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Council members raise safety concerns after curb cut added at Massillon/619 amid active site work
Summary
Councilmembers pressed planning and engineering staff about a newly installed curb cut on the southeast corner of Massillon Road and Route 619 where no formal site plan has been presented; staff said the curb cut was permitted as part of erosion/grading permits and aligned opposite Sheetz access to minimize offset intersections.
Councilmember Babbitt raised constituent concerns about a recently constructed curb cut on the southeast corner of Massillon Road and Route 619 where a developer is conducting site work but has not submitted a complete site plan to Planning & Zoning.
Residents and councilmembers worried the curb cut is too close to the roundabout and to the existing Sheetz driveway, could increase left‑turn conflicts and endanger pedestrians using a nearby trail, and questioned how a curb cut could be permitted before formal Planning & Zoning review. Staff replied that the curb cut was approved as part of grading, land‑disturbance and right‑of‑way permits needed for construction access; those documents were approved to allow construction staging and safe access during earthwork.
City engineer Paul Pickett (as introduced in committee) and planning staff explained the curb cut was intentionally aligned across from Sheetz to avoid offset intersections; Pickett said the access point sits roughly 270 feet from the roundabout and that limiting the number of curb cuts and aligning access are standard engineering practices to reduce conflict points. He also noted wetlands and other constraints limit alternative access locations and that additional engineering will be required at final site plan review.
Councilmembers asked whether a restricted right‑in/right‑out driveway would be safer; staff warned that creating those constraints without a suitable u‑turn or circulation option would displace turning movements to local roads and could create other safety issues. Members asked staff to prioritize coordinated site planning, shared driveways and pedestrian safety measures as the project advances through plan review.
Staff said the permits in place are for construction access and erosion control and that final access and circulation will be defined during site plan review. Councilmembers requested continued staff updates and said they wanted the eventual plan to emphasize shared access, pedestrian safety and minimal conflict with the roundabout and adjacent Sheetz driveway.
