JAMES CITY COUNTY — The James City County (JCC) Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the construction of a new Wawa convenience store and fuel sales on Ironbound Road.
During the Tuesday, Feb. 8 meeting, the Board heard a request from Mark Rinaldi of Bush Construction Corporation for a special use permit (SUP) to build a 6,049 square-foot convenience store at 4007 Ironbound Rd. that would have 360-degree architectural treatment and six fueling islands.
The JCC Planning Commission voted unanimously to recommend approval to the Board in early January.
The new store will be built on a vacant plot located at the corner of Monticello Avenue and Ironbound Road. The site is bounded by Mt. Pleasant Church, Ironbound Road Mini Storage, Courthouse Commons and James City Service Authority’s (JCSA) water tanks.
According to the applicant’s traffic impact analysis, the store is expected to generate an average of 3,917 daily trips.
To mitigate roadway concerns, a traffic impact analysis recommended the installation of two turning lanes on Ironbound Road.
The applicant’s attorney, Vernon Geddy, told the Board on Tuesday that the site allows customers and residents of New Town or Settlers Market to access the prospective convenience store and fuel sales by crossing Monticello Avenue rather than traveling along it.
As a result, this will keep travelers off of the congested segment of Monticello Avenue, which is west of Route 199. Currently, this is where the only convenience store with fuel sales is located.
“This does provide a needed use in this location on the east side of Route 199 to serve the residents and customers of New Town,” Geddy said.
Geddy noted that it would also generate significant tax dollars for the County and provide the needed overflow parking for Mt. Pleasant Church, which would address its longstanding parking issues.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the project.
