Gas Station Proposed At Lakeview and Orcutt Roads

A new gas station is proposed on the southeast corner of Orcutt Road and Lakeview Road.

The station would have eight fuel pumps and be a modern western style in compliance with the Orcutt Community Plan. A commercial building would include a 4,203 square feet convenience store, and the hours of operation would be 5 a.m. to midnight. There was previously a service station on the lot—which is .82 acres —in the 1960s through the 1990s.

“We’e intending to replace the previous long-standing gas station with a new updated project and a mini-mart,”applicant Brian Tetley explained, adding that the owner is an independent local.

The goal is to offer another option to the area as the nearest gas station is about a mile away, while others are around two or more miles from the busy intersection.

“It’l really be an asset to the community,”he said.

Tetley has been working to address comments from Caltrans. There have been several traffic studies performed which demonstrated a need for improvements to help mitigate any impacts the new station could have. Comments regarding traffic safety include the widening of the north side of Lakeview Road to provide a complete, through and right turn lane, extending the “reen”time of the westbound Highway 135 signal, and the installation of signage prohibiting left and through movements on the northbound segment of Orcutt Road.

The next meeting for review is estimated to occur in December, according to Gwen Beyeler, a planner for Santa Barbara County.

Jamie Guista reporting