Community Corner

Letter: Resident Rallying Neighbors to Oppose Proposed Gas Station

A gas station is proposed for development at Route 309 and North Broad Street in Hatfield Township

Congestion Alert! Blight Alert!

Along Route 309 north on the south side of the SEPTA rail tracks, a developer has proposed building another large gas station and market — barely 100 yards from the Wawa gas station and market on the same side of the road!

This developer does not seem to care that traffic along 309 and North Broad Street already gets backed up multiple times a day, and that the addition of a 20-pump "gas-n-go" will add to this congestion. Nor do they seem to care that a 24-hour gas station and market will bring with it safety concerns as well as light and noise pollution to the nearby families along Arbour Circle and Walnut Street.

Find out what's happening in Montgomeryville-Lansdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The developer, who has stayed curiously anonymous, is currently seeking a variance at an upcoming Hatfield Township meeting to the current commercial zoning of this property to proceed with this ill-conceived and unwelcome idea.

If Hatfield Township approves this variance, they will ultimately be approving what will in short order become an abandoned and blighted property with hazardous gas tanks in the ground. Remember, there is a Wawa barely 100 yards away on the same side of the road and we've already seen at least two nearby gas stations close after the Wawa opened.

Find out what's happening in Montgomeryville-Lansdalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Do we like the abandoned BP and mini-mart at 309 and County Line Road? Or the abandoned Lukoil and mini-mart at Broad and Cowpath? Plus, Wawa is set to open another large gas station and store along the southbound lanes of 309.

I encourage residents of Hatfield Township to either contact the Board of Commissioners or attend the meeting on Thursday, November 29th at 7 p.m. at the township building, 1950 School Road, and let the Zoning Hearing Board know that we don't need any more congestion and blight in the township. We already have enough.

Joe Liebel
Colmar


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here