Church Hill Road—

Borough Zoners Approve

Gas Station/Convenience Store Project

By Andrew Gorosko

Following lengthy review, the Borough Zoning Commission has approved a proposal to demolish a small, antiquated gas station on Church Hill Road and replace it with a modern multipump facility plus convenience store.

Owner CPCI, LLC, of Trumbull plans to replace the existing Church Hill Gas Stop gas station at 47 Church Hill Road with a much larger, modern Citgo facility. The site is across Church Hill Road from the St Rose Church campus. It is the only gas station in the borough.

Architect Robert Mitchell, representing the applicant, said the developer hopes to start work on the project in the spring. Construction work would last about one year.

Borough Zoning Commission members approved the project, which is known as Wheels, following a January 9 public hearing on the application.

In endorsing the plans, the commission granted four separate approvals to the project. They are: a set of borough zoning regulation changes which allow such a project; a site development plan approval; a special permit; and a Village District zoning approval.

Before the commission’s approval of the project, attorney Sandy Campbell, representing the applicant, described the proposal to commission members.

The existing gas station would be demolished and it would be replaced by a 3,200-square-foot traditional-style structure that will house a modern convenience store, he explained. Eight gas pumps situated beneath a 16-foot-high canopy would be located behind the convenience store, he said. Parking would be provided behind the store on the 1.1-acre site.

The existing gas station, which has been in business since the 1920s, sometimes poses traffic problems along Church Hill Road. The tiny dimensions of the gas station at times results in motorists waiting in line for gasoline while parked on the shoulder of Church Hill Road, posing traffic hazards. The Gas Stop has a full-service system, in which an attendant pumps gasoline for motorists who remain inside their vehicles.

Mr Mitchell assured the borough zoners that the redesigned site would not result in motorists backing up onto Church Hill Road.

The complex’s driveway would be located directly across Church Hill Road from the central driveway for the St Rose Church campus.

Mr Mitchell told the borough zoners that the convenience store would visually shield the gas pumps from view from Church Hill Road. A pitched roof would be affixed to the top of the canopy, he said.

“We’re trying to make this building ‘residential’ in feel,” he said. Neutral colors would be employed and cornices would be affixed to the structure, he said. White-colored site lighting would be controlled to prevent it from illuminating adjacent properties, he said.

Mechanical equipment for the convenience store would be located inside the building, not atop the roof, he said. Electrical equipment would be shielded from view, he added.

The convenience store would be clad with concrete siding that simulates wood clapboards, Mr Mitchell said.

The architect termed the complex, “a viable project [which is] economically feasible.”

Borough Zoning Commission Chairman Linda Shepard asked whether the new gas station would continue to provide full-service gasoline sales to its customers.

Mr Campbell responded that it is unclear whether such a matter is a zoning issue. The project’s owners would decide whether to continue providing some full-service sales at the gas pumps, based on customer demand and on the economic feasibility of continuing to provide such a service, he said.

Diesel fuel would still be available for sale at the planned complex.

Landscape architect Bruce Reinheimer, representing the applicant, detailed the landscaping plans for the project.

Traffic Engineer Henry Dittman, representing the applicant, then explained the traffic-flow aspects of the redevelopment project. It is expected that the number of motorists using the new facility would be approximately double the number of those who use the existing gas station, he said.

Noting that other local government agencies have endorsed the gas station/convenience store proposal, Mr Campbell encouraged the borough zoners to do so.

“The project offers a lot of benefits to the town,” he said.

Borough Zoning Commission members then had a lengthy discussion on the project, during which they made some modifications before approving the proposal.