Fast Company has the story of Petaluma, California, a city of fewer than 15 square miles that has 16 gas stations. "But there will never be another one, even if one of the existing stations goes out of business," the story says. "The ones that are left also can’t ever expand the number of fuel pumps, either, though they can add electric charging stations and hydrocarbon pumps. City officials recently approved a permanent ban on new gas stations in a move that climate activists say is national first, and a crucial step towards curbing our reliance on fossil fuels."
The argument is that such a move will help the city transition to the infrastructure necessary to support the electric vehicle boom expected to happen in coming years.
KC's View
This strikes me as a bit radical, but in a world where more and more car companies are leading the way toward electric cars, maybe it is the right move. Instead of saying "can't work" or "won't work," they seem to be saying, "Let's make it work."
