Although development leads to the need for clean, potable water, sometimes the search for that water gets in the way of development.

Plans for the South Antrim Business Center may change and less land may be available for development due to the hunt for water.

"Efforts are being made by the water authority (Greencastle Area, Franklin County, Water Authority) to seek a well site on the Gayman property," Scott Diffenderfer, chairman of the Antrim Township Board of Supervisors, told members of the Greencastle-Antrim Council of Governments on Tuesday.

The group, consisting of representatives from Greencastle-Antrim school board, the borough and the township, have been meeting since December to work toward attracting commercial growth to the area while controlling residential development.

Some Greencastle and Antrim Township officials said that plans to drill a well on the Gayman property could jeopardize plans for completion of the connector road and the business park.

The Gayman property, owned by Harold Gayman, covers most of Phase 2 of the connector road. The road is needed to optimize South Antrim Business Center — a proposed 435-acre property with mixed zoning that includes light industrial, highway commercial, professional and community commercial — and would run from Leitersburg Pike to U.S. 11, according to Gary Gembe, president of the Greencastle-Antrim Area Development Corp.

In an effort to attract businesses to the area, Antrim Township embarked on Phase 1 of a connector road project that would connect the area north of Pa. 16 with Leitersburg Pike. The infrastructure of Phase 1 — the road with water and sewer lines — has been completed. Once phases 1 and 2 are completed, the connector road project will connect exits 3 and 5 of Interstate 81.

Diffenderfer said that Evon Barvinchack, chairman of the water authority, told the council of governments at March's meeting that he wouldn't look for water on the Gayman property.

"The municipal water authority said, 'If you don't want us to go there, we won't go there,'" Diffenderfer said. "The next thing we know, they're going there. I can't understand that."

"I don't remember saying, 'We're not going to develop the Gayman land,'" said Barvinchack when contacted by phone Tuesday evening.

He said fracture trace analysis and geophysical analysis has been conducted on five sites, including the Gayman tract, G-A school property, Tayamentasachta Environmental Cen-

ter and areas north and south of Pa. 16 — and the Gayman tract has the greatest potential for the highest well yield.

"This community is exploding and water demand is exploding with it. We're looking down the road and what the demand is going to be in 10 years," Barvinchack said. "If they develop Phase 2, where is all this water going to come from?

"It's the old story: We want development. We want water, but don't go in our back yard," Barvinchack said.

So far, no test wells have been drilled on the Gayman tract.

Barvinchack doesn't see how drilling on the land will put the connector road in jeopardy.

"If we buy several acres to protect the well and put in a nice park, how does that negatively impact their development? I think they are being shortsighted on this," Barvinchack said. "If you want to develop something, you're going to need water and water is where you find it. And one plot of ground is not going to make or break this park financially."

But, Gembe said the area is going to lose earned income tax revenue if land for the well is taken out of prime commercial land.

"We're trying to work with them, but they have to come off the dead center of no," Barvinchack said. "How many communities around here have a moratorium on water usage? We're trying to be proactive and not get into a position where we have moratoriums."

Hal Myers, Greencastle-Antrim school board member, suggested looking at other areas for water and staying away from the connector road.

"I'll assure you there's water out there," he said.

"We need water, but we don't need this well disrupting development," said G-A school board president Ronald Troskoski. "We all need to cooperate together."

"I think the township has invested its share to this connector road by putting Phase 1 on line. We want to keep it moving," Diffenderfer said. "If Phase 2 doesn't happen, what's going to happen when Phase 1 is built out? All that traffic is going to hit Leitersburg Street and come right by the school. That's the last thing we want to happen."

Originally published June 22, 2005