ZBA denies 918 Riverview Drive request to sell beer and wine at planned Speedway/7‑Eleven

The City of Kalamazoo Zoning Board of Appeals on March 13 denied a variance request that would have allowed beer and wine sales at a planned Speedway-branded 7‑Eleven at 918 Riverview Drive, the former Walgreens site.

The board considered an application from Sesco Incorporated (applicant listed in the public notice) represented at the hearing by Mandy Goss of CESO (applicant representative). The application sought relief from chapter 50-4.41(a) of the zoning ordinance, which requires a 2,640-foot separation between package liquor uses; the applicant asked for a 2,265-foot variance, yielding approximately 375 feet of separation from an existing nearby liquor retailer identified in the record as “13 and a half” liquor store.

Staff and board members noted the separation requirement was adopted by ordinance amendment in 2014 after the city experienced problem concentrations of late-night alcohol sales and related public-safety and nuisance activity. City planning staff said the separation rule applies specifically to certain retail categories (convenience stores, gas stations and liquor stores selling alcoholic beverages for off-site consumption) and does not apply to grocery stores, which are exempt under the code. Staff also noted changes in the code’s grocery-store definition since the Walgreens opened, so a former Walgreens would not meet the current definition.

The applicant, represented by Mandy Goss, said the site previously housed a Walgreens that sold beer, wine and liquor and argued a new convenience store that sells only beer and wine (not hard liquor) would be a lower-impact use that improves options and traffic flow at the corner. Goss described a modern Speedway/7‑Eleven prototype with an interior “beer cave” cooler and a small wine shelf and said state licensing (an SDM license for beer/wine) and hours restrictions (no sales between 2 a.m. and 7 a.m.) would apply.

During discussion, several board members echoed staff concerns that the separation requirement is intended to prevent adjacent alcohol sales that could lead to congregation and nuisance behavior. One member also noted the property will be redeveloped, which makes it difficult to identify a property-based hardship that qualifies for a variance. Another member said the staff report’s findings on criteria 3, 5 and 6 (literal enforcement deprives use; potential adverse effects; consistency with ordinance intent) supported denial.

The motion to approve the variance (for beer and wine sales only, as the applicant requested) failed on a roll-call vote: Hahn — No; McReynolds — Yes; Harrington — No; Holler — No; Wark — No; Vanden Humber — No. The tally was 5 against, 1 in favor; the variance was denied.

The board’s denial prevents the proposed Speedway/7‑Eleven at 918 Riverview Drive from selling beer and wine under the zoning relief requested at this meeting. The applicant may pursue other options consistent with the ordinance and state licensing rules.