Sheetz to address concerns about proposed site
Fraser Mayor Michael Lesich is urging residents concerned about a Sheetz gas station moving into the spot occupied by the former State Bank of Fraser to attend an informational meeting on Thursday evening.
The Pennsylvania-based convenience store and gas station company will host an open house to present details of its plans to demolish the bank at the southwest corner of 14 Mile and Utica roads and construct a new facility.
“I encourage you to attend the Sheetz Open House to ask questions, gather information, and express your support or concerns,” Lesich said in response to a social media post. “This is your opportunity to engage directly with Sheetz representatives, and I’ll be there too.”
Residents in the area say they recently have received post cards advertising the open house at the Fraser Lions Club,. It will be set up in a kiosk-style format with each station by various company experts covering various aspects of the proposed development.
The open house comes three months after the Fraser Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of a conditional zoning request that would have paved the way for a 24-hour gas station and eatery in the old State Bank of Fraser building site.
Post cards indicate there’s a “new” site for the project, but no details were provided. Company officials couldn’t be reached Sunday.
In a Facebook thread on the subject, Mayor Lesich said the proposed site hasn’t received approval yet, and there’s currently no confirmed “new location” for Sheetz in Fraser. He noted the Planning Commission’s actions in January are advisory only.
“The City Council will have the final say on whether Sheetz gets the necessary ‘Special Land Use’ permit for gas sales at the site, as well as other requested variances. As of now, no formal requests have been made to the Council, so no decisions have been reached,” Lesich wrote in his post.
Lesich said he expects a public hearing on the item will be scheduled in May or June.
He added: “While investments and developments are generally positive for our city, we need to carefully consider whether this specific location is the right fit for a Sheetz in Fraser.”
The city’s Planning Commission listened to nearly four hours of discussion brought forth by 24 residents before they voted against the 24-hour gas station and eatery. The six-member panel said they liked the fuel center and drive-thru restaurant concept, but had several concerns including placing it near a residential area and with two existing gas stations on opposite corners.
Commissioners and neighbors said it was too big for Fraser’s small-town flavor.
The developer, Columbus, Ohio-based Skilken Gold, was asking for a conditional rezoning to allow a drivethru restaurant; a 24-hour operation on the property; and a gasoline service station. The request also asked for a freestanding fuel pricing sign, other wall signs, special land use permit and other zoning variances.
As a nod to the State Bank of Fraser’s decades of existence, the Wexford, Pa.based company proposed to construct a 3,000-squarefoot park overlooking a detention pond and add a historical pedestrian plaza that would include a monument to commemorate the bank.
Although the former bank has historic value, it is not designated with the National Registry of Historic Places.
The proposed Fraser site would be the company’s second in Macomb County. In March, Chesterfield Township officials approved construction of a 6,300-squarefoot development for the southeast corner of 23 Mile and Donner roads, east of Interstate 94.
The Sheetz open house will be held from 5:30 p.m.7:30 p.m. at the Fraser Lions Club, 34540 Utica Road, in Fraser.