It would be helpful if this story included one basic fact --the location of the proposed Wawa. I am guessing somewhere near Mearns Road on Street Road. But should I have to guess?

Fixed. Thanks.

I am so glad I no longer live in Warminster. Too much building. What is wrong with leaving some open land? As time goes on and building continues, there will be more and more run off problems due to snow melt or heavy rains.

Nancy, where Wawa is proposing to build is currently 100% covered with asphalt or building -- all impervious coverage. To leave it as such would do MORE harm than replacing it with new development that incorporates new requirements under Warminster's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO). With the new SALDO, Wawa will be required to incorporate on-site stormwater management systems as well as ADD trees, landscaping and "green". They will also be adding other improvements to Warminster such as a sidewalk and potentially a traffic light. The latter may not seem like an improvement unless you are a driver or a pedestrian trying to cross Street Road during school or rush hours.

I'm proud to live in Warminster, and to serve on its Board of Supervisors, where we have the ability and interest in fixing long-term problems such as the run off that you describe. Try the "new" Warminster, with RESPONSIBLE and SUSTAINABLE development.

Ellen S. Jarvis, Chairwoman
Warminster Township Board of Supervisors

Will the WaWa at Davisville and County Line Rds. remain open after the new is built?

Nancy, I certainly appreciate what you're saying. I'm a history buff ... used to live in a home in Society Hill (Phila.) that was built in 1743 and even dressed in colonial garb when I went outside to clean the original marble steps!

The sad fact is, when I moved into Warminster in 1995, all of the historic sites you've mentioned were long gone. As leaders and residents/taxpayers, we can only do our best to preserve those that remain (e.g., Craven Hall) and the monuments to others now lost (e.g., Log College Monument on York Road); in this, our Tricentennial year, we also honor the history made here and work very hard to preserve the open space we're able to acquire and put in conservation trusts.

For example, we're currently working on getting a portion of the land that was Shenandoah Woods (Navy property at Bristol and Davisville Rds) to keep and/or revert it to green. Those privately-held commercial lots (e.g., the old Brandow site where Wawa is to be built) are both unavailable as well as too pricey to acquire with tax dollars to convert back to woodland.

It's difficult to maintain a balance of responsible and sustainable development, along with providing a tax base that can offset the township's reliance on residents' taxes to support our infrastructure, environment, quality of life, emergency services, etc. We can only ask that developers like Wawa improve the stormwater, traffic, etc. as part of the new SALDO. ~ Ellen S. Jarvis, Chair, WBOS

Ellen I do understand what you are saying - just don't like it. I guess I am a bit of an idealist and don't like commercialism in the name of progress.

Ellen, I worked for the township once - doing so only because I admired the person who asked me to work for him. Other than that, I truly hated the politics, and was almost glad when I had to go out on disability, on which I remain to this day.

Just what Warminster Township needs: Another Traffic Light !!!!! Screw WaWa -- they're just trying to put that 7-Eleven out of business. And don't even mention the number of CVSs now in the Township. Warminster used to be a nice place to live. The incessant businesses are ruining it.

I've read with interest the above comments. Having been a former Township Supervisor and Board Chairman, I understand Ellen's responses; I have empathy with her. Nancy, I understand your comments and your points, well taken. I too, no longer live in Warminster, but out in Limerick Township, MONTCO. Unfortunately, with State Government reducing their subsidies to the school districts, and many unfunded mandates, our gentrified community has a larger burden forced onto them in higher taxes. In a perfect world, and looking back during that time frame that Nancy refers too, things were quite different. You have to work with what you have, and try to do the best within reason for the entire community. NADC when closed, I was on the Board when that happened was an opportunity to save almost 800 acres of open space responsibly. I was off of the Board when Christ Home requested further development of their land holdings in the Township, and based on what they told us, when we helped them out on a small portion of their holdings back then, and their assurance that the remainder of their land holdings would not need to be developed, I would have voted against their further development. Hindsight is always 20-20. In any event, Ellen's point is well taken. Responsible government, works within the metes and bounds of land preservation, and the community's best interests. Hope that the future bodes well financially for the Township, and further development is minimal. Frank S. Burstein

In reply to the above comments, any new business in Warminster brings new jobs to the township and also helps keep the taxes down. It was not long ago that I myself questioned the reasoning of the township for letting the cvs and wawas of the word bring more then one store into Warminster. Think about this though, how long have we had five 7-11 stores in Warminster? Even the expanding number of dunkin doughnuts? Also Wawa > 7-11 any day of the week!

New to the area, I commented earlier on blighted areas- Does the township have any plans to clean up Jacksonville Road? It is very repressed - Warminster Heights Homeowners Association doesn't even look inhabitable.

Joe, I'm hoping this is good news for you -- although because it means more "development," I'm hesitant to post. The Supervisors have approved the development of a complex on Jacksonville Road that will be called The Station at Bucks County. With it, the old (long vacant) building and what some might call a blighted property known as Drager Medical will be demolished. It is next to the Warminster Train Station. In its place will be high-end apartment complexes that will likely convert to condos over time. It will have a community center, pool, etc. A VERY nice center! Construction has been approved; PennDOT approvals are pending for roadway improvements.

