The Bensalem Township Zoning Hearing Board will meet on February 5, 2026, to hear the following requests. This month’s agenda features two continued cases regarding a major commercial redevelopment and a new home construction, alongside two new residential requests.
The Commercial/Big Projects (High Impact)
- Address: 1214 Bristol Pike
- The Owner: 1214 Bristol Andalusia LLC
- The Request: This is a continued hearing for a proposal to transform the property into a gas station and convenience store. The owner is asking for several rules to be waived, including those regarding building closer to the property lines (setbacks), providing less-than-required off-street parking, and reducing the “buffer yard” and planting strips that separate the business from neighboring houses.
- Why it Matters: The project involves significant issues with too much pavement (impervious coverage) and seeks to reduce the mandatory green space between a high-traffic commercial business and adjacent residential homes.
- Address: Paris Ave & Charles V. Ellzy Way
- The Owner: Squire Home Builders LLC
- The Request: This continued hearing involves a request to build a single-family home on a lot that currently doesn’t meet the standard size or width requirements. They are also asking for permission to cover more of the lot with the building and pavement than typically allowed.
- Why it Matters: This case addresses “infill” development and whether a standard home can fit on a lot that is technically too small under current zoning laws.
Residential/Homeowner Requests (Low Impact)
- 2253 New York Ave: Homeowners Jianfeng Huang and En Chen are seeking relief from several rules regarding an existing two-story deck and shed. They are over the limit for building and pavement coverage and have issues with how close these structures sit to the property lines and each other.
- 2969 Columbia Dr: Homeowner Niu Do is seeking relief from distance-to-property-line rules (setbacks) to construct a new deck and place a proposed shed on the property.
The “Deep Dive” on 1214 Bristol Pike
The applicant, 1214 Bristol Andalusia LLC, is represented by attorney Michael J. Meginniss. They are looking for a significant “variance” package to turn the site into a gas station and convenience store.
What they are asking for specifically:
- The Big Switch: They want to use the property for a gas station/convenience store, which isn’t standard for this specific zoning spot.
- Pavement Problems: The plans call for more “impervious coverage” (pavement and building footprint) than rules allow, which can raise red flags for local stormwater drainage.
- Property Line Squish: They are asking to build closer to the front and side property lines than usually permitted (setbacks).
- Parking & Logistics: The proposal includes requests to modify rules for off-street parking and the specific spaces used for loading and unloading delivery trucks.
- Neighbor Relations: Perhaps most importantly for those living nearby, they are asking to reduce the size of the “buffer yard” and “planting strips” that are supposed to act as a screen between the new commercial business and the adjacent residential homes.
Meeting Details
- When: February 5, 2026, at 7:00 pm
- Where: Bensalem Township Building, 2400 Byberry Road
