Wawa Shopping Area Development Gets Green Light From Planners

The Falls Township Planning Commission approved conditional use for the potential sale of fuel and amended final land development for a controversial proposed retail area.

The approvals for the Morrisville Commons development at the corner of Pine Grove Road and West Trenton Avenue, the former site of Acme, came during the packed Planning Commission meeting Tuesday evening. The proposed shopping area will have a 5,585-square-foot Wawa with six gas pumps and 12 gasoline and diesel pumping stations. Morrisville Commons will also feature a 14,578-square-foot Rite Aid and an 1,850-square-foot restaurant with a drive-thru, which has not yet been named.

The amended plans remain similar to ones that were submitted previously and were held up when an appeal was filed in county court. The biggest change is the reduction from two restaurants to one.

Land development attorney Thomas Hecker, who is the representing developer, said the plans remain similar and have the same entry ways as the previous plans. The shopping center would have trees surrounding it and keep the existing intersection while adding a traffic signal to Pine Grove Road.

The Planning Commission approved several minor variances, one of which was related to sidewalks along a stormwater area.

Several business owners and residents who live near the proposed development spoke against the plan. Their main problems centered on the fact the Wawa would operate 24/7 and the fact that the fuel business might attract large vehicles.

Attorney Joel Rosenberg, a lifelong Falls Township resident, spoke on behalf of his 92-year-old World War II veteran father. He raised concerns about the proximity to Trenton and suggested crime could spill over from Trenton.

Rosenberg was also opposed to additional vehicles that could travel West Trenton Avenue and the impact on area 7-Elevens and gas stations.

Morrisville resident Chris Brown, who grew up near the Yardley Wawa, spoke highly of the convenience store chain and their customer service. He added that the local gas stations don’t have convenient hours and the competition would help residents.

The conditional use and amended final development plans still have to be approved by the Board of Supervisors.

The development has been introduced before the town’s governing bodies several times in the past.