Ramsey Residents Come Out Against Proposed 24-Hour WaWa

At last week's meeting of the Ramsey Planning Board, residents of the Bears Cove condominium complex came out against the proposed construction of a 24-hour Super WaWa convenience store and gas station on Route 17, near the main entrance to the condominium complex.

25 Bears Cove residents were represented before the Planning Board by Robert Inglima who argued that the Board did not have appropriate jurisdiction over the hearing. According to Inglima, the hearing of this site plan application belongs with the Zoning Board of Adjustment, not with the Planning Board.

According to the Citizens of Bears Cove, the group formed to fight this development, the application should be heard by the Zoning Board because the Super WaWa store and the gas pumps are two distinct structures not permissible without variance approval in the property's current B-3 zoning. 

Antimo 'Andy' DelVecchio, an attorney with Beattie Padavano representing WaWa in this matter, cited the Board's approval of the Exxon Gas Station and Exxon on the Run convenience store on Rt. 17 in 2004 as precedence as to why the Planning Board should approve this application.

After a lengthy exchange between the Planning Board attorney and DelVecchio regarding the established gas stations that line Rt. 17, the Planning Board agreed to table the hearing until it could be determined which board should hear the application. 

The next meeting regarding this matter will be on Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. The issue of which board should hear the application is expected to be resolved.