The Gettysburg Borough Council and its police department have a message for drivers traversing the historic town.
Slow down.
At their meeting on Monday, the council concurred that the police department should purchase five electronic signs that show drivers their vehicle’s speed. Officer-in-Charge Chris Evans recommended the signs in response to speed complaints. The signs cost between $3,000 and $9,000 based on available features. Moon said Evans recommends solar-powered signs that can easily be moved to troublesome spots.
Council President Matthew Moon said Baltimore, Hanover, Buford, West Middle, and York streets are the most problematic areas. The borough is asking PennDOT if it can place the signs on the roads it controls.
The council also identified 4th Street and Long Lane as trouble spots. The borough owns those streets and can place the signs as it wishes.
“Locals know where the roads less traveled are and they can use them at a high rate of speed,” Moon said.
The signs will be purchased with money allocated for capital projects this year, Moon said.
Hillcrest Parking
Some residents of Hillcrest Place want a preferred parking status. Others do not. Council seems inclined to make them all happy.
In May, residents petitioned the borough asking for the street to be named a residential zone. The requestors said that Gettysburg Area School District’s practice of charging for parking at its middle and elementary schools in town has pushed tourists to their street. At the time, the council unanimously supported the request and asked Solicitor Harry Eastman to draft an ordinance.
When the ordinance was advertised, other residents of the street became alarmed. Those residents, council said, petitioned the borough to keep the street a free-for-all.
Chris Berger and Peter Bales supported keeping the street as is. Alisha Sanders, Chad-Alan Carr, and Patti Lawson said they support making the street half residential permit only and half open to all. Moon said he had no opinion. With the majority leaning towards a compromise, Moon asked Eastman to amend the proposed ordinance.
“We voted to have an ordinance written, then we defeated ourselves,” Moon said.
Berger acknowledged the quandary, but noted residents did not voice their support of the status quo until the ordinance proposal was advertised. Moon encouraged residents to subscribe to borough email alerts and watch meetings online.
“It is contingent upon everyone who lives here to stay informed,” he said.
Alex J. Hayes has spent almost two decades in the Adams County news business. He is passionate about sharing stories focused on the people in our communities and following local governments in an age when few journalists report on their meetings. Alex is also a freelance writer for several other publications in South Central Pennsylvania. Alex encourages readers to contact him at ahayes83@gmail.com.