Editor’s Note: This is a transcript of a presentation made to the Gettysburg Planning Commission at its Monday meeting.
Hello- I am Shelley Knouse, a resident, taxpayer, and business owner in the Gettysburg Borough. I am here today as a spokesperson for local citizens wanting to be engaged in decisions about the future of Gettysburg.
The Borough Manager, Council President, and six other selected individuals have worked for over a year, with a consultant, in meetings closed to the public, to develop a proposed plan for Rezoning the entire borough. Now it is the Planning Commission’s job to review and revise the draft as needed.
Some borough staff and council members have described the rezoning provisions as “tweaks” to our current regulations, but the proposal now under consideration includes monumental changes to our community which will impact the future of heritage tourism, the view-shed of the Battlefield, and the historic architectural character of one of the most iconic destinations in the United States; the site of the deciding battle of the Civil War and President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.
The borough’s 192-page proposal needs adequate time for all the stakeholders to understand, to review, to participate, and to determine how it will impact our homes and our community. The process must be accessible.
There is community speculation about why the dramatic rezoning is proposed. There are modifications that would change the residential character of our neighborhoods and could greatly reduce residential property values and thus the property tax base. For example: In the Low-Density Residential Districts such as Lincoln Avenue, Broadway Avenue, Springs Avenue, and the Colt Park area, the rezoning proposal identifies the purpose as “primarily for single family detached housing”.
However, the provision links to Article 3 where Multi Family Conversion is allowed by special exception and Uses Permitted By Right include Community Residences, Group Homes, Child Care Centers, and the keeping of chickens and honeybees.
Very concerning is a proposal to create a 9 acre “Revitalization District” in the downtown core which allows for Extended Height Buildings up to 72 feet upon a developer meeting only one of the five following “incentives.”
- Integrated Parking
- 25% Green Area
- Construction of a segment of the Inner Loop
- Inclusion of affordable rental units OR
- Interestingly, relocation of the transit center. Why is the relocation of the transit center an incentive for the Revitalization District when it’s relocation is already part of the Station Project planning?
This is a moment in history. In this moment we are the stewards for Gettysburg. We ask the Planning Commission to slow this process; to consider all of the critical information from reliable sources before approving any rezoning plan that could fundamentally change Gettysburg forever.
Visual documentation should be made available before Gettysburg officials make drastic changes to this historic borough that so many before us have spent their lifetimes preserving.
There are foundational questions that should be answered but do not need to be answered tonight.
- What is the Projected Tax benefit of the rezoning versus the Long-term Cost?
This 9-acre district could provide additional tax revenue, but at what cost? Police, fire, and road maintenance costs should be projected. Last summer and most likely this summer we will see a request if not a restriction placed on our water reserves. We recently had significant building fires that required about 50 fire and EMS responders to the borough. Are we capable of handling a large structure fire? Will we end up needing a paid Fire Service? Or will we see more tax increases while still having a budget deficit? Will tourists, the lifeblood of our economy, continue to come once the charming town of Gettysburg is overwhelmed by development? Will taxpaying residents and businesses leave once these changes occur?
2. What is the Real Housing Need?
Borough officials have stated we need 600 more living units. Why? What is our current housing breakdown and occupancy? If more units are needed should they be in the congested center of the borough when so many new developments are planned in open spaces within walking distance of borough limits? There are 226 units proposed between Marshalls and Giant. There are 256 units proposed behind Giant. There are two residential proposals for Hunterstown Rd and land is being cleared on Biglerville Road to name a few, all of which will be connected to the borough with Public Transit.
