience Store will lead to congestion in the area, making it more difficult and dangerous for pedestrians. This is particularly concerning for families with children, elderly residents, and others who frequently walk the surrounding areas of the Community. Additionally, the clientele that may be drawn to the Carwash and Convenience store, particularly late at night (during the hours the business is proposing to be open, and afterwards, for the short 3 hour window the business proposes to be closed each day) will likely cause a disturbance (loud music, gathering, loitering) and further attract and encourage loitering, side show, and street racing culture and activity, which the Community has already been actively working to abate. Additionally, a Convenience store, particularly one that is open from 5:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. 7 days a week that also sells beer, wine and tobacco will likely serve as an attractant to vagrants and further encourage encampments, garbage, and other blight which the city has actively tried to address. For these and many reasons, the type of business this Carwash and Convenience Store project proposes would seriously undermine the City of Antioch’s and the Community’s efforts and create a larger public safety concern within a Community that has already been struggling to counter blight, crime and these types of undesirable activities.
Aesthetic Degradation & Property Value Loss: The visual and auditory intrusion of a carwash and convenience store is incompatible with the aesthetic qualities of our tree lined and walkable pathways, trails, park, and neighborhoods and is inconsistent with the single-family neighborhood character of the Community. The noise, the sight of cars being washed, and the overall industrial nature of the Carwash and Convenience Store would detract from the scenic, aesthetically pleasing, and safe ambiance that already exists within the Community. This will also pose a significant loss to property values to the homes in the Community as the quiet, walkable, and serene ambiance of the neighborhood will be lost with the addition of this type of commercial/industrial business and the clientele that it will attract.
Existing Businesses in Surrounding Area: There are already several carwashes and convenience stores one exit further East on Highway 4, and further down on Laurel to the North and in the immediate surrounding area including Pinky's carwash, a carwash on Lone Tree & Empire, on Lone Tree by the Rosebud community, and an existing ARCO station car wash with vacuum station (see below list for examples). These existing businesses already provide ample car wash and convenience store services. There is simply no need to add another business of this type, particularly this close to single family homes in a residential area.
- Zip Thru Car Wash - 2650 Empire Avenue
- SuperClean Xpress Carwash, Brentwood, CA
- Super Clean Xpress Carwash, Oakley, CA
- Brentwood Auto Spa, Brentwood, CA
- Quick Quack Car Wash, Brentwood, CA
- SaversCarwash, Brentwood, CA
- Tri City Express Lube Car wash, Brentwood, CA
- Shell car wash, 2701 Hillcrest Ave
- Jack's Car Wash, 924 Fitzuren Rd
- Shell Car wash, Brentwood, CA
- PInky's Car Wash, 300 E 18th St
- CAR WASH, Pierce St, Brentwood, CA
- 10th Street Self Service Car Wash, 811 W 10th St
- Parkway Carwash, 8150 Brentwood Blvd, Brentwood, CA
Given these significant concerns, we urge the planning board and the City Council to reject approval of this project. We strongly believe that the construction of the Carwash and Convenience store in this location is not in the best interest of the Community, and we respectfully request that the application be denied.
We trust that the planning commission and City Council will take our objections into serious consideration and will prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of our Community and preserve the natural and picturesque character of our neighborhoods. Please stop the proposed construction of this Carwash and Convenience Store.
Thank you for your careful consideration of our concerns and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
The Park Ridge HOA Board, Community, and Surrounding Neighborhoods
Attachment 1 - Davidon's Letters
499
The Decision Makers
Supporter Voices
Petition created on June 7, 2024