There is no hardship, this IS a chronically problematic intersection (and interestingly enough the inspiration for the current poor intersection configuration at Haverford Station Rd. and Lancaster comes from this intersection at Woodside and Montgomery), there is a Wawa within spitting distance and just beyond that on Lancaster, we already have a car wash in Ardmore. We have a car was in Bryn Mawr too. We don't need another car wash, let alone in a space where it totally won't fit, nor is it appropriate for a residential neighborhood. Tell this property owner if gas is too expensive and his profits are down that it is Exxon's issue, NOT OURS! This is another bad plan for Ardmore and here are the details on the meeting:

Zoning Hearing Board
Date: 6/5/2008 7:15 PM
Location: Township Administration Bldg - 2nd Floor Board Room
75 East Lancaster Ave
Ardmore, Pennsylvania 19003-2323

Appeal No. 4090

Applicant: 200 W. Montgomery Ave. Ardmore, LLC
Property: 116 W Montgomery Avenue, Ardmore, PA 19003
(Election District #4). R 7 Residence District

This is a continuation of a hearing from 4-17-08. The applicant proposes to remove two fueling islands, and a rear portion of the gas service station building, eliminate all service bays and convert to a gas/retail convenience store and construct a one-bay rear car wash within the building near the railroad bridge and seeks the following relief: 1) A special exception under §155-99 B to expand the nonconforming service station/retail use by not more that 25%, or alternatively, a variance from §155-99 C to change the nonconforming service station/retail use to a gas/retail convenience store and accessory car wash use, 2) A variance from §155-114 D(1) to allow paving and parking in the front yard setback, and 3) A variance from §155-114 D(2) to allow paving, parking, queuing, and a driveway within the required buffer and provide a buffer area less than 20' wide.

Take a virtual tour of the proposed site by CLICKING HERE.

Check out this letter in the Main Line Times from a local resident on this topic:

To all motorists en route to and from Ardmore to Haverford, Haverford to Ardmore, via Montgomery Avenue and Woodside Rd in Ardmore, and Woodside Road to Lancaster Avenue on the cusp of Ardmore and Haverford:

Please, please, listen to what Lehigh Oil has to venture for the property owned at Montgomery and Woodside, and leased to Robert Fritsch, as Fritsch's Exxon: Lehigh Oil proposes to destroy the operation of the mechanical bays, while retaining the physical perimeter of the building, and adding in that perimeter at the rear, a car wash and an equipment bay for the car wash. The remainder of the building would propose to be a Mini-Mart convenience store, plus one eight-way gas island (one island, two pumps, four access per pump.

Additionally, it is proposed that ingress from Woodside Road would be on the driveway nearest the traffic light at the intersection of Woodside and Montgomery. Ingress and egress would also be on the eastern side of the gas station on Montgomery Ave. Those two entrances would then merge to form two rows of cars stacked to enter the car wash on the Eastern edge of the property, in front of the convenience store, merging to the N-S stacking column, toward the railroad tracks, endangering the residences at 110 W. Montgomery Ave., with their exhaust. The car wash would exit onto Woodside Road, just 100 feet from the railroad underpass. Have you experienced a true two-vehicle transit through the underpass? I doubt it, more like 1&1/2 cars or one car, one bike. Or one truck.

To date, no acceptable air, water, noise, or traffic pollution results have been entered into the zoning hearing meetings by Lehigh Oil. Their requests for non-conforming variances are unacceptable, and the parking plans are, as well, unacceptable and inadequate.

There have been several accidents at this intersection of late, a not unusual occurrence; ask any police officer or EMT about the numbers. At the most recent one, this week, I was allowed by the frustrated police officer to cross Montgomery on foot. He was most exasperated at controlling the traffic, and couldn't believe it when I told him there were plans to put a Mini-Mart and a car wash on the property.

...Please come June 5 to oppose the Lehigh Oil plans.

Emily S. Shook,

Ardmore