Sheetz coming to Seville

SEVILLE — Construction of a Sheetz gas station in Seville has gained approval from the village zoning and planning commission, putting the project in line for a Village Council vote next month. The facility is set to be constructed at the corner of Interstate 76 and state Route 3 adjacent to an existing Shell gas station at 8551 Wooster Pike. Seville Mayor Carol Carter, a planning commission member, said she expects Village Council to sign off on the roughly $6 million project in September. "This has been in the works for a long time," she said. "Normally, when something gets unanimous approval from planning and zoning like this it's able to move forward with no problem. That's what I see happening here. This will be one of Sheetz's newer, state-of-the art facilities and, from what I understand, it will have two drive-thru windows instead of just one. We're very excited." Construction probably will take place across 11 acres on the 90-acre Easton Farm property. "Our police officers are happy about this because Sheetz isn't something you consider a truck stop," Carter said. "There's food that gives our 24/7 officers and responders a place to eat. They'll be selling milk and other things like that 24/7, which helps out everyone who works later or overnight hours. That shopping will also be accommodated in the drive-thru. It's not just for ordering hot food." While a typical year may have allowed for construction as early as this fall, Carter said ongoing coronavirus pandemic-related difficulties will push work into spring 2022. "It's still just very hard to get a hold of materials and supplies," she said. "With the way everything is it's going to be spring. The people from Sheetz seem to agree. We've waited this long so a few more months is fine at this point." Last week, Medina Township trustees voted against changing zoning code to allow for a new Sheetz at the Interstate 71-state Route 3 interchange. The trustees voted 3-0 against the change before more than 200 residents at Heartland Community Church. Sheetz wanted to change the zoning from limited business to general business, while resident opposition cited worries of development changing the rural landscape and opening the door for larger projects in the future. Carter and lawyer Stanley Scheetz attended Tuesday's Medina County commissioners meeting to speak on behalf of the project. He added that talks have sprung up in Lodi regarding an additional new Sheetz. "I'm thrilled to have them coming and have been working with them for almost six years," Scheetz said. "I'm not the one who finally got them there. The property had been sold and there were other players involved, but I've been lobbying for them to also look at a plaza in Lodi in lieu of the Medina Township site, where they were not welcome. Those negotiations are still going on." Contact reporter Jonathan Delozier at (330) 721-4050 or jdelozier@medina-gazette.com.