By JENNIFER AMATO
Staff Writer
NORTH BRUNSWICK – Owners of the Wawa on Route 27 presented an amended plan to add fueling stations to the property since the application was denied in October. However, North Brunswick Zoning Board members will not vote on the revisions until at least June.
A plan to demolish the existing convenience store and replace it with a new store and gasoline and diesel fueling stations was unanimously denied by the zoning members on Oct. 25, citing detrimental effects to the surrounding neighborhood, traffic and safety concerns.
North Brunswick Partners, LLC provided amended testimony during a Zoning Board meeting on April 18 regarding the store located in the C-1 commercial zone on the corner of Cozzens Lane.
“Wawa wants to compete … and that means offering fuel. We believe additional fuel sales will provide a convenience – a service – to the residents of North Brunswick, not just the immediate neighborhood, but to residents entirely. And the question is not if we need another gas station; the question is if Wawa will be able to compete and serve its existing customers and stay in North Brunswick,” Timothy Prime, the applicant’s attorney, said during the April meeting.
The original plan called for the construction of a new, 5,051-square-foot store and six islands with 12 fueling stations for gasoline and diesel fuel. The plan has been amended to offer a 4,736-square foot store with five islands of 10 fueling stations that front along Route 27, Prime said.
Since October, Wawa has revised its plan to minimize its impact on the surrounding neighborhoods, Prime said, by placing a condition of approval that deliveries will not take place from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., whereas there is currently no restriction; by limiting trash pickup to the same timeframe; by forcing drainage underground so that there is no detention basin located behind the store; and by restricting deliveries to the Route 27 driveway.
Prime also mentioned eliminating oversized and parallel parking stalls, plus reducing the number of parking spaces from 52 to 45. Thus, he said impervious coverage is reduced by 7.5 percent. In addition, the rear parking spaces were removed from the plan.
In regards to signage, directional signs have been eliminated and the original 20-foot pylon signs along Cozzens Lane will be reduced.
Prime said all of the setback areas have been increased, especially by Delta Court. Plus, there will be a 6- to 8-foot privacy fence along the entire rear of the property.
“Any impact on residents can be ameliorated, reduced, by the conditions, by doing what we’ve done tonight,” Prime said. “It’s better than what’s there now.”
The attorney also said that since the state has given approval for State Route 27 and the county has given approval for County Route 27, there is no expected significant impact on traffic.
“[This will] capture existing traffic already on the roads,” he said.
The Zoning Board is expected to continue hearing the application at 7 p.m. June 20 in the municipal courtroom, 710 Hermann Road, North Brunswick.
Contact Jennifer Amato at [email protected].