The Ferguson Township Planning Commission voted Monday to recommend approval of a Wawa gas station on North Atherton Street, with the stipulation that the developer discuss concerns residents raised with the township staff before the project goes to the board of supervisors for a vote.
The planned Wawa at 169 W. Aaron Drive, will be open 24 hours a day. While busy North Atherton Street runs on one side of the site of the future gas station and convenience store, a residential area is on another.
Resident Rob Venema asked the township to address safety concerns from traffic cutting through Overlook Heights before approving the plan. The neighborhood, he said, has limited street lighting, and adults and children walk and bike there.
“This is a recipe for not possible, but inevitable disaster," Venema said. "In short, there is no compelling reason for there to be any increase in traffic, especially non-residential related traffic through Overlook Heights.”
Other residents spoke at the meeting, raising concerns about light and noise pollution, along with the potential for an increase in through traffic in the neighborhood.
Bill Keough, a member of the planning commission, said the township’s zoning allows the property’s use as a Wawa.
“It seems to me to be that there are some tweaks that might work and help things that aren’t necessarily called for as specifics in our ordinance," Keough said.
The planning commission’s vote to recommend approval for the Wawa listed five issues for discussion before the board takes action. Those include adding a road barricade to stop traffic from cutting through the neighborhood and adding a noise barrier. After that, the plan will go to the board of supervisors for a vote.
