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Romulus council approves first reading of conditional rezoning, special land use for Superwide Plaza fueling station
Summary
The council granted introduction/first reading of a conditional rezoning and approved a special land use request to redevelop parcels at 7130 Middlebelt into a retail plaza with vehicle fueling and a drive‑thru restaurant, subject to an amended conditional rezoning agreement and site plan.
The Romulus City Council on April 28 approved the introduction and first reading of a conditional rezoning and concurrently approved a special land use request to permit a vehicle fueling station and drive‑thru restaurant at an existing commercial corner at 7130 Middlebelt.
Jonathan Yono, the property owner, presented a plan to demolish the existing building and construct a 9,800‑square‑foot retail building with vehicle fuel pumps and two quick-service restaurant (QSR) spaces, including a drive‑through. Yono said the application covers eight parcels totaling about 2.16 acres on the southwest corner of Middlebelt and Ecorse Road, and that the project includes a detention pond, rerouted utilities, a six-foot wall and landscaping to buffer a neighboring property to the south, and deceleration lanes on Middlebelt and Ecorse.
Council questions and comments focused on whether plans were submitted before the city’s moratorium on gas stations; Yono said the plans were submitted well before the moratorium passed. He also confirmed the station would sell fuel only for automobiles (no high-flow diesel truck fueling) and that county review of the deceleration lanes was supportive after an initial meeting. Yono said he had discussed fencing and landscaping with the neighbor but had not received a response.
Why it matters: the conditional rezoning would change several parcels currently zoned C2 (general business) and R1B (single-family) to C3 (highway service) under a conditional zoning agreement that limits specific uses and development standards. The special land use approval is required for vehicle fueling stations and drive‑through restaurants in the zoning code.
Actions taken: Councilwoman Roscoe moved to concur with the planning commission and approve first reading of the conditional rezoning (RZ‑2024‑002, Superwide Plaza, as read into the record) to rezone Lots 6–12 from C2 to C3 and Lots 13–30 from R1B to C3, subject to administrative approval of the amended conditional rezoning agreement and site plan. Roscoe then moved (second motion) to approve SLU‑2024‑003, the special land use request for a vehicle fueling station and drive‑thru restaurant, subject to the rezoning and site plan. Both motions passed unanimously on roll call.
Council members and the applicant said the development would “dress up” the corner and provide neighborhood retail offerings beyond a typical convenience store — Yono said he expects space for groceries and additional services inside the market. The planning commission had reviewed the application and the council noted the petitioner had provided a detailed packet and worked with staff and the county on traffic and drainage issues. The council approved the items as first reading/introduction; final administrative approvals and site-plan review are required before construction can begin.
