'I can't support this': Boston Heights residents speak out against proposed Sheetz

Boston Heights resident Marc Miller fears a proposed Sheetz at the site of the former Norwood Inn is no ordinary gas station.

Instead, he said, it's a "Travel Center," or a truck stop that will constantly attract large trucks to his small community.

"This is no normal Sheetz," he said.

If approved by the village's planning commission, the Sheetz gas station would be on about 8 acres of property at 6625 Dean Memorial Parkway near East Hines Hill Road, state Route 8 and the turnpike.

The plans currently include six fuel pumps and 42 parking spaces along the northern end of the property for cars. There also would be a car wash, a convenience store and a dining area. In addition, eight spaces would be set aside for electric vehicle charging stations.

The south end would include separate parking and fueling stations for trucks. The fueling stations could accommodate five trucks at a time.

The plans were drafted and submitted by GPD Group in Akron.

The truck-designated area brought up the most concerns with residents, who raised questions about pollution, traffic and safety with the planning commission. The proposed gas station's proximity to an Akron Children's Hospital facility, other businesses and Costco Wholesale, which also provides fueling stations, was specifically mentioned.

Charging up transportation:Ohio plans for 48 new electric vehicle charging sites to build out network

The area is in the Hines Hill Corridor Overlay District, which, according to an earlier Sheetz application and information from the village, aims to promote "a mix of uses, planning for pedestrian mobility, integrating quality public spaces, creating unique and identifiable landscaping that defines the gateway into the village, and promoting high-quality architecture with traditional and natural materials."

New threads:3610 Clothing Co. delivers Copley-themed apparel for customers in former post office

Battle of words:Sign war brewing among businesses in and around downtown Cuyahoga Falls

Proposed Sheetz amenities are 'parking, food and a fuel stop'

Ryan Balko, engineering permit project manager with Sheetz, said Sheetz has made several revisions to the plans since they were first publicly presented in June. The number of truck parking spaces was reduced from 38 to 30, the truck weighing station was removed and the entrance for car traffic was moved about 300 feet on the recommendation of the Ohio Department of Transportation.

Balko said the truck weighing station was removed because "the feedback we were getting is there was a fixation on how to define" a truck stop.

"By removing that, the only amenities is parking, food and a fuel stop," Balko said. "This will be no different than the store on Steels Corners (in Stow). We won't have amenities such as showers for truckers. There will be no service center for truckers to change their tires or get an oil change, There's no lounge area. It's parking and fueling only."

This Sheetz also will have employees trained to watch for idling trucks, trucks that have not moved after a period and for other potential issues, Balko said. Additionally, 30 security cameras, about two-thirds of them outside, would be installed on the property.

There are about 30 other Sheetz stations with a separate area for trucks, with the closest one in Austintown near Youngstown, Balko said. The proposed Boston Heights facility would be larger.

Roughly 100,000 vehicles go through the area daily, Balko said. That includes traffic on Route 8 and the turnpike.

Sheetz will pay for demolition of the Norwood Inn, which was constructed in 1967 and included hotel rooms and a restaurant, according to information from the Summit County Fiscal Office. Its appraised value is just under $4.2 million. The owner is listed as Maplewood Lodging LLC.

Councilman Ron Antal said representatives from Norwood Inn told village officials on Oct. 3, 2019, the facility would close temporarily for six months. However, the hotel never reopened.

Balko said that asbestos abatement for the structure would cost more than $1.4 million.

"Because of the amount of asbestos, it will take six to eight months to tear it down," Balko said. He added it would cost nearly $1.2 million to tear down the structure and more than $600,000 to tear out the foundation. There would be additional costs for moving utilities such as electric and sewer.

Giving families a lift:Black-owned business: Kid Chauffeur Express expands services to camp, other cities

The latest in business:What's in, what's out: One business closes, others coming into Montrose

Residents and business owners worried about pollution, safety

Local attorney Tom Bevan of Bevan & Associates, whose office building is to the south of the proposed gas station, said he visited the Sheetz gas station in Austintown, which made him concerned about the potential site in Boston Heights.

"I can't support this," Bevan said. He pointed out that Sheetz applied for a conditional use of the property. "This is not one of the normal uses."

Bevan said he had several issues with the site plan and the calculations Sheetz used in some features, such as greenspace and buffers. Falco said the greenspace calculated was 31%, and Bevan said he calculated the amount as being 28%. The minimum required is 25%.

He said he worries for the health and safety of his 55 employees, who work in the building at the same time that traffic flow is heaviest.

Roberto Gasparini of Spirit Environmental, which has its offices in Texas, said although the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency did not require it, Sheetz hired Spirit Environmental to conduct various air quality studies to measure potential environmental impact.

Gasparini said all his calculations, based on "a perfect storm" scenario of maximum usage, fell at or below what the Ohio EPA states is an acceptable percentage of pollutants.

Bevan, however, said that "acceptable" may not necessarily mean "safe."

The planning commission did not vote on the proposal last week, and will continue the hearings at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 5. The meeting will be at Village Hall, 45 E. Boston Mills Road. Go to https://villageofbostonheights.com for details.

Sheetz is a family-owned convenience store chain based in Altoona, Pennsylvania. It operates more than 500 stores in six states, including Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina.

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Boston Heights residents voice concerns about Sheetz gas station plans