Three additional applications for new gas station operations were pending at the time by operators of Sheetz, QuikTrip and Wawa. Since then, Sheetz and Quik Trip have withdrawn their applications. While the ordinance will ban standalone stations, it would allow those with a grocery store.
Attracting a grocery store to the city, which currently does not have a full service store, is among the goals of efforts to develop the Tipp City Plaza property along Garber and Tippecanoe drives south of West Main Street and east of I-75, as well as the Long property at County Road 25A and West Main streets west of I-75. Both properties were acquired this year by the city as part of its enhanced development efforts.
“If a station would close, it could reopen under another name if another gas station company wanted it,” said city Development Director Matt Spring. “But that reopening must happen within six months of the closure of the first station. Otherwise, any new business wanting to utilize that site must conform to the new code.”
Gas stations are permitted in any commercially zoned district as an accessory use to a large format or general merchandise store, subject to restrictions including: the fuel station must be owned or operated by, or in direct partnership with, the grocery or general merchandise retailer located on the same lot or with the same commercial development; no more than eight fuel-dispensing pumps (totaling a maximum of 16 fueling positions) shall be permitted; and freestanding signs identifying the fuel station shall not be permitted from the signage of the primary grocery.
Before its vote, council heard from developer Tim Logan. He said he has been in the real estate business for 50 years.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. I think the market should be the one to decide,” Logan said.
The “no” vote was cast by Councilman John Kessler.
“I don’t think this is a business of ours to tell a property owner how to use their property,” he said.
Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com.
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