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Board approves Wawa site plan for Highland Park: 6,372-square-foot store, 16 fueling positions
Summary
A quasi-judicial hearing resulted in approval of a site and development plan for a Wawa convenience store and 16 fueling positions in the Highland Park planned development; staff noted conditions to be met before building permit issuance.
The City of Newberry’s board of adjustment, convened as the quasi-judicial body, approved a site and development plan for a Wawa convenience store and canopy with 16 fueling positions within the Highland Park planned development at a Sept. 22 hearing. The resolution approving the site plan was adopted unanimously.
John Paul Perez, community development staff, summarized the application and the Planning & Zoning Board’s prior recommendation. The plan covers approximately 2.27 net acres within the commercial component of Highland Park and calls for a 6,372-square-foot convenience store with a fuel canopy and 16 fueling positions. Perez explained the project’s layout, landscaping buffers and how the site falls within the gateway overlay district; because the project predated an updated gateway standard, staff applied the previous 15-foot buffer rather than the newer 25-foot requirement.
Perez said the applicant provided elevations and material samples; he noted the code requires multiple materials and the project shows three distinct materials on the elevations. Staff and the applicant discussed lighting, canopy tilt and glazing; staff said rooftop mechanical equipment will be screened behind parapets and lighting will be dark-sky friendly except for the fuel canopy area. The applicant and owner (Newberry Plaza LLC/Grama) also provided a service-drive maintenance agreement showing maintenance responsibilities for private access drives that the city will not accept for maintenance.
The resolution includes conditions to be satisfied before issuance of a building permit: accurate scaled dumpster enclosure plans, final architectural drawings showing rooftop screening, as-built agreements for at-grade improvements, and representations on signage. Perez noted the commercial component currently allows a single sign for the development under code; the applicant intends to pursue signage through subsequent approvals or variances.
No members of the public spoke at the hearing. After staff presentation and an opportunity for questions, the board moved and seconded the resolution; the vote to approve was unanimous.
Ending: The approved site plan advances the Wawa project to the building-permit stage subject to the conditions listed in the resolution. Staff and the applicant committed to resolving outstanding design and maintenance items prior to permit issuance.
