Costco gas station at Tustin Ranch

[Irvinity]

If you are in support of a Costco gas station at Tustin Ranch location, see the email below:


Dear Costco Member,

Costco Wholesale strongly believes that the addition of a gas station at the Tustin Ranch Costco will be of tremendous value to the community. We are proud of the quality of the gasoline we sell, our environmental and safety record and the value we offer our members.

As you may already know, we received approval for the Tustin Ranch gas station addition at the Planning Commission hearing on July 9, 2019. This decision was appealed on July 19.

It is a fact of life that individuals who oppose projects tend to make their objections known, while those in favor do not express their views.

How can you help? We urge our supporting members to express their views to the Tustin City Council. Please send an email to Tustin City Hall at CityCouncil@tustinca.org to express your desire for the addition of a Costco Gas Station at the Tustin Ranch location. Emails should be sent no later than Monday, Oct. 14.

The City Council hearing will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. at 300 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA.

Your time and support are greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Caton Frates
Senior Vice President
General Manager ? Los Angeles Region
Costco Wholesale

 

[nosuchreality]

Just show me the environmental impact study that shows the cars won't increase congestion or back up traffic on the Bryan, El Camino or Tustin Ranch.

Because frankly, Costco you've gotten wrong at every single one of your gas stations I've seen.

 

[Irvinity]

Costco merely has more traffic than most of the gas stations around, even though their gas stations are larger/deeper (district location) than others. Adding a new gas station will hopefully alleviate some traffic at District and/or spectrum Costco's.

 

[nosuchreality]

Don't care about hopefully, show me the environmental impact study.

Their existing locations are miserable failures for impacts to traffic and congestion.

 

[jamesKirk]

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

 

[Kings]

here is the other side of the argument: http://protecttustinranch.org/learn-more/

Costco Wholesale is trying to add another fueling station to the Tustin Ranch area with 32 fueling stations and we as residents have major concerns.

The current status of the fueling station is in the hands of the Tustin City Council. After the Planning Commission voted 4 ? 0 (1 recused) on July 9th to approve Costco?s proposal, an appeal was filed by concerned community members and businesses. The City Council has scheduled to make their decision on October 15th.

TRAFFIC
The commission was presented with a traffic study that concluded based on a study of the Temecula Costco Wholesale that the traffic situation will not be worsened by the addition of the 32 pump station, however us residents know that is not the truth. They also stated that in order to build the Costco Wholesale Gasoline Station changes needed to be made at the corner of Auto Center Dr and El Camino Real. As residents we all know that traffic on El Camino going through the Tustin Market Place can be bumper to bumper during rush hour and weekends. This plan will not alleviate those current issues but make them worse. Additionally, it is hypothesized that the gas station will pump 1.5 million gallons of gasoline monthly servicing over 3,500 vehicles daily. Again as residents of the Tustin area we know that traffic is already an issue on Bryan Ave and Tustin Ranch Rd in which adding a high capacity fueling station will only make matters worse and put the burden on the tax payer to fix infrastructure. Additionally, the close proximity to the 5 Freeway will make this gas station more appealing than that of the Tustin District location which has had major issues in the past. It is also rumored that the Tustin District location will downsize available pumps once the Tustin Ranch location is open making the traffic situation at the District on Park Ave worse. On top of all these concerns the proposed location and traffic flow for the fueling station not only takes over much needed parking the lot but at its queue additional parking will be blocked to accommodate the lined up vehicles.

HOURS OF OPERATION
The current proposed hours of operation are 5am to 10pm. This contrary to the Costco representatives is open longer and earlier than other Costco Gasoline Stations. This means that the station will be available to commuters on the 5 Freeway earlier causing a delay on surface streets during rush hours and weekends. This on top of the fact that there are local schools in the area that have students walking or riding bicycles at those times and the potential for injury is higher with commuters in a rush to get to work or get back to the freeway. This also means that the station will be open earlier and later than the Costco Wholesale in their own backyard.

ENVIRONMENTALLY OF THE PROJECT
According the Tustin City Planning Commission the project is exempt from California Environmental Standards and no environmental study has been conducted to show residents of the area the hazards or cautions to having a high profile fueling station in their backyards. This is worrisome as there are residential neighborhoods within 700 feet to the north and 1200 feet west of the proposed site. This will effect home values in the area and could prove problematic for several types of home insurance and loan types. The proposed queuing system will allow for 72 vehicles to be in the fueling station area and additional vehicles to queue up behind them blocking lanes of parking near the Tire Center. This means nearly 100 vehicles at any one time can be idling producing high emissions and pollution that will travel in to our neighborhoods.

Lets be honest, the Commission believes that the fueling station will bring people in to the Tustin area to shop and do business but we all know that commuters will just use this as a stop to fuel up and leave hurting businesses in the area and hurting our community. There are several issues that have not been addressed and I encourage you to come to the next meeting at Tustin City Hall at 300 Centennial Way, Tustin, CA 92780.

Let?s stand up to Costco Wholesale and tell them we don?t want a part two of the Tustin District Fueling Station Monster.

