The Española Planning and Zoning Commission on Sept. 13 conditionally approved construction of a Murphy Oil USA gas station and convenience store to be located at the former Red’s Restaurant and Lounge, 1628 N. Riverside Drive.
“It’s a work in progress,” GreenbergFarrow architect Ron Abney said, representing Murphy Oil. “What Murphy is concerned with is, can we build a gas station there before we buy the property?”
Conditions for site plan approval include: submission of a master signage plan; acquisition of proper easements from adjacent landowners for use of the local drainage system; placement of bicycle racks on the property; review of traffic flow after six months; construction of water utilities to meet city of Española specifications; presentation of a final site development plan to the residents on Carr Lane and Starlighter subdivision; lot consolidation if Walmart does not grant access through its parking lot; and ingress/egress realignment to provide more access to incoming traffic and maneuverability for fuel delivery trucks.
Construction plans call for demolition of the old Red’s building and renovation of the property to erect a 7,296-square-foot canopy to cover multiple gas pumps leading to a 1,200-square-foot convenience store with related parking facilities.
Property owner Josh Skarsgard, of Redrock Investments, LLC, listed four benefits for the residents of Carr Lane and Starlighter subdivision, including: repaving the front portion of Carr; laying sidewalks on the front portion of Carr; widening of Carr; and improving the street’s landscaping.
Abney said Murphy Oil is prepared to spend $79,000 on the improvements to Carr Lane. Commission Vice-Chair Erle Wright commended the developers for going beyond the city’s development requirements.
“They don’t have to do that,” Wright said, referring to the voluntary street improvements.
To provide more defined access into the store’s driveway and to allow more room for fuel delivery trucks to operate, the Commission voted unanimously for the New Mexico Highway Department to construct a right-in/right-out entrance including a “bump-out,” a raised surface that will prevent drivers from turning left. The redesign will also feature a pork-chop-shaped island on Riverside that will force drivers to turn right into the driveway while protecting drivers turning right out of the site.
Mixed emotions
The residents of Carr Lane attended the meeting in full force, with close to 30 neighbors there to vocalize their feelings on the proposed gas station and convenience store.
“I’m opposed to a gas station and liquor store,” resident Jim Powers said. “That’s the last thing we need.”
There are currently four gas stations and convenience stores operating within one mile of the proposed site at Carr Lane and Riverside Drive, including a Conoco gas station and Giant convenience store located two doors down.
Fellow resident Judy Vernon also questioned the location of the proposed new gas station.
“I’m not against a business coming in,” Vernon said. “I’m against where they want to put it.”
Resident David Boyce was hesitant about the project and raised the issue of Walmart having deceived the neighborhood when the super center was built. Boyce said Walmart had promised to build a concrete wall to separate the store from the subdivision. However, the retailer chose to erect a chain-link fence instead.
Boyce then suggested that Murphy Oil be completely up front with their plans.
“We the people need to know that you’re going to do what you say you’re going to do,” he said. “We don’t want the big corporations coming in and taking advantage of the small people because they have more money than us.”
Fellow neighbor Jose Candia has mixed emotions about the project.
“I’m great with business coming into town but you’ve got to do it right,” Candia said.
Resident Heidi Matheson supported the project, and the partial repaving of Carr, but asked if anything could be done to fix the potholes inside Starlighter.
Abney said Murphy Oil is only prepared to repave the front of Carr Lane near the proposed site. Repaving the rest of Carr and streets inside Starlighter is the city’s responsibility.
Vernon followed up on Matheson’s inquiry.
“Yes, it would be nice to have the road fixed,” she said. “That’s something the city should do.”
Vernon said she has lived in Starlighter for 16 years and said the city has rarely performed road maintenance.
When asked why the city has not repaved Starlighter’s streets, Planning Director Russell Naranjo said, “We don’t have the money.” However, Naranjo said the streets department will fix the potholes within the next two weeks.
Walmart is the key
Abney said Murphy Oil is currently in negotiations with Walmart to acquire access through Walmart’s parking lot.
“We want that deal to happen with Walmart,” Abney said. “But they operate on their own time.”
Commission Vice-Chair Wright agreed with Abney and cited a previous issue with the super center.
“It took us three months to get a sign plan from them,” he said.
Naranjo said if Walmart does grant access, then the proposed site plan would return before the Planning and Zoning Commission for a second public hearing.
The Commission tabled a variance from the city’s site development requirements covering rear setbacks. The property setbacks for the proposed gas station meet the requirements for front, 50 feet, and sides, 42 feet and 47 feet. However, the site plan calls for a 13-foot setback in the rear of the property, which is considerably less than required. The city’s development code mandates property setbacks be 50 feet (front) by 50 feet (rear) by 25 feet (sides).
According to GreenbergFarrow, the new gas station and convenience store could be a financial boon to the city, bringing in revenues to help a cash-strapped administration.
Abney said Murphy Oil anticipates approximately $7 million in annual gross sales, with $5 million coming from gasoline and the remaining $2 million through purchases of goods and beverages. That projected figure would generate around $120,000 in annual gross receipts revenue for the city of Española with additional funding directed to the state and county coffers.
City manager Joe Duran agreed with Abney, saying that the nearby gas stations and convenience stores are located on tribal lands and the city does not collect sales tax revenues from purchases made at those establishments.
“Evidently, the revenue projections are an excellent contribution to the annual tax base,” Duran said. “Driving south on SR 68 from Taos entering Española are three other gas stations, located on sovereign property which don’t contribute to the city tax base. Therefore, for the most part, Murphy Oil’s contribution would be new money added to the tax base and a small portion would be from the existing contributing gas stations.”
Public relations, including maintaining healthy relationships with their neighbors, is very important to the developers.
“We like to be a part of the neighborhood,” Abney said. “We like to be good neighbors.”
Murphy Oil’s representatives will meet again with the neighborhood’s residents at 6 p.m., Sept. 26, in the council chambers.
Abney said Murphy Oil expects to employ five full-time and three part-time employees to run daily operations at the store.
In other business, the Commission unanimously approved a variance request to property owners Luis Velador and Gabriella Ortega for addition of a site-built portal onto a trailer, with less than the required setbacks, for their property at 1013 Calle Morena.