Wawa Hearing Scheduled For Wednesday

The Board of Adjustment on Wednesday is scheduled to hear an application to build a Wawa convenience store with gas station and a separate solar farm on property at Route 34 and Hurleys Pond Road.

Wall-based CJS Investments wants to combine portions of two adjoining parcels at the intersection to create enough space on each to build a Wawa convenience store with gas station with a separate, unmanned, 2,968-panel solar electricity farm behind it.

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Art Bernard, a planner who testified in favor of the Wawa proposal, touted the benefits to the surrounding businesses and the town. The land is zoned for office use. CJS is asking for the board to grant a waiver to allow the Wawa.

“I think the use is quite compatible with surrounding land uses and will result in little to no change in levels of service regarding traffic and the use provides a valuable service,’’ Bernard said.

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The Board of Adjustment is scheduled to meet at 7:30 p.m. at , 2700 Allaire Rd. There is a 7 p.m. workshop session that preceeds the public meeting to which the public is also invited, but cannot participate.
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But board member James Gray said there were plenty of places to get gas in the area, and that office parks, like the one directly across from the proposal, often have restaurants in them to serve workers. Gray said he didn’t understand the benefit of having another Wawa on the state highway.

“I’m having trouble understanding, really, the positives,’’ Gray said. “Cars aren’t konking out from lack of gas stations on Route 34, so I’m trying to understand the positive criteria.’’

The company proposes to expand the first lot, which has access to Route 34, from less than an acre to about 2.5 acres. That is where the company proposes to put the Wawa store and gas station.

Behind that, on a 4.7-acre property fronting Hurley Pond Road, is where the company wants to build the solar electricity farm.