SANTA ANA : Council Tightens Up Business Regulations

The City Council this week approved new rules limiting the operating hours of some service stations and auto repair shops and placed tougher restrictions on businesses planning to remodel.

The council’s actions stemmed from a wide-ranging review of such regulations after council members became concerned about the number of service stations converting to mini-markets.

Under the new regulations, service stations are prohibited from operating before 6 a.m. and after 10 p.m.

Auto repair shops can’t begin work before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m on any day of the week if they are located within 300 feet of a residential neighborhood.

The new rules, which take effect on April 17, apply to new auto businesses or existing businesses planning to remodel extensively.

In addition to restricting hours, the rules require that new or remodeling businesses provide a specific amount of landscaping on their property.

The location and the number of driveways a business can have will also be restricted. The landscaping portion of the revised ordinance drew criticism from petroleum industry representatives this week.

“It’s going to make it very difficult for the petroleum industry to rebuild old service stations,” said Lynn Beteag, a representative from Arco. “Making this type of blanket statement only results in all of the companies coming in asking for variances. Why should every single project have to go through that process?”

Planning Director Robin Uptegraff said city officials realize that some businesses located on smaller lots will have trouble meeting the landscaping requirement. She said that in some cases, reduced landscaping may be approved.