Supercharger - North Wales, PA

[mociaf9]

https://www.uppergwynedd.org/sites/uppergwyneddpa/files/uploads/1_april_6_zoning_boc.pdf [pdf]

593 DeKalb Pike, Tesla Charging Stations at Wawa ---- On Hold. Waiting U&O Application.

What: New supercharger in planning for installation at a Wawa in North Wales, PA.
Address: 593 Dekalb Pike, North Wales, PA 19454

GPS: 40.219368, -75.247004

@Chuq @MarcoRP

 

[Craig_in_PA]

Good find.

Someone please tell Tesla there's a Wawa in King of Prussia.

 

[Darmie]

Having a charger at Wawa makes for a great place to charge. Clean restrooms and a wonderful selection of food and snacks. There's even a sit down spot. Here in the Texas area, we have buc ee's. Great food and snack but never a sit down spot. Probably a good thing for they haven't bought into the charging idea yet.

 

[Craig_in_PA]

Thoughts:

1) Finally some love for Philly. Between this and Bensalem, all we need now is one in DelCo or Chester, although KoP is still a very good location.

2) I guess this means no Plymouth Meeting SuC? Tesla has claimed to be planning one for years, but this seems too close to require both. Wawa/Sheetz/Royal Farms locations seem to be chosen somewhat independently of what Tesla builds elsewhere. Supposedly going to be at the Whole Foods garage, so possibly an urban. Philly isn't DC where superchargers are closer together due to demand.

3) Can PECO actually deliver? They seem to have been the problem. We will see.

 

[model3fan]

This made my day. Thank you

 

[PhillyGal]

Having a charger at Wawa makes for a great place to charge. Clean restrooms and a wonderful selection of food and snacks. There's even a sit down spot. .

Most Wawas don't have sit down spots but still a great location for chargers because of the reasons you mentioned: clean restrooms and a lot of good snack options. From made to order hot foods to healthy/fresh prepackaged snacks like fruits and cheeses.

Thoughts:

1) Finally some love for Philly. Between this and Bensalem, all we need now is one in DelCo or Chester, although KoP is still a very good location.


3) Can PECO actually deliver? They seem to have been the problem. We will see.

1 - Yeah, I submitted Bensalem as a location 6 years ago because it's always been an obvious choice. (Back when they had a location suggestion webpage). I'm bummed Philly itself has no SCs that aren't urban/in paid parking lots, so that more people without dedicated parking at home can realistically own a Tesla. We have super large shopping centers right near I-95 in South Philly, River Wards (Castor/Aramingo) and the far Northeast.

3 - No, they can't. They actually told me my paperwork for turning on my home solar was "lost on someone's desk" for weeks. I had to call and hound myself for it to get the turn on inspection.

 

[Xebec]

Good find.

Someone please tell Tesla there's a Wawa in King of Prussia.

.. two Wawas in King of Prussia or at least the Target parking lot across the street from one of them..

 

[James Anders]

Great news. Another option besides Bensalem. SE PA and NE of Philadelphia needed some loving.

 

[GlmnAlyAirCar]

.. two Wawas in King of Prussia or at least the Target parking lot across the street from one of them..

Both the old-style Wawas with tiny parking lots....so neither is a good location. Of course there are countless other good locations in King of Prussia.

 

[Jeepxj]

Getting closer to KOP.

 

[Xebec]

Both the old-style Wawas with tiny parking lots....so neither is a good location. Of course there are countless other good locations in King of Prussia.

Not true - one of the Wawas was replaced with a much larger Wawa + Gas combination. It's in a plaza shared with Chick-Fil-A and a few other items. The lot is decent size as there is definitely room at the back of the lot that goes unused most of the time.

It's at 145 W Dekalb Pike 19406 ..

 

[GlmnAlyAirCar]

Not true - one of the Wawas was replaced with a much larger Wawa + Gas combination. It's in a plaza shared with Chick-Fil-A and a few other items. The lot is decent size as there is definitely room at the back of the lot that goes unused most of the time.

