Washington Borough considers gas stations with apartments in Route 31 Gateway District
Washington Borough Council has introduced a proposal that could allow a mixed-use automobile fuel station, convenience store and upper-story apartments on qualifying property in part of the borough’s downtown redevelopment area.
Ordinance 2026-16 received its first reading at the council’s July 21, 2026, meeting. The scheduled public hearing is September 1, 2026.
The proposal concerns Washington Borough in Warren County, not Washington Township. It would amend the borough’s Downtown Redevelopment Plan for the Route 31 Gateway District, within the downtown area associated with Routes 31 and 57.
What the ordinance would allow
If adopted, the ordinance would add mixed-use projects with an automobile fuel station, convenience store and residential units above the ground floor as a conditional use in the district. The proposed definition of an automobile fuel station includes electric-vehicle charging but excludes automobile maintenance and repair services such as tire changes, oil changes, body work, painting and other maintenance or replacement of vehicle parts.
The records reviewed do not identify an applicant, developer or specific parcel. The ordinance is a zoning and redevelopment-plan proposal, not a construction announcement.
Limited location and size standards
The proposed use would be limited to corner lots with frontage along Route 31, Route 57 and Jackson Avenue. A qualifying lot would need to contain at least 28,000 square feet.
The proposal would permit one principal building with a maximum footprint of 3,100 square feet. The building would have to be at least two stories and 25 feet high, with no more than three ground-floor retail spaces. Each residential unit would need to contain at least 650 square feet.
The ordinance also sets different front-yard setbacks for the three road frontages and requires the building’s primary frontage to face Route 57. Access drives would be limited to Route 31 and Jackson Avenue and would have to be at least 50 feet from the nearest public pedestrian crosswalk.
Fuel, hours, parking and pedestrian protections
Fuel tanks, dispensing equipment and related machinery would have to be at least 45 feet from the building containing the convenience store and residences. Retail operations, including fuel sales, would be limited to 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fuel deliveries could occur outside those hours, while other deliveries would remain subject to the restriction.
The proposal would require separate entrances for commercial and residential uses, reserved residential parking, sidewalks connecting public rights-of-way with retail and residential entrances, seating areas and parking, and crosswalks across driveways that interrupt sidewalks.
It also calls for publicly accessible outdoor seating along Route 57, screening for equipment and refuse areas, landscaping, architectural design standards and dark-sky-compliant lighting. Lighting would have to be directed away from residences and dimmed after operating hours to no more than 0.5 footcandles at the property line.
Land Use Board review comes next
After the first reading, the ordinance must be referred to the Washington Borough Land Use Board. Under the ordinance, the board would have 45 days after referral to report whether the amendment is substantially consistent with the borough’s Master Plan. The reviewed records do not document the referral date, so no exact review deadline can be calculated.
The council’s scheduled public hearing is September 1, 2026. Until the hearing, board review and any later vote, the proposed rules remain pending. Adoption would not guarantee that a project is built, change taxes or establish that a particular property will be developed.
Sources
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