A proposed gas station, convenience store and fast-food restaurant at Buellton’s northern gateway received favorable comments from planning commissioners months after a previous  proposal was denied.

On Thursday night, the Buellton Planning Commission conducted a preliminary review of the ARCO AM/PM proposed for a triangle-shaped lot at 653 Avenue of Flags, site of a former gas station.

The property currently houses a repair shop and rental truck businesses.

Plans include a 4,400-square-foot building with a convenience store and restaurant plus 12 gas pumps under a canopy. Access would be provided via Avenue of Flags with a gate-controlled access on Central Avenue for fuel trucks. The existing building will be demolished.

“I am going to issue a wow,” commission chairwoman Patty Hammel said. “This is so much better than last time.”

“It’s good to see you’ve addressed a lot of what we asked for in the denial,” commissioner Art Mercado added.

The project’s applicant/agent is Jeanette Verdugo from AGC Design Concept in Valencia and the site’s owner is Simranjit Sandhu, according to the city staff report.

The restaurant will encompass 1,400 feet of the building, but the applicant has not determined a tenant yet, city staff said.

Last year, commissioners denied the project after determining it lacked the Art Deco architectural style called for in the Avenue of Flags Specific Plan. The denial included an opportunity to return with a revised plan in less than a year.

Most of the site amenities remain the same as the prior proposal.

“The substantial revisions to the project are to the architectural design, which is in response to the Planning Commission denial of the previous application late last year,” planning director Andrea Keefer said.

While generally favoring the revised plan, commissioners suggested the building’s color scheme didn’t fit the Art Deco theme and should be reconsidered.

“It does feel off,” commissioner Shannon Reese observed.

“I like the added detail that you guys put on the design,” commissioner Marcilo Sarquilla said. “I still don’t care for the colors at all.

“I’d rather see some light blues, pale pinks, the beige colors could be Navajo white. It doesn’t have to be bright white, but that would blend with the Art Deco that we’re trying to go for in this town.”

Hammel also suggested more color for “just a teeny bit more wow and little bit more Art Deco style.”

“Because I’m really good friends with Google, I … just googled Art Deco color palette and some of the blues and oranges that are in your corporate sign are Art Deco colors,” she said.

Lighting also raised some concerns among staff, commissioners and local residents focused on protecting the dark night sky. Staff said the revised plan will need a revised lighting strategy to avoid spillover affecting neighbors.

Commissioners also asked for more details on a monument sign that would say ARCO and “Welcome to Buellton.”

The ARCO and welcome sign sitting side by side made it appear the city endorsed the business, commissioner Laura Romano DeFazio said.

“I think we can work with the applicant on some of those details,” Keefer replied.

The applicant is expected to revise the project in response to staff and commissioners’ newest comments.

The commission will hold a hearing to formally consider the project in the future, according to city staff.

“Job well done and we look forward to the next round,” Hammel said.