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Commission moves to deny Yatumma Oil special land use after safety, drainage and fire-safety concerns
Summary
After a public hearing on a proposed 7,200 sq. ft. convenience store and gas station at 26 Mile and M‑19, commissioners cited traffic, drainage, wetlands and outstanding fire-safety requirements and a motion was made to deny the special land use; the transcript records the motion but no recorded vote appears in the meeting record.
The New Haven Planning Commission heard a public hearing and staff presentation on a special land use and site plan for a proposed convenience store and gas station by Tummo (Yatumma) Oil at the northeast corner of 26 Mile and M‑19. Eric Williams of Stonefield Engineering, representing the applicant, described a roughly 5‑acre site with regulated floodplain and wetlands and said the project includes a roughly 7,200‑square‑foot convenience store, landscaping, a masonry screen wall and right‑of‑way improvements requested by the county.
"The project itself is, an approximate 7,200 square foot convenience store," Eric Williams said, and he told the commission the team plans to work with county road officials and village staff on required right‑of‑way and drainage protections. Planning staff flagged several waiver requests and noted the master plan shows the parcel as medium‑density residential while zoning remains General Business; staff also identified missing non‑motorized path details and requested that the applicant address frontage and screening requirements.
Residents and nearby property owners raised specific concerns about drainage and wetlands, disputed parcel IDs in the application, and pressed the applicant to avoid encroaching on a natural drainage ditch that feeds a tributary of the Salt River. A village representative relaying fire‑inspector comments listed technical conditions the fire department said must be met before approval: "Electric vehicle charging system must be at least 10 feet from any building," and the department also recommended a one‑hour fire‑rated exterior wall where charging is located and installation of a Knox box or remote shutoff.
Traffic and access driven debate dominated public comment. The applicant cited a traffic study that found roughly a 75% pass‑by trip rate for gas stations, while commissioners and residents pressed for accident history at the skewed intersection and discussed whether driveway configuration should be limited to right‑in/right‑out under state and county jurisdiction. After extended discussion of drainage, access, and outstanding technical and safety items, the chair moved to deny the special land use for parcel 26‑06‑34‑353‑006; the meeting transcript records the motion but does not include a vote tally or final recorded disposition in the provided record.
Next steps noted in the meeting record included staff follow‑up to obtain county crash data for the intersection, further engineering responses from the applicant addressing wetlands and maneuvering simulations for service vehicles, and fire department clearance of the EV‑charging and other safety items before the commission can act again.
