ADAMS TWP — Several members of the Mars Area School Board recently spoke out against a proposed GetGo station at the intersection of Route 228 and Three Degree Road regarding the site's location and items that would be sold at the store.

At an Adams Township planning commission meeting Aug. 10, several school board members presented a letter with their comments and concerns regarding the proposed station.

The GetGo site plan has not yet been approved for building, and will likely be voted on at the next planning commission meeting Sept. 1.

Board Member Anthony DePretis and Board President John Kennedy said that they were not against the proposition from a development standpoint, but because of the new building's proximity to students and the property's planned alcohol and tobacco sales.

The board has issues “concerning the potential sale of alcohol and tobacco products in close proximity to Mars Area School District properties and school buildings and also to Mars Home for Youth's Longmore Academy and its campus,” the statement reads. “Our concerns are not just with this particular project, but with any other development in the vicinity of the district properties and buildings that would have the potential to sell alcohol or tobacco.”

DePretis also said in the statement that he was worried about the increase in traffic that further developments at the intersection might cause.

“The concern is that such access for future commercial or larger-scale residential development will greatly increase traffic in front of the district's primary center, administrative offices and athletic fields,” he said. “It would potentially turn the MHY property's private driveway and road system into a cut-through to the extension of Brickyard Road. There are several safety concerns in having an extensive amount of traffic near and exposure to these young students.”

He said that while there may not be any plans to further develop any of the properties in the area, once public roads are in place it would be difficult to prevent access to them at some point in the future.

At a Mars Area School Board meeting last week, DePretis reiterated his opposition.

“I would encourage people to try and reach out and attend the next meeting,” he said. “There is a concern with development in and around several of these areas providing additional traffic on these roads directly in front of our school buildings. (GetGo)'s intent is to provide alcohol and tobacco sales. I don't know that the township has the ability to deny that, but that is something that I think people in the community should voice their concern with.”

DePretis said the goal is to get the township to limit any development with access to the roads close to the district, and to voice concerns related to tobacco and alcohol sales.

Balancing development

Adams Township Manager Gary Peaco said that when it comes to development, the priority with the township is following the law.

“Development and growth is slowing down in Adams Township, but we are still going to continue to grow, so we need that commercial tax base,” he said. “Trying to do it responsibly and minimize impact is going to be a challenge, and safety continues to be a priority.”

He said that intersections like this one are often popular with convenience stores such as GetGo because of easy access. He pointed out that the tax base is “heavy on the taxpayer side,” and that having commercial development is beneficial for the school district in the end.

“In Adams Township right now there is development, and we try and do it as responsibly as possible,” he said. “We're trying to manage it instead of trying to stop development altogether, and to be responsible with taxpayer dollars.”