Agenda - Planning Commission - 10/07/1997

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AUGUST 1997 ews AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION II Zoning for Dual Fueling By Laura Thompson The gasoline station has undergone a number of transformations since fuel was first distributed by pail during the early part of this century. From the introduction of self-service stations in the 1970s to the relatively recent addition of convenience food sales, gasoline stations have continued to evolve. They are now entering a new phase through the formation of joint ventures with national fast-food operations, making it possible to refuel both automobile and customer " ; at the same location. These ..:l combinations are popping up allover the place. The combination gas station, fast-food restaurant, and convenience store is a response to an increasingly competitive gasoline market and a growing demand for convenience services. The combination of several distinct uses at a single location is likely to cause problems if the site is not designed in a manner that enables each business to function without internal congestion. As proposals for such facilities come into the community, planners are likely to focus their concerns primarily on balancing the needs of the drive-through operation. short- term parking. and circulation within the site in an attempt to minimize the conflict between pedestrians and vehicles. Gas stations and fast-food restaurants generate a great deal of traffic, and their combination challenges planners to develop regulations capable of accommodating new convenience retail trends while protecting the community from unnecessary congestion and nuisance problems. Once again. planners are faced with the need to reevaluate their zoning regulations in response to new trends in the development of gasoline stations. This issue of Zoning News explores some of the fundamental issues that relate to these combination facilities and provides examples of how communities are dealing with them. J;. '. :!{i: :'::>r do not specifically address the combination gas station, fast-food restaurant. and convenience score in their zoning codes. Instead. they combine the necessary regulations for each use. While the Will County, Illinois. ordinance does not explicitly address the combination of convenience uses, two How Are They Handled? In response to the changing nature of the gasoline retail industry. many communities now explicitly define and effectively regulate combination gas station/convenience stores in their ordinances (see "Convenience Stores and Zoning, To Go," March 1993). The fast-food restaurants that are forming alliances with oil companies are most often nationally recognized quick-service restaurants (QSRs) with drive-through capability. They operate in the same manner as a stand-alone fast-food restaurant. except on a smaller scale. sometimes offering limited menus. and emphasizing off-site consumption by providing little or no seating. However. most communities 101- In 1993, Amoco and Burger King opened this facility at a busy intersection in West Chicago, Illinois, replacing an unsuccessful solar-powered Amoco service station. "~;~:' <~ :~~t f~' . tot--, .'.j," ~.. (.- ::~ Y;J, commercial uses are allowed on the same parcel, provided that both are permitted in the specific zoning district. The ordinance allows both automotive service stations and drive-through restaurants by right in the general business district. "The only stipulation for combining twO uses is that the parcel itself meets all the dimensional requirements of that particular classification," says county planner Michael Schwarz. I~ I l- I: I l- I 0 '1J ! 5 I~ i I I I I I ~ --- 1 - P,...jmo""~ 5trBB't ( These Amoco site requirements and guidelines are intended to assist site planners when designing 11 preliminary plan jOr a co-branded Amoco site. (~ '"?' 1(' ',;. ;.-.... .: ~ . :"1 'Y > 3 g o