An application for a 7-Eleven gas station proposed for Sumner, Washington has just been withdrawn. Area residents learned a 7-11 gas station was proposed near their homes in November, 2011. They engaged CEDS shortly thereafter to assist in formulating, then carrying out, a strategy to defeat the poorly-planned gas station. CEDS helped the residents form the  Sumner Healthy Neighborhoods Alliance and a webpage documenting the adverse effects of poorly-planned gas stations and the need to require a minimum 500-foot public health protection zone for all new gas stations, including the 7-Eleven. CEDS also created an online petition which was signed by nearly 200 people living throughout Sumner. These actions set the stage for Alliance leaders to lobby the Sumner City Council to require the 500-foot gas station health safety zone, using the proposed 7-Eleven to demonstrate the need. It appears that all of the attention focused on the project by Alliance leaders prompted the 7-Eleven applicant to withdraw their Conditional Use Permit request.  Alliance leaders are now awaiting a City Council vote in a few weeks on enacting the 500-foot health safety zone. For further information contact Alliance chair Rachel Oberg at (707) 330-2250 or  rachelvanscoy7@gmail.com.

To learn more about getting gas station benefits without jeopardizing neighborhood health, visit: https://ceds.org/gasstation/.