Corona del Mar EZ-Lube station proposal dropped

June Casagrande

Planners have withdrawn a request to build an EZ-Lube station at

the corner of Coast Highway and Orchid Avenue that proved highly

unpopular with residents.

Environmental firm Moss & Associates, Inc., wrote to Newport Beach

officials Wednesday to announce they were yanking their request to

build the auto-service station on what is now a vacant lot.

“I commend them for recognizing the wishes of this community,”

said Councilman Dennis O’Neil, whose district includes the area.

The project had already met with harsh opposition, including a

permit denial by the Planning Commission. EZ-Lube representatives

appealed that decision to the City Council, where they got an even

better idea of the community opposition to their project: Community

members and City Council members warned the company that they would

be hard pressed to find community support for the permit.

“I challenge you to find any resident who will speak in support of

this project,” O’Neil said at the meeting.

Councilwoman Norma Glover explained that Corona del Mar is a

community where more people are likely to go to the dealers who sold

them their cars for service than to an independent company.

The EZ-Lube people heard their message.

“Unfortunately, the timing of this project -- at a time when

EZ-Lube has many pending projects in other jurisdictions -- did not

permit us to conduct the in-depth discourse with the Corona del Mar

neighbors that they and this project deserved,” wrote Ken Genser,

planner for the project.

The station was so unpopular because most saw it as inconsistent

with Corona del Mar’s evolution. The Vision 2004 plan for the area,

embraced by much of the business and residential community, is a

precisely planned way for the businesses and homes to cohabit in

harmony in a pedestrian-friendly environment.

“I’m certainly not anti-EZ-Lube,” O’Neil said Friday. “I’m in

favor of all businesses that want to carry on their activities for a

livelihood. It’s just we’ve got this very sensitive area in Corona

del Mar trying to make this balance work with the business community

and the residential community, and this was just totally out of sync

with what would be compatible.”