San Clemente Valero Station to be Demolished, Rebuilt

The Valero gas station on Avenida de la Estrella ner the I-5 Freeway offramp will be demolished and rebuilt to add Valero convenient store and car wash in addition to its pumps, pending approval by the San Clemente City Council.

The San Clemente Planning Commission Wednesday unanimously approved the project, said Commissioner Nesa Anderson in a phone interview Thursday.

Commissioners did have concerns noise from the dryer in the car wash could disturb residents of the neighboring apartment building. The dryer, however, would be on the inside of the building. Commissioners conditioned their approval to allow them to revisit the issue if the city received noise complaints, Anderson said.

The new building is planned for a height of 26 feet with a tower of 30 feet -- the maximum allowable according to city codes for the area.

The Valero operators also want permission to sell beer and wine, which they do not do from the existing small shop. The building's second floor would house office space for the business, according to city staffers.

The station operators want to replace their tall, freeway-facing pole sign, but commissioners said they weren't allowed to do that, Anderson said.

The city has enacted multiple measures recently to remove sign clutter in town, including freeway-facing signs.