TOLEDO, Ohio — Toledo City Council on Wednesday narrowly rejected a proposal to build a Sheetz convenience store at a south Toledo intersection after it had received significant pushback from nearby residents and doubts from council members.
Council members Adam Martinez, who represents the district it would have been built in, Mac Driscoll, Brittany Jones, Cerssandra McPherson, John Hobbs III, Theresa Gadus and Vanice Williams voted against its construction. Nick Komives, Sam Melden, Theresa Morris, George Sarantou and council President Carrie Hartman voted for it. Theresa Gadus was not present at the meeting.
The proposed location at Airport Highway and Bernath Parkway would have put it close to a neighborhood, which was a sticking point for residents who lived there and there worried about its 24/7 operating hours and extra traffic it may have brought.
Council also pledged to replace older vehicles in the city's gas-powered fleet with electric ones. Komives, who proposed the resolution, says it would be a cost-effective move long-term that benefits the environment and gets ahead of the curve on a nationwide EV trend.
Sarantou in recent weeks hesitated at the idea, saying the American public is not fully committed to electric vehicles and the upfront cost of the switch would be too pricey. However, at the meeting on Wednesday, he said his concerns were addressed but made clear he would only support EVs made in the U.S. and by United Auto Workers, given the union's prevalence in Toledo.
Council approved multiple permits for properties across the city, too: a new gas station at 3219 Tremainsville Road, a community center at 1139 S. Byrne Road and a used auto sales site at 130 New Towne Square Drive. It also extended a permit for a gas station at Dorr Street and I-475 until July 21 of next year.
Other items council passed:
- $100,000 to build an open-air shelter over Ottawa Ice Rink
- $35,000 for the Hill Ditch stream restoration project at Bandore Park
- Amending an ordinance passed on Dec. 4 to increase the $150,000 being spent on the Flock operating system and 20 automatic license plate readers to $330,000
