Politics & Government

Costco Request Voted Down by Warminster Supervisors

The township board denied the wholesaler's bid to extend work hours for cement pours during the first two weeks of August.

It's safe to say that many in Warminster are excited about the new Costco store currently being constructed at the corner of Jacksonville and Street roads. It's also safe to say that since construction began, the relationship between the wholesaler and the township has gotten a bit rocky.

Signs of some bad blood came to light during Thursday night's board of supervisors meeting with a unanimous, 5-0 denial of Costco's request to extend the legal construction hours six times during the first two weeks of August.

Current township ordinance allows construction between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Costco wanted to increase the hours, starting at 2 a.m. and ending at 9 p.m. The request, submitted by the store's attorney Neil Stein, who was not at the meeting, stated that the extended hours would allow workers to get the cement to the site in reduced traffic and pour the material in cooler temperatures.

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During supervisors comments, Tom Panzer remarked on his disappointment on Costco's methods so far. He did not like that the construction crew ripped out surrounding trees without giving the township a chance to relocate them to public areas. He also cited several occasions when the site had already violated Warminster's work hours ordinance.

"Costco has soured the milk at this point," Panzer said. "That piece of ground is not far from neighborhoods, and I am not crazy about the idea of the loud equipment running that early in the morning."

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The audience included several local building trade union members who confirmed that the trucks and cement equipment would disturb residents at the nearby Ann's Choice retirement community and patrons of the Holiday Inn Express, for example.

A couple commenters also stated that cement can be poured at any time of day, regardless of temperature. It's a matter of changing the chemistry of the mix. Jim Walsh, from the Villa at Five Ponds, brought up that Walmart managed to construct its store and pour concrete across the road without any requests for variances.

Since work began on the Costco store a few weeks ago, local union members have set up daily protests of the site right on the corner of Jacksonville and Street roads. They are unhappy with the company's decision to use out of state, non-union workers for the construction. The move, they said, denies jobs for local residents with the proper expertise.

"They brought in workers from California that don't have the proper training," said Bernard Griggs, a representative from the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council. "They are training on the job and using trial and error to learn how to operate the machinery."

Despite their daily presence, the site foreman assured Warminster board of supervisors chairman Frank Feinberg that the protestors have not interfered or been disruptive with his workers.

"There have been four Costco constructions scheduled in the Delaware Valley," said Feinberg, "and so far not one site has used union labor. They didn't even give them a chance to submit a bid, which I don't think is fair. At least let them make a bid, and if they aren't the lowest, then they aren't the lowest."

Representatives from Costco declined requests to comment on this story.


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