Open space in the area of Township Line and State roads in Upper Darby has become a lightning rod for developers.
The latest proposal is a car wash near the intersection on three undeveloped acres known as the Mozino property, writes Pete Bannan for the Daily Times.
It would sit next to and behind the Speedway gas station, bordering the Idle-Hour Tennis Club over to Bella Vista Road.
The Upper Darby Zoning Hearing Board is scheduled to hear a variance request Sept. 30 from property owner Route One Land Co. LLO for the car wash. The property is currently zoned half commercial and half residential.
Near the same intersection, next to Collingbrook United Church, a developer wants to build a mixed-use development on 14.5 acres.
Community members oppose the car wash proposal, arguing it would take away open space and make flooding issues worse at nearby Darby Creek.
“This is one of the last remaining undeveloped spaces in Upper Darby,” said Lee Jordan, a member of the Pilgrim Gardens Aronimink Civic Association. “The township already faces a severe shortage of green space. To allow this development to occur would be unwarranted.”
Read more about reactions to the proposed car wash in the Daily Times.
Editor’s Note: This post was initially published on DELCO Today in September 2025.
