Credit: Google Maps
The Wawa battle in Falls Township is far from over.
Just three days after the Falls Board of Supervisors voted against changing the distance allowed between service stations, Buckingham Retail Properties filed an appeal against the township’s zoning hearing board. It was the zoning hearing board that unanimously denied Buckingham’s request for numerous variances last year.
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Buckingham had requested several variances to build a Wawa with 12 gas pumps, a Rite Aid and a restaurant at the intersection of Pine Grove Road and West Trenton Avenue; including a variance which would decrease the amount of feet allowed between fueling stations from 1500 feet. The Plaza Shell, owned by Kevin Stillwell, is only 600 feet from the proposed Wawa site.
Last Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors met in front of a packed audience at the township’s meeting hall to discuss modifying the ordinance. The amended ordinance, a response to the unanimously defeated Wawa proposal and a 10 year review process within the township, discussed changing the language on how automobile service stations are identified and the rules concerning their zoning within the township.
After a heated exchange between Darryl Zaslow and Board Chairman Bob Harvie, Supervisor Jeff Rocco voted to remove the section which would decrease the feet allowed between service stations. The amended ordinance will be readvertised and discussed a future township meeting.
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While Harvie told the audience the board had waited until the appeal process was over to amend the ordinance, that was proved incorrect as appeal paperwork was filed by Buckingham on Friday.
Harvie could not be reached for comment as of press time.
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“Supervisors were mistakenly informed about the date of the appeal,” Vice Chair Jeff Dence told LevittownNow.com. “We were under the impression the appeal process was over, had we known otherwise we would not have proposed an ordinance change when we did. As Bob Harvie stated, we purposely waited until the appeal process was over before making any changes to any ordinance.”
Dence, who lives less than a quarter mile away from the proposed location, said the “last minute appeal has left a bad taste in his mouth.”
“I absolutely don’t want to see the property sit vacant. If someone wants to develop that site they will have to do it right,” he said. “We were unaware that Buckingham Properties intended on filing an appeal. It’s very underhanded on [Buckingham’s] part. I’m not happy about it and I intend on fighting not just the ordinance change put this entire project.”
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Stillwell, an owner of the nearby Plaza Shell, has followed the proceedings since the beginning, and he isn’t happy, to say the least. “Harvie stated the appeal process was over, it was not. Since the board did not make the decision to sign the amendment, [Buckingham] had to file the appeal,” he told LevittownNow.com. “I am sure they will withdraw when the board makes the amendments. This is very crooked. We all know it and they may get away with it.”
The appeal filed Friday is available below:
