Commission denies application to reestablish gas station at 9845 Main Street

The Woodstock Planning Commission voted unanimously on May 7 to deny a conditional‑use permit and two variances for a proposed gas station and 4,000‑square‑foot convenience store at 9845 Main Street.

Staff told commissioners the 0.84‑acre site is highly constrained by an existing power easement and that the gateway overlay requires high‑quality design, streetscape plantings and screening that the submitted site plan did not demonstrate. The applicant requested a reduced front setback (from 40 to 20 feet) to accommodate a canopy and asked to reduce required parking from 16 to 12 spaces; staff and the Development Projects Committee recommended denial, noting the proposal does not align with the workplace‑center designation and cannot meet overlay landscaping and buffering requirements without substantial additional relief.

Applicant counsel said the power easement tightly constrained layout and offered to reduce pump count from four to three to lessen intensity, and said refueling trucks would deliver after hours. "If we cannot get what we want it will not be worth it," the applicant’s representative said, describing parcel constraints.

Commissioners declined the request, reasoning that downtown corridor and gateway standards have evolved since the property last operated as a gas station in the 1990s and that reintroducing a gas station would not meet the city’s long‑term corridor objectives. The commission’s denial will be forwarded to City Council.

Next steps: The applicant may refine the proposal or pursue alternatives consistent with the gateway overlay and the comprehensive plan; denial will be transmitted to Council per procedure.