Lexington Planning Commission votes against proposed Englefield Oil business

.
.

LEXINGTON — Lexington Planning Commission voted Thursday not to allow the Englefield Oil Co. to build a gas station/convenience store on the downtown square.

Members voted 6-0 with Christina Thompson abstaining. They cited zoning issues.

Just before that vote, the planning commission unanimously approved a "certificate of appropriateness" for Englefield, leading to some confusion as the meeting adjourned. The certificate is needed to build.

According to the planning commission, Englefield did not meet the conditional uses in the following three zoning categories needed for approval.

• Will be served adequately by essential public facilities and services such as highways, streets, police and fire protection, drainage structures, refuse disposal, water and sewer, and schools; or the persons or agencies responsible for the establishment of the proposed use will provide any necessary services.

• Will not involve uses, activities, processes, materials, equipment and conditions of operation that will be detrimental to any persons, property or the general welfare by reason of excessive production of traffic, noise, smoke, flumes, glare or odors.

• Will have vehicular approaches to the property which shall be so designed as not to create an interference with traffic on surrounding public thoroughfares.

Issues raised included further traffic congestion, especially with Lexington Local Schools consolidating three elementary schools in the next few years, and what the planning commissioner called a "drive-thru."

Village council will have final say

The matter will next go to village council for a final vote. Council will meet July 5, but Mayor Brian White said the paperwork might not be ready by then, which could prompt a special meeting.

In the summer, village council normally meets only once a month.

Thursday's meeting was the latest twist in the Englefield saga.

In January, Lexington Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval for Englefield.

When the recommendation came before village council, however, it died when no one seconded a motion for approval.

"Council was concerned about traffic," White said after Thursday's meeting. "They wanted planning commission to look deeper into it."

A meeting was scheduled for March 16 but was delayed to allow Englefield to do a traffic study.

Last month, planning commission met, with Englefield putting on its case. Thursday's meeting allowed the village to present its case, along with public comment.

The business would be located at 15 E. Main St. in the former East of Chicago plaza, beside Nickel & Bean coffee shop.

John Gordon, vice president of construction for Englefield, shown here presenting a rendering of the convenience story during a September meeting, said before Thursday's vote that "safety was the first word out of my mouth. I hope that we can come to a resolution. We're a good partner, good neighbor and a good company."
John Gordon, vice president of construction for Englefield, shown here presenting a rendering of the convenience story during a September meeting, said before Thursday's vote that "safety was the first word out of my mouth. I hope that we can come to a resolution. We're a good partner, good neighbor and a good company."

Englefield VP makes appeal

Prior to the vote, John Gordon, vice president of construction for Englefield, made another appeal to the planning commission.

"I have done everything you've asked me, including a traffic study," he said. "When I first started this, I offered to get rid of the four (entrances and exits) that were on that property, for safety," Gordon said. "We said we would reduce to one on each side.

"Safety was the first word out of my mouth. I hope that we can come to a resolution. We're a good partner, good neighbor and a good company."

Englefield's traffic study was of concern because the company conducted it last September, when traffic was lower after the school district opted for remote learning because of a COVID-19 outbreak.

In fairness, the Heath-based company did not know about the school closures.

Kendra Schenk, a traffic engineer for Burgess & Niple, reviewed Englefield's traffic study for the village and raised three concerns, including the school closures.

"By not taking those numbers into account, the numbers from the study could be lower," she said.

Schenk also questioned Englefield's traffic study, saying the company should have determined traffic by number of pumps, not by the convenience store's square footage.

She recommended the study be redone.

"My concerns are strictly safety," Schek said, adding turning left onto Main Street would be difficult and could be a source of traffic crashes.

When the village put on its case, Law Director John Studenmund called Lexington Superintendent Jeremy Secrist and village Administrative Director Andy Smallstey as his first witnesses.

Secrist answered questions about the district's three elementary schools consolidating into one building, just south of the downtown's main intersection.

He said 1,450 students are projected to be in the new school, which is several years down the road.

Lexington residents offer opinions

Unlike last month's meeting, members of the public were allowed to speak. Some spoke in favor of Englefield.

Jeff Carter has run Kehl Hardware on West Main Street for a number of years.

"Any business on that square has a traffic problem," Carter said. "I have no parking lot, no place to access.

"Englefield is a very reputable company. If they don't go there, what is? Nobody knows."

Scott Sharrock's State Farm insurance office was on the downtown square for many years.

"It's easy to say this isn't going to work," he said of Englefield's plan. "We've waited long enough. We need something."

Other residents who addressed the planning commission criticized the proposal.

"I was disgusted to see what they were doing to the downtown," Dick Watters said.

He posted a document online and asked people to respond if they had concerns, too. Watters said 385 people objected between Feb. 15 and June 21.

"It's a terrible location. That's where I'm coming from," he said.

Keith Bacin cited three concerns, redundancy, sustainability and location. There is a BP station across the street from the proposed Englefield convenience store.

Attorneys give brief statements

Following testimony, attorneys made brief statements.

Studenmund said Englefield had the burden of proof and failed to meet village standards. He also said the traffic study needs to be redone.

Mike Whitehead, representing Englefield, followed Studenmund.

"It (plan) has already been approved by this body," he said. "There's always going to be traffic. It's downtown."

Whitehead declined comment after the meeting.

Property owner Andrew Meade again blasted village officials after the meeting. He said he was "confused."

"All the people on the commission were in favor of this," he said.

Meade called the ongoing saga "two years of silliness" and warned people against buying property in Lexington.

"The village has destroyed my property value," he said. "We'll probably have to settle that in court."

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Lexington Village Council says 'no' to proposed business