Recent comments by John Rice, a member of the Borough Planning Commission, regarding the Gettysburg Station project are concerning. While the project is currently under review, Mr. Rice described it as essentially inevitable—suggesting it is a “done deal” and that “the train has left the station.” That characterization is simply not accurate.
By Mr. Rice’s own account, the project still requires multiple significant approvals, including from PennDOT, as well as storm water management review and other matters that have yet to come before the Planning Commission. These are not minor formalities. Suggesting the outcome is predetermined risks undermining public confidence in a process that is intended to be objective and thorough.
It is also troubling for a sitting member of the Planning Commission—who is obligated to evaluate the project impartially—to publicly suggest that the outcome is already decided. We who live here deserve assurance that proposals will be reviewed on their merits, not treated as foregone conclusions.
The scale and impact of this project warrant careful consideration. The traffic study alone exceeds 1,000 pages and raises substantial questions. Gettysburg has never reviewed a traffic study of this magnitude. It is extremely complex and should not be treated as routine. In fact, it would be appropriate and well-advised if the Planning Commission hired a traffic engineer to represent and review the study specifically for the Planning Commission, the cost to be borne by the developer. This is not at all uncommon for projects this size.
As for Mr. Rice’s opinion that the project will not affect Gettysburg’s historic and aesthetic character, these claims are inherently subjective. Many residents reasonably question whether a seven-story building is appropriate in this setting. Comparisons to an existing structure such as the Gettysburg Hotel – not really an equivalent structure or location at all – do not eliminate the need for a transparent, careful present-day evaluation of this proposal.
Economic development is important but it must be balanced with transparency, accountability, and respect for community input—especially in a place as historically significant as Gettysburg. Decisions of this scale should be guided by open dialogue, not declarations of inevitability.
The Gettysburg Station project is not a done deal. As the review process continues, we have every right to ask questions and expect a thorough, objective evaluation of a development that could have lasting impacts on the community.
By Margaret Rock
Gettysburg