COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio — The popular gas station and convenience store chain Wawa could be coming to Colerain Township, but it's not a done deal yet.
Township officials are considering a zoning change that would allow for the project to move forward at its proposed location near the intersection of Colerain Avenue and Struble Road. The proposed location is where Klei Mower is currently.
This would be the latest Wawa to be announced in Greater Cincinnati.
"Wawa has this almost cult following nationwide," said Township Development Director David Miller. "I think what it shows is that Colerain has the draw for national retail sales and businesses to locate here."
As leaders consider a zoning change, some residents are voicing their concerns about the Wawa opening in general.
"They just need to choose a different location and we would support them 100%," Colerain Township resident Sherry Schneider said.
Schneider said she and other nearby residents are concerned about the proposed Wawa's proximity to a row of houses and what that would mean for the health of those who live there. Plus, they have traffic concerns.
"People come flying through that intersection. It's dangerous, it's been dangerous since we were children," Schneider said. "We have a turn lane at our street and it doesn't stop people. They will get hit almost daily within our turn lane."
She worries people who would be turning into the Wawa could have the same experience.
"I think one of the big things that's come out of all of this is that the corporation is listening and they have acknowledged they didn't engage in as much neighborhood discussion, engagement as they needed to," Miller said.
The developers for the project, Unicorp National Developments Incorporated asked the Colerain Township trustees to delay a vote on the zoning change.
This would allow for more community engagement and adjustments to development plans, according to a letter Unicorp sent to the township.
A public hearing began Tuesday at 6 p.m., then Miller said there will be an additional community engagement session at Klei Mower.
He said representatives from Unicorp and from Wawa will be at that meeting.
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