Residents oppose convenience store and gas station; commission declines merits approval

City staff and the applicant described a proposal for a single-store convenience store with fuel sales, two retail spaces and a drive-through at 7402 Liberty Grove Road. Staff said the site is in a form-based commercial center and listed three major warrants required for fuel sales, a drive-through and a facade offset, plus several minor warrants for parking screening and frontage.

Michael King (applicant representative) said the plan provides 16 parking spaces, a bicycle parking area and a fuel canopy; he noted the applicant would likely pay for a traffic study if the concept moves forward to engineering. Bill Alpheli (applicant) answered questions about property ownership and said retail tenants were not yet signed.

Residents at the public hearing said Liberty Grove Road is a two-lane, capacity-constrained road that already experiences severe peak congestion and that the proposal would increase turning movements, deliveries and queuing. "Adding a high turnover use of a gas station and a convenience store with a drive thru will significantly increase turning movements, queuing, and congestion on a roadway that is already failing," Allison Belderhoff said. Neighbors also noted a gas station exists less than a mile away and asked why additional retail was needed. Commissioners questioned whether traffic impacts should be studied before approving warrants and whether the site could handle larger delivery vehicles.

A motion to approve the requested major and minor warrants for the convenience store was made and seconded; after discussion the motion failed on a recorded vote and the commission did not recommend approval.