Wawa Text Amendment Voted Down By Conshy Council Votes 6-1

The Conshohocken Borough Council voted 6-1 against adopting a text amendment , which currently sits in a residential office district.

“I’ve lived all my life in Conshohocken too,” Ward 2 Councilman Ike Griffin said as he made the motion against approving the text amendment. Ward 7 Councilman Edward Phipps seconded the motion, and there was no discussion among the council members.

In a roll-call vote, all councilmembers voted not to approve the text amendment, except for Ward 5 Councilman Matt Ryan, who voted in favor of the text amendment.

The vote came after more than a dozen residents addressed the council, all but three of them in opposition of the measure. Many of the speakers had addressed the issue at one of the three previous meetings (see below for links to previous Patch stories).

Attorney Ross Weiss, representing developers Provco Pineville Fayette, reviewed the changes that the developers made after public input, including a commitment not to sell diesel fuel and a change in proposed traffic patterns, among others alterations.

Weiss said that a vote against the amendment would "send a message to the business community that this is not a friendly place to develop."

Two notable Conshohocken business owners, who hadn't spoken at the previous two meetings, addressed council.

Brian Pieri, owner of Stone Rose Conshohocken, discussed the strict sign ordinances that he currently abides by as a business owner in the district in question, and that this change would be “giving Wawa a whole different set of rules.”

Vince Totaro, owner of Trattoria Totaro on Spring Mill Avenue, also spoke against the Wawa, as a former council member who worked on the revitalization plan.

Totaro recounted the early stages of the plan, meant to "restore a pedestrian community" in town, soliciting feedback on Post-it notes on what residents were looking for in the community.

"Not one person ever said 'we need a Super Wawa,'" Totaro said.

While the council’s part in this issue has ended for now, the discussion tonight set the scene for what could become a continued debate.

Gary DeVito, who spoke against the amendment on behalf of the Conshohocken Revitalization Alliance, suggested several times that the issue belongs in front of a zoning board, and has from the beginning.

Currently, the Moore property exists as a non-conforming use to zoning code, as Moore's had operated since the zoning had changed. If the building was "abandoned," though, meaning the property was not used as a car dealership for over one year, it could no longer be used as such.

Weiss stated that Moore Chevrolet is currently operating as a car dealership, six days per week during working hours.

"Many people in this room tonight that have probably had their cars recently serviced at the dealership," Weiss said.

As long as the non-conforming use has not been "abandoned,"  the Moore property can be sold to another car dealership.

There is also the possiblity of continued litigation regarding the site.

At a previous meeting, Weiss had said his client is a "sophisticated developer," and that he "doubted this would end" if the amendment was not passed.

For a detailed look back at the Conshohocken Wawa Debate, visit any of these previous Plymouth-Whitemarsh-Conshohocken Patch Stories:

National Pundit Weigns in on Conshy Wawa Debate (Feb. 19)

Conshy Wawa Discussion on Council Agenda (Feb. 8)

What Should Go Here: Moore Chevrolet (Jan. 20)

Conshohocken Planning Commission Votes 2-1 to Reject Wawa Amendment (Jan. 23)

UPDATE: Conshy Planning Commission to Discuss Wawa Plans (Jan. 17)

CRA Posts Video to Dispute Wawa Traffic Claims (Nov. 29)

Crowd Packs Conshy Planning Commission Meeting for Wawa Proposal (Nov. 28)

Conshy Planning Commission to Consider Wawa Proposal Tuesday (Nov. 26)

Interview with New Conshohocken Councilwoman Anita Barton (July 16)

Conshohocken Revitalization Alliance Launches 'Keep the Character' (May 20)