To: Kevin Thompson, Senior Planner, Calistoga
Save Calistoga's Scenic Entry Corridor: Part Two
A large, formulaic chain has no place in our community. Stop the corner of Petrified Forest Rd and Foothill Blvd, a key entry to Calistoga, from becoming a traffic nightmare "commuter's corridor."
Why is this important?
The "Loop" gas station/ convenience store is re-applying with Calistoga to take over the corner of Petrified Forest and Foothill, across the street from the Arco station that is already problematic to people who live in this neighborhood.
Our primary concerns are still the same:
(1) "Traffic Nightmare." Traffic would increase by an estimated 1,228 cars per day. Anyone who lives in Calistoga knows how backed up this four-way stop gets daily; this increase would greatly worsen that situation.
(2) "Commuter Corridor" vs "Scenic Entry to Calistoga." The Loop station would emphasize Calistoga as a quick stopping place for commuters between Lake County and Santa Rosa/ Napa. For visitors and residents, the entry to our historic town would be formulaic and utilitarian, with no respect for the surrounding countryside.
(3) "Environmental Impact." Cyrus Creek is an important tributary to the Napa River; runoff from such a huge project with spilled gas and car wash chemicals would be unavoidable.
(4) "Quality of Life Impact." The Arco station at that corner already draws a negative influence, including people sleeping in vehicles, drinking/ doing drugs in the parking lot, and dumping trash into Cyrus Creek. A larger gas station would draw a transient crowd looking for a place to sleep overnight in their cars and do drug deals. At the last Commission meeting, the owners of the Loop said they would provide a "400 pound security robot" to monitor the parking lot; the very fact that they need to provide such a thing is a sign that they know there will be problems.
Help us slow down the increasingly frantic pace of development in our small town and reconsider what we want our entrances to convey! Sign our petition to let the Planning Commission know that neighbors object, then show up for the meetings (to be announced via email as that information becomes available.) Please pass this petition on to your friends and neighbors.
Our primary concerns are still the same:
(1) "Traffic Nightmare." Traffic would increase by an estimated 1,228 cars per day. Anyone who lives in Calistoga knows how backed up this four-way stop gets daily; this increase would greatly worsen that situation.
(2) "Commuter Corridor" vs "Scenic Entry to Calistoga." The Loop station would emphasize Calistoga as a quick stopping place for commuters between Lake County and Santa Rosa/ Napa. For visitors and residents, the entry to our historic town would be formulaic and utilitarian, with no respect for the surrounding countryside.
(3) "Environmental Impact." Cyrus Creek is an important tributary to the Napa River; runoff from such a huge project with spilled gas and car wash chemicals would be unavoidable.
(4) "Quality of Life Impact." The Arco station at that corner already draws a negative influence, including people sleeping in vehicles, drinking/ doing drugs in the parking lot, and dumping trash into Cyrus Creek. A larger gas station would draw a transient crowd looking for a place to sleep overnight in their cars and do drug deals. At the last Commission meeting, the owners of the Loop said they would provide a "400 pound security robot" to monitor the parking lot; the very fact that they need to provide such a thing is a sign that they know there will be problems.
Help us slow down the increasingly frantic pace of development in our small town and reconsider what we want our entrances to convey! Sign our petition to let the Planning Commission know that neighbors object, then show up for the meetings (to be announced via email as that information becomes available.) Please pass this petition on to your friends and neighbors.