Proposed Wawa Up For A Vote This Week In Newtown Township

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP, PA — The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors this week is scheduled to review and vote on preliminary as final plans for a Wawa convenience store on the Newtown Bypass.

The plan review will take place on Wednesday, September 28 at the Newtown Township building on Durham Road. The meeting begins at 7 p.m.

Provco Pinegood LLP is seeking land development approval to build a 5,585 square foot convenience store and gas station at Lower Silver Lake Road and the Newtown Bypass.

The last time the plan was before the township was in April when the planning commission recommended denial.

After several hours of review, the commission couldn’t muster enough votes for a recommendation to approve, deadlocking at three votes in favor and three votes against. The tie vote resulted in a de facto recommendation of denial, according to solicitor Jerry Schenkman.

Provco’s plan for the nearly five acre site depicts a food market with six fueling dispensers.

Plans show the convenience store facing the Bypass with front and rear store access, pedestrian walkways, bike racks, one electric vehicle charging station, two air pump stations and 60 parking spaces, including three designated for ADA.

Access to the store would be off of Lower Silver Lake Road via a right in entrance only and a full intersection at the entrance to the store across from Crossing Community Church.

If the supervisors approve the plan, Provco would be cleared to break ground on the project. If the board denies the plan, the township and Provco will end up in court delaying the construction of the project until the litigation is resolved.

In September 2020, the supervisors opened the door to the project when they voted 3-2 to pass a municipal curative amendment that added a combination gas station and convenience store as a special exception in the township’s office/research zoning district.

Voting in favor of the E30 ordinance were supervisors Phil Calabro and Dennis Fisher. Also voting in favor was supervisor David Oxley who is no longer on the board. Supervisor John Mack and Kyle Davis voted against the amendment. Mack said he felt an in-person meeting of the supervisors should have been held prior to a vote. Davis has been against the proposed Wawa.

Passage of the ordinance allowed Provco to request a special exception from the township for the development of a Wawa and gas station at Lower Silver Lake Road and the Newtown Bypass.

The zoning board approved the special exception in March.