Burlington Township getting a Popeyes, and neighbors aren't happy

BURLINGTON TWP. – A Popeyes restaurant is on its way here — to the dismay of its future neighbors.

The planning board approved the proposed eatery by a 7-2 vote Thursday, after hearing repeated criticisms from people living near the development site at Route 541 and Kelly Drive.

The neighbors cited concerns over traffic problems, as well as potential problems from food waste, cooking odors and noise.

“Why would somebody want a Popeyes in their backyard?” asked Ian Boyce of Finnegans Way, who was among residents who addressed the board for almost 45 minutes.

“It's just not a good idea to put a high-traffic in-and-out restaurant there,” said Maria Baron-Duffy, a Carey Circle resident.

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But the Popeyes’ opponents faced an insurmountable obstacle, said Kevin Aberant, the planning board’s solicitor.

He noted the project — a 24-seat eatery with drive-thru service — would rise in a commercial area that expressly permits a quick-serve restaurant.

A developer will demolish two houses to make way for the 2,500-square-foot restaurant at 1800 Mount Holly Road, diagonally opposite the intersection from a Lidl supermarket.

Also, Aberant said, planning board members could not consider traffic problems in the adjacent residential neighborhood as they reviewed the Popeyes proposal.

“You can't say this applicant is responsible for people cutting through the neighborhood,” he observed.

“Your concerns have not fallen on deaf ears,” Mayor E.L. “Pete” Green told neighbors at the virtual meeting. He said the township had pressed Popeyes to make changes in response to residents’ concerns.

But neighbors still expressed skepticism — suggesting, for instance, that Popeyes’ customers would ignore traffic restrictions.

“We are going to see an overabundance of people making illegal (left) turns” from the restaurant onto Kelly Drive, said resident Debby Painter.

Other critics lamented the nutritional value of Popeyes’ products and asserted the township has enough fried-chicken restaurants.

“I don’t understand why, if you’re trying to improve the community, you didn’t consider a storefront that was vacant,” said resident Roxanne Ferguson.

Board members Joseph Sabatino and Donna Custard opposed the project.

“I have serious traffic concerns about that area,” said Sabatino, the board’s vice chair. “I know (Aberant) said it's something we can't consider, but I'm considering it.”

“I don’t want anyone compelling me to vote for something that I think is a really bad idea,” said Custard.

Popeyes, with more than 2,700 locations, is part of Toronto-based Restaurant Brands International.

The Canadian firm, with about $35 billion in annual revenue, also oversees the Burger King, Tim Hortons and Firehouse Subs brands.

Jim Walsh covers public safety, economic development and other beats for the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal.

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