Monday evening's Peters Township council meeting was packed with angry residents who urged council to reject road plans for a new development off East McMurray Road.

After more than 90 minutes of public debate, audience members persuaded council to turn down a request by Duane Anthony, of Anthony Farms, and developer Thomas B. McCloskey to modify plans for their new development, Wuthering Heights.

Mr. Anthony and Mr. McCloskey had asked the township to allow them to construct an access road connected to Clubview Drive for the 54-unit housing development.

But, dozens of residents of Clubview and nearby Center Church Road and Bethany Drive told council their roads were already overly congested with traffic.

Adding another intersection with Clubview also would exasperate dangerous road conditions due to the road's steep grades and treacherous curves, residents said.

Council, which already received numerous letters and a petition from 88 residents, said it wanted more information about possible access with East McMurray Road in lieu of or in addition to the Clubview Drive access.

An engineer for the developer said that while such a configuration was possible, the steep terrain and existing traffic congestion on East McMurray could hamper design and construction.

Some council members said they felt the development should have at least two entrances, but a motion to make a second access road onto East McMurray Road a mandatory part of the plan failed by a 2-5 vote, with Councilmen Robert Lewis and Robert Atkison in favor.

Council also defeated a motion to allow the single access road with Clubview by a 2-5 vote, with Councilmen James Berquist and Michael McCaig in favor and members Monica Merrell, Frank Arcuri, David Ball, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Atkison dissenting.

Council encouraged Mr. McCloskey to come back with another plan. The 51-acre site has been operated as a farm by Mr. Anthony's family since the 1950s.