Indio planning commissioners deny Maverick fueling station amid traffic and environmental-justice concerns

The Indio City Planning Commission voted 3-2 to deny four connected resolutions (Nos. 2103–2106) that would have approved a tenant parcel map, conditional use permit and environmental review for a proposed Maverick fueling station at the northeast corner of Avenue 45 and Golf Center Parkway.

The project would have subdivided an existing 8.62-acre lot into two parcels — a 3.37-acre lot for the Maverick fueling station and a 5.26-acre parcel intended for future development — and would have included a roughly 6,000-square-foot convenience store, a fueling canopy (approximately 7,200 square feet), 10 dispenser pumps (20 fueling positions) and additional diesel/commercial fueling areas. Staff recommended approval, presenting the project as consistent with the General Plan’s workplace and employment designation and noting an initial study and mitigated negative declaration (MND) concluded that identified impacts could be reduced to less-than-significant levels through 15 mitigation measures.

Jose Luis Jada, assistant planner with the Community Development Department, summarized staff’s recommendation: "staff recommends approval of resolutions number 2103 and 2104, 2105, and 2106, conditionally approving the Maverick fueling station project." The environmental consultant…