Planning Commission Declines to Recommend Proposed Meijer Gas Station

A proposed Meijer gas station at 100 W. Lake Lansing Road failed to win the recommendation of the Planning Commission, with commissioners worried about traffic and environmental impacts of the project.

Commissioners were split 3-3 in their decision at the April 9 meeting, as Thomas Hendricks, Scott Sowulewski and Chair Joseph Sullivan voted to recommend the project to City Council. Chelsea Denault, Chuck Overbey and Ryan Putz voted against.

Developers seek to build a gas station with six islands and 12 pumps on the 1.5 acre parcel near the Lake Lansing Road and Abbot Road intersection.

Denault was the most outspoken opponent at the meeting, taking issue with both the traffic study and the plan to remove trees from the location. Denault said the area draws a lot of traffic because of the nearby softball complex, aquatic center and residential areas.

“I know that the applicant has done all they can to sort of restrict egress in and out of that site by saying right turns only, no left turns,  but we all can probably assume that there will be people who will attempt to make left turns out of there,” she said.

At a previous meeting, some commissioners also raised traffic concerns with adding a gas station so close to an existing Speedway station.

Denault also worried about plans to remove trees from the location, mentioning the ongoing work of the Green Code Study Committee she sits on, citing “potential new regulations.” The Green Code Study Committee is reviewing the city’s ordinances to make sure they properly support the city’s environmental goals.

“One of the things that has given me pause for a lot of development,” she said, “is sort of waiting to see what that committee comes up with and what recommendations that committee makes.”

Sullivan disagreed.

“I do understand your point about future standards and going through the Green Code Study Committee,” he said, “but I’m very uncomfortable and I have been for a long time using… any sort of potential forthcoming future standards as part of my consideration on any application. It’s subjective and it’s a slippery slope.”

Public comment brought out potential neighbors to the proposed gas station, Jessica and Gregory Maxson from Maxson Dental at 140 W. Lake Lansing Road opposed the project.

“Although Maxson Dental may be a small business,” Jessica said, “we are pillars of health and taking care of people in really big ways in this community. We also serve to care for the environment and safety…we are stewards of our property and our neighborhood here in East Lansing. April is my favorite month because it’s Earth Month, so in honor of Mother Earth, I would like to bring some attention to the small wetland identified on this beautiful undeveloped land.”

The spot in question is 0.04 acres of a “non-regulated wetland” the city identified in its report on the project.

When Sullivan asked Principal Planner Landon Bartley what a non-regulated wetland was, Bartley was quick to point out he and his staff did not make that determination. Instead the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) made the distinction.

“In some cases,” he said, “essentially you have some wetlands that are considered sort of environmentally important and some that have such a relatively limited impact or limited environmental value. I personally feel a little bit unprepared to explain how that determination has come to but generally through EGLE and professional staff at [East Lansing’s] Department of Public Works, they make a determination.”

Jessica Maxson worried the measurement of the wetland was done outside of the growing season and thus failed to accurately assess its size.

“Let’s make a commitment tonight to never destroy a wetland that was not fairly assessed,” she said.

Gregory Maxson spoke about his own concerns about flooding that he worries would be exacerbated by paving over the wetland.

“I wanted to give you an update now that April showers have hit and where the water goes and what the water does right next to our properties,” Gregory said. “Last week we had ankle deep water on a significant stretch of the property line between the two properties. We also had multiple sites of standing water for most of the week on the site.

“When you walk around the sidewalk you can see it’s lower than the sidewalk. I wanted to update you because I am concerned about what happens to water and what would happen if we pave over that entire site. I worry about my building and standing water against our foundation [and] our basement.”

The project will next go to City Council, without the Planning Commission recommendation. City Council is slated to set a May 27 public hearing for the project at tonight’s (April 22) meeting.