Gas stations required to be works of art.

The heavy hand of city "planners" makes gasoline (and many other things) more expensive in Manteca.

If you want to start a business in Manteca, the city government will "help you" by mandating your style of architecture and even offer you the helpful suggestion of what color you must paint it.

First, where was this "public outcry" about "ugly gas stations" mentioned in the Bulletin? I don't recall any groundswell of complaints about the appearance of anything.

Next, how did the city officials become experts on what is pleasing or good? Sort of like a bureaucratic aesthetic judgment panel?

Why do people believe that such a thing is necessary? Doesn't every business have a motivation to build a pleasing business? Isn't the whole idea of a business to encourage customers to come and patronize the business? Who is in the best position to determine what is a "good appearance" or "good color" that will attract customers to his business? Is it the business owner who has his own money at risk or is it the disinterested bureaucrat? Why would the city "know better" than the owner what a business "should look like?"

The city is demanding that the gas station use style and color to "blend in" to the surroundings. Maybe they've been watching What not to Wear too long, but correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the idea of a business to stand out and attract customers and not to hide from view?

By the way the Manteca Bulletin report gets an extra propaganda point for use of the word "standards" instead of what they actually are: "requirements."

Oh, and an extra point to the city for using the term "work with" (as in "we are working with the developer"). In this context, "work with" means "making demands under threat of denying you the privilege of doing business unless you do as we say."