New Gas Station Moving Along in Piqua
Vol. III, No. 316 - Piqua Planning Commission Meets Tonight
The Piqua Planning Commission meets tonight at 6 p.m. at 201 W. Water Street, and one item on the five-item agenda is already drawing regional attention. A Wawa convenience store and fuel station is one vote away from having its site officially assembled — and it’s landing in a county where the debate over gas stations has gotten sharp.
Wawa isn’t new to Miami County. The Pennsylvania-based chain, known for its fresh food, fuel, and 24-hour operations, has a location already under construction at the northwest corner of County Road 25A and Kessler-Cowlesville Road in Tipp City. That project received full subdivision approval in earlier and is moving forward. The Piqua location on East Ash Street near the Aldi on the East Ash Street corridor would be a second Miami County foothold for the chain, which has been methodically expanding across the Miami Valley over the past two years.
The timing couldn’t be more pointed. Late last year, Troy City Council voted to impose a moratorium on new gas station approvals, blocking any new fuel station permits through at least May 30th. Development Director Tim Davis framed it plainly: “We have over 20 gas stations, which is high for a town of our size.”
Troy isn’t alone — Tipp City and Huber Heights passed similar moratoriums at the end of 2025. As of tonight, Piqua is taking the opposite posture, actively welcoming Wawa while its neighbors pump the brakes. That’s a strategic choice, and residents deserve to know that’s what it is.
The vote tonight isn’t the permit itself. The Commission is being asked to approve a lot split — carving 0.544 acres from a city-owned parcel that sits behind the main development site and currently houses a municipal water tower. The city entered a purchase and sale agreement for that land in June 2025. The developer needs the parcel combined with two adjacent lots before the full site is ready to build. The city retains access to the water tower through a dedicated drive the developer is providing at no cost. Once tonight’s Planning Commission signs off and City Commission follows with final authorization, the three parcels become one development-ready lot for a 6,000-square-foot store, fuel pumps, and parking.
The site plan does include one genuine positive: the consolidation reduces the total number of curb cuts onto US-36, which is the right outcome for a high-traffic state highway. City staff say the project is consistent with Piqua’s comprehensive plan and have recommended approval.
The rest of tonight’s agenda carries real weight too. The Commission will consider a final plat for Whitetail Bend, the 75-home D.R. Horton subdivision formerly known as Deerfield Crossing, which has been delayed over a stormwater dispute with the adjacent Deerfield HOA. They’ll also vote on a rezoning on High Street that would allow 36 townhomes near Robert M. Davis Parkway, and a land consolidation on Drake Road involving 607 acres of Heavy Industrial property — a parcel that all signs point toward a future data center development.
Tonight’s meeting starts at 6 p.m. in Commission Chambers at 201 W. Water Street. Residents are welcome to attend. Civic Capacity will report on the outcomes.
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