Richfield council adopts zoning change to limit vehicle fuel stations in C‑2 business district

Richfield Village Council on April 7 unanimously adopted Ordinance 12‑2026, a change to Section 1149.03(b) of the village planning and zoning code that makes vehicle fuel stations a conditionally permitted use in the C‑2 General Business District and—according to the law director—limits the number of such stations to two.

Councilmember Kruszynski introduced the ordinance and moved for adoption; the motion was seconded and passed on a unanimous roll call. Law Director Chojnacki told the council the ordinance "would limit the number of fuel stations to two" in the designated business district.

The change follows an extensive, ongoing zoning code update led by the Planning Commission. Planning & Zoning Director Frantz has brought a series of draft changes to the commission and council, including new residential and Crossroads districts, standards for drive‑up businesses and outdoor storage, and a separate motion by the commission to prohibit data centers pending a study of health, safety and welfare impacts.

Supporters said making fuel stations conditional will allow the village to review site design, traffic impacts and nuisance controls on a case‑by‑case basis rather than permitting automatic by‑right development. Critics at previous meetings raised concerns about traffic and the long‑term vision for the Crossroads area; those concerns are being considered alongside the larger code rewrite.

Frantz told council members the code update process is taking extra time for study and public review and that the Planning Commission and council anticipate finalizing the draft for adoption by the end of September 2026.

No effective date for Ordinance 12‑2026 was specified at the meeting; implementation details and any additional administrative rules will appear in forthcoming notices and the formal code update process.