Editors’ notes:
Please see our accompanying article to learn more about the new zoning plan.
Thanks to generous financial contributions from community members, a video of Monday night’s Planning Commission meeting is available for public viewing on the Community Media of South Central PA website. The video is not available on the borough’s website.
The Gettysburg Planning Commission is moving forward on a major zoning overhaul which will change the image of Gettysburg going forward.
Detailed information about the new plan including the proposed new document and map can be found on the borough’s website here.
Planning Committee Chair Charles Strauss noted on Monday that the new plan had been under development by a borough working committee for over two years but that the planning commission itself had not yet reviewed it.
The plan was made available to the public on the borough’s website on Thursday.
Whitmore said the plan was a 3-phase process and that the first phase, creating the draft, was now complete. Going forward the second stage involves planning commission consideration and the third stage involves approval by the borough council.
“The overall zoning ordinance as it currently exists is in my opinion wildly outdated and is very detrimental to development in the borough,” said Whitmore.
Whitmore said the new proposal allowed many more land uses than the existing zoning and would allow more development. “The new proposal has numerous tables specifically to help guide development,” he said.
The new plan would eliminate the Elm St. overlay district and combine it into the overall zoning plan. Only the Historic District and the floodplain overlays will remain. The former maintains the historical character of the borough and the latter helps provide best practices that minimize damage to properties.
Whitmore said the existing Old Town area would be reduced in size but that a new revitalization district would allow for new, denser, housing development.
“The plan facilitates a mix of housing types for a mix of incomes; different types of commercial districts that will incorporate mixed use and allowing for additional opportunities for industrial development,” he said.
The plan now goes into a public comment stage. “We have time,” said Whitmore. “It’s very easy to misconstrue development. There is no high-rise development planned. But there is increased development opportunity.”
Public Comment
The Planning Commission discussed holding public meetings in July and August that begin at 6 p.m. before the regularly-scheduled 7 p.m. Planning Commission meetings. Also discussed was the possibility of an additional public meeting at a non-regular meeting time on a different night of the week and potentially a booth at the Adams County Farmers Market.
Whitmore said the review would probably last until September.
Strauss noted there were 5 parts of the plan and suggested the commission make clear on their agendas which parts would be discussed at which meetings.
Whitmore said it was important to read the document as well as looking at the maps.
Other Business
The Gettysburg library subdivision plan near the YWCA is moving forward. Land use plans may be presented at the commission’s June 17 meeting.
The commission gave conditional approval to the Gettysburg Welcome Center on Baltimore St. based on an expected future rezoning. The existing building will be demolished
Whitmore said money from the U.S. Congress would allow for construction of the new building and that construction may begin as early as this fall.
The committee also recommend approving a special exception for use as a Welcome Center as well as a variance that would allow the center to be built on the lot that does not meet the minimum 5,000 square foot size.
The commission considered and then tabled until its June 17 meeting a decision on the miniature golf course scheduled to be built by Gettys Golf LLC, at 533 Steinwehr Ave. between KFC and McDonalds. Discussion revolved around landscaping utility easements and sidewalks along Steinwehr Ave. The discussion ended in favor of not requiring a sidewalk on the property.
The board moved to accept the consideration of a land development plan at Spectra Kote at 301 E. Water St. This is an addition to an existing industrial site.