Conshy Council to Vote on Wawa Text Amendment Wednesday

Conshohocken Borough Council will continue the hearing on Wednesday regarding the requested text amendment to zoning code that would allow a convenience store with gas at Fayette Street and Eleventh Ave in Conshohocken - a Wawa - on the property currently occupied by the now-defunct Moore Chevrolet that is zoned Residential-Office (R/O).

Wednesday's meeting will be held at the Washington Fire Company at 7 p.m.

This is the fourth public meeting on the issue, including two Conshohocken Planning Commission Hearings and one council hearing over the past several months.

In January, the planning commission recommended that Borough Council reject the text amendment.

According to the Conshohocken Revitalization Alliance (CRA), the text amendment goes against the Conshohocken Revitalization Plan's vision of Conshohocken, which opposes additional gas stations and 24-hour convenience stores.

The CRA also believes that the zoning amendment will allow for commercial development of the R/O district, which was zoned R/O intentionally to protect historically-significant Victorian homes in the upper end of Conshohocken.

According to Wawa supporters, the Montgomery County Planning Commission (MCPC) disagrees.

“MCPC supports the redevelopment of ‘vacant and underutilized properties,’ and suggests that, due to the lot size, location, non-conforming commercial use across Fayette Street, the location of the cemetery and open space surrounding the property, ‘a more intense use than currently permitted in the Residential Office District may be appropriate in this location,'” Wawa representatives said.

Wawa argues that it has created a “pedestrian friendly environment” with a plaza setting, buffering and landscaping, which was requested by the MCPC.

While residents and business owners in the borough have attended the meetings to oppose the proposal, Wawa states that more than 2,200 people, including 1,200 who live or work in Conshohocken, support a proposed Wawa.

The CRA disagrees that a majority of resident support the proposal, stating “the majority of residents are against a zoning amendment. So, the question before council is whether they will follow the will of the community or not.”

Wawa states that noise impact would be minimal, and that most customers to a new Wawa would be “pass-by” traffic, not new trips.

Borough Council president Paul McConnell took issue with the traffic study at the most recent public hearing, questioning the number of new trips that will be generated, based on Wawa's business plan. The borough's engineer also questioned the number of trips generated by the plan.

Several business owners have spoken in opposition to the amendment, including ‘Feine owner Daniela De Souza, gas station over Bob Wilson, and Obvi Boutique owner Antoinette Poluch, as well as Conshohocken Real Estate professional Gary DeMedio.

Wawa states that it opened a similar store with gas on July 23, 2010, with eight other gas stations in a one-mile radius; “not one has closed,” Wawa said.

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

Gotta Have a Wawa? Many Residents at Hearing Say Not in Conshy

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)