As Sheetz and Wawa enter Wilmington, trees are in the way of a Circle K in Scotts Hill

Circle K and associate developers are planning to bring a Circle K to Scotts Hill, but some trees are currently standing in the way.

The Pender County Board of Adjustment reviewed a variance request from Pope Properties on 17, LLC regarding tree removals in the area to move forward on the project, east of U.S. 17 at the intersection of Scotts Hill Loop Road. If plans are finalized, it will bring a 5,200 square-foot convenience store, car wash, gas pumps and close to 30 parking spaces.

It's part of a recent surge in convenience stores planning to enter the area, including major names such as Wawa, Sheetz, Royal Farms and 7-Eleven.

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David Sneeden, owner of Pope Properties on 17, said it's long overdue, especially as the Scotts Hill area continues to grow between Porters Neck and Hampstead.

"If you get off of I-140, you got to go all the way to Country Club Road on Highway 17 before you hit a convenience store or gas station," he said to the StarNews. "As you know with all the development and the traffic, it's hard to make a left turn off of highway 17 and to get back on it easily. It's just a big need in the community for a convenience store on that east side of the road. It's a lot of growth in the Scotts Hill area."

There are four tracts of land totaling 8.13 acres, under ownership of Pope Properties. According to a county ordinance, when significant trees are removed, it will be mitigated by planting more of the same species. The applicant said the task would be difficult because of the proposed development and spacing.

More than 60 trees would be impacted based on the submitted plan for the convenience store, gas station, and stormwater pond.

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"We will preserve whatever trees we can," he said. "We don't want to cut a tree down and plant two more to mitigate it, if we can avoid it. It might not sound like it, but I'm a real tree person. I like the trees as much as I like the real estate."

To make up for it, the developer made a request to pay a fee or a have an off-site planning option for more than 144 trees on the four pieces of land.

Matt Nichols, a Wilmington attorney, represented the applicants David Sneeden, his business partner Glen Lea and Circle K at the hearing in December. Lea and Sneeden are natives of the area. Sneeden said he was also involved with the development of the Harris Teeter shopping center in Porters Neck.

"I can assure you that we are very sensitive to the development of Scotts Hill," Sneeden told the board. "It's a special place for us and whatever we do, we're going to do in the most tasteful respect that we can and preserve as many of these trees as we can. Unfortunately, we're blessed with a large number of trees on this site."

Sneeden said several oakwood and dogwood trees around the site will be preserved in the area, where a small Sinclair service station once stood until the mid-1960s. For that reason, there are not a lot of trees on a corner of a parcel.

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While talking about tree matters regarding the gas station property, Sneeden said he anticipates other nearby lots could become a fast-food restaurant and office space for maybe a doctor, dentist, or other businesses.

Board members were concerned about a preservation plan for significant trees not being presented after developers showed intent to do so, along with other species. Scotts Hill resident Kim Meyer was also concerned about the tree removal and water-related concerns.

"Our community is very adamant about this," she said. "We want to preserve Scotts Hill and I appreciate you all for looking out for our community because it is a fragile ecosystem."

Nichols said he would like to come back in February to present a plan for tree mitigation to the Board of Adjustments. For the case continuance, Board members made a request to see what other buildings could also look like on site plans.

Sneeden said it could be open within a year or two. Circle K would like to start as soon as the tree issue resolved with the county to expand its footprint in Scotts Hill.

Circle K and the connected Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. operates more than 14,000 stores in 24 countries and territories, with more than 10,000 offering fuel. There are many locations in the Wilmington area.

According to reports, another convenience store giant is eyeing eastern Pender County. Sheetz, a convenience store with made-to-order food choices, is coming to Hampstead on Country Club Road. The business with headquarters in Pennsylvania is also planning to build another in the Wilmington area on Independence Boulevard.

Reporter Chase Jordan can be reached at cjjordan@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Circle K eyes Scotts Hill for new convenience store, gas station