The following is a statement made to the Gettysburg Planning Commission at its July 21 meeting.
To the Planning Commission:
During the year that the Planning Commission was revising the Rezoning document, I provided public comments that usually included a map or two. During my 5 minutes, the image was shown on the screen so I could talk about it. As one of only two Gettysburg Borough residents with a planning degree, I felt a responsibility to take part in this process. I had also attended your regular meetings for a couple of decades.
In February, Planning Commission Chair Charles Strauss advised me via email that there had been some discussion between administrative, some council, and solicitors, behind the scenes, and people would not be allowed to do a “presentation” during public comment, but that if I had images for my public comment, John Whitmore could show them on the screen. That worked for me. I think there’s some confusion about what constitutes a “presentation”, though. To me, that’s in a different part of the meeting and can last longer.
At the last meeting where I did my 5-minute public comment, Nick Redman chaired until Charles Strauss arrived. John Whitmore refused to show the image I had provided in my comments, I’m sure he had been directed to do so by his boss, Charles Gable. Nick said I could comment during your discussion of that topic. Charles Strauss arrived, and when I tried to talk during that topic, I was told I would have to wait until the public comment period at the end of the meeting.
This starts to get into individual speech rights issues.
During the rezoning, you allowed the public to speak on topics of concern to them throughout the meeting. That was welcome to the public and helpful to you and the process. Now you will revert to the agenda format you have traditionally used, with public comment at the beginning and end of the meetings. You have never limited the ability to put an image on the screen. Maps and drawings can be especially informative on planning topics.
Apparently, there are people who have no authority over the Planning Commission who would like to influence how public comment is handled at your meetings. Do they think the amount of public input unnecessarily delayed the rezoning document, which came to you needing a lot of work after they spent a year with the taxpayer-funded consultant behind closed doors?
As you can see from the attached “Borough Government organizational chart” from PA Dept. of Community and Economic Development, the Council can only appoint Planning Commission members, and the manager has no connection at all to the Planning Commission or other Authorities, Boards, and Commissions. Yet, some of them think you need their interference in running your meetings. Do they plan on approaching all the ABCs to change their practices? Do you suppose it has something to do with controlling the ongoing review of the Gettysburg Station project?
The Council’s policy regarding running their meetings is included in your packet. Is it supposed to be an example for you to follow? Council is a legislative body of elected officials, not a Commission. Chairman Moon has not followed the section about public comment, anyway. In December 2025, he announced at the beginning of the meeting that comments would be limited to 4 minutes, which is allowed under the Sunshine Act. He then said that after 30 minutes, the regular agenda would commence. He extended that by 12 minutes at the request of Patti Lawson, saying, “That’s 3 more people” without asking how many people would still like to comment. That was not following the Borough policy or Sunshine Act. There are options on how to proceed, but an item should not be voted upon until all public comment on that topic has been heard.
The Planning Commission agenda has worked just fine in the past. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Additional information I provided that night but did not state during the comment period:
Note: Right-to-know requests I filed showed
- There is no borough policy about the use of the projection equipment and
- No emails or other communications are available concerning the background discussions of limiting public comment formats.
At the November HARB meeting, the National Park Service Superintendent requested a presentation of the drone study results. She was allowed only a 5-minute public comment period and told she could not use the projection equipment because she is not a Borough resident. I don’t think it was Gary Shaffer who came up with that non-existent, bogus rule.
Attachments:
PA Dept. of Community Development Organization Chart for Borough Governments
Section of Council policy that pertains to public comment.
Susan Cipperly is a professional land use planner who has lived in Gettysburg for 25 years. She considers her involvement in local planning and zoning issues a way to contribute to the borough in general, and to maintain neighborhoods in particular.