Wawa gets Scranton planning commission approval
Jul. 26—SCRANTON — The city's planning commission Wednesday gave the go ahead for a Wawa store to be built in South Scranton as the owner of a neighboring property suing over the plans has been ordered to post a bond.
Members approved plans for NDA Moosic LLC of Vestal, New York, to build the convenience store and gas station on 5 acres at 1130-36 Moosic St. and 117 Meadow Ave.
It includes a 6,000-square-foot store with six pumps, 82 parking spaces and a 30-foot driveway from Meadow Avenue. Plans also call for the existing building at 1130-36 Moosic St., formerly Profera's Pizza, and the Northeast Insurance & Financial Consultants building at 117 Meadow Ave. to be razed. Joshua Sewald, the project's engineer, said they are working with the Arc of Northeastern Pennsylvania to put in a driveway and 65 parking spaces at 117 Meadow Ave.
In response to concerns from several members about pedestrian safety, Sewald said they would work to add sidewalks. The board's approval is contingent on the developer adding them on Moosic Street and Meadow Avenue, and getting permits from PennDOT and the state Department of Environmental Protection.
It would be the first Wawa in Lackawanna County, and the southeastern Pennsylvania-based convenience store chain's northernmost location.
Marc Newman, of NDA Moosic LLC and Newman Development Associates LLC, said during the hearing the plans clean up a blighted area, and he is "very committed to the area."
The city's zoning board in June 2022 approved a special exception for a major convenience store and variances for a 5-foot paving setback and three freestanding signs.
Two months later, C.F. Marts of Pennsylvania Inc., which operates the neighboring Convenient Food Mart and Gulf gas station at 1100 Moosic St. at Meadow Avenue, sued the commission, claiming it erred in granting the exceptions and variances.
Sarah Lloyd, attorney for NDA Moosic LLC, argued C.F. Marts should post a $900,000 bond because the challenge is frivolous and designed to delay the project.
Lackawanna County Judge James A. Gibbons sided with NDA Moosic, ordering C.F. Marts to post the bond.
In his order issued last month, Gibbons found the appeal was based on competition and not the board's decision.
"The appeal of C.F. Marts lacks any likelihood of success as a matter of fact or law," Gibbons wrote.
City Planner Don King said the approval allows the developer to apply for building permits.
In other business, the commission approved the following items:
A plan by Electric City Development LLC to convert a building at Penn Avenue and Poplar Street into apartments.
HAZA Development's plan to build a 2,176-square-foot Taco Bell at 733 Davis St.
Contact the writer: clee@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 ext. 5365; @Cleespot on Twitter.
