Middletown supervisors deny liquor‑license transfer for Bellevue Avenue gas station

The Middletown Township Board of Supervisors on Oct. 4 denied a request to transfer Pennsylvania liquor license R‑286 into Middletown for the convenience store at 452 South Bellevue Avenue in Langhorne, voting 5‑0 after a public hearing and resident objections.

At the hearing, attorney John Rogers said the applicant, Jayme Singh, planned to renovate the Pacerno's gas station and add beer and wine sales with measures such as RAMP‑trained employees, ID scanners and on‑site cameras. "We will be doing 60% of our employees RAMP certified," Rogers said, and submitted plans, policies and signage for the record.

Neighbors and board members pressed the applicant on hours, on‑premises consumption and safety. Resident Elizabeth "Becky" Gilbert, who lives across the street, urged the board to reject the transfer, warning that selling alcohol at the highway location could encourage drivers to stop and drink. "It's like giving people a loaded gun," Gilbert said.

Board members also raised two formal obstacles: a church within the statutory 300‑foot restriction for a "restrictive institution," and local access changes tied to PennDOT roadwork that may alter how drivers get to the site. Solicitor John Esposito noted that a church within 300 feet has standing to protest and that, if it did, the matter could proceed to a liquor‑control hearing.

Chair moved to deny the transfer, citing the church proximity and resident opposition; the motion carried, 5‑0.

The denial means the license will not be moved from Warrington Township to the Kai/Cayey applicant for the South Bellevue site unless the applicant pursues further administrative review or a protest is resolved. The board recorded no separate conditions or mitigation measures as part of the denial.

The hearing record included the applicant's exhibits (application, public notice, proof of neighbor notice and Middletown Resolution 01‑25R). The township did not vote on any subsequent land‑use or zoning change for the parcel during the meeting.