Panel to Consider Gas Station, Carwash

The Camarillo Planning Commission is expected to decide at 7:30 tonight whether to approve a gas station and carwash opposed by area residents.

The commission approved the gas station and repair garage in December 1995, but American National Oil Co. let its permit expire.

Many residents of the neighborhood near the Dawson Drive exit off the Ventura Freeway see the project as noisy, needless and a threat to property values.

“We’re still opposed to the gas station,” said Lisa McCarthy, who lives near the proposed site off Petit Street. “Putting in the carwash is just going to make it that much worse, because it will make it more attractive to consumers.

“We also believe Camarillo just doesn’t need another carwash,” McCarthy said, contending that most of the 65 homeowners in the neighborhood agree.

Initially, the oil company planned to put in a service station, along with a snack bar and restaurant, but that application was denied because of improper zoning.

“A carwash is probably better than the repair garage, because it won’t have a noise problem associated with it and it doesn’t have cars being parked on the property waiting to be repaired,” said Planning Director Tony Boden.

‘Petit Street already has a substantial amount of traffic, but this will not generate any more,” Boden said.

The city is expected to modify the Dawson Street offramp to reduce congestion in June 1999.