on Ryders Lane site
Members: No need for more parking spaces
on Ryders Lane site
By vincent todaro
Staff Writer
EAST BRUNSWICK — The concerns of many outspoken residents were appeased last week as an application by Wawa, Ryders Lane and Milltown Road, to increase its parking area, was denied by the Planning Board.
The board voted down the application unanimously during its Aug. 22 meeting. The township’s Department of Planning and Engineering had recommended that the plans — which had been revised by Wawa in an attempt to appease some of the township’s concerns — be denied.
Several board members said they were opposed to the application because they were unsatisfied with Wawa’s claim that the existing parking area of 35 spaces was insufficient.
Wawa had initially sought to add 37 spaces, but then revised the plan to ask for 25 new spaces. During the meeting, Wawa attorney Walter Toto said his client had reduced the number of requested new spaces to just 15, but the board and residents were still opposed.
According to a township ordinance, the approximately 3,400-square-foot store needs only 24 spots.
Herb Zeller, a real estate manager for Wawa, testified Thursday that the company wanted the new spaces because it was losing business due to the parking shortage. He said many potential customers drive by the parking lot, see that it is full, and drive off because they cannot park.
"There are times when it is full and we could use that extra parking," he said.
He also said that, during peak hours, the lot needs more parking to get customers in and out more easily, and to expedite the flow of traffic in the lot.
The application to add more parking spaces has in recent months been called into question by area residents who said they believe Wawa intended to eventually build a larger store with gasoline pumps — something the convenience store sought to do in a prior application, which it withdrew from the board. Residents were vocal in their opposition to the larger store with gasoline pumps, saying the greater usage of the site would create nuisance issues in the vicinity.
Wawa representatives have denied the residents’ claim that the company is taking steps toward building the larger store with gasoline pumps.
Planning Board member and Councilman Edwin Brautman said he was perplexed by Wawa’s request.
"It seems like a large request," he said. "I never had a problem parking there."
Other board members said they also frequent the site, and that they never had a problem parking.
Board member Charles Hippeli asked why the company could not just hire an employee to help get customers in and out more quickly. He said that would be less expensive than adding more spots.
Arthur Steinberg, an attorney and resident of the area, said Wawa could sign an agreement whereby it would be allowed to add the parking spots if it agreed it would never install gasoline pumps at the site or increase the size of its building. However, Board Attorney Gary Schwartz said the board could not legally require Wawa to enter into such an agreement. He noted that even if Wawa voluntarily agreed to enter such an agreement with the group of residents, the terms of the contract could not be upheld in court.
Residents continued to argue that Wawa simply wanted to add more spots with the goal of some day being allowed to add gas pumps. The company, they said, could argue its property is underutilized because it has more parking spots and land than it needs, and thus could get approval for gas pumps and a larger store.
"I smell a rat," said Michael Kesler. "This is not a genuine application."
Mark Kein, another resident, said he also did not trust Wawa’s intentions, and suggested that residents boycott the company.
"They need parking spots like I need a hole in the head," he said.
Toto said that this application was not for gas pumps, and that the company "has no immediate plans for gas in the future" on the site.

