To clarify a little bit the neighbors had many concerns. There have been several crimes at the gas station in recent years including armed robbery and assault. There is also a problem with noise late a night with some patrons yelling and being disruptive after 11:00 PM. Trash from the convenience store is a big problem along O'Keefe street where people discard receipts, cigarette wrappers, candy wrappers, cans, etc. This gas station is in a residential neighborhood bordering one house and within 300 feet of many more houses. I would also point out that the other places selling alcohol in the neighborhood are not open 24 hours a day, they all close at 9:00 PM. The kicker however is that the gas station is still selling tobacco products that the City banned two years ago. One of the reasons the Planning Commission denied the request in March of 2020 was that they were in violation of the Menlo Park ordinance banning flavored tobacco and e-cigarettes. On the day of the City Council meeting a resident was able to purchase an e-cigarette product from the gas station convenience store in violation of that ordinance.

Just a point of clarification. The article indicates I was “absent”. I was excused prior to this item being called by the Mayor as I am currently rehabilitating a herniated disc in my neck. I was suffering from severe discomfort by the time this item was called late in the evening.