Politics & Government
New Bank ATM Held Up By Planning Commissioners
A walk-up ATM could present additional traffic problems at the site in Mercado del Lago.
By Martin Henderson
A regional bank with more than 50 branches in California and Washington is coming to Rancho Santa Margarita. Opus Bank is going into the location previously occupied by the liquor store at the Santa Margarita Parkway entrance to Mercado del Lago.
Though the bank is a go, its full complement of services is not.
At least, not yet.
During the city's meeting of planning commissioners on Wednesday, the bank appeared before the commission seeking to install a walk-up ATM at the location.
But because of heavy traffic through the parking lot, the commission had reservations about potentially making a bad situation worse. It continued the item in favor of receiving a site circulation study to help determine traffic and pedestrian flow in the area to help measure the kind of impact a walk-up ATM would have.
The bank is expected to open Aug. 26, and the commissioners will take up the item at its meeting on Aug. 7.
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