Wawa withdraws plans for fourth store in Fairfield

There will not be a fourth Wawa in Fairfield.

Cincinnati-based companies STNL Development and Wawa withdrew their application to rezone an area near the intersection of Pleasant Avenue and John Gray Road for the construction of a gas station after residents raised concerns about the project.

“While our team believes the proposed development represents an opportunity to bring great benefits to the City of Fairfield and the community, the lack of support for the project demonstrates that withdrawing the PUD application is the right action,” STNL’s Jonathan Wocher wrote in a July 25 letter to Fairfield’s planning director.

One person clapped at Monday night’s city council meeting after council members said Wawa had withdrawn its application.

STNL and Wawa had hoped to buy the 11-acre corner portion of the roughly 60-acre wooded area near the intersection and turn it into a gas station. The 65,000-square-foot Wawa store would have been the chain’s fourth store in Fairfield.

Wawa, a Pennsylvania-based gas station and convenience store chain known for its made-to-order food, announced an Ohio expansion last year that included over a dozen stores in Hamilton and neighboring counties. Five of those Wawa stores are planned in Butler County and three of them in Fairfield.

Several residents spoke out against the Wawa at the Fairfield City Council’s July meeting, raising concerns about traffic, constant outdoor lighting, flooding and potential impacts on crime and property values.

The entire 24.1-acre property is owned by John and Paul McGilliard. Under current zoning, the property could be used for various businesses such as a salon, gym or retail store. Rough terrain, creeks and other factors have made development difficult so far.

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