It's at 145 W Dekalb Pike 19406 ..

Good to know. I wasn't aware that it moved.

 

[North75]

Not true - one of the Wawas was replaced with a much larger Wawa + Gas combination. It's in a plaza shared with Chick-Fil-A and a few other items. The lot is decent size as there is definitely room at the back of the lot that goes unused most of the time.

It's at 145 W Dekalb Pike 19406 ..

But that location is pretty far from the major highways, through a typically very congested area. Closer to the mall or Wegman's would be much more ideal.

 

[darttater]

This is awesome! My parents live in Hatfield and every time I visit them coming up from MD, I'd need to go to Allentown for charging.

 

[model3fan]

Anyone done a drive by recently looking for update? I'll try to next time I'm in the area.

 

[Craig_in_PA]

Anyone done a drive by recently looking for update? I'll try to next time I'm in the area.

Planning to on Saturday.

 

[mociaf9]

Anyone done a drive by recently looking for update? I'll try to next time I'm in the area.

There's no need, it's still working its way towards getting the necessary local planning approvals. So, not even to the point where a building permit has been applied for yet and definitely still months away from breaking ground. It looks like Tesla will present at the 2020-09-14 planning board meeting for the public hearing of their application for conditional use approval. Once they get that, it will be easier to make a guess at the timeline moving forward.

See: https://www.uppergwynedd.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1351/f/uploads/tesla_conditional_use_request.pdf

 

[meeb]

The video of the board meeting is posted where they talk about the scheduling action item:

Board of Commissioners August 10, 2020 Public Meeting | Upper Gwynedd PA

Tesla portion starts at 1:39:45

Apparently a township bureaucrat has determined that since it's a "Tesla-only" charger, it requires conditional use approval. He seemed to indicate that if it supported non-Tesla cars it wouldn't require this extra steps that include a board meeting to approve a scheduled item for a second board meeting, in addition to a meeting of the zoning committee in between.. seems like a waste for some arbitrary reason. They also equate the Supercharger to charging stations that you find in office parks, which goes to show you how much they know about electric car charging. I guess they do need Tesla to come in and educate them.

There's a brand new Wawa that opened a mile away on 309, that trades the Starbucks across the (very busy) street for a Wendys next door. Here's hoping that Tesla chooses to switch to that location (in the next town over) if the conditions UG imposes are more nonsense.

 

[meeb]

Notice of conditional use meeting has been posted - scheduled for September 14 at 7pm. May be virtual.

Notice of Conditional Use Hearing- Tesla, Inc | Upper Gwynedd PA

 

[meeb]

Conditional use meeting was held, you can view the video on Upper Gwynedd's website, starts at around 14:25.

Board of Commissioners September 14, 2020 Public Meeting | Upper Gwynedd PA

Permit docs including what spaces will be used are here linked in the agenda:
https://www.uppergwynedd.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1351/f/agendas/september_14_2020_public_1.pdf

The township's issue was that people will be "walking around the area" of the charging stations, so they want signs to remind drivers to slow down and marking on pavement from the parking spaces used for charging to the gas canopy. As if these aren't already parking spaces, that people would, I don't know, park in, and then walk to the Wawa? Or are people that aren't charging their electric car much more likely to just sit in their cars and not visit the establishment? They also were attempting to pick and choose where the charging stations go. This is a really great example of bike-shedding at work.

In further craziness, the decision was stayed for two weeks because "all the numbers" ??? weren't available? The issue related to the conditional use question as to whether the "Lot was comprised of sufficient area" for both uses. The Tesla guy could have been more direct in just saying "yes", but the question is oblique in this instance. Gee, is there enough area on a 72,000 sq ft lot for 50 sq ft of equipment?

So, more billable hours for the the township planning consultant, township consulting engineer, and the court reporter. Important work that the township is doing here protecting us from these charging cabinets!

p.s. cat tax paid in attached video