When the Gettysburg Borough Council meets, one can safely assume that parking will be discussed. During Monday’s council workshop, the governing body advanced more more paid spaces, discussed the holiday season fee waiver, and contemplated rates for 2025.
Fees
Borough Parking Manager Becka Fissel is not proposing any changes to parking fees in 2025. She does, however, want the council to discuss how to hand mobile app fee increases.
Fissel said the company, Pay by Phone, currently charges customers who use the app 35 cents. They also charge the borough an additional 30 cents per transaction. Fissel said the price was increased earlier this year from 15 cents after the 2024 rates were set.
Council President Matthew Moon asked Fissel to return to the council with data that shows the impact of passing the fee onto the consumer.
“Right now, it seems that we are paying for the parker’s convenience to park,” he said.
Fissel also asked the council to allow staff to sell Local Privilege Parking Permits that are valid for longer than one month. Fissel said residents have expressed a desire to pay upfront in six or 12-month increments. Council supported the request.
Constitution Avenue
Fissel told the council that Gettysburg College requested parking spaces to be added along Constitution Avenue. Fissel said the college is strapped for on-site parking during special events and would benefit from the current no parking zone.
Fissel believes the borough could fit 50 spaces on the east side of Constitution Avenue. She said parking is outlawed there because the street was once narrower. The council supported the request and will work to advertise an ordinance revision.
Fissel said future parkers on Constitution Avenue will be required to use the Pay By Phone app. She said traditional meters are hard to find and would require maintenance and coin collection. The borough currently only accepts app payments on West Lincoln and West Broadway, which are also near the college.
Holiday Parking
The council also expressed support for free parking near Lincoln Square on Mondays through Thursdays from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve.
Councilmember Chad-Alan Carr supported the proposal but suggested taking it one step further.
“I just don’t like that we charge Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,” Carr said. “It is a huge boost to our economy to have all of the shopping and dining going on and all of the tourists who come into town.”
Fissel said the Gettysburg Area Retail Merchants Association (GARMA) requested Monday through Thursday so locals would benefit and visitors would pay.
Carr acknowledged that his proposal would be detrimental to borough coffers. He said shoppers are often confused by the signs, a problem Moon does not think can be remedied.
“I have witnessed people read the meter and go ‘I guess we don’t have to pay it.’ I don’t understand how they come to that conclusion,” Moon said. “I have also seen them pull up to bagged meters that say ‘No Parking,’ and say ‘I guess we can park there.’”
The council will formally act upon all of the requests during a future borough council business meeting.
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.