Editor, Manteca Bulletin,
On Tuesday night, April 14, the Ripon Planning Commission voted to grant a conditional use permit for the development of a gas station, convenience store, and retail complex at 769 W. Milgeo, at the corner of Milgeo and Arc, just off the Fulton Overpass.  This is poor judgment by the Commission, here’s why:

 This will greatly increase traffic, noise and pollution on Milgeo, and in the neighborhoods immediately adjacent to this planned development.

This is planned for a 18-24 hour/day operation.  The light pollution from the building, landscaping and lot lights will dump a lot of ambient light into the area and ruin aesthetics of the neighborhood.

The architecture itself is ugly and does not aesthetically fit the neighborhood.

The development opens up the area to more loitering and crime (keep in mind this is very near the gang-neighborhoods), and graffiti.

There are empty storefronts downtown, in the MarVal plaza, on the other side of Fulton overpass by Snap Fitness Gym, over near the La Quinta, and in the Save Mart Plaza.  Do we really need another set of empty retail buildings in Ripon?

Although the area is zoned commercial, that doesn’t mean we need to develop for development’s sake.

I can understand the need to grow the tax base, but shouldn’t we try to do that by filling our empty storefronts first, and with controlled growth?  Why do we need yet another gas station/convenience store in Ripon?  

I urge every Ripon resident reading this letter to immediately write letters to the City Council and urge them to overturn the Planning Commission’s recommendation and oppose this development.  Rezone this area and make it a park – something that will pay many more dividends than a gas station.