Key Points
- The Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission approved a rezoning request for Terrible’s C-Store proposed fuel center and convenience store development after the applicant made significant changes to address community concerns.
- The commission held three agenda items: an informational discussion on the development review permit, a motion to reconsider their previous denial, and final approval of the rezone from Neighborhood Commercial to General Commercial.
- Both votes passed, allowing the project to move forward with the addition of a car wash that required the rezoning.
- The development will include a 14-pump fuel station, 6,222 square foot convenience store offering fresh sandwiches, salads, fruit, pizza, hot dogs, pastries, donuts and possibly chicken, and an 800 square foot car wash on 3.55 acres.
- Car wash and vacuum operations will be restricted to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, while vendor deliveries will occur between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The Maricopa Planning and Zoning Commission voted Monday night, July 14, to approve a rezoning request that will allow Terrible to build a gas station with convenience store and car wash at the southeast corner of West Bowlin Road and North Porter Road. The development sits less than half a mile from the Legacy at Porter commercial project that the commission also discussed during the same meeting.
The commission first held an informational discussion on the development review permit, then voted to reconsider their prior denial of the rezoning, and subsequently approved the rezone from Neighborhood Commercial to General Commercial. Both the motion to reconsider and the final rezoning approval passed. During the meeting, commissioners also discussed adding an acoustic study requirement, though the final language will be worked out before the project goes to City Council.
The rezoning approval allows the project to move forward. However, gas stations and convenience stores were already permitted uses under the existing Neighborhood Commercial zoning and could be built without any rezoning. The rezoning to General Commercial was needed solely to allow the car wash as a permitted use.
About Terrible Herbst
Terrible Herbst operates gas stations across Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona. The company traces its roots to 1938 when Edward R. Herbst opened a single gas station in Chicago. The “Terrible” name originated when competitors would complain “Here comes that terrible Herbst” each time Herbst opened a new station. The company is known for pioneering the convenience store model and operates primarily under the Chevron brand. Terrible Herbst employs around 3,500 people throughout the entire organization, according to a company representative’s statement in the Citizen Participation Report.
Proposed Development
The approved project will include a 14-pump fuel station with a convenience store and an accessory car wash on 3.55 acres. Originally planned as 6,284 square feet, the revised convenience store will be 6,222 square feet. The development will provide 44 parking spaces, reduced from 47 in the original plans to 44 as documented in the revised development review permit, including four for electric vehicle charging, and will employ approximately 10 people across three shifts. The car wash and vacuum operations will be restricted to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, while vendor deliveries will occur between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The convenience store will offer fresh sandwiches, salads, fruit, pizza, hot dogs, pastries, donuts and possibly chicken.
The company has no current plans to develop the remaining eastern portion of the property but may explore selling or leasing it to another user in the future.
Surrounding Properties
The site sits at the intersection of two major arterial roads and is surrounded by residential developments. Single-family homes lie to the north across Bowlin Road, while the EVR Porter multifamily development borders the property to the south and east. A Banner medical facility sits across Porter Road to the west.
Second Hearing Addresses Concerns
This marked the second hearing on the project after the commission initially denied the rezoning request on June 9, 2025. Commissioners praised the applicant’s response to community concerns.
“I’d actually like to commend the applicant,” said Commissioner Bill Robertson. “It’s been quite a process for them. They held neighborhood meetings. Not only did they listen, but they heard, and they came here, and they listened and they heard. And I think they’ve brought us a reasonable option to this project.”
Commissioner Robert Klob agreed: “I share the same acknowledgement of the design updates and commend the applicant and the team for really stepping up and taking one on the chin a little bit to make a better product for the community.”
Addressing Community Complaints
Between the two hearings, developer representatives made changes to address noise, light pollution and traffic safety concerns raised by residents and commissioners.
