Supervisors OK Final Plan at Former Post Office Site

NEWTOWN SQUARE–Earlier this week, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors unanimously approved in favor of the final land development plan for the 0.51-acre former Newtown Square post office building. 

The plan includes a Dunkin' Donuts, a Smoothie King, and a yet to-be-determined retail store at the 4,720 square-foot building on Newtown Street Road/Rt. 252 and Munger Road. Special exception approval were received by township officials for the food retailers.

The Dunkin' Donuts will face Route 252 while the Smoothie King and the as- yet-undetermined third retail store will face Munger Road. Smoothie King, according to their company website, is a "privately held New Orleans, Louisiana-area based franchise company and is the premier Smoothie Bar and Nutritional Lifestyle Center in the industry."

Attorney representing the site's developer, the Rosedon Group, Alyson Zarro, stated that the site parking would be updated and improved. The front of the building, which will be located on Munger Road, will have parking directly behind the building. 

"The site plan will be an improvement to that," said Zarro. "There will be a driveway in and in the front, one way, angle parking, and then a driveway out. There will be a third driveway access which will access the rest of the parking field."

According to Zarro, there are 27 parking spaces proposed, as required by the township ordinance for the three businesses. The parking spaces will measure 9 feet by 18 feet, in which a variance was granted for the size of the spaces.

However, Supervisors Vice Chairman Dr. Ross Lambert shared his concerns for the hairpin turn along Rt. 252 coming into the site and the angled parking in front of the building.

"If someone is backing out of the angled parking space, they're backing out onto Rt. 252," said Lambert. 

Township Engineer Eileen Nelson said that their concern was more on traffic along Munger Road and stated they do not anticipate much traffic making that hairpin turn on Rt. 252. 

Supervisor John Nawn, a licensed traffic engineer, agreed with Nelson and stated, "I’m going to agree with our engineer that this is probably the best situation with the building situated with the way it is right now. Putting an island in front now along Munger Road, I think it clears up the parking free for all that used to exist at the post office there."

The land development plan was approved unanimously by the supervisors on Monday night in addition with two waivers–to be considered as a combined preliminary final land development plan upon approval and to put in two trees at the site instead of the required seven due to the lack of space. In lieu of the five trees, the developer has agreed to pay $300 per tree or a total of $1,500.

The plan was approved by the Zoning Hearing Board back in August after a brief roadblock in July. Additional evidence was requested in June for the application's variances. According to Township Manager Mike Trio, the signs were approved as well as their request for a lighting variance which was amended and approved by the Zoning Hearing Board.