Colerain Twp. zoning commission recommends against cult-favorite gas station Wawa

Wawa may not be coming to Colerain Township after all.

On Tuesday, the Colerain zoning commission voted to deny an application for a zone change on two land parcels at 10345-10329 Colerain Ave. near Struble Road. Pennsylvania-based Wawa was eyeing the land to build a gas station and convenience store through developer Unicorp National Developments.

Zoning staff recommended zoning commissioners table the request, saying the developer and property owner should work with the township to come up with a plan that better aligns with the township's comprehensive plan and current zoning resolution. Commissioners ignored the staff recommendation, passing a motion to deny the application instead.

Though the commission denied the application, it's not a done deal. The zoning commission denial is a recommendation to the Colerain Township Board of Trustees.

Trustees will either adopt or deny the recommendations of the zoning commission or adopt some modification. In the event the board denies or modifies the recommendation of the zoning commission, a unanimous vote of the trustees is required.

That would come as unwelcome news to residents who showed up at the public meeting. Many longtime homeowners on nearby Raeann Drive spoke out to oppose the gas station, citing traffic, health, quality of life and other concerns.

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The plan was not popular with neighbors

Raeann Drive would be directly south of the gas station. The plan also called for knocking down a treeline, building underground gas tanks that would directly abut some backyards, and a new sewer line.

Mary Blackburn had concerns about the health of her family with the gas tanks so close by. She cited the light pollution that comes from nearby Lowe's and Speedway as a nuisance in the community which many settled in decades ago due to its natural elements and wildlife.

"I feel like we've been beaten up in this area, and enough is enough," Blackburn said.

Ben Brabender agreed. He said he is the third generation in his family to live in their home, and his uncle played a role in the initial neighborhood development. Traffic was a major concern.

“This street has been a part of my family since it was built," Brabender said. "Raeann's just an unmarked, two-lane country road, but traffic has increased on it probably tenfold."

For Steve Schnebeli, it was a quality-of-life issue. The light pollution would directly come into his home, and he already deals with it with the other developments that have come to the neighborhood.

"It is a very dark, peaceful neighborhood," Schnebeli told the commission. "Don't ruin it."

The intersection was once more rural, but has been heavily commercialized with shopping centers, gas stations, fast-food restaurants and other establishments. Rumpke Corporate Headquarters is also located across Colerain Avenue from Raeann Drive, which residents cited when they explained concerns about even more garbage truck traffic that may come with the Wawa.

An engineer who stood in for the developer from Unicorp said the concerns residents had could be addressed with design enhancements. Trash would be contained in its own small structure, any runoff water would go into a pond and would be tested and treated stringently. Some treelines and greenspace could be preserved.

Trustees will conduct a public hearing and review the zoning commission's recommendation at their meeting on July 11.