By Meg Peters
Review Co-Editor
From eight pumps to 18 pumps, the Orion Township Planning Commission approved a site plan to expand the Kroger Gas Station at 605 S. Lapeer Rd.
Representing the applicant, The Project Collaborative Inc. presented the conceptual plan of the expansion last Wednesday at the planning commission meeting. Following special land use standards, the current facility would combine with property at 639 S. Lapeer Rd., allowing for an additional nine dispensaries, or 18 fueling pumps.
Commissioners approved the conceptual plan, however engineering approvals are still needed before construction begins.
As opposed to the dispensaries being stacked like the current configuration, a single line of dispensers is proposed, which meets all required setbacks.
Other site changes include moving the tank firm and dumpster enclosure to the south end of the combined parcels, extending a wall to the south border to provide a physical sound barrier, and removing a proposed car wash altogether. The kiosk would be a little smaller than the current store, standing at about 850 sq. feet.
Because the site plan may potentially impact neighboring properties, the plan is categorized under a Special Land Use, and must adhere accordingly.
Commissioners approved the site plan with conditions, after considering residents? comments during a public hearing.
Closest to the gas station are the Millens, who have lived at their house on Glanworth for more than 26 years. They have witnessed the transition from the Amoco station to the BP and finally the Kroger Gas Station about ten years ago.
‘We’ve seen that go from a beautiful, lush park-like atmosphere to garbage,? Deborah Millen said. ‘Kroger is saying they’re going to make it a little bit nicer.?
She hopes that happens. Her first complaint is the row of dead pine trees barricading the gas station from her property. Pinecones and needles litter her property, she said, where constant landscaping is required.
Her second concern, which other residents echoed, is the proposed approach for incoming and exiting vehicles.
Project Collaborative Inc. proposes a change to the circulation by omitting one of the Lapeer entrance/exits in replace for two smaller curb cuts on both Glanworth St. and Summer St. The cub cuts on Glanworth and Summer are subject to the Oakland County Road Commission’s approval.
Fuel trunks would enter via the Summer entrance, discharge the fuel, and exit via Glanworth.
Her concern is with the amount of already existing entrances and exits adjacent to the gas station.
‘There are constantly accidents, you could probably check police reports, my best guess is one to three a day because of the ingress and egress that’s been allowed with Starbucks and Glanworth and Kroger and Autozone, that’s a concern of mine.?
Her husband Ty agreed the small egress coming out on Glanworth was not a good idea.
‘Glanworth is a very busy residential street, as it stands right now I’m dealing with big semis that come down my street and back into Wojo’s to unload,? he said.
His other concern was the unsightly green belt surrounding the station, with ‘waist high? weeds and dead trees that he said depreciates his property value.?
Kroger is unopposed to managing the landscaping, and spokesman Mathew Prisco said they are willing to provide a different species of pine tree to replace the dead, shedding trees.
According to township consultants, the site plan meets all requirements of the Special Land Use Application.
As it stands, hours of operation would be the same as the grocery store, from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.
While Kroger would like to keep a fixed fuel delivery schedule, however, when inventory reconciliation shows the station needs a load of gas, a tanker will be summoned when needed.
Addressing other environmental concerns, Prisco also explained new technology that has improved vapor control and leakage prevention.
Gas tanks are double chambered with alarms set to track if water seeps into gas lines, or if fuel leaks out. The Stage I Vapor Recovery system within the fuel tanks utilizes two hoses, one to discharge the fuel and one to vacuum vapors back into the tank.
The applicant believes nine dispensaries are necessary according to increasing volume projections, Prisco said.
Trustees will have the chance to accept or deny commissioners recommendation for approval, or to send the site plan back to commissioners for further review in the coming month.?