Rezoning of former State Bank of Fraser property denied

FRASER — After significant outcry from residents, the Fraser Planning Commission voted unanimously on Jan. 3 to deny a request to rezone the site of the former State Bank of Fraser to make way for a 24-hour gas station, fast food restaurant and convenience store.

A company known as 32981 Utica Road LLC purchased the former State Bank of Fraser building on the southwest corner of Utica Road and 14 Mile Road to develop it into a Sheetz fuel center and drive-thru restaurant.

The six-member planning commission, with one seat being currently vacant, listened to nearly four hours of discussion on the topic before denying a request to rezone the 3.3-acre property from a community business district zone to a commercial general zone.

“(Our vote) is a recommendation to City Council and they have the final decision on the rezoning,” said Planning Commission Chair Kathy Czarnecki. “Our board all agreed this rezoning was not consistent with our master plan and future land use plan. Many residents voiced concerns about safety, environmental pollution, noise pollution and the desire to preserve the historic bank building. All in all, people didn’t think this would be a good fit.”

The property has sat vacant since 2019. The State Bank of Fraser was established in 1910, and it relocated to the location at 14 Mile Road and Utica Road in 1930. The bank was acquired by Security Bank of Commerce in 1990 and then by PNC Bank in 2009. The building was never declared a historic site. The Fraser Public Library considered using the site, but decided the costs involved would be prohibitive.

“The City Council will not be voting on this at their next meeting. If the applicant still wants to move forward, a conditional rezoning agreement would have to be submitted by the applicant,” said Czarnecki. “If the City Council follows our recommendation and denies the rezoning of the property, the applicant would presumably either revise the application, and submit a plan for something else, or remove their application. If the application is pulled, the site will remain vacant until another application for the use of that property is submitted to the city.”

Although Sheetz locations are common in other states such as Pennsylvania and North Carolina, there are not any in Michigan currently. Sheetz representatives said they are planning an expansion into the state, with between 60 and 80 locations currently proposed or being considered.

“Our real estate team selects sites based on factors such as traffic volume, demographics, and available infrastructure,” said Drew Miller, the project manager for the development, at the meeting. “It’s notable that Sheetz locations don’t generate substantial new traffic but captures existing traffic. A comprehensive traffic study was already conducted by a consulting group.”

Miller pointed out that Sheetz was planning on taking several steps to mitigate the light and noise from operating a 24-hour business so close to residential neighborhoods.

“We’ve communicated our mitigation efforts to neighboring community members,” said Miller. “We will install a six-foot high concrete wall between the location and the nearby residential properties. … We will have a light board instead of an audible drive through speaker box to reduce noise. We also will have shielded lights.”

The owners said they also would have installed a detention pond to help mitigate water runoff in the area, a public sitting area, and a small plaza on the corner, commemorating the previous building.

Following the public hearing, the developer’s attorney, John Gaber, said he was unsure if Sheetz would continue to try to move ahead with the project.

Dozens of Fraser residents spoke at the meeting to share their reservations and objections to Sheetz going in at the site.

“(This is) a 2-square-mile community,” said Fraser resident Nicole Valin. “I just moved here from Roseville. If I wanted to live in Roseville, I would have stayed there. I moved here because it’s a small community and I want it to stay a community.”

“My main concerns are the traffic increases, since we already have issues with people running red lights in that area. I live nearby and see it myself,” added Myranda Watson, another Fraser resident present at the meeting. “Another concern is that Fraser basically shuts down after 8 p.m. So, having a 24-hour operation that is open 365 days, I wonder if there is a need for that in our community. … My kids also go to school in the vicinity, so I want to make sure there is a plan in place … to make sure they don’t have minors loitering or drawing people to just hang out there.”

Some said that such a business would not only be a poor fit for Fraser but would be unnecessary.

“There’s already two other gas stations right there on that corner,” said Valin. “I don’t know how many we need within 30-feet of each other. Also, what will the traffic look like? There’s not a lot of room to expand there. It’s already a tight corner.”

While some residents at the meeting agreed that finding uses for unused properties is important so they do not become blighted and contribute to the community both functionally and financially, most agreed that Sheetz was not their preferred solution.

“Filling a property just to fill it and get the taxes isn’t a solution if you have to pay a different price,” Valin said. “Nothing in life is free. Yes, it is vacant, and we are not getting tax dollars for it right now, but that does not mean that six months, 12 months, three years down the road, something better won’t fit into the space and fit better. I like that corner. I like how it feels a bit nicer and makes it feel like a distinct community.”

“While it may not be a popular opinion, I would rather see something there than not see something there, but I wouldn’t prefer it to be turned into a strip mall,” added Watson. “I think there has to be some better plans we can explore.”