Stockdale exit along I-5 may get new travel center with 4 drive-thrus

Nov. 19—In a marketplace where variety and convenience are everything, travelers looking for a new place to eat or fuel up along Interstate 5 may soon have new reasons to pull off at Stockdale Highway.

A travel center proposed at the intersection's undeveloped, southwestern corner is planned to include four fast-food drive-thrus and more than two dozen fuel pumps. No restaurant tenants have been disclosed.

The project would compete against travel stops just one exit to the north or two to the south along I-5, not to mention another on the Stockdale Highway exit's northeastern corner, which has a California Highway Patrol station.

Balbir Kaur and Gurdial Singh have filed for a conditional use permit from Kern County government. They request a zone variance allowing a pole sign 70 feet high and 300 square feet in size, whereas the county's standard is 35 and 240, respectively.

Kaur, Singh and the project's formal applicant at LAV//Pinnacle Engineering & Consulting in Bakersfield could not be reached for comment.

A published notice suggests the proposal, situated in unincorporated Kern County north and northeast of the Tule Elk State Natural Reserve, may avoid a more extensive review as a "mitigated negative declaration" involving measures to be taken so the project has less than significant environmental impacts.

A public hearing on the project is set for Dec. 14 before the county Planning Commission. A staff report with recommendations and proposed conditions of approval are expected to be released Dec. 8. Information will be available online at Kernplanning.com.

The published notice indicates the project would measure more than 12,000 square feet on a piece of land stretching 26.2 acres.

It says there would be four fast-food restaurants with drive-thru service. Together they would account for 1,400 square feet.

The applicant asks for permission to build 28 fuel pumps and a nine-bay, island-like diesel truck fueling station that would have associated truck scales and parking.

Additionally, there would be a 3,000-square-foot convenience market and a 9,000-square-foot truck wash and a repair garage.

The same I-5 exit has a Best Western Heritage Inn and an EZ Trip Travel Center. There's an IHOP restaurant and a convenience store, as well as a Chevron filling station and Subway and Jack in the Box restaurants.

One exit to the north, at Hageman Road and I-5, there's a TA Travel Center, a truck stop, at least three separate gas stations, several restaurants, two hotels, a truck wash and a tire service station.

Additional services are available two exits south along I-5 at Taft Highway, including gas stations, restaurants and a truck stop.