SPRINGFIELD TWP, Mercer County — Marian Moors is standing her ground as a member of a citizens group that has long opposed a Super Wal-Mart in her neighborhood.

"My main concern is I just feel whenever Wal-Mart comes, they destroy the little people," Moors said. "They have all the money in the world and do as they wish, and they destroy the little businesses."

The Mercer County Citizens for Responsible Development on July 30 filed an appeal against the township's zoning hearing board in Mercer County Court regarding the board's decision that gave Wal-Mart approval to move forward with its project.

The group has delayed the development of the Wal-Mart since 2005.

On July 2, the zoning board denied an appeal made by the Citizens for Responsible Development. The appeal challenged the validity of an amendment in the ordinance, which allowed the project to progress after three years of contention. The township supervisors also approved the Wal-Mart plans in late July.

The development is to be built off Interstate 79, just east of the Prime Outlets.

Andrew Szefi, a representative of Citizens for Responsible Development, told the zoning board on May 21 the BP gas station and Boot Box stores, which are adjacent to the Wal-Mart property, would be treated differently because the Wal-Mart land has been rezoned as a C-1 commercial district, while the other two businesses remain C-2.

But Moors is more concerned with the effects Wal-Mart would have on the community than with the zoning issue itself.

"I'm more concerned about that, and my husband and I also worry about the paving over of every green place," Moors said. "We're sort of old-fashioned and we like things the way they are."

Szefi did not return phone calls this week. John Woods of Grove City, who also is listed in the appeal as a key member of the group, refused to comment.

Leslie Peters, an attorney representing Wal-Mart, said both the township and Wal-Mart are filing notices to intervene, as the zoning hearing board is the only party involved in the appeal, according to the documents.

"After that, we wait for the judge, submit briefs, have oral arguments and he will issue his decision," Peters said. "If he decides in our favor, they still have an opportunity to appeal to commonwealth court, and the same goes for us if he decides in the group's favor."

Peters said the zoning board was right in its decision because, as Moors testified, she clearly stated that she opposed Wal-Mart, and not the specific rezoning of the property.

"Her issues are not zoning related," Peters said.

The size of the building was reduced from 205,000 to 160,000 square feet, and the landscaped area was tripled because of that reduction, according to John Heyl of Lennon, Smith, Soulret Engineering. Heyl said the number of parking spaces was reduced, and a gas station is no longer included.