Larkspur planning commission clears conversion of 600 Magnolia gas station to convenience store with delivery, cleanup conditions

The Larkspur City Planning Commission voted 4–0 on Oct. 14 to approve application PLN23-55, allowing the conversion of service bays at 600 Magnolia Avenue into an expanded convenience store and granting a design review entitlement and a circulation assessment permit. Chair Swisser and Commissioners Wagstaff, Schalmer (Schalmer's) and Campbell voted yes; Commissioner Hull was absent. The approval is subject to a 10-day appeal period and the conditions of approval in the staff report.

City planning staff told the commission the proposal would remove the existing service bays, relocate the pedestrian/customer entrance, add six windows along the front elevation, and expand the convenience-store footprint to occupy the building. The project also includes a new exit door on the side facing the adjacent Ly’s building, a walk-in cooler and a customer service station. Staff said the applicant’s traffic impact study was peer-reviewed by a city consultant, who concluded the project would not lower nearby intersections (Magnolia/Doerty and Doerty/Rose Lane) below acceptable service levels. Staff recommended approval subject to findings and conditions and asked the commission to include two conditions: that the owner/operator clean up garbage appearing along the shopping-center frontages and that deliveries of fuel and supplies be scheduled during off-peak hours to reduce traffic impacts.

Applicant Abe Abukamash, who identified himself as the long-time owner-operator of the station, told the commission he switched the business model after declining demand for on-site car repairs and to restore convenience retail offerings lost when other nearby stores closed. “My name is Abe. I go by Abe Abukamash. I’ve been owner‑operator this gas station since 2004,” he said, describing plans to tailor store inventory to local needs, including basic groceries and toiletries for seniors and grab‑and‑go items for schoolchildren. He also said the station has historically offered lower fuel prices and that the conversion has worked for other locations his business operates.

Commissioners questioned parking ownership and counts, and whether the traffic-study trip rates reflected current conditions. The applicant and staff said some parking is owned by the shopping-center landlord (Ly’s), and they described existing on-site spaces behind and adjacent to the store. Staff emphasized that the city consultant’s peer review found no unacceptable traffic impacts given the site and the proposed changes.

During deliberations a commissioner confirmed they could make the required findings for the design review and the circulation assessment permit. Commissioner Liam moved to approve PLN23-55 subject to the conditions in the staff report and the added requirement that deliveries occur during off‑peak hours; the motion was seconded and carried. The city recorded the vote as four yeas, one absence.

The approval includes the staff‑recommended conditions that the owner/operator maintain the storefront frontages and schedule deliveries during off‑peak times; staff also noted that a roof replacement, if it increases height, would require a separate return to the commission, while a simple replacement could proceed under a building permit. The decision is subject to the standard 10‑day appeal period; anyone wishing to appeal must file the required form and fee with the city clerk within that timeframe.

At the same meeting the commission also approved the Sept. 9, 2025 meeting minutes (one abstention recorded for an absent commissioner) and discussed staffing updates: staff reported interviews are underway to replace a staff member, with a hoped‑for appointment in November or early next year. The meeting adjourned following those items.