A proposal for a Speedway gas station and convenience store at the northwest corner of U.S. 23 and Hills-Miller Road is tentatively expected to be heard by Delaware’s City Planning Commission in September.
“As of now, it is penciled in on the agenda,” said David Efland, director of planning & community development for Delaware, in an email. “During our staff review over the next few weeks, and in consultation with the applicant, that is potentially subject to change, as with any application.”
Since August 2014, some residents in the Hills-Miller area have expressed their concerns about the project, and invited staff from Speedway and the city to a Town Hall meeting last September. In the months since, there has been anticipation about the status of the Speedway proposal and when it would be brought before city officials.
There is a link to the Speedway materials at the city’s website.
An information sheet from the civil engineering firm CESO Inc. describes the proposed Speedway site. It said the property, which is 12.9 acres total, will have 4.8 acres for the Speedway and three acres as a conservation easement. There will be a sidewalk in front and a bike path on the rear shared access road. There will also be extensive landscaping to provide screening from neighboring properties. “The remainder of the site will remain undisturbed,” the sheet said.
The Speedway will consist of a 4,600 square-foot convenience store, with 14 pumps for cars and three separate fueling lanes for semi-truck traffic. The development would allow parking for cars, but not for semis. In addition, there will be overnight parking signs posted, and employees will monitor the truck areas so that no trucks are parking long-term.
“The architecture of both the proposed convenience store and the fueling canopies is a significantly upgraded look from a standard Speedway,” the CESO sheet said. “Speedway has worked with the city planning staff to develop the proposed building and canopy elevations to help ensure that the proposed Speedway is a good representation of the city of Delaware as the northern entrance to the city.”
The sheet said that a traffic impact study has been completed and approved by the city and county engineering departments, and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
“A right-in/right-out driveway is proposed on U.S. 23 and a full-access driveway is proposed on Hills-Miller Road,” the CESO sheet said. “As part of the development, Speedway will design and construct improvements to both roadways and the intersection to bring them up to standards in line with the approved traffic study.”
City Planning Commission will next meet at 7 p.m. Sept. 2 in City Hall, 1 S. Sandusky St. There will be a chance for the public to comment, and there also may be several other cases on the agenda.
