Commission approves two adjacent East 24th Street gas stations with traffic conditions

HOLLAND — The Holland planning commission on June 9 approved two proposed gas-station developments facing each other on East 24th Street, voting to permit a Casey's at 636 East 24th Street and a standalone Meyer site at 633 East 24th Street while attaching traffic controls and design conditions intended to limit left-turn conflicts.

City planner Steve told the commission staff recommended approval of the Casey's application with the conditions listed in the staff report and stressed the site plan was designed to accommodate a future widening of 24th Street. "Staff is recommending approval with the conditions that are noted in the staff report," Steve said during his presentation.

In public comment, resident Ted Ozameck urged the commission to consider the cumulative number of fueling stations along US‑31, arguing the corridor already has many options. "I don't think there's any shortage of places to refill your vehicle along that stretch," Ozameck said, listing existing and recently approved stations nearby.

Tyler Smith of Kimley Horn, presenting for Casey's, described the site design, which includes a canopy, east full-access drive, a right-in-only western drive, an underground detention system in the southeast corner, and landscaping pulled back from the 24th Street right-of-way to accommodate planned future expansion. Joe Wright of Fishbach and Jim Perry of Meyer presented the adjacent Meyer site, a 3,651-square-foot convenience building with six pump islands (12 pumps) and a proposed secondary egress that staff said could be shifted east if coordination with the adjacent gateway property and the city's transportation consultant allows.

Commissioners repeatedly returned to traffic impacts. Transportation staff and the applicants said the Casey's traffic study was completed before the opposing proposal across the street was formally filed but that staff and both applicants coordinated afterward; transportation reviews and recommended interim improvements were included in the staff packets. For the Meyer site, the commission required the westernmost entrance off 24th Street to be limited to right-in/right-out and discussed signage restricting left turns during peak hours.

A motion to approve the Casey's site plan and special land use with staff conditions carried on a roll-call vote in which commissioners Del, Miller, Orm, Owens, Rowan, Bosch, Bo and Anderson registered 'yes.' The Meyer site plan and special land use were approved by voice vote with the additional condition that the western entrance be right-in/right-out.

Both approvals included a staff-directed expectation that site layouts remain able to accommodate the city's planned expansion of 24th Street (eventual five-lane section with a center turn lane) and that applicants work with transportation staff on final driveway alignment, splitter/island details and signage to limit problematic left-turn movements. Several commissioners said they supported the approvals only if the transportation recommendations in the staff report — including the interim center-turn-lane geometry and driveway-control measures — are fully implemented.

The commission noted that future coordination with adjacent property owners could allow shared access that would reduce curb cuts along 24th Street, and staff confirmed the proposed site designs do not preclude such coordination. The applicants and staff said they will continue working with the city's transportation team and, where applicable, with neighboring property owners to refine access locations and signage prior to final approvals or permitting.

The commission's approvals were procedural land-use actions tied to the Unified Development Ordinance review criteria; no change to the city's zoning map was made. The applicants must still satisfy the enumerated staff conditions in the project packets and obtain required permits before construction begins.