Frank, thank you for your understanding. Once upon a time - and I moved into the township in 1967 - Warminster still had a country feel. It was a nice place to be. It seemed to be where people moved when they headed out from just over the line with Philadelphia - because they wanted a country feel without being too remote. Now, I hate to say it, but Warminster feels like Levittown to me, and that is not a good thing. There is hardly a place for an eye to rest as you look around, just more and more construction, tearing down whatever history we had at one time, for another business to come in that will probably close within a few years. New business should have to move into vacated spaces, and no new construction should be approved so long as there is a suitable empty place into which they could move - as I said about England - they make do with their historic buildings, fitting them to work. Other towns seem to be able to contain their businesses in a specific area, and retain their history - Doylestown, Newtown, etc. Why can't Warminster? Warminster was so rich in history, so rich, and now it's gone and it cannot be brought back. Before I came back to PA I lived in Maine for three years, and I have to say that I wish I had stayed. The noise level in this area is horrendous and if you want to sleep, you have to close windows at night. What a shame. We do not need two ofs in the township.

Hi Ellen, thanks for the response. That is great news, but do you think people will want to pay top dollar living across from Warminster Heights - my neighbors call it Lacey Park? Thanks

Well Nancy and Warminster Joe you seem to have a lot of comments. !967 was 44 years ago and times do change and so does the way of living. This is the United states of America not England, last time I checked we had a war against them to be free. So stop comparing us to them. If you like it so much go back there ! As for Jacksonville Rd. cleanup it is has been better than when you came here in 67' so stop your bitch-en, they have made leaps and bounds compared to what it used to be, and my family called it the gulch Joe so hows that. You both have comments about everything this township does, the board is only trying to make things better. Nancy were do you live now maybe you should worry about there because these times will becoming there to. The township has one of the best emergency services in the Bux-Mont area and that comes from capital funds not sitting idle and letting pass. The log cabin I don't remember and I spent my whole life here so far, 44 years that is. If you want to change things run for a seat and find out how much fun it isn't, so all I have to say to the both of you is put up or shut up.

I am very excited for the development of CVS and the eventual Wawa on Street Road. I live in the neighborhood behind the site. I would strongly oppose another light on Street Road. The excess of lights there already pushes speeding drivers into my neighborhood. Despite an obvious danger to children the Township is not willing to make any changes.

I have read all of the above comments and I agree with alot of them. The township IS being built up to much with no open space. Then again, open space like the corner lot at Street and Newtown Roads sits unoccupied year after year. The Wawa was supposed to go there. Instead, it was beat down and the lot sits empty again. If the township is so interested in building, why has that space been empty for over twenty years? And also, why don't the owners of the lot have to "clean" it up? It seems as though there are different rules for different areas.

P. Christensen...evidently you can do whatever you want with industrial/commercial lots in Warminster. For evidence just try to drive from Louis Drive to Mearns on Constance. The owner of the business park dumped debris there about 3-4 years ago instead of fixing his crumbling roads. The Township is planning on taking over the roads instead of forcing the slumlord to fix them.

Not so, Kevin. The escrow money from the Street Road Industrial Center that's been held for decades is now being used to fix up the streets in the SRIC (including Constance) so that the Township can take dedication of those streets. This is through a hard-fought agreement that the current Board of Supervisors has reached with the owners of the SRIC. It was delayed through acrimony for many, many years -- which caused the debris-dumping you cited. I expect that will be cleaned up in May, and once again, that road will be opened to traffic, including school buses that will be able to access the bus depot. There are many things that get in the way of such agreements over the decades that have passed. Rather than study the "why's", let's just concentrate on the HOW to get the roads improved and continue to make genuine progress in Warminster Township.

-- Ellen S. Jarvis, Chairwoman
Warminster Township Board of Supervisors

Ellen, I understand the situation very well as I have followed it via the meetings, newspaper, and speaking with a township Supervisor. I feel that the landowner skirted their responsibility to fix the roads by using their escrow funds for storm water.

Could I request a traffic survey once that work is completed on Penrose Lane? The Police could make a fortune on speeders between 7:30 and 9am and 4 to 7pm. I would expect it to get worse once reopened.

Harry, before they do any work on Jacksonville roadI would like a tombstone preserved that I found along side the road when I was 13 (now 54). It was covered with mud and I'm sure alot more since. I believe it was a sergeant from the battle of Crooked Billet. I forgot about it for years but thought about it when I read about working on Jacksonville Rd.

This township is quickly becoming like northeast Philly. First it was Billboards and now its becoming totally and corporately commercialized. I have lived here my entire life (35 yrs) and cant believe how much it has changed from the time I used to play manhunt in the corn fields which CenterPoint and the adjacent shopping center(Kohls) are now located. I know times change, but my lord. I currently live in the neighborhood behind where this WAWA is going to be, and the amount of traffic that comes through there now because of all the traffic lights on Street & Yorks roads, has doubled or tripled over the past few years. It also doesnt help with that light at Ivyland Road and Mearns, although I dont know how they can fix that. The only good thing I see about WAWA building there is that at least it wont be dead unutilized space, there is enough of that around. I think a better place for its location would on York Rd., where the 263 Farmers Market is on the weekends( The old Pathmark/Waterloo Gardens). Plenty of room and there is already a traffic light there too.

I personally won't be going to any Wawas any time soon; they are becoming bad neighbors, building in places were people don't want them, staying open 24 hours near residential areas. For a place that is ope 24/7 there won't be that many full-time jobs and the tax revenue is probably less that you would think. Makes the suburbs look horrible and contribute to the decline of a neighborhood.

I also will no longer patronize Wawa. I live in Hatboro where we already have one and now they want to put another a few blocks away near the Y. I wish townships would make ordinances banning stores from opening another site within say a 5 mile radius. What is the matter with people today that they need a branch of a store every 3-6 blocks. Ridiculous and causing traffic jams.

So happy that WaWa has been approved...CAN'T WAIT!

Isn't the Wawa location the old Gallagher Chrysler/Plymouth lot. I do feel sorry for the 7-11, 99% of the stores are family owned. Hope they can survive. I try to shop family operations as much as possible.