Susan Cipperly 
Main Street Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Borough Council have released the description of events planned for Remembrance Day this year. Organizers went all out this year in celebration of the 250th anniversary of our country. A steam locomotive will arrive from York on November 18. An actor will portray Abraham Lincoln, arriving at the historic
In 2024, HARB reviewed the proposed Gettysburg Station project. No fences were included. I asked why the new Transit Station was not also being reviewed. Mr. Harrison said it would be designed later. It appeared as a simple rectangle with a U-shaped loop until 2026. I have commented that fences on both sites should require
I was able to watch part of the Planning Commission meeting on July 20, 2026 on YouTube. It was hard to hear the developer and his engineer because they were sitting in the audience, not at the table with the microphones. There are some potential impacts stemming from moving the Transit Station from Carlisle Street
Some members of Gettysburg Borough Council and others in the local government have encouraged residents to believe information from borough government and its partners instead of published articles by local residents relative to the Gettysburg Station project and the Rezoning effort. One apparent “partner” is the developer of the Gettysburg Station project, Mr. Harrison. His
Gettysburg has been the subject of public notoriety in the past year, most recently with the resignation of the newly elected Mayor due to criminal charges by the State Police. For TV, press, and social media, this will be a recurring topic. The same exposure happened when the Borough Manager was charged with a DUI
In April 1775, Lexington and Concord Massachusetts, saw the beginning of the Revolutionary War between the thirteen colonies and Great Britain. Concord Bridge witnessed “The shot heard round the world”. These battles were smaller and of less duration than Gettysburg, but of great significance to American history. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted,
In September, Gettysburg Borough Council discussed the proposed Rezoning ordinance. Mr. Moon stated that Borough population decreased between the 2010 and 2020 census – implying that our population is declining so we need to attract more people. The 2020 Census was lower due to Covid and the fact that students were not here. Gettysburg is
The following is a statement made to the Gettysburg Planning Commission at its July 21 meeting. To the Planning Commission: During the year that the Planning Commission was revising the Rezoning document, I provided public comments that usually included a map or two. During my 5 minutes, the image was shown on the screen so
Oversight of the police department is assigned to the position of Mayor under the Pennsylvania Municipal Code. The DCED Mayor’s Manual states: “The mayor is the only elected executive officer in borough government. In contrast to the council, the mayor acts alone in carrying out mayoral powers and duties, which are primarily in the areas
The Gettysburg Planning Commission has been reviewing the proposed rezoning document, developed by a task force and consultant, which includes significant changes to the R-2 Moderate Density Residential zoning district (green areas in the attached map). A concerning aspect of the proposal is the addition of commercial uses to the R-2 zone, which has historically
Early in 2024, I asked Borough Council to consider broadcasting Planning Commission meetings while they were undertaking the Rezoning review and the Gettysburg Station project. I mentioned the value of having a record of decisions made at these meetings, and not everyone can attend in person. I was told that it wasn’t in the 2024
On August 29 the Borough of Gettysburg Planning Department held an open house to present information about the rezoning effort that is currently underway. The Planning Commission is discussing individual districts at their regular meetings (3rd Monday of each month, 7 p.m.) At the open house, John Whitmore, Planning Director made a presentation, with plenty
The long-awaited drawings for the Gettysburg Station project were unveiled at the July 17th HARB meeting. The developer’s architect presented modern style buildings appropriate for a suburban office park, and did not even attempt to use elements of design reflecting the historic look of Gettysburg. It is possible to build new structures and have them
By Sue Cipperly, Gettysburg The Gettysburg Comprehensive Rezoning effort is needed. Piecemeal adjustments over the years have left the zoning ordinance contradicting itself, or including parts that don’t work as written. New uses have arrived in our world, and by Pennsylvania law, we need to decide where they can fit into our community. A small
At its March 27, 2023 work session, after two public hearings, the Gettysburg Borough Council discussed the proposed event venue ordinance that will affect seven zoning districts, and the proposed zoning map change that pertains to Johns and Highland Avenues. In support of the map change, Mr. Stone of Colt Park provided an eloquent statement
On Monday, March 27, the Gettysburg Borough Council will hold public hearings for two proposed zoning ordinance changes that will affect two neighborhoods in the Third Ward. One is the Johns Ave/Highland Avenue area, where there are single-family homes with good-sized yards, just south of the hospital. The other is just north of the hospital,
The Gettysburg Borough Council has been working for over a year on inserting a new category of “Event Venue” into the zoning ordinance. The owners of 68 W. High Street (as of Dec. 2020) want to have a business that would involve both indoor and outdoor events such as bridal showers and wedding receptions, parties,
The Borough Council was asked to consider a change to the zoning ordinance for the Elm Street Overlay area, which lies between Middle Street and South Street, and between Franklin Street and Court Alley (the Methodist Church) on West High Street. (See map) This area has been dubbed “Olde Getty Place”. The change request is