Huntington Beach Planning Commission backs Golden West fuel center and car wash with tow-away parking condition

Huntington Beach planning commissioners voted unanimously Nov. 20 to approve the Golden West and Garfield commercial project, a redevelopment of 19026 Golden West Street into a fuel center and an express car wash, with a condition that overnight parking be prohibited and subject to tow-away signage.

Principal Planner Joanna Cortes told the commission the proposal would change the site’s General Plan designation from industrial to commercial neighborhood and amend the specific plan zoning (Specific Plan 9, Holly Seacliff specific plan) to allow commercial uses. Cortes said staff supports consolidation of eight lots into a 1.32-net-acre site, a tentative parcel map creating two parcels (one for the fuel center, one for the car wash), a conditional use permit for two fuel canopies (about 19 feet high) and a car-wash tunnel (about 30 feet at its highest point), and an addendum to the specific plan EIR. “The addendum was prepared in compliance with CEQA guidelines,” Cortes said, and staff concluded the project is consistent with the general plan and development standards.

Commissioners pressed staff on exterior design, setbacks and parking. The commission’s design review board had not approved final elevations but recommended the project move forward with conditions to revise colors and materials; Cortes said applicants agreed to return to DRB prior to building plan check to refine colors and materials. In response to a question about soil contamination, Jake Worthy of the fire department said the site underwent testing in 2019 and met city standards by 2022 and that no soil removal was required; he added the applicant must notify the city if contamination is discovered during grading.

Representatives of the applicants addressed the commission during the public hearing. Eric Fitzs, speaking for the engineering firm handling entitlement work, thanked staff and said the applicant is “excited about moving this project forward.” Vance Shannon, representing Kwik Quack (Kwik Quack/Kwik Kwak Car Wash), played a short company video about operations and community engagement and said the typical staffing level for a store is about 15–18 people, with 2–4 employees on duty at a time; Shannon said the company would accept a condition requiring tow-away signage to address overnight parking concerns.

One member of the public, who identified themself as Corinid (also transcribed as Corned) Pickens of northwest Huntington Beach, urged denial and raised a range of environmental and other allegations, including concerns about light pollution. The commission noted lighting and similar standards are regulated through applicable zoning rules and conditions of approval.

After deliberation the commission member who moved the motion stated the project should move forward with the signage modification; a second was made and the clerk announced “all ayes.” The commission’s recommendation on the General Plan Amendment, Zoning Text Amendment and Environmental Assessment will be forwarded to City Council for final action; the tentative parcel map and conditional use permit approvals are final unless appealed to City Council within 10 calendar days.

If appealed, the record must include the reasons for appeal and the fee filed with the city clerk within the 10-day window. The project will return to relevant administrative review for final elevations and materials before building plan check.