Beachwood council rejects rezoning that would have allowed Sheetz at 24700 Chagrin Boulevard

Beachwood City Council on May 4 rejected an ordinance to rezone 24700 Chagrin Boulevard from general office to motor-service use that would have allowed a Sheetz gas station and 24/7 convenience store.

The ordinance was introduced by Council Member Jacobs and brought to a roll-call vote on a motion to place it on third and final reading and adopt. After more than a dozen residents spoke — most urging a no vote — the motion failed on a roll-call with council members on the record voting "No." The motion to adopt therefore did not pass.

Why it matters: The parcel lies in the Commerce Park/Chagrin Corridor, which several council members and many speakers described as the city’s economic core. Opponents said allowing fueling stations and a 24/7 convenience store at this site would undermine the area’s professional character, worsen congestion and introduce environmental risks; supporters, including the applicant’s land-use counsel, argued the project would raise property values and create jobs.

Residents who spoke during the public-comment period repeatedly urged council to deny rezoning. "By deviating from the high standards of our forefathers ... I believe this will start a downward trajectory for the city," said Sam Kanata of Commerce Park. Lynn Johnson cited air and groundwater concerns tied to gasoline operations and noted the city’s master plan priorities that favor environmentally friendly development. Larry Colvin, a local property owner, said petition efforts had gathered hundreds of signatures opposing the rezoning.

Mercantile Associates’ counsel Adam Glassman focused on the traffic analysis submitted for the project. Glassman said the transportation-impact study provided was "almost identical" to one prepared for a Sheetz in another community and not site-specific for the Mercantile/Chagrin intersection. He noted the study identified the intersection grade as a "D," signaling unstable flow, and said there was no clear explanation for how commercial vehicles and fuel deliveries would access the site safely.

Representing the applicant, Tony Coyne said Sheetz has been thoroughly reviewed by the city’s consulting planner, traffic consultant and police, and that the company would make nearly $1,000,000 in improvements to mitigate traffic impacts. "This is not an insignificant project," Coyne said, adding the development would provide "three dozen jobs" and raise the property’s assessed value.

Council debate and vote: After public comment, Council considered the motion to advance and adopt the rezoning ordinance. The roll-call motion to place the ordinance on third reading and adopt failed; the council did not adopt the rezoning. Council Member Isaacson later praised the city’s process and invited Commerce Park stakeholders to collaborate on alternative economic-development strategies under existing zoning.

What happens next: Because the ordinance failed, the property remains subject to its current U‑7A general-office zoning. The applicant may pursue further actions allowed under the city’s code — including revised applications, additional traffic analysis, or re-submission — but no rezoning was granted at this meeting.

Votes and procedural notes: The motion to place the ordinance on third and final reading and adopt failed on a roll-call vote. The transcript records council members called by name during the roll; the motion did not carry.

Reported claims and evidence: Opponents cited a petition (reported at 545 online signatures plus additional handwritten signatures), environmental concerns (VOCs and risk from underground storage tanks), and a traffic-grade "D" in the submitted TIS. The applicant stated planned capital improvements (nearly $1,000,000) and projected local job creation. The council did not adopt the ordinance and left the zoning unchanged.