A dozen residents would like Hempfield supervisors to reconsider a proposal to put a new fire station in their neighborhood, citing traffic concerns, the potential effect on property values and past underground mining.
Those who live at the confluence of Arona, Harry Long and Monkey Wrench roads questioned the proposal and its potential ramifications in asking supervisors to consider alternate locations. Many of them, like Andrew Hickey, live within feet of property the township intends to buy at the split of Arona and Harry Long roads.
“I’m close enough that every siren, light and truck will impact my home directly,” Hickey said at the Monday meeting of the supervisors.
Residents criticized the board’s November approval of a conditional sales agreement to buy property for $375,000 with plans to build a fire station to cover the western part of the township. The board voted 3-2 last month after Adamsburg firefighters expressed concerns that the proposed location would increase their response time to emergency calls.
The current Adamsburg station is 70 years old and on a dangerous curve on Edna Road, just off Route 30. The new station would be about 2 1/2 miles south.
Township officials have been searching the western part of Hempfield for more than a year for an appropriate spot. Construction would be funded by $5 million allocated from a 2022 bond.
Township manager Aaron Siko said the new 7,000-square-foot, four-bay station will not have a social hall or exterior siren. The 5.3-acre property owned by James C. Durst Jr. was not for sale, but officials sought out interest from the owner because of its location.
A home and a commercial greenhouse on the land would be demolished if the sale goes through.
Officials are aware of its mining history, Siko said. The property could be transferred in the next month. Afterwards, environmental studies and boring samples will help determine more details about the mining past.
“Under mining doesn’t automatically exclude a building, it just changes the type of foundation,” he said.
Concern about interesection
Many of the residents who shared worries about the proposal described the split of Arona and Harry Long roads, with Monkey Wrench Road close by, as a dangerous intersection.
“When I come to that intersection I give a couple Hail Marys and pray to God that nobody’s coming around that intersection coming north towards Route 30,” said Gerald Coulson, who lives on Windcrest Drive. “You can’t see down that road.”
Pat Zink of Monkey Wrench Road said she experienced two near-misses at the intersection in a recent week.
“You’re making a residential street a public thoroughfare and I don’t think it’s going to be safe,” she said.
Officials have taken known issues about the intersection into consideration and are proposing safety measures in addition to adjusting the roads, Siko said. Access to the station would be from Arona Road.
“Conceptual planning for the site would include realignment of Harry Long Road where it would intersect into a T intersection with Arona Road,” he said. “We’d take a look at realigning Monkey Wrench Road into Harry Long Road.”
The site already has public water but public sewage could be brought to the neighborhood through the development, Siko said.
Still seeking alternates
Residents expressed concern that they weren’t notified of the proposed purchase. Township officials are permitted to discuss land acquisition negotiations behind closed doors because it is considered privileged information.
Officials said the location was beneficial based on geography. Any change in response times compared to the existing Adamsburg station are expected to be nominal, they said.
“The station would ultimately be serving the western part of the township …, that is broader than just the Adamsburg area,” Siko said.
Supervisors thanked the residents for sharing their concerns. Supervisor George Reese, who voted against the conditional sales agreement, remains opposed to the location. He said he is looking for alternate spots and encouraged residents to ask questions of officials.
“I think supervisors hear you, we heard what you said here this evening, and I think as we move forward and the decisions we make in the future, these comments you made will sit with us, they’ll actually set the course of where we’re headed.”