Plum and Oakmont residents and business owners are organizing to protest a proposed Sheetz at Hulton and Coxcomb Hill roads.
The Concerned Citizens of Oakmont and East Oakmont has formed in advance of Plum Planning Commission's consideration of the plan, which was orginally supposed to happen on Monday. However, Sheetz Inc. asked the planning commission to hold off considering its request until May 18.
Sheetz wants to build a new gas station, complete with a convenience store, outdoor seating and a car wash.
The residents who are against the plan cite noise and light pollution, increased traffic, environmental impact and lower property values as some of the reasons they hope the commission will deny Sheetz' application.
Sheetz is asking for site plan approval and for a conditional use approval.
The property, which is owned by T.D. Holdings of Cheswick, is zoned commercial. While a convenience store is a permitted use, installing gas tanks requires special permission.
Plum resident Tom Messenger said he is concerned that the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs under Hulton Road, might open up near the Sheetz location to take advantage of the gas station and cause more traffic to come through the area.
Messenger told the group that it's important for residents concerned about the plan to come to the planning commission meeting.
"If we can't stop what's going on, this is when we can throw provisions in on the lighting, drainage and plantings on the plan," Messenger said.
"My take on it is that this is not a done deal, and the surrounding community has a great deal of influence. Input from the community weighs heavy, so let's go fight them."
Frank Furko, who owns the farm next door to the proposed Sheetz location, said his property has flooded since the site was filled in with new dirt.
He is concerned that additional asphalt will increase the flooding.
One aspect of the plan that seems to concern the residents the most is the elimination of a right-hand turning ramp that bypasses the traffic light at that intersection and permits traffic continuing on Hulton Road to avoid stopping at the light.
The plan calls for the gas pumps to be installed where the turning ramp is now.
Such a move will require PennDOT approval and is not part of the planning commission process.
Those at the meeting estimated that half of the traffic that comes up the hill from Oakmont turns right at that intersection, and they are concerned that without the turning lane, traffic will back up.
Ellen Allston, a Plum resident who lives two houses down from the proposed site, said she is worried that without the turning lane people will find a way to make another, more dangerous, shortcut.
Allston is also concerned about the store's lights flooding her daughter's bedroom.
Lorna Irvin, owner of Doone's Inn at Oakmont beside S&T Bank on Hulton Road, said she is worried about her patrons whose bedrooms will look down on the gas station.
"They'll be looking down at the gas station with the lights and the noise and the traffic," Irvin said.
Allston said the residents near that intersection are used to the traffic noise that comes from the turnpike, but said it's like a low drone and doesn't affect them too much.
"If this goes through our quality of life will be so affected," said Allston.
"A bank and some shops wouldn't be as bad, but a gas station has all those fumes from cars left idling. It's a 24-hour operation."
According to the plans, the 5,000-square-foot convenience store would be set back from the pumps. It would be a red brick building with red awnings. The drawings show several tables with umbrellas for outdoor seating.
There are two entrance and exit points on Hulton Road, one on each side of the property.
The neighboring properties are zoned commercial, residential and as conservation land.
According to a flyer being distributed by the Concerned Citizens, another issue is the idea of gas tanks being installed so close to conservation land.
Kristie Linden is a staff writer with the Plum Advance-Leader.
