Planning Commission recommends denial of proposed Lasser Road gas station after concerns over scale, waivers and traffic

The Southfield Planning Commission voted 3–2 on Feb. 19 to support the Planning Department’s unfavorable recommendation and deny the site plan for a proposed multi‑use gas station at 27050 Lasser Road.

Planning staff told commissioners the application required six zoning waivers — including multiple setback and green‑belt waivers and a substantial parking waiver — and said that many waivers “suggest the project just doesn’t fit the code” for the parcel as designed. The department recommended denial of the site plan and an unfavorable recommendation on the special land use application.

The petitioner, who identified himself on the record as Haam Hanawa, said the applicant owns the adjacent bank parcel and offered a shared‑parking arrangement that, he said, provides about 52 spaces and could meet parking needs once formally documented. “We can meet the park requirements,” he told the commission and described design changes to reduce curb cuts and rotate canopies to improve circulation.

Residents who spoke during the public hearing urged the commission to weigh traffic and community impacts. Patricia Vardan of Hampton Court said the intersection is high‑volume and “there’s been a number of accidents there over the last few years — I had a neighbor that was killed there a few years ago.” Garla McWilliams of Pennsylvania Street said she was concerned about more liquor sales at gas stations and told commissioners that dense clustering of alcohol outlets can harm neighborhoods.

Commission discussion focused on whether shared parking could address the parking waiver and on the number and scale of the other waivers. A city planner noted that of ten gas‑station applications since August 2023, none required six waivers and that projects typically were modified or expanded before being approved in cases that previously required multiple waivers.

After deliberation the commission voted to support the Planning Department’s unfavorable recommendation on the special land use and then to deny the site plan. Planning staff said the petitioner may revise the plan and reapply; a denial forces the applicant to submit a revised site plan to return to the commission.

The commission’s denial does not bar the applicant from reworking the proposal; staff suggested meeting with planners to explore options that reduce waivers or secure formal shared‑parking agreements.

What’s next: The petitioner was advised to discuss scaling options with city planners and to return with a revised plan if they wish to pursue the project.