Protective Coating Business Granted Zoning Relief In Newtown

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — A Solebury Township man has received zoning board relief to open a general contracting business in the Newtown Business Commons.

The board unanimously granted use and parking variances earlier this month to Gary Weber who plans to operate the business at 4-6 Pheasant Run Road in the light industrial zoning district.

Weber has signed a letter of intent to lease 10,800 square feet of the building for his protective coating business, which will focus on automobiles, recreational vehicles and boats, granite countertops and windows.

Weber said countertops and windows will be done off site while the automobiles will be done inside the building’s large warehouse space. Larger boats and RVs would be done at off site locations.

(Jeff Werner/Patch)

Weber said he will initially employ four workers, but plans to expand that up to 12 as the business grows. He also has an option of expanding to the rest of the building.

There will be no on site retail sales, wholesale or internet sales.

“People will bring their vehicles to us or we will go to their location. That’s the kind of service we will be offering.”

Weber said nothing toxic or hazardous will be used in the application process. “The way this coating is applied - it may sound funny, but it’s true - is with a mixture of water and Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. That’s what activates the adhesive.”

On site, the business will focus on applying the coating to vehicles with the capacity for up to eight at a time. The process takes up to three days per car.

Weber told the zoning board his general contracting business will not involve any painting or automotive repair. “This is about protecting and preventing,” he said.

Renovations will include the addition of LED lighting in the work area, some painting, and the upgrade of the bathroom facilities to meet ADA requirements.

“There’s no need to change anything or to expand the building,” he told the zoning board. “The building is an absolute perfect size for what we are planning. Eight-thousand-square-feet is contiguous space, which we will use for warehouse and work space with the remaining 2,000 square feet for office space.”

Weber came up with the idea of a protective coating business literally by accident after spilling lemon juice on his countertop.

He turned to Google to find out how to remove the spill from a granite countertop. He stumbled upon a protective coating that lasts many years and protects against not just acid spills but also scratches.

He also discovered that it can protect windows and can be used to protect vehicles and boats.

Weber said he’s hoping to have his business up and running sometime this spring.