Planning commission approves Circle K text change but rejects site plan over roundabout, elevation concerns

The Hilliard Planning and Zoning Commission on May 14 approved a text modification to the Alton Place historic commercial district that would allow an automotive service station at the northeast corner of Roberts Road and Alton Darby Creek Road, but it declined to approve the associated Level B site plan.

Staff said the primary concern was a vertical‑grade mismatch between the private site and a planned public roundabout, and engineers warned against allowing permanent improvements inside existing easements until CAD drawings show the two projects will align. “Without having that lineup properly, our engineering staff is not comfortable allowing anything permanent in those easements,” a city planner told commissioners during the staff presentation.

Circle K’s development manager, Brett Lam, defended the current site plan as the best layout for a 1.2‑acre parcel and said the company needs an approval to begin engineering work: “We want approval to move forward so that we can get into full engineering and do these things,” Lam said, adding the company will coordinate with the city and ODOT on final grades.

Commissioners split the request into two votes. The text modification — which would add the property to Sub‑Area C7 and change how a convenience store and canopy may be sited — passed unanimously, 7–0. But when the commission considered the Level B site plan, several members said outstanding questions about setbacks, pavement buffers and long‑term drainage had not been resolved. The site plan motion failed 5–2 on roll call; only Commissioners Martin and Italiano voted to approve the plan.

Staff recommended several conditions that would be required before moving the proposal to council, including revised plans showing reconciled elevations, confirmed minimum setbacks, and updated landscape buffers. The commission said it would be willing to consider the site again once the applicant supplies CAD evidence that the proposed development will not conflict with the roundabout design.

The commission’s split decision allows the zoning text change to move forward while leaving engineering and site layout issues to be addressed before any construction permits are issued.