Quakertown residents urge Livonia council to rescind car-wash approval, cite zoning and legal concerns
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Summary
Residents near the 8 Mile/Newburgh corner urged Livonia’s City Council to reverse a December approval for a car wash and to pause permits at the contested Sheetz site, citing procedural irregularities, public-notice and use-variance questions and a pending Wayne County appeal. Speakers asked the new council to act immediately; councilors said legal limits constrain permit holds.
Quakertown residents pressed the Livonia City Council to undo a December vote that approved a car wash at the Bucca/Bucha site and to halt permitting at the Sheetz 8 Mile/Newburgh property while a Wayne County Circuit Court appeal proceeds.
“My name is Mike Kelly. I live at 15731 Penn Drive,” said Mike Kelly, a Quakertown resident, who told the council the car-wash decision was added at the “eleventh hour” to the Dec. 17 agenda. He quoted previous remarks attributed to a council member — “I don't have a specific passion for the car wash ... but I do believe we should be voting on this tonight” — and said the comments conflicted with the yes vote that followed, leaving neighbors feeling misled.
Multiple neighbors amplified that point. Matt Hanschen told the council the approval contradicted prior statements and asked the governing body to reverse the vote. Patty Riggio of the Willow Woods HOA asked the council to direct city departments not to issue demolition or development permits for the Sheetz site until the county court rules, saying ongoing work at the site risks financial harm to litigants.
Speakers raised legal and technical objections. Ralph McNabb argued the Zoning Board of Appeals’ use-variance approval included a condition requiring both the planning commission and the city council to approve the variance — actions residents say were never taken — and called for outside counsel and immediate stoppage of work.
City officials pushed back on what the council can legally do. City Attorney Fisher told the chamber that permitting follows statute and ordinance; if a permit applicant meets code requirements, the city cannot lawfully withhold a demolition or building permit simply because residents prefer a delay. Fisher said variance approvals are within the ZBA’s authority and that council approval, where required, pertains to site-plan actions rather than variances.
Council members acknowledged residents’ concerns but described limited options. Several members encouraged further review of the legal questions and directed staff or committees to study clarifying documentation and any required ordinance language. No motion to rescind a prior Dec. 17 approval was made during the meeting.
The immediate next step: residents indicated they will pursue their appeal in Wayne County Circuit Court; council members said legal and procedural clarifications would be placed under committee or law-department review where appropriate.