 

[Irvinity]

Thanks for the info.

 

[aquabliss]

Tustin tire center is always packed, and they?ll be removing it to add the gas station... gas must be much more profitable.

 

[eyephone]

Tustin tire center is always packed, and they?ll be removing it to add the gas station... gas must be much more profitable.

Btw the other tire place/full service auto shop across Costco is no longer in business. (It was like a franchise tire place. I think you guys know what I?m talking about.)

 

[Happiness]

Tustin tire center is always packed, and they?ll be removing it to add the gas station... gas must be much more profitable.

I heard that gas is a low margin item and that gas stations make most of their money from the quickie mart. Sort of like theatres don't make much on tickets but get most of their profits from popcorn.

 

[eyephone]

There?s still a line. But why compare the Costco gas line on Technology to Fullerton? Then should we compare it to the Costco gas line at Marina Del Rey (line stretches to the In and out area of the parking lot) or Alhambra (it felt like a maze to get into the Costco gas)

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

 

[paydawg]

There?s still a line. But why compare the Costco gas line on Technology to Fullerton? Then should we compare it to the Costco gas line at Marina Del Rey (line stretches to the In and out area of the parking lot) or Alhambra (it felt like a maze to get into the Costco gas)

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

Is all that hassle worth the $5 you save per tank?

 

[akkord]

No hassle for me, I just go Costco for gas at 6am before work, never a line, or if you go later at night around 8pm or after there's usually no to a very short line.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Depends on the price of gas.

It?s higher now so lines at Costco are longer.

Was at the District last night around 9p and there were lines.

 

[akkord]

I rarely get gas at the District Costco, I go the one by the Spectrum.  The District parking design is bad in general, so I avoid as much as possible. 

 

[Kings]

Tustin tire center is always packed, and they?ll be removing it to add the gas station... gas must be much more profitable.

I heard that gas is a low margin item and that gas stations make most of their money from the quickie mart. Sort of like theatres don't make much on tickets but get most of their profits from popcorn.

gas is a very low margin product, and costco sometimes takes a loss on gas sales with the hope that people will go shopping before/after.

 

[jamesKirk]

There?s still a line. But why compare the Costco gas line on Technology to Fullerton? Then should we compare it to the Costco gas line at Marina Del Rey (line stretches to the In and out area of the parking lot) or Alhambra (it felt like a maze to get into the Costco gas)

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

Im saying the technology Costco doesn?t need any draw from it since it?s not that crowded. It?s the district Costco that?s the problem. I never go there, it?s dangerous getting into the station opening.

 

[jamesKirk]

There?s still a line. But why compare the Costco gas line on Technology to Fullerton? Then should we compare it to the Costco gas line at Marina Del Rey (line stretches to the In and out area of the parking lot) or Alhambra (it felt like a maze to get into the Costco gas)

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

Is all that hassle worth the $5 you save per tank?

If I?m passing it then why not? The Irvine Costco is out of my way if I?m going north on the 5. The market place would be the most convenient location and I think a lot of people will also do the same. That?s the problem that these traffic analysis don?t capture, the culture and personality of humans. They will wait an extra 15 minutes to save a few bucks on gas. It?s not the direct locals who will cause massive traffic at this new Costco gas.

 

[eyephone]

There?s still a line. But why compare the Costco gas line on Technology to Fullerton? Then should we compare it to the Costco gas line at Marina Del Rey (line stretches to the In and out area of the parking lot) or Alhambra (it felt like a maze to get into the Costco gas)

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

Im saying the technology Costco doesn?t need any draw from it since it?s not that crowded. It?s the district Costco that?s the problem. I never go there, it?s dangerous getting into the station opening.

Dangerous getting into?

 

[jamesKirk]

There?s still a line. But why compare the Costco gas line on Technology to Fullerton? Then should we compare it to the Costco gas line at Marina Del Rey (line stretches to the In and out area of the parking lot) or Alhambra (it felt like a maze to get into the Costco gas)

The Spectrum Costco has isn?t really very crowded. Way less compared to others I?ve been to like the Fullerton location.

This would draw a bit from the district, but also a huge increase in commuter traffic since it?s right off the freeway.
Also more people coming from Santa Ana. El Camino will be backed up for sure if it?s going in the corner where the tire center is.

I probably won?t go to this location anyways since it?s further than the Spectrum Costco, but if it?s cheaper I may stop by if I?m going north on the 5.

Im saying the technology Costco doesn?t need any draw from it since it?s not that crowded. It?s the district Costco that?s the problem. I never go there, it?s dangerous getting into the station opening.

Dangerous getting into?

Have you been there at rush hour? There will be a few people who get really aggressive and try to do dumb things . For instance if you?re coming from the theatre there are two ?lanes? to get in, one for the left turn going toward the theatres and one for turn right coming from that direction. I?ve seen people try to turn right into that second lane meant for the left turning people and almost get t-boned by people turning left into the station.

I don?t go there anymore since I?m living closer to the technology one now. Even when we go to the district I never go there.