Sunbury — The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a major commercial site plan on Nov. 24 for a Bell Stores (Campbell Oil) convenience store and fueling station at the new Cheshire and Cherry access road.

Applicant representative Jeff Lontron described a site with an approximately 5,400‑square‑foot convenience store, an 8‑dispenser canopy, underground fuel storage tanks and a two‑bay car wash. Lontron said recent refinements add landscape islands and reduce parking so the site can meet tree requirements; he described pedestrian connections to new sidewalks and noted adjusted landscape islands would reduce parking to about 34 spaces.

Staff confirmed the site requires 32 parking spaces based on square‑footage calculations and that the applicant's plan provides 34. Staff noted the site has a water‑utility easement that limits tree planting in some locations and reminded the commission that a prior Board of Zoning Appeals variance and a conditional use had authorized an auto service station on this lot. Planning staff also advised that when a commercial lot abuts residential lots the code requires a solid wall, earthen berm or evergreen hedge; legal counsel concluded the subject lot is not technically 'adjacent' by property line and thus that specific requirement is not triggered on the corner where residences sit across the street, though the applicant agreed to work with residents on additional screening where feasible.

Commissioner Missus Crawford moved to approve the major commercial site plan; Missus Miller seconded the motion and the roll call vote was 6 yays, approving the plan. Commissioners asked the applicant to continue coordination with nearby residents to identify feasible additional screening and to finalize the tree/landscape plan consistent with staff direction.

Next steps: The applicant will finalize engineering and landscape plans as part of the site development submittals and staff will track tree requirements, parking counts and final lighting/screening details in the final site plan review.