Recordpub.com - Sheetz decision delayed in Kent Commission vote set for Sept. 2

By Matt Fredmonsky

Record-Courier staff writer

A decision to bring a Sheetz gas station to the city of Kent was suspended until Sept. 2 by the Kent Planning Commission Tuesday.

Only three members of the five member panel were present Tuesday to hear Sheetz representatives propose a six pump, 12-nozzle station and convenient store at the corner of Mantua Street and Fairchild Avenue where Crock's Car Care currently is located. All three members would have had to vote in favor of the proposal for it to be approved.

Stephen Funk, an Akron attorney representing Sheetz, said the company preferred to have the vote cast in two weeks in order to obtain additional public comment on the proposal.

Seven area residents criticized the plan, including Kent City Council members Rick Hawksley and Tracy Wallach, with about a dozen more residents listening in the audience.

Wallach said the size of the proposed gas station would counter years of planning done by residents and government leaders in the West River Neighborhood to create a destination point for families.

"The size and scale of this particular gas station is going to blow this whole effort out of the water," Wallach said.

Plans show the proposed station would differ from the company's typical large, canopied service pumps and red buildings. The proposed store would be 4,900 square feet with a brick exterior and smaller signs. Funk showed members of the planning commission pictures of Sheetz stores in the city of Streetsboro and Ravenna and Franklin townships before showing a picture of a smaller store recently completed in Mentor.

The Mentor station also featured a brick exterior with no canopy adjoining the fuel pumps with the store. The Mentor and proposed Kent stores would be the only two to differ in design from the company's traditional operations, Funk said.

"And it is substantially different than the others in the area," he said. "One thing I want to emphasize is the Sheetz that would be constructed here is a newer, up to date, more attractive building."

Some of the residents who spoke, and one member of the commission, expressed indifference at their ability to stop the gas station despite being opposed to its construction.

Kent Planning Commission member Dave Wise said the commission would have little ability to vote down the project as long as it complies with city building and zoning codes.

"I'm not happy about this going there at all," Wise said. "Not as the gateway to the city. Can I stop it? No."

The commission also did not vote on a proposal from the Portage County Board of Commissioners to construct a new parking lot downtown southwest of the Portage County Municipal Court on South Water Street. The design firm on the project requested a postponement on the vote.

11.	Posted by Whatdoyouexpect August 21, 2008
	Yes KentBiz, the "customers" (students) are supporting them, and although those businesses may be paying taxes I'm sure what they pay doesn't amount to anything substantial. What prosperous, innovative, growing business can you think of that would want to set up shop next to these businesses: and then we have the "customers" voting on any and all issues, raising property owner's taxes, and then leaving after graduation? The Kent planning commissioners need to take a few classes and educate themselves as to what "true" planning commissions are supposed to do, and how to do it productively. This group is a joke. As for Fairchild and Rt. 43 being the "Gateway" to the city, what about 261 and Rt. 43. Nothing enticing me to stop & shop there, but then again, everything on that end has packed up and moved out as well. Kent waited too long to do something, and now they've got the wrong people for the job. Get some decisive, knowledgeable people on the commission, and maybe we'll get somewhere; I'm betting that it really is too late. "Who's on First"?

10.	Posted by KentBiz August 21, 2008
	Why are these people on our planning commission and can't show up for an important vote? Kent keeps claiming to want to bring in new business, and then everyone doesn't show up at a juncture for them to move forward on it? Sadly typical. Like Dave Wise said though, it really doesn't matter. The commission give their opinion, and then Sheetz can do what it wants based on building code. I know Crock's runs a well-respected business, so when I say this it is with no disrespect to them, however isn't a newly constructed building a better look for a "gateway" area to the city than a run-down auto shop w/ broken down cars in front of it? Along with a new bridge, a new business there makes a statement that there's development and progress there. 'splart', the gas station being more "needed" over by Cherry St is just your opinion, backed by no facts. The Sheetz Corp makes alot of money, and they know the best location for their business backed by a lot of research. And 'Whatdoyouexpect'- don't knock the tattoo parlors and arts & craft stores. May not be your cup of tea- and frankly isn't mine either. At least they're filling what would otherwise be empty storefronts & pay taxes. They continue to exist because customers are supporting them.

9.	Posted by KentBiz August 21, 2008
	Why are these people on our planning commission and can't show up for an important vote? Kent keeps claiming to want to bring in new business, and then everyone doesn't show up at a juncture for them to move forward on it? Sadly typical. Like Dave Wise said though, it really doesn't matter. The commission give their opinion, and then Sheetz can do what it wants based on building code. I know Crock's runs a well-respected business, so when I say this it is with no disrespect to them, however isn't a newly constructed building a better look for a "gateway" area to the city than a run-down auto shop w/ broken down cars in front of it? Along with a new bridge, a new business there makes a statement that there's development and progress there. 'splart', the gas station being more "needed" over by Cherry St is just your opinion, backed by no facts. The Sheetz Corp makes alot of money, and they know the best location for their business backed by a lot of research. And 'Whatdoyouexpect'- don't knock the tattoo parlors and arts & craft stores. May not be your cup of tea- and frankly isn't mine either. At least they're filling what would otherwise be empty storefronts & pay taxes. They continue to exist because customers are supporting them.

4.	Posted by splart August 20, 2008
	In this newer more modern age we are not supposed to build gas stations close to waterways. The Sheetz team might disagree. These men being nothing more than transient coporate lackeys out to please their boses before being downsized out of that company. The Sheetz people do not live here. The real estate person is most likely not from here either. The location for this station should be at Cherry and South Water. This part of town is in need of the so called economic boost. Is this an economic boost? Sheetz is a 24/7 business. Open all the time. The police calls and overtime paid to our safety forces would most likey eat that tax revenue up. Traffic problems would most likey increase, bottlenecking our "Gateway." One of the most dangerous intersections in Portage County is close to but not in front of the existing Sheetz in Franklin Township. This new Kent Sheetz would give a newer more dangeruos intersection to the community. Sheetz is not a bad company, treating its employees well from what I have heard. Misguidence at the corporate level is an easy call. These people at Sheetz are dependent on a variety of studies and opinions to do what they do. These are sometime outsourced to firms with misguided agendas.