THOUSAND OAKS : Residents Opposing Plan for Gas Station

More than 100 residents attended the Thousand Oaks Planning Commission meeting Monday night to protest a gas station planned for their Oakbrook Village neighborhood.

The Mobil Oil Corp. has proposed building the station at the southwest corner of Avenida de Los Arboles and Erbes Road. The 5,000-square-foot station would include three pump islands and three service bays for minor car repairs.

Residents told the commission Monday night they were concerned about increased traffic and noise generated by the station as well as the potential for spills involving flammable fuel and oil. They also said that the city already has several closed service station sites and that they are afraid that the proposed Mobil station would join the list.

Steve Lacey, one of the protest organizers, submitted a petition to the commission with the signatures of 431 residents opposed to the project.

Opponents have pledged to take their fight to the City Council, which must give final approval.

The commission was expected to vote late Monday on whether to recommend that the council grant a special-use permit to allow construction of the station. All gas stations require a special permit because they handle combustible materials.