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Commission approves Sheetz site variance to install four EV charging stations with landscaping and screening conditions
Summary
The commission approved variance VA-25-001 on April 14 to allow conversion of parking stalls at the Sheetz at 5800 Gender Road for four EV chargers, imposing additional landscaping, equipment color/screening and signage conditions.
Canal Winchester’s Planning and Zoning Commission on April 14 approved a variance (VA-25-001) permitting four electric vehicle charging stations at the Sheetz fuel center at 5800 Gender Road, subject to three staff-recommended conditions to address screening and visual impact.
Planning staff described the triangular site and existing approvals that constrained equipment placement. The applicant (Francis Energy, with DuBarr Engineers and a Sheetz agent) proposed converting five of eight parking stalls in an east-side island into four charging stations (two dual-sided chargers), resulting in a net loss of one parking space. Staff recommended three conditions: install eight total arborvitae (four additional to staff’s initial four) to screen equipment, paint or wrap the equipment cabinets a dark bronze color to match existing site utilities, and conform EV signage to Chapter 11.81 (restricting some pavement markings).
Francis Energy representative Ashley Bruke and engineer David Whalen told the commission the equipment proposed are DC fast chargers (described in the meeting as similar to level 3/DC fast chargers) and that typical dwell time for the units would be on the order of about 20 minutes—short enough for customers to use the store while charging. Whalen said the applicant preferred not to use vinyl wraps because of maintenance issues and offered to extend an existing 4-foot CMU wall with brick veneer to help screen the equipment if that satisfied staff and the commission.
The commission discussed pavement markings and the need to coordinate with ODOT as the chargers are part of a NEVI (National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) program site. Commissioners also clarified that the cabinetry heights (one set about 7 feet tall and another about 5 feet) make screening important. The applicant accepted staff conditions and offered to pursue alternate pavement-marking solutions with ODOT.
A motion to approve VA-25-001 with the staff conditions carried on a roll-call vote of 5–0.