Traffic Safety Measures
Access to the site will be restricted to right-in/right-out only at both entrances on Porter Road and Bowlin Road. The developer must construct deceleration lanes on both roads to improve traffic flow and safety. To travel south on Porter Road from the station, drivers will need to exit north to the traffic signal and make a controlled U-turn.
Noise Reduction Measures
The developer relocated the car wash from the north side of the building (facing single-family homes) to the south side, redirecting the loudest part of the car wash process – the dryers – to face the commercial Banner medical facility across Porter Road instead of residential areas.
The company added two eight-foot tall sound abatement walls angled away from the car wash tunnel to deflect noise from southern residences. They also committed to installing noise diffusers in the dryers at the west end of the tunnel.
Vacuum stations were moved from the east side of the property (near apartments) to the west side facing Porter Road, farther from residential areas.
Operating Hours Restrictions
The developer voluntarily restricted car wash and vacuum operations to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
Site Layout Changes
The applicant eliminated the southern gas canopy entirely, reducing the total number of fuel dispensers from 20 to 14. The removed canopy was replaced with a large landscaped island providing additional noise buffering.
The remaining northern canopy and convenience store were moved six feet farther south, increasing distance from single-family homes across Bowlin Road.
Landscaping Improvements
The developer nearly doubled the tree requirements along the southern buffer to residential areas and committed to planting more mature trees at installation to create immediate screening for light and noise.
Light Pollution Controls
City code prohibits illuminated signs facing residential areas. The developer confirmed that signage facing residential developments would not be illuminated, addressing concerns about light pollution affecting nearby homes.
Decibel Discussion and Acoustic Study
Commissioner Ted Yocum raised concerns about establishing clear enforcement of noise standards rather than relying on subjective complaints. Senior Planner Derek Scheerer explained that the city’s zoning ordinance already includes specific decibel limits ranging from 35 decibels at night to a maximum of 70 decibels during the day, measured at property lines.
Commissioner Klob suggested establishing 65 decibels as a daytime limit at property lines, which he said matches Arizona Department of Transportation standards for arterial streets.
The commission discussed adding a requirement for an acoustic study to confirm compliance with the city’s existing noise ordinances. Stephen Anderson, representing Terrible, said the company supported the acoustic study requirement and noise ordinance enforcement.
“We are supportive of the enforcement of the city’s noise ordinance,” Anderson said. “We’re supportive of an acoustic study. We’ve committed to do that.”
Social Media Confusion Clarified
Senior Planner Scheerer addressed confusion circulating on social media about the car wash size, clarifying that reports incorrectly described it as 600 feet long rather than square footage. Official development documents list the car wash at 800 square feet. The facility will accommodate one car at a time in a tunnel configuration.
Public Input
The city received four letters of opposition citing traffic concerns, noise and light pollution, and proximity to schools. For the development review permit phase, notification letters were mailed to property owners within 600 feet on June 25. One neighborhood meeting attendee, Ron Angerame, addressed the commission Monday night.
“They say good fences make good neighbors, and this definitely seems to be one of those times,” Angerame said, requesting additional landscaping along roadways.
Angerame expressed safety concerns about the area’s three schools and increased traffic, arguing that the 2021 rezoning to neighborhood commercial occurred before the current residential density and traffic congestion. He described “an explosion of residential in both single family, high density, apartments, condos, and three schools” since the original commercial zoning was established.
In written opposition, resident Danay Bell objected to having another gas station when a Circle K is less than half a mile away, noting there are already plans for another Circle K on the corner of Stonegate and Casa Grande Highway. Bell cited concerns about increased traffic, noise, light and air pollution, as well as safety issues for school children crossing the intersection.
A neighborhood meeting was held May 22 at the Maricopa Library and Cultural Center.
Project Timeline
The developer must still complete the development review permit process and meet all conditions of approval, including constructing deceleration lanes on Porter Road and Bowlin Road, before receiving building permits.
The project was originally scheduled for City Council consideration on July 15, 2025, but will be rescheduled following the Planning Commission’s July 14 approval.
