On September 5, 2023, the City Council adopted Ordinance No. 2515 which provided gasoline/service station owners/operators an opportunity to apply for a conditional use permit (CUP) to be allowed to obtain a license to sell beer and wine for off-site consumption from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). Ordinance No. 2515 became effective on October 6, 2023. 

The Planning Division received the first CUP application submittal for beer and wine sales within a service station convenience store on December 14, 2023. The Planning Commission has approved the following three (3) applications:

• CUP No. 23-09 (1209 S. Sunset Avenue – Chevron): Approved by the Planning Commission on February 13, 2024
• CUP No. 23-11 (246 N. Citrus Street – Mobil): Approved by the Planning Commission on February 13, 2024
• CUP No. 24-02 (300 N. Azusa Avenue – Arco): Approved by the Planning Commission on April 9, 2024

In addition, one (1) application is on this Planning Commission meeting agenda (CUP No. 23-04 at 901 N. Sunset Avenue), and one (1) application submitted on May 6, 2026 (CUP No. 24-04 at 1333 W. Merced Avenue) is currently being reviewed by staff for completion.

During the February 13, 2024 Planning Commission meeting, the Planning Commission asked staff to agendize a discussion on Planning Commission potential review options for CUPs allowing the sales of beer and wine as an accessory use within service station convenience stores.

Options
The Planning Commission currently has the following option available per the conditions of approval for each individual CUP:

• Direct staff to continue working with code enforcement to monitor related complaints and bring the individual CUP back to the Planning Commission for modification or revocation procedures if the complaints are verified to be valid and are either not immediately addressed and/or become a reoccurring issue (more than 3 times within a 12-18 month period).

The Planning Commission may consider the following potential option:

• Direct staff to agendize an annual review to report to the Planning Commission complaints received by code enforcement and to provide the Planning Commission an opportunity to discuss potential concerns. 

 

Staff is recommending that the Planning Commission direct staff to continue with the current practice established by each individual CUP (conditions of approval) of working with code enforcement to monitor related complaints and bring the individual CUP back to the Planning Commission for modification or revocation procedures if the complaints are verified to be valid and are either not immediately addressed and/or become a reoccurring issue (more than 3 times within a 12-18 month period).