Planning commission approves ARCO AMPM development permit for Combi Road site; neighbors raised safety, lighting and signage concerns

The Nevada County Planning Commission on a 3‑0 vote approved a development permit for an ARCO AMPM service station and convenience store at 10018 Combi Road, a 0.81‑acre parcel in the community commercial (C2) zone, and adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project.

Tyler Barrington, Principal Planner and Interim Director of Housing, described the proposal: a 3,323‑square‑foot convenience store, six dual fuel dispensers (12 fueling positions) under a 2,592‑square‑foot canopy, two underground fuel tanks (a record mentions 22,000‑gallon tanks), 19 parking stalls and four electric‑vehicle level‑2 chargers. The applicant also proposes a 12‑foot multipurpose trail along the project frontage consistent with the Greater Higgins Area Plan. Operating hours were proposed as 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Staff concluded the project met county site‑development standards with conditions for lighting, landscaping, signage and stormwater control, and circulated the initial study/MND from 02/07/2025 to 03/10/2025.

Public commenters voiced both support and concerns. John Newton, a commercial real‑estate broker, said he supported the project and welcomed the electric charging stations. Several residents and community members raised concerns about safety, truck deliveries and visual impacts. Joel Sam, Fire Chief of the Higgins Fire Protection District, told the commission he did not anticipate a material operational impact to the fire station and said the applicant had addressed his primary concern — security fencing to prevent trespass into the station’s apparatus bay.

Applicant representatives said the site is an appropriate infill location for a fueling station: deliveries will be routed from the east via Woodridge and Higgins to avoid U‑turns at the Combi/Higgins light; the project produces largely pass‑by trips rather than new commuting trips, and the multipurpose trail and gateway sign area provide community benefits. The applicant’s traffic consultant (WTrans) estimated that many fueling trips are pass‑by and that project traffic would not exceed county screening thresholds.

Conditions approved by the commission restrict a tall pole/goalpost price sign that staff found would conflict with the scenic‑corridor designation, require final photometric plans that meet county light‑spill standards, require a surety letter for landscaping installation, require annexation into a road maintenance district for truck routing and include standard cultural, archaeological, noise and hazardous‑materials protections. The approval also requires four level‑2 EV chargers be installed during construction.

Votes at a glance

- Motion to adopt the Mitigated Negative Declaration (EIS 24‑00002): passed 3‑0 (Commissioners Garst, Foley, Vice Chair McAteer yes). - Motion to approve the development permit DVP 20 Three‑five (as stated in the record), subject to conditions and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program: passed 3‑0 (Garst, Foley, McAteer yes).

Next steps: The project is subject to a 10‑day appeal period. Conditions of approval, final building permits and agency sign‑offs (including Public Works encroachment permits for the multipurpose trail) remain to be completed prior to occupancy.