By: Dean Vaglia | Macomb Chronicle | Published April 7, 2026
MACOMB TOWNSHIP — The Macomb Township Planning Commission met on March 24 and gave its recommendation for changes being made at a Sheetz gas station under construction on the township’s border.
Commissioners voted 5-1 — Vice Chair Aaron Tuckfield voting against the recommendation and Commissioner Kathy Smith was not in attendance — for allowing several changes to the site plan for a Sheetz gas station at the northwest corner of Hall Road and Gratiot Avenue. The primary change is that a wall along the west side of the property is being moved 3.5 feet off the property line, allowing it to be maintained entirely on Sheetz-owned property.
“This is something that in a lot of circumstances we would have handled administratively, but because of the nature of the project, we wanted to make sure the neighbors were notified and would be aware that the wall would no longer be on the boundary but rather off the boundary,” Planning Director Josh Bocks said. “So, if they see someone back there maintaining that 3.5 feet, they would understand that (the maintainer) is still on the Sheetz property and maintaining their own property, not trespassing on their property.”
Other changes to the site include “right in, right out” access along Hall Road as required by the Michigan Department of Transportation, landscaping changes to accommodate the wall being moved, stones to go along the 3.5 feet space between the wall, and a slightly smaller trash enclosure.
Two neighboring residents spoke at the meeting.
Tuckfield voted against recommending the changes due to the possibility of people trespassing through the 3.5-foot gap, which would bring them up to the neighboring residential properties.
“To me, this does come close in my mind to a health and safety issue,” Tuckfield said. “I’m not sure what a reasonable compromise is … but I would hate to see this be a cut through.”
Industrial park extension
Commissioners also unanimously supported a one-year extension for the construction of an industrial-zoned building on the corner of 23 Mile Road and Industrial Drive.
Under the recommended extension, the group behind the Macomb Industrial Park now has until March 5, 2027, to complete construction on its first unit. The plan was originally approved in March 2024 and expired on March 5, 2026. The project’s stakeholders expect to begin construction this April.
Verizon tower
Commissioners also supported a plan backed by Verizon Wireless to build a monopole communications tower in a lot on the southwest corner of 22 Mile Road and Card Road. The tower is planned to be located on a lot that is crossed by overhead wires.
APC Towers is the company that will build and own the tower, which will have Verizon Wireless equipment on it.
Final decisions
The Macomb Township Planning Commission is a body that makes recommendations on plans brought before it. Those recommendations, to approve or deny projects, are passed along to the Board of Trustees for final consideration.