Palm Springs Walmart plans to build a 16-pump gas station

A Walmart gas station planned next to the chain's superstore on Ramon Road came closer to becoming a reality after a vote by the Palm Springs City Council on Thursday.

The 16-pump fuel station is planned for a 1.9-acre plot adjacent to PetSmart at the corner of Ramon Road and Lawrence Crossley Road. Walmart plans to build a 1,400-square-foot convenience store selling beer and wine to service the gas station.

To move forward with the project, the retailer needed the city to pass a "resolution of public convenience or necessity" since the existing Walmart already sells wine and beer within the census tract and adding another would exceed state limitations. The state regulation is meant to prevent crime from occurring, but it can be overridden with a resolution like the one passed by the city council on Thursday.

The 3-0 vote passed on the consent agenda, which is a procedure the city council uses to vote on a number of items it considers routine concurrently.

There was no information included in the agenda documents indicating when the new gas station would open.

Sam Morgen covers the city of Palm Springs for The Desert Sun. Reach him at smorgen@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Palm Springs Walmart plans to build a 16-pump gas station