Resident Vince Calabrese speaks out against a new Sheetz development at the Oct. 30 Fraser City Council Special Meeting.
By: Nick Powers | Fraser-Clinton Chronicle | Published November 1, 2024
FRASER — The Senior Activity Center was packed with residents eager to make their voices heard about a controversial 24-hour gas station and convenience store in downtown Fraser Oct. 30.
Sheetz, a family-owned convenience store and gas station chain, made its case before Fraser City Council at the off-site special meeting. Council members capped off the meeting with a 5-2 vote approving the conditional zoning for a future Sheetz location.
Sheetz will go on the corner of 14 Mile and Utica roads, next to two other gas stations.
The nearly five-hour meeting was trying. The vast majority of those who made a comment at the meeting — over 30 people spoke, with some delivering comments remotely — were against the development. Their reasons varied, but the one common thread was that the corner was not a good spot for it. Despite their expressed concerns about the site, many stated that they liked Sheetz.
Issues about light pollution, increased crime and site contamination also cropped up frequently.
Sheetz will now replace the old State Bank of Fraser building. The bank’s history stretches back to 1910, but it arrived at its current location in 1930.
According to an “Images of America” book about Fraser and its history, the building was constructed with Bedford limestone. Inside, the bank featured gray Tennessee marble, Botticino marble from Italy, antique Vermont marble and solid walnut woodwork.
A 1999 Macomb Daily article detailed plans to demolish the building and replace it with a smaller bank and a CVS pharmacy. Following protests, that never happened. CVS later opened down the road at Garfield Road and 14 Mile.
PNC Bank took over the building in 2009. The structure has never been declared a historic site. It has been vacant since 2019.
The Sheetz chain is new to Michigan, with its first location in Romulus breaking ground on March 14.
Fraser’s future Sheetz isn’t the only controversial location. The Madison Heights City Council blocked the business from coming to the city following public outcry this year. The Eastpointe City Council approved, in a 3-1 vote, a special land use permit to move a Sheetz location ahead at a meeting on Aug. 20 but, according to a C & G Newspapers article about the meeting, the project was met with scrutiny by both council members and the public.
Hearing of the public
Francesca and Christian Lucido live near the development, and both spoke out against the Sheetz location. The couple, who have two kids with one on the way, explained the difficulties of raising a family near another gas station.
Francesca touched on the potential problems of crime and pollution from another gas station.
“Living in close proximity to one gas station increases the exposure to daily fuel evaporations that could be linked to childhood cancers,” Francesca said. “This is not a chance I’m willing to take. Yet you are entertaining the idea of a third gas station.”
Christian mentioned a variety of potential problems with the development and said he wasn’t impressed following a recent visit to Sheetz.
“I am worried about the safety of what could happen in our backyard with implementation of a 24-hour fast-food gas chain,” Christian said.
In January, the Fraser Planning Commission denied Sheetz’s request to rezone the site. Members of the commission came to the meeting to reiterate their concerns about the Sheetz location. One member, John Keil, said at the meeting that he changed his mind about Sheetz after visiting a location and would vote differently today. Keil was the only member of the commission who expressed this view.
Fraser Planning Commission Chairwoman Kathy Czarnecki came out against the development at the meeting, citing the overwhelming opposition to Sheetz that was expressed by residents when the commission denied the request in January.
“I do want to impress upon you all, the City Council members, to acknowledge the dedication and expertise the Planning Commission members put into updating our city master plan,” Czarnecki said.
Sheetz wasn’t without its fans. Comments from 11 supporters of the development were heard at the meeting. Resident Donald Olszewski delivered a particularly impassioned argument for Sheetz, stepping up to the podium twice. He was ready for the community to move on from its nostalgia for the State Bank of Fraser building.
“I predict if the site is left unused it will turn out just like the former Dairy Queen on 14 Mile and Groesbeck,” Olszewski said.
Sheetz is leasing the space for the new development. Paul Fedorko, the owner of the property, spoke twice at the meeting. He said he purchased the building in mid-2023 for a redevelopment opportunity. Fedorko said Sheetz developing the space was the best option he had available.
“I know there was a lot of personal attachment and nostalgia with the bank property,” Fedorko said. “After an exhaustive evaluation it’s just simply cost prohibitive to be able to salvage the bank. … Regardless of the outcome of tonight’s meeting, the bank will come down to pave way for a new development.”
Near the end of the meeting, Lisa Acker fought back tears as she spoke out against the development.
“Please, I’m begging you, something else,” Acker said. “They are a great organization, but we don’t need to see it. Not in my yard.”
Paul Cilluffo, a former mayoral candidate and former city councilman, spoke three times at the meeting. Cilluffo has, throughout the history of the proposed development, been a strident voice against the Sheetz location. In his final comment, Cilluffo gave an impassioned plea for council to vote against the conditional rezoning. He called council’s disregard for the residents speaking out against the development a “slap in the face” and said council was not in touch with the community.
“Although you may think it’s a good idea to put in a gas station like this, it is a gas station,” Cilluffo said. “You can call it whatever you want. … They’re salesmen. This is a really sad, sad situation.”
