On Wednesday night, Springboro Planning Commission gave final approval to the site plan review for a new Sheetz at 800 W. Central Ave. (Ohio 73) where the former Edwards Furniture store was located.
The site is on a 2.38-acre lot with frontage on West Central Avenue and Tahlequah Trail. Sheetz is proposing to build a 6,138 square-foot building with fuel pumps on the West Central Avenue side of the building and a drive-through on the west side of the building. The site will have two entrances on Tahlequah Trail and one on West Central Avenue.
Franklin Planning Commission also approved conditional use applications requested by Skilken Gold Real Estate Development on behalf of Sheetz for a major site plan for a restaurant, convenience store and gas station, a drive-through, and fuel station.
The new 6,100 square-foot Sheetz gas station would be located on Ohio 123 between Watkins Glen and Spring drives and would feature six new double-sided gas pumps, a drive-through for the restaurant, and 56 parking spaces. The gas station would be on the west side of Watkins Glen Drive and south of Ohio 123 and would be accessible from both roads.
Developers said the value of the project is about $4 million.
About 20 people were in attendance at the meeting. One resident, Teresa Barnett of Spring Drive, said she supported economic development in Franklin. However, she raised a number of concerns about lighting, health, affect on property value, and safety due to the close proximity between her home and Sheetz.
She wanted additional screening as her home overlooks the proposed gas station. The planning commission agreed to recommend a variance for a taller fence to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
City Manager Jonathan Westendorf said a traffic impact study has been completed and a three-way traffic signal is being planned for the intersection and would be coordinated with the traffic lights at the Interstate 75/Ohio 123 interchange.
In April 2021, Sheetz opened its first store in the Columbus market. Sheetz currently operates 56 locations in Ohio, with an overall store count of 650 across its six-state footprint, which includes Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland. All locations are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, according to the company’s website.
About the Author
