Council declines to advance rezoning for proposed Sheetz site at 24700 Chagrin Boulevard after extended public opposition

Council members on Monday declined to advance an ordinance that would have rezoned 24700 Chagrin Boulevard to permit a Sheetz convenience store and fueling facility, after an extended public‑comment period during which residents, property owners and nearby tenants urged denial.

The motion on the floor was to place Ordinance 2025‑36 on third and final reading and adopt it. Clerk Cook conducted a roll call; the responses recorded in the meeting transcript were unanimous “No,” and the motion failed.

Why it mattered: dozens of residents and local property owners told council the site is the wrong location for a 24‑hour convenience store and additional fueling pumps. Opponents cited traffic congestion on the Chagrin Corridor, potential safety risks, groundwater contamination concerns tied to underground storage tanks and the city’s master plan preference for environmentally sensitive development.

What speakers said: Sam Kanata urged council to maintain the city’s strict zoning standards and reject a use he said would ‘start a downward trajectory’ for the city’s quality of life. Lynn Johnson warned about gasoline vapor emissions and groundwater risks, cited the city master plan percentages favoring environmentally friendly development, and said Brownfield remediation costs can exceed $1,000,000. Larry Colvin, a local property owner, told council he had collected a Change.org petition of 545 signatures plus additional handwritten petitions and said tenants in Commerce Park oppose the rezoning.

Experts and developers: Adam Glassman, representing Mercantile Associates LLC, criticized the Sheetz traffic impact study as generic and said it mirrored a study prepared for another jurisdiction; he highlighted that the study graded the Mercantile–Chagrin intersection a D and said it did not analyze service‑vehicle access in detail. By contrast, Tony Coyne, land‑use counsel for Sheetz, told council the project had been reviewed by the city’s consulting planner, traffic consultant and police, that the Planning & Zoning Commission had unanimously approved the application, and that Sheetz would make nearly $1,000,000 in site improvements and create about three dozen jobs.

Council response and outcome: After hearing public comments and the presentations, council voted on a motion to put the ordinance on third reading and adopt; the motion failed on roll call. Following the vote, Council member Isaacson thanked speakers for their engagement, said the city’s rezoning process has been consistent and fair over the years, and invited the Commerce Park business community to work with city leadership on appropriate redevelopment alternatives.

What happens next: With the motion to advance the ordinance defeated, the rezoning will not take immediate effect. The transcript records no subsequent formal adoption; proponents may refile or revise proposals and pursue the city’s standard process (Planning & Zoning review, public hearings) should they choose to do so.

Quotation highlights: “By deviating from the high standards of our forefathers … I believe this will start a downward trajectory for the city,” said Sam Kanata, urging council to reject the rezoning. “The transportation impact study provided is almost identical to the traffic study done in Broadview Heights,” said Adam Glassman, representing nearby property interests. “We believe from an economic perspective this use will be compatible and successful,” said Tony Coyne, Sheetz land‑use counsel, describing the company’s reviews and proposed site investments.

Next procedural step: No adoption was recorded at the meeting; any revised application would reenter the Planning & Zoning and council process.