Plans to construct a Circle K gas station and convenience store on Arc Way and the Frontage Road was approved last week by the Ripon Planning Commission.
Stockton architect Bill Johnston indicated at the Feb. 18 meeting that plans from SRB Properties, LLC will be partly that of the Circle K franchise.
Planning Director Ken Zuidervaart added that the applicant will be required to install a roundabout – similar to the clock tower one along North Wilma Avenue, Fulton Avenue, and Werner Drive – concurrently with this project.
“The roundabout is expected to improve traffic flow and restore the level of service to an acceptable standard as outlined in the (City of Ripon) General Plan,” he said.
Another condition of approval – this one from the Ripon Police Department – requires the installation of a city camera.
Commissioners unanimously approved SRB Properties’ Conditional Use Permit along with adopting the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program coupled with the Final Copy of the Mitigated Negative Declaration.
The public hearing did have one opponent – a neighbor – who objected to the project, believing it posed a potential threat of “the quality of life” in the area.
Similar to the recently approved gas station / convenient store projects, Zuidervaart explained that another condition of the approval were the restrictions to the operating hours of the convenience store, which is from the hours of 5 a.m. to midnight with the gas pumps being available 24 hours (ATM / credit card use only).
The applicant, who has the option of adjusting the business hours, has been aware of the concerns of the community and promises a “well-managed operation,” according to the architect.
The project will be located on a 1.6-acre parcel at 769 Frontage Rd.
The first building is the 5,198-sqaure-foot facility (Circle K), consisting of six fueling dispenser along with an associated canopy.
Zuidervaart described the second building – a 4,320-square-foot structure – as a “shell building,” with no specific use yet to be determined but could serve as professional office spaces, retail space, or a restaurant.
As for parking, the project will be able to accommodate 51 parking spaces, a loading space, and several electric vehicle charging stations.
In addition, Zuidervaart said the exterior of the building, in particular, the convenience store, will feature a fiber cement panel with a textured finish to mimic a stucco appearance, with the lower portion of the building being covered with a ledgestone bluff material, creating a stacked-stone look.
The second or the “shell” building will also be constructed using a variety of materials, including different shades of stucco, horizontal rain screen cladding, brick veneer, vertical and horizontal metal siding, and bronze anodized storefront windows and doors.
A potential outdoor patio area could also be in the plans, Zuidervaart said.
