Written comment urges tighter commercial design rules after new Shell station in Laguna Woods

Jay Lassie's written comment, read aloud by the city clerk at the Feb. 4 meeting, criticized a recently opened Shell truck stop at El Toro and Moulton and urged the city to adopt more prescriptive commercial design standards.

Lassie identified himself as a "15-year resident" and called the station a "Barstow style monstrosity," arguing the lighting was excessively bright and the curb appeal was "imposing and unfriendly." He asked the council to "force this station to tone down the lighting and require maximum landscaping" and to lower the threshold for what constitutes a remodel so that more projects trigger the new architectural standards. Lassie said he favored revivalist styles, specifically the Mission Revival and Spanish Revival approaches shown in a Jan. 26 workshop, and proposed amenities such as EV charging, fountains and dining patios that could be financed by donations.

City staff told the council they would return to the commercial design standards project at the Feb. 24 council meeting and that any specific regulatory or design changes would be considered in that forum. No formal votes or regulatory changes were taken at the Feb. 4 meeting.

Why it matters: The written comment calls attention to a new commercial development that residents say conflicts with the city's design goals. The council's next discussion on Feb. 24 will determine whether the city adopts tighter remodeling triggers, lighting standards or mandatory landscaping requirements.