TRAVERSE CITY — A proposal to add a fuel depot at a Blair Township gas station ignited a fuse among residents of the Belvedere subdivision.
Blarney Castle Oil Co. based in Bear Lake applied for a special-use permit to add a fuel transfer facility to a Clark gas station at the corner of U.S. 31 and Foster Drive. Two 20,000 gallon underground storage tanks would be used to refill small tanker trucks with gasoline or fuel oil for area homes, businesses and farms, township officials said.
"Something like that that butts up to over 100 residential homes is a bad idea, ... and an extreme hazard," said Valorie Gibbs, who lives about 100 yards from the Clark station. "I already have the vibrations and the stink that come in and out of there now. I am upset about the potential from the diesel smell from the tankers that will be pulling in there all day long."
Gibbs and neighbors are also concerned about oil and gas run-off from the site potentially contaminating their water wells, and the possibility of explosions or accidents.
The township planning commission last month recommended denial of the permit application. The township board will take up Blarney Castle's request when it meets today at 6 p.m. at the township hall.
Blarney Castle officials did not return a call seeking comment on Monday.
Foster Drive is the only access to the Belvedere subdivision and trucks would use it to enter the Clark station, which is another concern, township Supervisor Pat Pahl said.
The board will determine if the application meets conditions for both special use permits and for gas stations. Those standards would require the fuel depot to be harmonious with surrounding uses, not be hazardous or detrimental to the township's general welfare, or create a nuisance from smoke, noise, glare, vibrations or odors, Pahl said.
"The board will have to decide among the evidence if all those conditions are met," Pahl said. "I'm sure they will listen to all the facts and what the residents ... have to say about it and make their decision from there."
The board will also review a request from Spartan Stores Inc. to add gas pumps and a convenience store to the west side of the Glen's Market Chum's Corner on U.S. 31 along with a pharmacy drive-through window on the east side as part of the store's overall remodel.
The third request is for construction of a Nummy's Ice Cream Shop with a drive-through window on U.S. 31 next to the Save-a-lot store, also near the Clark station.
"I hope the ice cream shop is going to be easy," Pahl said. "We could use one easy one."
Region
Sub residents don't like fuel depot idea
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