LIVONIA, Mich. – The Sheetz expansion into Metro Detroit hit another roadblock as the Livonia City Council voted down a rezoning ordinance for a new location.
The vote took place on Monday (Jan. 27) for the new proposed gas station, which would have been on 8 Mile and Newburgh roads where the former Rite Aid once stood.
Residents who lived nearby and independent gas station owners drew concerns about the potential Sheetz expansion.
“What we noticed is it’s cannibalizing from existing gas station owners,” said a woman. “The Livona residence refers to it as a truck stop, even though it’s not a truck stop because of the size and because of the way it’s being implemented; they refer to it as the truck stop that they don’t want in their neighborhood.”
The proposed location was only about eight miles away from another proposed Sheetz location in Farmington Hills, which their city council rejected earlier this month.
“I just think your proposal at this time is not compatible to our location,” said a city council member.
Residents spoke during the public comment section, citing concerns about noise, pollution, and possible crime the 24-hour location might bring.
“What I prefer a Sheetz to do is go up north to where some of our rural Michiganders are because they need economic development, and they need jobs up there,” said a resident.
Livonia City Council seemed to agree and voted down the proposal. If they had agreed for the Sheetz gas station, the area in question near the Whispering Willows Golf Course, it would have ended the city’s plan to dedicate the area to parks and recreation.
Sheetz released an official statement to Local 4 Tuesday morning regarding the vote:
“We are extremely disappointed by last night’s narrow vote, especially given the number of supporters who spoke on our behalf at the hearing. We will be evaluating all available options at this location moving forward.
While this decision is disappointing, we look forward to working closely with other Detroit-area municipalities to bring growth, new jobs and an innovative new restaurant and convenience store to their communities — a place where families can enjoy a meal, residents can refuel or charge their vehicles, and where those who serve our community around the clock, like EMS, medical staff, firefighters and police officers, can grab a cup of coffee, 24/7.
Our Romulus location has received overwhelming support from customers and elected officials. We have nine other Detroit-area stores that have been approved by their municipalities, and we look forward to bringing that success and sense of community to those locations soon.”
Nick Ruffner, Public Affairs Manager for Sheetz
