Board approves Wawa preliminary land plan for Erin Drive site with conditions after residents press traffic and safety concerns

The Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors voted to approve a preliminary land development plan for a proposed Wawa convenience store and fuel station at 169 West Erin Drive, granting the applicant limited access modifications and attaching several conditions recommended by staff and the Planning Commission.

Assistant Township Manager summarized the proposal: the 2.466‑acre site would include demolition of an existing auto sales building and construction of a 5,330‑square‑foot convenience store with canopy and six fuel pumps. The application requested a modification to Chapter 22 (driveway/access design) and noted a 2023 variance that allows a canopy encroachment of 12 feet (1,100 square feet) into the required 50‑foot rear yard setback. Staff and the Planning Commission recommended approval subject to administrative compliance items, a development agreement, and traffic‑safety measures.

More than a dozen residents from the adjacent Overlook Heights neighborhood urged the board to delay approval or require stronger off‑site mitigations. Resident Rob Venema told the board, "You'll wait until someone is seriously hurt or killed until you do something about the problem," and described fears about increased cut‑through traffic on residential streets, lack of sidewalks and blind corners at local crossings.

Tony Fruchtel, the project engineer for Pantera Engineering representing the applicant, outlined proposed measures the developer will provide: right‑in/right‑out access on Atherton with a raised concrete median to prevent illegal left turns; arborvitae buffer plantings along the rear lot line to reduce noise and light spill; signal‑timing adjustments including a leading pedestrian interval; and construction of an ADA‑compliant crosswalk and ramp. The applicant also offered a post‑opening, data‑driven traffic study (including possible license‑plate origin studies) and to contribute funding for targeted off‑site improvements if monitoring showed a problem.

The board approved the preliminary plan by voice vote with the staff‑recommended conditions: (1) completion of all administrative review items, (2) granting the requested access modification conditioned on installation of a raised concrete median on Atherton to prevent illegal maneuvers, and (3) execution of a standard development agreement incorporating commitments in the applicant’s December 4 response letter. Following the approval vote, the board separately directed staff to prepare a package of township actions (signage, one‑way conversions, barricade or gated options that allow emergency access, no‑turn‑on‑red changes and other traffic‑calming measures) for later board review and community input.

Board members emphasized that the township’s legal authority is limited to ordinance standards for preliminary approval but said staff and the applicant had proposed mitigations that go beyond the minimum requirements. The board’s directive asks staff to evaluate feasible off‑site options and return with recommended steps and cost estimates for formal action.