The Adams Township Planning Commission approved a site development plan for a proposed GetGo gas station and convenience store at the intersection of Three Degree Road and Route 228, across from Mars Area High School.

The proposal will now go to the Adams Township Board of Supervisors, which will likely discuss it at a meeting on Sept. 13.

Planning Commission chairman Martin McKinney described the GetGo plan as being in a “unique situation on a unique spot in a unique location that's got a lot of changes coming.”

The plan was approved Wednesday night on the condition that Giant Eagle add plans for a fence between the GetGo and fields typically used by the soccer club, to prevent children from wandering onto the property.

Planning commission vice chairman Brett Schultz brought the fence addition to the table and referred to a similar fence at the Adams Township Municipal Building at 690 Valencia Road as an example of what could be built. “I hear about (this concern) from parents, about the ability for kids to just meander from the soccer fields,” said Schultz. “I don't want this to become a thru-way where there are 5 year olds walking.”

Mars Area Soccer Club president Aaron Wollerton said that MHY Services recently informed the club that for reasons unrelated to the GetGo plan, the club would not be permitted to play on the portion of the soccer fields owned by MHY in the future.

Wollerton said that he liked the idea of the GetGo, but was concerned about the removal of one out of three soccer fields from the club's use, and said that it might result in downsizing for the soccer club. “Right now, this season, we have record enrollment,” he said. “Losing a third of our fields might mean we have to reduce the number of kids playing soccer by about a third. I would hate to tell 200 kids that we don't have a place for them to play soccer, but right now I don't know what the alternative is.”

Previous meetings of the planning commission and board of supervisors involved residents and Mars Area School Board members speaking about concerns that the GetGo would sell alcohol and tobacco in close proximity to the Mars Area High School and MHY campus.Planning commission members asked for residents not to speak on the alcohol issue at the meeting Wednesday night, as any application for a liquor license will be dealt with at a future public hearing with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and Adams Board of Supervisors.Bill Sittig, representative from Giant Eagle, said he was aware of the previous comments and questions about the sale of liquor.“To the extent that that happens, that is a totally separate process,” Sittig said. “This is, by law, 'liquor neutral,' and that would happen separately — that is a board of supervisors public hearing, and that's not on the table. That is something that should be expected, but is not part of the application, and that will be something in the future.”The meeting to determine the liquor license has not yet been scheduled, but information will be posted online once a date is set.

Dave Barber, an Adams Township resident, said he was concerned about potential traffic increases around the GetGo. “As we all know (who) are in this room or drive that road, we're already over capacity at several points in time,” he said.He asked about a study to look at future traffic impacts. “Are we considering all that for the near future: that we're able to build and grow and move into that, so that we aren't in the same situation we are now?” he asked.Chairman McKinney said that the volume on Route 228 is controlled by PennDOT and not Adams Township, and that traffic studies are planned for future construction on 228.