WOOLWICH TWP. – On April 6, the Woolwich Township Committee heard representatives from AutoZone Northeast LLC explain plans for their proposed store location on Auburn Road. occupying one of the two pads near the entrance to the Shop Rite Shopping Center.
Because that area is part of the township’s redevelopment area, the developer must be designated by the township committee as a redeveloper to be able to get their 6,789 square foot building plan approved. After approval, the next step would be to get their plans approved by the Joint Land Use Board. The approval was not given by the committee at this meeting.
Woolwich Township Mayor Natalie Matthias requested new exterior. She said she was not comfortable with the design. “Woolwich Township has a little more character.” She wanted Auto Zone’s exterior customized to have the same exterior concept as the Shop Rite, to make it all blend.
McDonalds made a similar plan to the committee for construction on the second pad along Auburn Road. Matthias said that McDonald’s and Auto Zones’ shared area plans did not match, and this needed to be straightened out.
Auto Zone developers said that access to the store would be from the Shop Rite parking lot entrance off Auburn Road, as well as an access road running parallel to Auburn Road named Copper Road. This road would need to be constructed and would be privately funded.
The representative stated that this store would be a retail store only. No repairs would be done there, and deliveries would be made after store hours.
By Karen E. Viereck, Editor/Publisher
5 Responses
I find it disappointing that the only thing the Woolwich Committee is debating is the exterior visual aesthetic of these proposed businesses. Is an auto parts store and a second McDonalds in our small town really the best use for that property? I do not think so. This should be opposed.
These spots were originally designed for a fast food, and I think one, for a sit down restaurant but the market dictates what is actually going in there.
My thoughts exactly
Towns do not have the power to deny a business simply because the Mayor or Council prefers something else. If the zoning matches (as it does) there is really no grounds to deny a McDonald’s. If denied it would just end up in court, burn $30,000 of legal fees for the Township, and the developer would win. But also, its 2026 in the internet era, its not like there are companies fighting over the rights to build there. Couldve just as easily been a DollarTree or Car Wash, would those have been better?
I agree with Cary 100%