MORAINE, Ohio — The Moraine City Council held a public hearing July 10 on a request to rezone a 0.45-acre parcel at 2705 Lehigh Place from R‑4 to B‑1 so the site can be combined with an adjacent parcel for development of a Wawa convenience store, restaurant and gas station, City Planner Nick Suresi said.

The rezoning application, R‑01‑2025, was submitted to the Community Development Department April 29 by Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate Inc., and the Planning Commission recommended approval 5‑0 at its May 20 meeting, Suresi told council. "This public hearing is a formality of the Moraine codified ordinances chapter 11.27," he said, and the city posted a 30‑day public notice in the Dayton Daily News and on city channels.

Casey Abney of Jeffrey R. Anderson Real Estate said the rezoning would allow the developer to place Wawa's prototype building in a way that "is attractive, efficient, and better serves its customers." Patrick Ornament, a Wawa representative, said the company typically invests roughly $7,500,000 per store and that "every store creates about 40 jobs." Ornament described Wawa's food program, drive‑through "fly‑through" service and the firm's experience fitting large vehicles on busy corners.

Residents questioned traffic, late‑night deliveries and the site's proximity to a small children's park directly across Lehigh. One resident testified, "It's a residential neighborhood," and expressed concern about children crossing Lehigh to reach the park. Another resident noted an Ohio restriction she described as: "You can't sell alcoholic beverages in Ohio within 500 feet of a park," and said the park sits directly across the street from the proposed site.

A consultant who identified themself as Mahali explained the traffic‑study scoping and said the city engineer asked the team to include nearby intersections so the analysis would capture any additional turning movements. Abney and Ornament said Wawa's team ran turning‑movement analyses and that the company typically designs sites to accommodate semi deliveries and the planned number of pumps — on this site "we've got 8 double sided here," Ornament said when asked about pumps.

Supporters who spoke said the vacant Frisch's property and surrounding site are already zoned business and that the project would add landscaping, sidewalks and lighting where conditions are currently poor. Opponents said the rezoning would change the character of the small residential pocket behind and across from the site and could increase cut‑through traffic on streets such as JoMar, Lauderdale and Pensacola.

The council closed the public hearing at 6:33 p.m.; no final council vote on the rezoning was recorded during the meeting. Planning staff said the rezoning request is limited to the 2705 Lehigh parcel; additional approvals would be needed for lot combination, site plan review and any alcohol permits or other licenses.

If the council later approves rezoning, staff said the developer would still need to complete site design, confirm any liquor‑licensing limits that may apply near the park, and secure permits for utilities and stormwater.