Garden City council approves special land use for Ford Road gas station with conditions

Garden City

The Garden City Council unanimously approved special land-use approval Feb. 9 for a proposed gas station with a drive-through at 31406 Ford Road, accepting the planning commission's recommendation and attaching standard site-plan conditions. The vote was 7-0.

The planning consultant, Mario Ortega of McKenna, told the council the property at the northwest corner of Ford and Merriman was rezoned to C-3 a year ago and is currently a vacant lot that previously held small businesses until demolition in 2007. "Before you tonight is a request to construct a new gas station and drive through with a drive through window at 31406 Ford Road," Ortega said, summarizing the development history, commission review and remaining technical notes.

Why it matters: the drive-through window triggers the special land-use review in the C-3 zoning district; the planning commission recommended approval after the applicant addressed most concerns but left several minor site-plan notes to be completed before construction permits are issued.

Council members pressed staff on circulation, neighborhood impacts, utilities and outstanding approvals. Ortega said the applicant provided circulation graphics for fuel deliveries and would add emergency-vehicle circulation plans, noting that MDOT and the Wayne County Road Commission needed to sign off on access configurations and that a DTE Energy line running through the parcel had to be relocated around the perimeter. "They actually are going to move the line," Ortega said. He also described site-plan text notes about tree species, masonry finish, dumpster placement and fully shielded downward lighting that could be handled administratively.

On parking and tenant use, Ortega said the proposal anticipates a carryout restaurant to meet parking requirements; a full-service sit-down tenant would not comply with the available spaces. Councilmember Dole, who originally moved to delay, said she had "quite a few questions and issues" with items still unresolved but later amended her motion to accept the planning commission's recommendation. The final motion to accept the recommendation passed 7-0.

Next steps: the approved special land use is contingent on completion of a revised site plan that addresses council and commission notes. Ortega said the applicant has two years to apply for a building permit and one year from site-plan approval to secure permits; they also must complete required third-party traffic studies and obtain MDOT and county approvals if required. If civil reviews lead to configuration changes, the applicant may need to return to the planning commission.

The council did not set a new construction timetable at the meeting; staff said administrative systems will track the outstanding items and conditions.