Chick-Fil-A opposition: 'They're turning Newtown into a truck stop.'

Lots of people love Chick-Fil-A, but some aren't loving its proposed location in Newtown Township.

A petition opposing construction of the popular eatery at 98 Upper Silver Lake Road, near Newtown-Yardley Road, was launched on April 30, and has gotten almost 600 signatures, most from local residents.

"As residents living within 500 feet of the proposed construction site ... we are deeply concerned about the potential negative impacts on our community," states the petition, started by resident Donna Serdula. "The proposed Chick-fil-A restaurant with drive-thru service is set to replace what was once a TD Bank. This development requires several variances that would disrupt our peaceful neighborhood and environment."

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Serdula, who lives about 1,200 feet from the proposed 6,000-square-foot Chick-Fil-A, said it will be a traffic nightmare for her neighborhood, Wiltshire Walk, and for surrounding residents, too.

"It’s going to be huge. It’s bigger than the Wawa that’s going to be building near it,” she said.

A Wawa with gas pumps was permitted on a nearby corner after the township settled the issue last year. Residents opposed that place, too.

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“Why are they building this here? I mean, they already have a Chick-Fil-A that's a seven minute drive away,” she said. “They aren’t building it for the community. They’re building it to draw traffic from (I-295). They’re building it because the Wawa is going to draw traffic for everyone who wants hoagies and gas.

“Essentially, they’re turning Newtown into a truck stop,” she said.

The Chick-Fil-A is just a half-mile from Newtown Borough's elegant old Victorian homes and the township's upscale developments. It's a jarring juxtaposition, residents say.

“These Chick-Fil-As, they do mainly drive-thru,” Serdula said. “And they published that they can do 700 cars an hour. Imagine what that'll be like. And the Wawa hasn’t even been built yet. How can we handle that kind of traffic? The (nearby Newotwn) Business Commons are going in for mixed-use business there. So there's even more traffic. You won’t be able to make a left from Newtown-Yardley Road to the (Route 413) bypass. Impossible.”

Residential neighborhoods will become the go-to routes, she said.

“All these people coming off (I-295) are going to have Google Maps take them through town back to the bypass,” she said.

Chick-Fil-A is using "Newtown Equities, LLC" to seek zoning variances, a sore point with Serdula and also township Supervisor John Mack.

“I opposed the Wawa for several reasons, but primarily because there’s a lot of issues with the traffic at that intersection. It already backs up from Newtown-Yardley Road,” he said.

He said that part of the township could come to resemble the Business Route 1 corridor, a honky-tonk of malls, car dealerships and other commercial/retail businesses.

While zoned commercial, the variances sought by Chick-Fil-A aren't a done deal.

“A lot of things go into whether you get a variance,” he said. “They have to prove hardship.”

Chick-Fil-A has been scheduled to make its first case for variances for setbacks and signage before the township Planning Commission on April 16, but canceled three hours before the meeting, Mack said.

Scores of residents had planned to attend.

"Chick-Fil-A chickened out," Mack said.

The next Planning Commission meeting is set for Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. If Chick-Fil-A is on the agenda, it will likely be a packed house. That's because, Serdula said, residents are concerned with that intersection. With Wawa on one corner and Chick-Fil-A on the other, two more corners are prime for similar development.

JD Mullane can be reached at 215-949-5745 or at jmullane@couriertimes.com.