The Gettysburg Borough rezoning project recently entered its fourth year, and Council President Matthew Moon wants to see some progress soon.
During the borough council’s monthly meeting, Moon told Planning Director John Whitmore that the Planning Commission is authorized to hold as many meetings as necessary to advance a proposal to the council. Whitmore said staff plans to present a resolution during the commission’s April 21 meeting that it hopes the appointed body will act upon.
“They have had it considerably longer than I think anybody reasonably expected them to and we would really like to move forward,” Moon said.
The rezoning effort began in 2022, Moon said, when the borough hired Michael Baker International to draft a new ordinance. A working group, of which Moon was a member, spent 10 months working on a draft that was sent to the Planning Commission. Moon said he expected the commission to spend three to six months on its review, but it has now had it for almost a year.
Moon reminded the public that the Planning Commission’s recommendation won’t necessarily be the final decision.
“We will have a considerable task ahead of us comparing what the consultant prepared for us and what the planning commission will recommend done with it,” Moon said. “Ultimately, it will be council that writes that ordinance.”
He hopes council will vote on a proposal later this year, but acknowledged that might not be a reasonable timeline.
The Planning Commission’s next meeting is 7 p.m., April 21. All meetings are open to the public.
Conference Parking
The council unanimously directed staff to develop a 90-day pilot program designed to give conference attendees discounted parking during winter months.
The council recently received a request from Hotel Gettysburg intended to entice conference organizers to hold their events in the borough. Lodging facilities in the borough have no or limited parking on-site.
The council has discussed offering conference attendees a 50% discount on the Racehorse Alley Parking Garage to conferences scheduled for January and February. Parking Manager Becka Fissel said previously that the garage is never full during those months and offering a discount to fill it could be financially beneficial for the borough and local businesses.
Cameras
The council also approved two memoranda of understanding with the owners of Hotel Gettysburg and Open Minds, which will permit the borough to install cameras on the Lincoln Square buildings.
Police Chief Robert Glenny said the locations were chosen because Lincoln Square is the most highly trafficked area of the borough. The chief received a grant for the cameras to help solve crimes in the borough.
Glenny said privately owned cameras also assist police with their duties. The department plans to start a camera registry so citizens and business owners can voluntarily inform police of their camera’s existence and share footage if requested.
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.