Sheetz is asking Pittsburgh zoning officials for permission to tear down a vacant Rite Aid in Banksville and replace it with a roughly 5,000-square-foot convenience store and five multi-pump fuel dispensers. The Altoona-based chain’s plan would put its first city location next to homes that sit just 30 feet from the property line.
The proposal went before the Pittsburgh Zoning Board of Adjustment on Thursday, when Chair Alice Mitinger raised concern about how close the site is to nearby residences. Sheetz needs a variance because the city zoning code bars gas stations within 150 feet of a residential district, a restriction that is at the center of the dispute over the Banksville Road property.
At the hearing, Ryan Wotus said the business is meant to operate primarily as a convenience store, with made-to-order food and retail sales forming the core of the operation. He said the zoning code’s gas-station setback is aimed at properties where fuel sales are the primary use, and he described the company’s plan as a “retail sales operation.”
The opposition was narrower but firm. Gene Henry said he did not object to a convenience store at the site, but drew the line at fuel pumps next to the neighborhood, saying, “I don’t have a problem with a convenience store being there by itself, but not a gas station.” Lori Marabello testified on behalf of Pittsburgh Councilwoman Kim Salintero in support of the project.
The zoning case now moves to the next stage, with Sheetz set to have the chance to submit additional information to the board. That leaves the company trying to persuade officials that its Banksville plan fits the code even though the property is far closer to homes than the 150-foot buffer the city normally requires for gas stations.
If the board approves the request, Sheetz would take its first step into Pittsburgh with a 24/7 store at one of the city’s most closely watched neighborhood parcels. If it does not, the vacant Rite Aid will stay empty, and the city’s distance rule will have blocked a project that supporters say is a convenience store and opponents say is still, at heart, a gas station.
