Plans For Hatboro Wawa Divide Community

HATBORO, PA — Plans for a new Wawa store in Hatboro are dividing members of the community.

Developers have proposed a new Wawa on the currently vacant lot at the intersection of York and Horsham roads. In a letter to Hatboro Mayor Nancy Guenst, the president of the development company said the store would bring 30-40 jobs to the area, along with roadway improvements around the store.

It would be a 5,500-square-foot store.

The letter, by Thomas Verrichia, said the Doylestown-based developers, Hatboro York Road LLC, also would work to address noise and lighting concerns by neighbors and to build a large and easy-to-navigate parking lot for the store.

"Wawa is a community partner that opens its doors to helping local organizations whenever it can and prides itself on creating a workplace culture that's like a family," Verrichia wrote. "We want to continue this tradition in the borough and urge you and your colleagues to support bringing a new, modern local business to the community."

It also notes the economic and tax-digest impact a new store would have in the borough.

The letter is part of something of a full-court press by developers to drum up support for the development plans.

The group has targeted local ads on Facebook urging support for a new Wawa in Hatboro and has created a website and an online petition that lets supporters send messages directly to borough officials.

But not everyone is convinced.

Plans for a "super-Wawa," with gas service, have been debated for quite some time. In August, Hatboro's zoning board turned down a previous plan for the store.

Guenst and a majority of Hatboro's borough council members have publicly opposed plans for the store. The borough's concerns have centered around the store's fuel-service plans.

The decision was appealed to a commonwealth court, where a hearing was held Friday. Attorneys for both sides presented arguments to the judge during the hearing, which lasted less than an hour. There is no set date for the judge to render a decision.

On the Voices of Hatboro Facebook page, residents were voicing a host of concerns about the plan.

"There (are) literally 5 other Wawa in the area with gas stations," one member wrote. "Why do we need another one?"