Commission continues both major projects, with the bank headed to October and the hotel project sent back for more traffic work
Macedonia Planning Commission members spent most of their Aug. 17 meeting on two projects that could reshape traffic patterns near Route 82. Citizens Bank made its first appearance before the commission with a plan to build a new branch at Macedonia Commons. The commission also continued its ongoing review of a proposed Fairfield Inn by Marriott, and pushed back a smaller item on East Highland Road to September.
Citizens Bank Proposes New Branch at Macedonia Commons
Citizens Bank currently operates out of the Walgreens center across the street from Macedonia Commons. The applicant’s representative told the commission the bank wants a full service branch with a drive up ATM, and the shopping center site is the only option left in Macedonia that fits. The representative said that if the project does not move forward, the bank may leave the community altogether.
The proposal calls for splitting a new parcel out of the larger shopping center property and building a roughly 3,000 square foot branch on it. That parcel would be governed by an easement and covenant agreement covering traffic, utilities and parking, so it would continue operating as part of the larger center even after the split.
Site Raises Familiar Traffic Concerns
The proposed branch would go near existing Tesla charging stations and a Flagstar ATM inside the shopping center. Commission members and city staff spent much of the discussion comparing the new plan to concerns they raised during an earlier review of a different project proposed for the same spot.
Members repeatedly returned to one worry. Cars waiting to use the drive up ATM could back up into the main traffic aisle that feeds the shopping center’s signal at Route 82. That signal is tied into the timing of other lights along the corridor, so staff said adjusting it to allow more cars out during peak periods is not likely an option.
One member noted that fixing the signal timing would not solve the underlying design problem. Commission members asked the applicant to look at whether the ATM could be moved, turned into a remote unit set apart from the building, or placed somewhere else on the site entirely to keep it from choking off the main entrance lane.
Parking Cuts Raise Bigger Questions
Because the branch would use land currently striped for shopping center parking, several commission members asked whether the center as a whole would still meet the city’s parking code once the new lot is carved out. Staff said the shopping center was already close to the minimum requirement when it was originally approved, and losing several rows of spaces to the new branch could push it under that threshold.
The applicant’s team said it may need to request a parking variance or find a way to reduce the number of spaces required for the project. Commission members referenced a workaround used during an earlier review at the same shopping center, nicknamed the Pac Man lot, that reshaped a parcel to meet the city’s frontage requirements. Whether a similar solution would work for the bank site was not resolved.
Stormwater, Traffic Study Still Ahead
Because the property is a redevelopment site rather than raw land, the project must meet a reduced stormwater standard. City staff explained that the applicant needs to show the site either treats 20 percent of the water quality volume that would be required on a new development, or reduces paved surface by 20 percent through added green space. A portion of the site proposed as green space would need a guarantee that it stays undeveloped rather than becoming additional parking or building space later.
Staff also told the applicant a formal traffic count and turn lane analysis will likely be necessary before the project can move forward. The goal would be to determine whether a dedicated left turn lane is needed for vehicles entering from Route 82, and how long a turn queue could get before it interferes with drivers trying to exit the center in other directions.
The commission voted to continue the Citizens Bank application to its October meeting at the applicant’s request, incorporating the full list of comments raised by staff and members. The applicant was asked to return with more detail on how the project can meet parking requirements, along with further work on traffic and ATM placement.
Fairfield Inn by Marriott Continued Again Over Highland Road Access
Representatives for a proposed Fairfield Inn by Marriott, submitted through Portal Associates, returned to the commission for continued review of a hotel project along East Highland Road. The commission’s main sticking point remains the same one that has followed the project for months. Members want to know how vehicles will safely enter and exit the site.
Driveway Debate Centers on Safety
The applicant proposed keeping one entrance limited to deliveries, trash pickup and emergency vehicles only, controlled by an electronic gate. A representative relayed that the Macedonia police chief does not support any driveway onto Highland Road, including an entrance only gated option, calling the location potentially dangerous.
Commission members spent significant time discussing what would happen if a driver mistakenly pulled up to the gated entrance and could not get through. Members worried that vehicle could be forced to back out directly onto Highland Road. The applicant agreed to explore removing the gate and instead using signage and curbing to direct traffic, while continuing to seek written input from the police and fire departments.
Members also discussed whether rotating the site’s second entrance closer to the middle of the property’s curve, to align more closely with a driveway across the street, could improve visibility for exiting drivers. The applicant said an earlier version of the layout tested that option but resulted in a loss of several parking spaces, since the current design already maximizes the number of spaces available on the site.
Engineering Comments Cover Stormwater, Sidewalks and More
City staff walked through a lengthy list of additional items the applicant will need to address, including underground stormwater detention design, a wetland delineation, a required flood plain study because the parcel sits in a FEMA flood zone, and inspection of an existing storm sewer line the new detention system would drain into. Staff also flagged that a proposed dumpster enclosure currently sits entirely within a required building setback and will need to be relocated.
Commission members discussed whether a sidewalk should be required across the property’s Highland Road frontage. One member noted people already cross the highway on foot to reach businesses on the other side, and said a sidewalk connection would likely see use even if it does not yet connect to a larger network in either direction.
The commission voted to continue the Fairfield Inn application to a future meeting so the applicant can keep working with Marriott corporate representatives on the entrance issue and provide additional documentation, along with written input from the city’s safety forces.
316 East Highland Road Pushed to September
A separate item involving a project at 316 East Highland Road was moved up on the agenda at the applicant’s request. A representative told the commission the project is close to being ready for submission but not quite complete, and asked that the item be continued to the September meeting. Commissioners approved the continuance without objection.
FAQs
Where would the new Citizens Bank branch be built? The bank is proposing a new branch on a split parcel within Macedonia Commons, near existing Tesla charging stations and a Flagstar ATM.
Why is Citizens Bank moving? The bank currently operates out of the Walgreens center across the street and wants to build a full service branch with a drive up ATM. The applicant said the Macedonia Commons site is the only remaining option in the community.
What is holding up the Fairfield Inn by Marriott project? The commission and the Macedonia police department have ongoing safety concerns about how the hotel would access Highland Road, including whether a gated delivery and emergency entrance is workable.
Were any projects approved at the Aug. 17 meeting? No major projects were approved. The Citizens Bank application was continued to October, the Fairfield Inn by Marriott application was continued for further access work, and the 316 East Highland Road item was continued to September.
What happens next for these projects? Citizens Bank is expected to return in October with updated parking and traffic information. The Fairfield Inn applicant will continue working with Marriott and the city’s safety forces before returning to a future meeting.
