Sheetz putting Sterling Heights plans on hold

STERLING HEIGHTS — Plans for a proposed Sheetz store in Sterling Heights are now on hold.

The Pennsylvania-based chain of gas station/convenience stores with a cult following has proposed a development on the southeast corner of Mound Road and Metro Parkway, on a 3-acre parcel of land adjacent to the now-closed Detroit News and Detroit Free Press printing plant. The project would require rezoning the slice of property from industrial use to commercial use.

A public hearing for the proposal is scheduled for the March 3 City Council meeting, but developers are expected to place a pause on the project instead.

“We anticipate Sheetz will be requesting an indefinite postponement at that hearing to refine site plans,” the city said in a Feb. 11 prepared statement. “Additional details will be included in the agenda materials which will be available Friday, Feb. 27."

The Sentry contacted Sheetz representatives in Michigan for confirmation but did not immediately hear back.  

The Sterling Heights Planning Commission last year rejected the concept plan for Sheetz, citing several reasons, including the negative effect Sheetz would have on local businesses, the number of other gas stations in the area and potential traffic problems. Planning Commission members also objected to the development on land that is zoned for light industrial use. 

Likewise, several City Council members previously told the Sentry that locating Sheetz on land destined for industrial redevelopment was questionable.

“I think that the Planning Commission was very clear that we shouldn't convert industrial land into commercial land,” Councilman Michael Radtke said. “I think that actually makes a lot of sense. What I've been told is that we have something like a 99% industrial occupancy rate in the city, and we have a 92% commercial (occupancy rate). Why would you convert land that is almost (at) capacity to land that has less capacity? That doesn't make a lot of sense to me.” 

Councilman Henry Yanez said the Mound and Metro Parkway location was “absolutely 100% not the right spot for them.” 

“I'm pretty agnostic in regards to Sheetz as a business coming into Sterling Heights. They're welcome like any other business,” Yanez said. “That's just not a good place.”

Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski agreed that the industrial-zoned site Sheetz was pursuing wasn’t an ideal spot. 

“We do have a lot of open or available commercial property that they could build on,” she said. “I'm not against Sheetz. I think they're a great product and they serve a certain population of people. … I just want them in the appropriate place.” 

The 41.5-acre property containing the closed printing plant is owned by Industrial Commercial Properties LLC, a Cleveland-based commercial real estate company. A phone call to ICP seeking comment was not immediately returned.

Call Staff Writer Gary Winkelman at 586-498-1070.