Sheetz explains conditional rezoning
Sheetz delivered a presentation that took just shy of an hour, laying out its case for a new development that would level and replace the State Bank of Fraser building. David Bruckelmeyer, engineering permit manager for Sheetz, touched on the ways the new development would work with the community. He explained how the new plan differed from the one originally brought to the Fraser Planning Commission.
“We’re very excited to be here tonight,” Bruckelmeyer said. “We’ve taken a lot of time to have conversations with both city staff and the community. We’ve made quite a few amendments to our proposal that we originally proposed in January.”
One change to the plan included incorporating pieces of the former State Bank of Fraser building into the facade of the new Sheetz location. A drive-thru feature was taken out following residents’ input, and a right-in-right-out entrance on 14 Mile Road was added.
Bruckelmeyer touted the 1.62 acres of green space featured at the new development, which would include a picnic area and a detention pond. He also said the new location would bring 30-35 jobs.
Bruckelmeyer noted that the interior of the bank had major issues, showing photos during the presentation.
“It’s just in that kind of state where, economically, no one’s going to be able to make this bank into anything feasible,” he said.
In the presentation, Sheetz pledged to donate $50,000 to the city for road improvements. To some residents during public comment, this amounted to a bribe. City Attorney Donald DeNault, at the end of the meeting, said a suggested donation from an entity is mentioned in the city’s ordinance. It appears in chapter 31 of the ordinance under the changes and amendments for article XVI (section 32-261).
In the motion that was ultimately approved, Sheetz representatives agreed to maintain landscaping on the property, providing a lighting plan that conforms to city code and covering the costs of unused land deeded to nearby residents.
“I know the applicant has offered some revisions to the proposed application for your consideration this evening since it was considered by the Planning Commission,” Czarnecki said. “But, in essence, the proposed conditional rezoning still conflicts with the master plan.”
Council members weigh in
Prior to the final vote, members of the City Council reflected on Sheetz’s presentation and comments from the public. Based on the comments, it appeared clear before the vote was taken that the development was going to be approved.
Councilwoman Amy Baranski confirmed that Sheetz would secure its dumpster on the property. She also made sure Sheetz agreed to verbal commitments the representatives made throughout the meeting and that these items were included in the final motion. Later, she commented on the motion itself.
“I get the emotion, I get the concern,” Baranski said. “But the alternative scares me more than this plan that I see.”
Councilman Patrick O’Dell said, while this is not what he envisioned for the corner, that this was the best option the city had for the property.
“If it gets denied, you don’t know what’s going to go there,” O’Dell said. “If it fits in the box of how it’s permitted currently, we don’t have any say whatsoever. At least we have some input on it.”
Mayor Pro Tem Dana Sutherland said, as a longtime resident, she wanted the community to move forward.
“For those who are remembering how Fraser used to be and wanting it to stay frozen in time, I just don’t think that’s realistic,” Sutherland said. “It’s not how the world works and if we’re not moving forward as a city then we’re being left behind.”
Councilwoman Sherry Stein described the decision as the “hardest” she’s had to make in her career. She said, if she weren’t on council, she would be coming up to the podium as well.
“I love that we have all this community here,” Stein said. “It shows we still have a small-town-feel community.”
Councilwoman Patrice Schornak said she would be happy to have a Sheetz in Fraser, just not at that location. She said she hopes the new development doesn’t negatively impact surrounding local businesses.
“I just think the location, at this time, is not in the best interest of the community,” Schornak said. “Even though I 100% want to move this community forward, I 100% want to be business friendly, you have to weigh that against the people who live here 24-7 365 days a year.”
Mayor Michael Lesich echoed Schornak’s comments.
“We really have to work harder to figure out what we want to be,” Lesich said. “Do we want to be a spot on the map between Roseville and Clinton Township? Or do we want to be something more that I think we all moved to Fraser for?”
Councilman Kenny Perry made the motion seconded by Sutherland. Sutherland, O’Dell, Baranski and Stein voted in favor of the conditional rezoning. Mayor Micheal Lesich and Schornak voted against it.
Following the comments of the council members, Francesca Lucido responded to those who said they grew up in the community and enjoyed its small-town feel.
“It’s upsetting because I feel like, as a young family, I’m being robbed of that opportunity,” Lucido said. “Especially with my children being so close to three gas stations on one corner.”
Is it still on?
The meeting itself was controversial. It was originally set for 6 p.m. on Oct. 30 after a vote at the City Council’s Sept. 26 special meeting. A venue wasn’t agreed upon but was later confirmed to be at the senior center.
Before the hearing, Sheetz announced it was not going to give a presentation at the special meeting based on “new information.” This changed on the eve of the meeting. Harry Hammel of Planit, a media agency that represents Sheetz, released a statement explaining that the company would attend.
“Yesterday, local officials agreed to delay tomorrow’s presentation to a later date as they had just shared with Sheetz new project updates,” Hammel said in an email. “After further collaboration with city leaders, and very recent changes to the public approval process, Sheetz will now be presenting at tomorrow’s hearing. Our goal has always been to work together to build a store that is reflective of the community, and we look forward to sharing our current plans with residents at tomorrow’s hearing.”
Many residents who stepped up to the podium expressed confusion about whether the Oct. 30 meeting would even happen, citing conflicting reports on social media.