Commission approves rebuilt gas station and store at 13 Mile and Hoover with conditions

The commission approved a site plan July 14 for a new gas station and convenience store at the northwest corner of 13 Mile Road and Hoover Road (31015 Hoover Road) after extensive public comment from adjacent property owners, business owners and condominium residents who raised concerns about traffic, visibility, hours of operation, light and noise. The petitioner, Fayez (Faez) Simon, said the proposal would demolish the existing station and construct a new one similar to his previously built site on 13 and Ryan; he said tanks in the ground would remain and the new pumps, islands, piping and monitoring systems would be replaced.

Planning staff recommended conditional approval and listed numerous required changes: indicate zoning and site data, show all existing and proposed utilities and lighting, provide detailed drainage and pavement plans, revise trash enclosure details, remove an asphalt area in the right-of-way, require dedication of the east 60 feet and south 60 feet of the parcel to the city to clean the legal description, provide details and dimensions for a proposed mezzanine (gross floor area affects parking), submit revised landscape plans and spacing for Japanese Zelkova trees, and note potential variances the petitioner would need from the Zoning Board of Appeals (building setback, parking waiver, front yard hard surface setback). Staff recommended a performance bond of $27,000 based on an $900,000 estimated project cost.

During the public hearing neighboring property owners and business tenants said the proposed building orientation would block visibility to an adjacent strip center and harm small businesses; condo residents asked the commission to limit hours so lights and traffic would not affect adjacent homes. The petitioner said the site historically was 24-hour operation but currently closes at 10 p.m. and intends to operate 24 hours at the rebuilt site; he said the canopy lighting would be downward-directed and promised 52 security cameras and lighting plans. Commissioners asked about number of pumps (four), hours (24), the existing underground tanks (installed in 1984 and double-walled), and whether a shared curb cut could be established with the adjacent shopping center. Commissioner Ansar moved to approve with additional direction to allow work on a shared driveway/ingress-egress agreement and to permit an outdoor seating/patio; Commissioner Dusey seconded. The motion passed on roll call with the approval conditioned on planning staff's listed updates and the petitioner obtaining any required variances from the Zoning Board of Appeals.