A Tale of Two Sheetz
Kent Rd. project approved; Fishcreek-Stow Rd. Project on Council Docket
On Feb. 11, the city’s Planning Commission was presented proposals for two new Sheetz gas stations in the city of Stow. One, planned for Kent Rd., in front of the former Stow-Glen Retirement Village, was unanimously approved by the commission that night and received unanimous support from City Council at its Feb. 20 meeting.
The other Sheetz, proposed for the corner of Fishcreek and Stow Roads, faces an uphill battle at this Thursday’s (March 6) council meeting after receiving a unanimous negative recommendation from the Planning Commission.
Same but Wildly Different Proposals
In many respects, the two proposals were the same: same type of design and use, the need for conditional use approval and several variances on the height of the canopy over the gas pumps, backlighting and for lighting strength.
What differed was the surrounding areas for each of the proposed locations. The Kent Rd. location is along a four-lane state route long ago designated as a significant commercial zone for the city.
The Fishcreek-Stow Rd. location would be added to a more residential area at an intersection that sees significant congestion at peak times when school opens or lets out and after work.
The Sheetz proposal takes into account traffic issues for the area by including deceleration lanes along Fishcreek and Stow Rd. to filter customer traffic off the roads and into the Sheetz parking lot more efficiently.
Additionally, the company would pay for improvements to the traffic signals; a Sheetz representative at the meeting said the company would make roadway improvements worth $1 million. But residents in attendance were not convinced.
Approximately 40 residents attended the Feb. 11 Planning Commission, with more than a dozen speaking out against the Fishcreek-Stow Rd. proposal. Residents voiced concerns over traffic and what the elimination of some of the wetlands on the property would do to worsen stormwater issues for homeowners on Fishcreek Rd. between the proposed site and Fishcreek Elementary School. Others voiced dismay at displacing wildlife in the area and questioned the need for three gas stations at that intersection.
One resident, Chris Shanafelt, said he’d researched the locations of other Sheetz stores in the area and found that Sheetz typically builds its stores on main arteries and near highways. He also pointed out that there is no other intersection in Stow that has three gas stations.
After hearing resident comments, Planning Commission member Jeff Wagner made a motion to table the issue, which was approved 4-1, so the commission could further consider the wetlands and flooding issues brought up by residents.
A Second Try with a Revised Proposal
Sheetz came back to the Planning Commission’s Feb. 26 meeting with a revised proposal that would reduce the landscaped area in the parking lot to preserve another 2,700-square-feet of wetlands.
Additionally, Planning Director Zack Cowan said the city’s engineering department had reviewed the company’s plans for an underground water retention system that would disburse stormwater to the city’s stormwater system, noting that the plan complied with requirements for the Mudbrook Watershed and 100-year storm standards.
However, residents living next to the property on Fishcreek Rd. continued to voice concerns about current flooding on their properties that could worsen by removing nearly half of the wetlands on that plot.
Planning Commission members voted 4-0 on a negative recommendation for the proposal. One member, Daniel Bacik, was absent.
Now it’s up to City Council
A negative recommendation, in other words, a rejection of the proposal, by Planning Commission does not automatically kill it. But, it does make it more difficult for the Fishcreek-Stow Rd. Sheetz to be approved as the city’s charter specifies that City Council can only overturn or change a recommendation of the Planning Commission by securing at least five out of the seven votes.
Additionally, because the request is for a conditional use of the property and the company is seeking multiple variances, there are reasons City Council members could cite to reject the plan, according to Law Director Drew Reilly.
The proposal will be considered on March 6 at City Council’s Planning Committee meeting at 5:15 pm.
Council has 60 days to act on it from the time the Planning Commission has made a recommendation.
Kent Rd. Development Includes Chick-Fil-A
Not only was the Sheetz approved for the Kent Rd. location at City Council’s Feb. 20 meeting, the proposal also included two other uses for the parcel, a Chick-Fil-A alongside the Sheetz, with two separate retail buildings behind them. See full proposal here.
The four-building development will encompass 8.73 acres.
Prior to council’s vote, At-Large Councilman Jeremy McIntire expressed his support for the project.
“Even when Stow-Glen was there, that area had been nothing but a sea of grass for a lot of years,” he said. “I’ll be glad to see it developed. Sheetz is another welcomed commodity over there. At one point in time, there was never a gas station on that part of town and now we’re gonna have two.”
Council President Cyle Feldman also reiterated his support to Sheetz representatives in attendance. “It’s going to improve that area,” he said. “It’s growing and it’s a pretty neat area. With you guys being there it’s going to be even better. We appreciate your investment.”
Public Hearing Set for Miller’s Landing TIF
A public hearing has been set for 5 pm on March 6 to discuss a city proposal to establish a tax-increment financing plan for the Miller’s Landing housing development on N. River Road.
The proposal, requested by Ward 1 Councilman Matt Riehl and Law Director Drew Reilly, would enable the city to collect property taxes on Miller’s Landing properties that otherwise would go to Summit County for the purpose of creating a fund that could pay for future projects in that area, such as stormwater management.
The TIF would not eliminate any funding for the city’s schools or library or impact the amount of property taxes paid by Miller’s Landing homeowners. Rather it is a legal device that enables the city to capture a portion of property taxes that normally would go to the county.
Reilly said he would give a full presentation and have a fact sheet on the TIF at the public hearing.
Public hearings are required by law for certain kinds of legislation before City Council may vote on them.
