It is well-known that Asheville government does not approve of the use of automobiles. How’s this for a deterrent? A proposed amendment to the UDO wants gas stations to put their pumps behind the cash-out building to spare pedestrians the discomfort of viewing them. Buffers will likely be required on most lots. Recently, the city cracked down on Ingle’s for proposing too much brightness under a gas canopy. That is well and good. It just sounds like city staff realize that life is a game and so they’re making up a bunch of silly rules. But remember, persons arrested by the APD on several counts of violent crime are being let go due to the alleged disappearance of police evidence.
Is there a ghost of a chance that a sprung rapist might consider hiding in the bushes – er, buffer – to capture a chance little lady who stops to refuel at a semi-lighted gas pump behind the gas station after dark? Maybe, but just think of all the economic multipliers the city will perpetuate ad infinitum by hiding gas pumps.
Parking in back of buildings is great for synergy. It promotes the “pedestrian experience” that is also supposed to be encouraged by this ordinance in requiring first-floor residential units to have 20% of their front façade glazed. What if residents don’t perform to pedestrians’ expectations?
Anyway, we’ve all been to buildings that one must circle 1.5 to 3 times to get in and out. If the city parents (neutral language) really feared peak oil, wouldn’t they be streamlining traffic patterns rather than making people uselessly burn gas until it hurts?
Other anti-car rules impose a limit of six visiting vehicles a day to home businesses. So, if mom stops by to pick up the kids, some folks from church decide to drop in and wish you a good day, and the plumber comes to fix the sink – you have to cancel all your afternoon appointments. Maybe you can refer them to the competition that does not have to keep such rules. It is not expected that dealers operating out of crack houses will be held to the same standard, as they always seem to transcend the rules made to squelch the entrepreneurial spirit in productive members of society. There is also a limit to the number of vehicles that can be used for a home business.
According other portions of the amendment, trashy poor people who can’t afford to repair their car in a month will have to find the money to get it towed to a proper vehicle storage site, too. So, rather than getting their car back in a couple months, they will hopefully have learned to enjoy riding the bus.
The new regulations do not necessarily apply to all districts where usages in question are allowed, and it is assumed existing uses will be grandfathered-in. Consult the 145-page amendment for details.
The same amendment prohibits convenience stores from selling gas in some zonings. This would logically mean that a gas station cannot sell convenience store items, unless a special definition proclaims otherwise. It has been said that gas stations have to sell junk food because the taxes on gas are so high, the prospectors, rig folks, refinery workers, haulers, and gas station employees don’t have much in the way of profits to share. The unintended consequence here is that the gas stations that can’t sell goodies can jack the price of gas up so high to recover costs that people will patronize the normal gas stations elsewhere. In other words: Gas stations are not a permitted use.
UPDATE: At least it was staff’s intent to prohibit gas sales at convenience stores in zonings where convenience stores and not gas stations are allowed. I do not have time to re-read the ordinance to make sure. So, I will give them the benefit of a doubt noting that the amendment does allow for stables for horses, mules, etc. in the city.
