AMITY >> The future 5- acre AutoZone site off Route 422 will also contain a Wendy’s fast food restaurant.
Dave Weaver, professional engineer at Penn E&R of Hatfield told the Amity Township Planning Commission on April 11 that the AutoZone just received its highway occupancy permit for driveway entrances and exits onto east and westbound Route 422.
The land, zoned highway commercial, is located on Route 422, just west of Maplewood Drive. It will include entrances from both directions of the east-west highway.
Plans are ready to be signed by township supervisors and commission members and then to be recorded with Berks County.
Bill Rountree, director of development at Wright Partners of Philadelphia submitted the conceptual plan for the AutoZone and two smaller retail stores to the township in November 2016.
In addition to the Wendy’s the new commercial development will also feature a Dunkin’ Donuts.
Township officials granted conditional final approval last July. That enabled Rountree to purchase the land.
The land development approval process was stalled while Rountree waited for permits from state agencies.
Phase 1 construction of the AutoZone will start this spring.
Phase 2 will include separate buildings for the Wendy’s, a relocated Dunkin’ Donuts (from its current location at 955 Benjamin Franklin Highway), and an office/medical office building.
That construction will start in the fall.
Planning Commission members approved five of the six variance requests for 2-foot smaller parking spaces near the proposed store, a reduction in the number of required parking spaces, a zero-foot improvement setback and buffer zone at the internal lot lines, loading dock changes, and increased impervious coverage on one lot.
The signage request, which was different than the 220-square-foot, per sign request submitted to the Board of Supervisors was denied, as well as the developer’s original request for a 30-foot monument sign.
Planners unanimously approved to recommend to the Zoning Board a 15-foot, freestanding AutoZone monument sign, and four additional monument signs – one on the eastbound traffic side and three for the westbound side of Route 422.
