The Livonia City Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval Wednesday for a 1,940-square-foot addition to an existing Exxon gasoline service station at 13801 Merriman Road, with a package of conditions commissioners said are needed to protect nearby property and improve pedestrian access.

Planning staff told commissioners the one‑story addition would increase total indoor floor area to about 3,920 square feet while leaving the existing canopy and four pumps in place. Staff noted the site is zoned C‑2 and that the proposed exterior (stone base, brick sidewalls and metal cap) and new landscaping meet ordinance requirements.

The commission’s approval is conditional. Miss Denaro, who made the motion, said the resolution ties approval to specific plan sheets, photometric plans and truck‑circulation drawings prepared by NC Designers and Contracting Inc. The conditions require sodding of disturbed lawn areas, limits on light trespass and a prohibition on outside display except on pump islands. Commissioners added requirements for exterior material samples and a repair-and‑reseal condition for the parking lot.

“Free air shall be provided at all times the station is open,” the approved conditions also state, and the resolution expressly forbids LED light bands or exposed neon on the canopy, building or windows.

Commissioners pressed for pedestrian improvements along Schoolcraft Road and discussed closing or restricting the northern Merriman driveway to reduce conflict points. Civil engineer Chad Holdup of the Almore Group recommended coordinating with actual fuel-tanker drivers to confirm whether the driveway is needed for safe truck circulation; Holdup said right‑of‑way work on Schoolcraft or Merriman would require Wayne County permits but likely would not trigger stormwater permitting.

Petitioner Nassar Shuker of NC Designers and Contracting said the team wanted to avoid changes that would trigger additional engineering requirements but indicated they were willing to add signage and consider closing the northern approach after owner review. “We can say repair,” he said of the parking lot, describing a typical grind-and-overlay repair approach rather than full replacement.

Staff also read written reviews from the city’s engineering, fire marshal and inspection divisions noting minor plan clarifications, code references (the 2021 International Fire Code applies) and accessibility expectations. The commission’s recommendation will go to Livonia City Council for final action; the approval is valid for one year from council approval unless a building permit is obtained.

The commission made the vote after attaching the additional conditions commissioners requested; the secretary recorded unanimous aye votes from members present. The commission’s recommendation does not itself authorize construction — final approval rests with the city council and any required county permits.