Madison Heights officials reject Sheetz gas station proposal during contentious meeting

Sheetz, the Altoona, Pennsylvania-based gas station and convenience chain, is facing its latest setback in its bid to expand into Michigan.

The Madison Heights City Council this week denied a request to open a Sheetz location in the city.

Officials decided after a contentious, standing-room-only city council meeting Monday evening. The chain operates its locations 24 hours.

The Sheetz business would have been at 30901 Dequindre Road, at the intersection of Dequindre and 13 Mile roads in Madison Heights.

Sheetz wants to expand into Michigan, but is facing opposition in some communities.

The company announced in February it would open new locations in Romulus and Chesterfield Township.

But in Fraser, the planning commission rejected its proposal, while Sheetz pulled back its applications after facing opposition in Rochester Hills and Waterford. Sheetz had also pulled back its application in Madison Heights, before applying again and being rejected.

Tuesday's meeting featured 18 public comments, 15 against, and three in favor of the Sheetz development. Speakers included members of the city's planning commission, residents and local business owners, many raising concerns about Sheetz's potential impact on the community.

Kirollos Ibrahim said his family owns a BP gas station in Madison Heights and worried bringing Sheetz to town could harm their business.

"With the economy, we've been struggling to stay up, and something like this, if a Sheetz gas station opens and it kills us, we're going to be run out of business," Ibrahim said. "I'm a college student, I go to OU (Oakland University) and this is our only source of income."

Kevin Wright, a Madison Heights resident, said he backed opening a Sheetz in the city.

"I fully support this proposal for Sheetz to build a new store at 13 and Dequindre, I think the redevelopment of that parcel will revitalize that corner and be good for our city," Wright said. "In doing a little research about Sheetz online, I learned that they're a family-owned company that gives back and invests in the communities that they are located in and I think that they would be a welcome addition to ours."

Community energy could be felt throughout the meeting, with the audience breaking out in applause and cheers after several speeches against the proposal. Attendees held up red placards reading, "Stop Sheetz."

"The Chaldean Chamber of Commerce has its eyes on the prize, we focus on supporting small businesses who are the backbone of every city, every state and nationally," said Sharkey Haddad of the Chaldean Chamber of Commerce. "

Members of city council and the planning commission voiced concerns with the proposal, including potential negative impacts on traffic, nearby residential neighborhoods, and pollution. Representatives of Sheetz delivered a presentation outlining the layout of the proposed business, including steps taken to address city concerns on traffic, noise and light pollution.

Following the public comments, the city council voted unanimously to deny Sheetz's application.

Though the decision blocked Sheetz's Madison Heights plans, the company will push forward in Michigan, said Nick Ruffner, public relations manager for Sheetz.

"While we are disappointed by the City Council's decision, especially given the amount of support Sheetz has in Madison Heights, we appreciated the opportunity to share our story with the community and local officials," Ruffner said. "We will continue our expansion with the goal of bringing our brand of fresh Made-to-Order food and 24/7 convenience to southeast Michigan. We hope to continue the dialogue with local officials in the future."

The family-owned chain runs over 700 locations across six states. Bob Sheetz started the company in 1952, buying one of his father's dairy stores and opening two more in the 1960s before expanding regionally.