SuperAmerica Gas/Convenience Store with Car Wash Plan Approved by Council

After more than an hour of discussion and community feedback, the Plymouth City Council recently approved plans for a SuperAmerica gas/convenience station with car wash at County Road 47 and Vicksburg Lane.

The approval of the site plan, conditional use permit and final plat at the Sept. 18 meeting the potential new business didn’t come without concerns from the council, specifically surrounding the proposed 24-hour of operation.

As a result, the council approved plan and permit, but decided against a request by the business to operate 24 hours - limiting hours of operation to 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Background

The commercial area, known as Taryna Hills, was zoned neighborhood commercial in 2005 as part of the overall development, according to a memo provided to the Plymouth City Council. In the development area, Walgreens Pharmacy was built in 2008 followed by Foundation Hill Montessori in 2010. 

“The city’s discretion in approving or denying a site plan is limited to whether or not the proposal complies with comprehensive plan and zoning requirements. If it meets these standards, the city must approve the site plan,” according to a memo provided to the council. “The city’s discretion is approving or denying a conditional use permit is limited to whether or not the proposal meets the standards listed in the zoning ordinance. If it meets the specified standards, the city must approve the permit. However, the level of discretion is affected by the fact that some of the standards may be open to interpretation.”

The Request

The applicant for the project asked the council for approval of a site plan and conditional use permit to build a 4,300 square foot SuperAmerica gas/convenience store with car wash at the northeast corner of County Road 47 and Vicksburg Lane.

The Planning Commission recommended approval after its Sept. 5 meeting of the plan, permit and plat as proposed by the applicant, Amcon Construction Company, LLC. The commission did recommendation a condition be placed to prohibit car wash and vacuum operations between 11 p.m. and 6 p.m.  Commissioner Petrash voted against the recommendation.

Discussion

Residents and an area business spoke out against the construction of the SuperAmerica spoke out during public hearings at both the planning commission meeting and city council meeting.  Concerns expressed ranged from safety, environmental, traffic and lighting.

“I would like you to really consider that this might not be the right choice,” one homeowner said to the council.

“We have to think of our kids and our community,” another resident said. “I implore you to think with your hearts and without the dollars in mind.”

Members of the council had multiple questions and discussed the proposed plan at length, including traffic impact, noise, delivery as well as hours of operation.

Councilmember Jim Willus and Mayor Kelli Slavik brought up the idea of not approving the 24-hour operation request.

“I would not view this as a destination where people would go out of their way to get gas at 2 a.m.”  Slavik said.

It was those initial discussions that led to the proposed amendment to the request which denied the request for 24-hour operation.

The eventual approval of the site plan, conditional use permit and final plat, including the amendments, were approved at the Sept. 18 Plymouth City Council meeting.

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