CRANBERRY TWP — The township supervisors Wednesday had a public hearing for a potential Shop 'n Save grocery store on Freedom Road.

The 64,000-square-foot facility would be built on six acres at Freedom Road's intersection with Haine School Road at the Freedom Square development.

The facility, which would have an entry road from Patriot Drive, would have a ground floor for retail and a mezzanine for offices and a community center. It would have a five-foot wooden fence on the perimeter to shield it from houses across the street.

Randy Morris, a developer representing the family that plans to build the store, said his client already owns five supermarkets in the Pittsburgh area and they've been "very good neighbors in other neighborhoods" where they own grocery stores.

He also said the proposed Shop 'n Save store is a "perfect fit" for Cranberry even though the store would be built across the street from a residential neighborhood. He said truck deliveries at the store would be prohibited from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and that the store would close at midnight every night.

Morris said his client will pay $559,180 in transportation impact fees to Cranberry, money that will be used to eventually widen Freedom Road. In addition, the developer will pay $375,000 for improvements to Haine School Road.

Some residents voiced displeasure over a large commercial development that would increase noise, traffic and light pollution in nearby residential neighborhoods.

Anthony Shiavone said he received an automated phone message that told him there have been no adequate studies done to see how the development would affect traffic. With an elementary school not far from the development site, he said he worries about children running to school next to large, 18-wheel trucks delivering supplies to the store "day and night."

He said he's lived in the township for almost 20 years and can remember when large delivery trucks were restricted from traveling near his house.

Billy Owens said the grocery store would be a "step in the backward direction" and urged the supervisors to curb the "Wild West development" taking place around the township.

He said he's lived in Cranberry for 10 years and, although township officials are getting better, Owens said years of bad urban planning will come back to haunt residents.

"The impact this store will have on traffic and quality of life for residents will be negative," he said.

Dan Page agreed with Owens, but he admitted he doesn't think anyone can stop the development. He said he's afraid nearby homes will be forced to deal with a heavy increase in traffic, light pollution from the store's parking lots and an increase in noise.

"They might be a family-owned company, but they don't seem very neighborhood friendly," he said.

The supervisors delayed a vote to approve the development and continued the hearing until Oct. 29 to allow for residents' comments.