Building Eyed by McDonald's to be Rented

The space at the Village of Newtown Shopping Center that was being eyed for demolition to make way for a McDonald's will be rented, officials told Patch.

"This probably eliminates the idea that McDonald's will move to purchase the building," explained township supervisor Rob Ciervo.

Ciervo said the township recently learned the owner of the Village of Newtown Shopping Center is seeking to rent the space. He said the entity looking to rent is an urgent care facility, which would need to come before the township for conditional use approval.

McDonald's had proposed demolishing the 6,000 square foot building adjacent to Wells Fargo Bank to construct a 58-seat restaurant with a drive-through window.

But after a months-long hearing in front of the township's zoning board, McDonald's in April withdrew its application for a Newtown location. At that time, the lawyer representing McDonald's said the applicant would be resubmitting a plan that would not require zoning relief. 

The application, which drew resistance from nearby neighborhoods, sought zoning relief to exceed the driveway aisle width requirement for a 3,911 square-foot fast food restaurant.

McDonald's needed zoning relief because the township’s ordinance requires all cart ways to be a minimum of 25 feet in width and was seeking to construct a drive-through window aisle that’s 18 feet wide in some areas.

See related links: 

• No Action Taken On McDonald's Application
• Planning Commission To Review Plans For McDonald's Tonight
• McDonald's Hearing Continued Until March
• Residents Continue to Oppose McDonald's
• McDonald's Withdraws Current Application for Newtown Location
• McDonald's Set To Appear Before Zoning Hearing Board Thursday

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