3. What is the traffic impact?
No consideration has been expressed in the rezoning proposal about the traffic impact. According to PennDOT, 40,500 vehicles per day travel through Lincoln Square. The Station Project is estimated to create over 1,700 additional car trips per day. How many projected trips per day would be added by a 9 acre Revitalization District? At what point will the State decide that traffic signals are needed in Lincoln Square requiring the removal of the circle, with the beauty it adds to the heart of Gettysburg? Will traffic maneuver on side streets and alleys? What safety concerns will arise with traffic patterns in a town wanting to be more pedestrian and bike-friendly? We should have projected – traffic – impact – numbers. The Central Adams Joint Comprehensive Plan warns that without addressing the limitations of the “Hub & Spoke” network of roads traveling through Lincoln Square, further development will negatively impact the quality of life and experience in Gettysburg.
4. Seek Innovative Revenue Sources
For 161 years Gettysburg Borough Councils have wrestled successfully with the financial challenges presented by the tax-exempt properties in the Borough and the fact that the boundaries of the Borough are permanently established.
Rezoning in any community should not be undertaken to fix budget deficits. It is the responsibility of borough managers, planners and councils to explore revenue initiatives. It is our responsibility as citizens to hold our Borough staff and Council members accountable to facilitate partnership opportunities and alternatives.
There are recent efforts in communities like ours in Pennsylvania seeking partnerships with tax exempt property owners to create commitments to cost share the infrastructure burden of these properties. These common-sense solutions are far more effective than drastically changing zoning to “hope and speculate” that 7 story buildings will give us the revenue to balance the budget.
We are the stewards of Gettysburg at this time in history. We must be dedicated to the task before us. In the words of President Lincoln “To honor the dead that gave the last full measure of devotion.” we must treasure and protect this important place in our country’s history and assure it will be preserved, to educate and to inspire, for generations to come.
Thank you.
I agree with everything Shelley Knouse has identified in her comments. I believe that traffic, environmental and infrastructure burden on sewer, water, electric, storm drainage requirements must be completed prior to any changes to current zoning regulations. What is the true housing requirements? What impact will this revitalization area have on our police, fire, public works and public schools? What increased funding will be required as a result of these proposed changes? I am a Gettysburg resident and live within the borough and am troubled by the amount of traffic congestion in the residential roads already present due to private… Read more »
I have a hard time following this. What is an “inner loop”? And does this mean that if you live in a residential area that your neighbor can’t run a business out of his house while having trucks parked near his house, pulling trucks into part of the battlefield and storing stuff in his backyard where tourists can see it.
I believe the inner loop refers to a bike path through the borough.
Regarding the second part of your question – you can call the Code Enforcement Officer at the Borough offices on High St. but I don’t believe any of that would be allowed even if the rezoning proceeds.
Thank you Shelly Knouse for your comments. The Borough has made documents available to the public, but it is very difficult to project what the proposed zoning changes will mean. I have spent a good deal of time going back and forth between maps, the current zoning regulations and the proposed. The proposed changes are being made for a reason, part of a “master plan” to reshape Gettysburg. It would be great if the “master plan” were revealed and the point of zoning changes explained in detail. As an example, I currently live in Old Town with multi use zoning.… Read more »
Very excellent article, and reasonable suggestions and concerns; we are a small town america treasure, which holds gobs of history and tourism important to many, many people as evidenced by the millions of people that visit Gettysburg every year. It does not seem appropriate to do rezoning of an entire historical landmark without due consideration…..not to be confused with new street signs or re-routing street traffic; which seems to need more than a few months or numerous closed door meetings. This should be published in very large print in the newspaper and local websites to elicit a broader scope of… Read more »
I m happy these discussions are coming up bc Gettysburg IS Gettysburg, it’s historical! Stop trying to ruin it for greed!!
Best reply yet! If we don’t preserve Gettysburg’s historical character, it will be lost forever. My out-of-town relatives and friends who visit frequently, spend money at restaurants and shops love our quaint town. We need to focus on historical preservation and not building modern architecture that takes away our character. Take the current Walmart building for example. It is so ugly. Frederick, MD’s Walmart is architecturally pleasing. The few but new street lights on York Road are great, but why doesn’t the entire road have them? Why do some residential buildings and businesses have their building fronts painted in grotesque… Read more »