Sunpreet Signh, a recent lessee of the Lukoil gas pumps at 105 Greenwood Avenue in Wyncote, presented his application for the replacement of signs and a request for an increase of tobacco products permitted for sale within the location’s convenience store.

Signh’s application was discussed during Cheltenham Township’s Building and Zoning Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 4. The application called for the doubling of saleable tobacco products from the maximum allowed by the Township—20 percent—to 40 percent.

“We learned that you cannot go beyond 20 percent sales of tobacco products. We were told that we cannot sell drug paraphernalia or tobacco products. I am asking for 40 percent because the market has totally changed,” Signh said during the meeting. “The City of Philadelphia raised the taxes on these products. We are not selling any drug paraphernalia, just the e-cigarettes.”

Signh’s Lukoil was seeking zoning relief to effectively allow for a smoke shop categorization, which is not a permitted use within Wyncote’s historic district.

“The store space’s primary use is the service station and the gas pumps. The convenience store space is really more an accessory,” said Henry Sekawungu, Director of Planning and Zoning, Cheltenham Township.

In early August when Lukoil reopened for business, Signh had reportedly put up an LED sign that said “Vapor” in brightly lit letters.

“I called and asked them to take that sign down. They complied,” Sekawungu said.

“The sign then changed to open. The intention was announced very clearly and announced a market for vaping products,” commissioner Ann Rappoport said during the meeting. “When you walked in, it was all vape products. The sign came down after it was challenged. It was never a convenience store, so there’s a lot of false information being given to us. We know it’s 24 hours and 40 percent tobacco. It’s disingenuous. I fail to find any integrity in the application at all.”

From here, the Zoning Hearing Board will rule on Singh’s appeal on October 16. A written decision will be published within 45 days of the hearing.

“Vaping is a dangerous process, and you’re right across the street from a school. Why should we grant that?” Commissioner Brad Pransky asked during the meeting. “My concern is, what is to prevent you from bringing in something that is less than desirable to the community?”

Singh’s request received a unanimous vote against it.

“There is one last option for the Commissioners if the Zoning Hearing Board decides in favor of the application and we continue to disagree,” Rappoport said. “That would be to vote to oppose the ruling of the Board in appealing the Board’s opinion through the state court system, an extraordinarily rare action.”

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