Mister DeHaan briefed the council on the Planning Commission’s unanimous recommendation to approve a conditional use permit for 7‑Eleven at 7912 Halpern Drive. The existing property is a vacant retail building; the applicant proposed a convenience store with gasoline sales, off-premise alcohol sales and sales of smoking and vaping products.
DeHaan said the applicant revised the site layout—flipping the building—to place pump islands away from Halpern Drive, shield pumps from the street with the building, and improve traffic flow so vehicles would not back up onto Halpern Drive or East Little Creek Road. "By a vote of 7 to 0, the planning commission does recommend approval," DeHaan said, adding that the applicant agreed to a deed restriction on the property that would prevent the nearby grandfathered 7‑Eleven on Halpern Drive from reopening as a convenience store selling off‑premise alcohol or vaping products.
The nut graf: Civic-league letters and neighborhood comments centered on traffic and concerns tied to past operations at nearby convenience stores. City leaders said the applicant and staff worked with civic groups on design changes and that additional traffic analysis could be provided to address neighborhood questions.
Council members noted that the shuttered Rite Aid and prior businesses shaped neighborhood traffic patterns; one member said shifting the store closer to Little Creek Road should reduce Halpern Drive traffic and said staff would be asked to provide a more detailed traffic analysis to civic groups. The Planning Commission’s recommendation will be forwarded to council for formal action at a subsequent meeting.