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Board approves Arco AMPM at Metro Air Park; approves off-sale alcohol license request with conditions
Summary
The Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a use permit and related entitlements for an Arco AMPM service station and convenience store at West Elkhorn Boulevard and Metro Air Parkway and granted a county letter supporting a Type 21 off-sale alcohol license subject to conditions requested by the Sheriff's Office.
The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 28 approved entitlements for an Arco AMPM service station, 34,100-square-foot convenience store, 12-pump fueling canopy and an automated car wash on a 1.37-acre parcel at the southwest corner of West Elkhorn Boulevard and Metro Air Parkway in the Metro Air Park Specific Plan area. The board also approved a letter of public convenience and necessity (PCN) supporting an off-sale Type 21 (beer, wine and distilled spirits) state license after hearing sheriff's concerns and attaching conditions that staff included in the project use permit.
What the board approved
Planning staff recommended approval of: a use permit for the fueling station and store, a special development permit to deviate landscaping requirements around the trash enclosure, and design-review findings of compliance with countywide design guidelines. Because the census tract that includes Metro Air Park is over-concentrated and exceeds crime thresholds under ABC rules, the seller requested a PCN. The Sheriff's Office had protested granting the PCN unless conditions were attached; because PCNs are a Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control matter and cannot be conditioned, the applicant agreed to the Sheriff's recommended conditions as use-permit conditions.
Notable details and conditions
- The project site is 1.37 acres and sits inside the Metro Air Park SPA. Planning staff found the Metro Air Park EIR and supplemental addenda adequate for the project. - The developer requested an increase in total sign area to 223 square feet (county code baseline 125 sf) to provide visibility on the two street frontages; the board approved the special development permit to allow the sign area as conditioned. - Planning staff and the applicant confirmed the project includes installation of EV chargers (staff said the project will install chargers as part of construction). - Because the census tract officially permits zero off-sale licenses under population ratio rules and has crime metrics above the district average, ABC requires a PCN; staff recommended approval contingent on the county's ability to address the sheriff's suggested mitigation via the use-permit conditions.
Public input and deliberation
No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing. The Planning Commission previously recommended the project by a 5-0 vote. The applicant's representative said ARCO/AMPM plans to install EV chargers with the project and affirmed willingness to accept the Sheriff's conditions in the use-permit.
Board action
The board voted unanimously to approve the use permit, special development permit and to issue the PCN in accordance with the staff report and conditions. The approval includes the Sheriff's requested conditions added to the use permit.
Ending note
The decision advances a commercial node in the Metro Air Park SPA and reflects the board's effort to balance development, visibility and public-safety requests from sheriff's staff. The project is expected to proceed to permitting and construction pending standard building permits and conditions of approval.
