Warren City Planning Commission on June 16 approved a site plan for a Sheetz gas station and convenience store with outdoor seating at the northeast corner of 12 Mile Road and Dequindre Road, subject to standard planning conditions and several site-specific requirements, including a $237,000 performance bond and permits from Macomb County agencies.

The planning staff told commissioners the project was postponed earlier to allow a traffic study; staff and a traffic consultant concluded the development would not worsen most intersections in the study area. Planning Director Ron Worth summarized the report and said, “The traffic generated by the proposed development does not negatively impact the operations of the surrounding roadway traffic network and no mitigation measures are proposed.”

The project drew more than a half-dozen public speakers and multiple written correspondences opposing the development. An email from Susan Haydel warned that large out-of-state chains “don’t invest in our communities” and urged commissioners to “do the best for the community, not gas companies.” Sharkey Haddad of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce told the commission the city’s master plan already shows “we have too many gas stations in the city of Warren. No more.” Several residents raised safety concerns, proximity to schools and possible impacts on nearby small businesses.

Planning staff’s approval included a set of conditions commissioners incorporated into their motion. Key conditions stated by staff require revised site plans showing a 30-foot P parking district along 12 Mile and Dequindre Roads; corrected restaurant-area calculations; lighting that is shielded and limited to 20 feet in fixture height; extension of the sidewalk along the south property line on 12 Mile Road to the intersection; removal of certain variances from the plan because a drive-through restaurant will not be present; demonstration of how an adjacent used-car lot at 29010 Dequindre will be handled; and a performance bond set at $237,000 based on an estimated project cost of $7,900,000. The plan also requires permits from the Macomb County Department of Roads for any right-of-way work and from Macomb County Public Works for stormwater discharges to county drains.

The petitioner, David Brucklemeier, identified himself as representing the applicant and told the commission the updated traffic study reflected changes to access points and “shows no negative impacts on the surrounding area.” He said the revised plan reduces multiple drive approaches on Dequindre to a single driveway and keeps one access on 12 Mile Road.

Commissioners discussed the adjacent corner parcel and planning staff’s recommendation that the petitioner either purchase the 0.48-acre corner parcel or provide a recorded ingress/egress agreement if it remains separately owned. Staff said including the parcel in the overall design would allow improved corner treatments and safer pedestrian connections. The traffic study, prepared by Syncar Consulting Group LLC and provided as an executive summary to the commission, noted some movements within a one-mile radius operate at levels of service E or F but concluded the proposed development does not materially worsen corridor operations.

Commissioner Dusse moved to approve the site plan, Commissioner Ansar supported the motion, and the roll call vote was recorded as unanimous among commissioners present; Commissioner Morey had been excused earlier in the meeting. The motion carried with the conditions described by planning staff.

Planning staff also requested that the petitioner meet with the owner of the corner used-car lot to resolve driveway and access concerns and, if an agreement is not reached, to record a cross-access easement acceptable to the city attorney prior to recording at Macomb County. The petitioner indicated he had begun discussions with the corner property owner but said final terms would be decided after plan approval.

The commission’s action means the project can proceed to final plan revisions and the required county permitting steps; the approval was conditional on the petitioner satisfying the referenced staff requirements and returning final documents as specified by planning staff.