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

Council heard public comment during the third and final public hearing in Provco Pineville Fayette, LLC’s request for a text amendment to zoning that would permit a 24-hour Wawa with ten gasoline pumps to be built at Eleventh Ave and Fayette Street in Conshohocken.

Developers presented renderings of the proposed property to council and a crowd of just under 200 people, addressing noise, traffic and lighting concerns brought up by residents at prior meetings; residents who spoke at the meeting still implored council to vote against the amendment, at a ratio of five to one.

‘Enable Wawa to make a commitment to council and the community’

During Provco Pineville Fayette attorney Ross Weiss’s hour-long presentation, he interviewed E. Van Rieker, a professional planner in the public and private sectors, Casey Moore of McMahon Associates Engineering to discuss traffic impact in the area, William Shopshire, an engineer specializing in sound, and Sue Bratten, a Wawa real estate manager.

Rieker showed images of the site currently, stating that it would take between $800,000 an $1 million to remediate the site and knock down the Moore Chevrolet buildings, before any construction for a new property could be completed – construction on a building, Rieker said, that would be one-third of the total size of the current buildings on the site.

“Many documents discuss a great vision,” Rieker said, refering to the Conshohocken Revitalization Plan.  “In the real world, it needs to be economically feasible.”

Rieker stated that Wawa had a commitment to presenting an attractive “gateway” to Conshohocken, showing images of a proposed streetscape, which would include a “Welcome to Conshohocken” sign, trees and grass, and other amenities to help make the property more attractive.

Rieker also discussed the economic impact of the Wawa, stating that the business would bring $40,000 per year to the borough in various taxes, as well as a one-time $9,000 fee after five years in the borough.

Impact fees also include the open space and in-kind fees, including turning a portion of Harry Street on the property back over to the borough, and providing parking for the Conshy Bears stadium on Harry Street and Eleventh Ave.

Moore stated that, based on his traffic study, a large majority of the traffic to Wawa would be “passby” traffic, already on the road. He found that a Wawa would create a 3.5 percent increase in traffic during peak morning hours, and 4 percent increase in the peak afternoon hours.

Council President Paul McConnell, an engineer by trade, had several issues with the traffic study, including the fact that the study was not created in conjunction with the Wawa business plan, that the traffic study underestimated the traffic, and that there were safety issues.

Moore stood by the study, stating that business plans are never considered in traffic studies, that it was PennDOT-approved and, as far as PennDOT is concerned, the developers could apply for highway occupancy permits based on that traffic study.

Councilwoman Anita Barton asked Casey Moore if Wawa would undertake a traffic study regarding all proposed traffic from potential riverfront development too. Moore said that was not in the scope of the Wawa project.

David Shropshire, an engineer who studied sound on the property, said that the proposed Wawa would remain within the township’s requirements for noise, on a 24-hour basis.

Susan Bratton, a real estate manager for Wawa, presented what the company would offer to the community to Conshohocken,  specifically changes made to the proposal after public feedback – including prohibiting making lefts from the site onto Eleventh Avenue, preventing trucks on Eleventh Avenue, not allowing for deliveries in the evening hours, offering a crossing guard on game days at the stadium adjacent to the property, installing traffic calming devices, 24-hour surveillance of the property, excellent maintenance of properties, and a commitment to ensure that lighting and noise would be minimally invasive on the community.

"Enable Wawa to make a comitment to council, and to the community," Weiss said.

Councilman Matt Ryan asked developers if there was a possibility for 18-wheelers to purchase fuel at the proposed Wawa; a representative answered they question by saying it could take up to 20 minutes, so it would be discouraged.

Special Counsel for Conshohocken on this project, John DiPietro, said that traffic, lighting, and all other development issues would be under closer scrutiny during land development applications; that this decision is soley based on zoning.

'There is plenty of opportunity to develop that site'

Gary DeVito, the attorney for the Conshohocken Revitalization Alliance, reviewed many of the points made by the CRA at previous meetings; the importance, and clear direction of, the Conshohock Revitalization Plan that does not call for additional gas stations on Fayette Street and that the the “small town feel and walkability” of Conshohocken “will be diminished” with the development of a Wawa.

Additionally, DeVito said that this issue was about gas.

“Conshohocken will be a thoroughfare for people coming to get gas,” DeVito said - the statement was met with applause from the audience.

DeVito also said that local sandwich shops and gas stations will go out of business if Wawa comes to the borough, and that there are other options for development.

“We’re coming out of a recession,” DeVito said.  “There is plenty of opportunity to develop that site.”

DeVito closed his remarks by stating that the right process for Wawa Developers would be to go through the Conshohocken zoning hearing board, not to ask for an amendment.

'We may have had to settle before – we don’t have to settle anymore'

Roughly four residents spoke on behalf of the development during the public comments of the meeting; over 20 spoke against the text amendment.

Andrew Factor, of Washington Street, said he supported Wawa because it is a good community partner with character, and that it increased the tax base in Conshohocken Borough.

“We’d be foolish to pass on this opportunity,” Factor said.

Robert Rigsby said that competition was a good thing, and that he supported Wawa.

All other residents who spoke, ranging from business owners to parents to real estate developers for former elected officials, opposed the text amendment.

One life-long Conshohocken resident called the presentation “insincere.”

Gerry McTamney, who spent 32 years on Conshohocken Borough Council, has been an outspoken opponent of the Wawa at several hearings.

“Wawa could care less for Conshohocken,” McTamney said.

Another resident questioned the potential remediation costs.

“If they can clean up Quaker Chemical, they can clean up Moore Chevrolet,” the resident said.

Antoinette Poluch, owner of Obvi boutique in Conshohocken, said that small towns are anchored by small businesses, and she fears that allowing Wawa to come to the borough will deter small businesses from moving in.

Another life-long resident of the borough addressed the change in Conshohocken over the past forty years.

“I just don’t see that –with all the progress that has gone on in this town – that this is what we need,” the resident said. “At one point in time, Conshohocken maybe had to settle for that because of the time, the depression, manufacturers leaving the area – but we don’t have to settle for anything anymore”

Quiet in the public discussion was the Moore Family, some member of which were present at the meeting.

Many speakers thanked the Moore Family for their dedication to the Conshohocken community, and some apologized; one said the best offer “may be yet to come” for the family.

'I doubt this will end if the ordinance is not changed'

Borough Council will vote on the text amendment on April 17 at Washie’s at 7 p.m.

Council is still seeking feedback on the plan up until the meeting; more documents on thes subject, including the developer's entire presentation, can be found at Borough Hall.

Several speakers suggested that the developers should go through borough zoning, a longer, more thorough process than requesting a text amendment.

When questioned on a denial of this text amendment could result in litigation, Weiss said that his client is a very “sophisticated developer.”

“I doubt this will end if the ordinance is not changed,” Wiess said.

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)