From the Office of Thomas H. Kutz, State Representative, 87th District
From the Borough of Carlisle
As a first term state representative, it has been my privilege to serve our community in the House of Representatives in Harrisburg. As a member of the House Appropriations and Finance Committees, I have been active in efforts to make Pennsylvania more competitive for businesses and a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Chamber And get to know so many businesses in our community. This year’s budget began conversation’s to continue improving our business tax and regulatory climate, and I’m dedicated to pursuit of pro-growth policies like permitting reform, an accelerated reduction of the Corporate Net Income Tax, and my own legislation to allow small businesses to realize Net Operating Losses.
Please reach out to my office if I can be of assistance. Thank you and I look forward to working with you.
From the Office of Congressman Scott Perry, PA-10
Congressman Perry is fighting tirelessly to preserve the tax cuts that are set to expire next year, and to resume a posture of rolling back the burdensome regulatory environment that is crippling Americans.
From the Cumberland County Director of Planning, Kirk D. Stoner, AICP
Commercial property owners in Cumberland County may soon have a new financing option for energy efficiency, water conservation or renewable energy improvements to their properties. County Commissioners are currently considering authorizing the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE) program in Cumberland County, which is a financing structure where building owners borrow money from selected capital providers for clean energy projects and make repayments via an assessment on their property tax bill. The financing arrangement then remains with the property even if it is sold, facilitating long-term investments in building performance. CPACE can provide up to 100% financing of total project costs or be combined with grants or other funding strategies.
CPACE was launched in 2018 through enabling legislation in Pennsylvania. Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) would administer the program on behalf of the county, which oversees CPACE programs in 27 counties across the Commonwealth. The CPACE program is one strategy that can jointly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage from fossil fuels that was identified in the Cumberland County Climate Action Plan, adopted in 2022.
Pending approval of the program, a kickoff meeting will be held in Cumberland County to promote the benefits of the financing opportunity and provide details about how businesses and non-profits can connect with capital providers who finance projects via CPACE. Stay tuned for more information on how to participate in this event in the coming weeks. For more information on CPACE, please visit https://pennsylvaniacpace.org/.
Contact Elizabeth Grant, Cumberland County Planning Department at 717-240-6377 or emgrant@cumberlandcountypa.gov with any questions regarding the program.
HATS 2050 RTP Public Outreach
Harrisburg Area Transportation Study (HATS) is currently gathering public and stakeholder input for HATS 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The HATS 2050 RTP is the long-range transportation plan for Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties which focuses on the following:
- documenting the current status of transportation projects and programs
- identifying long-term needs and recommending projects and programs to meet those needs
- setting a framework and priorities for the expenditure of federal transportation funds through 2050
The HATS 2050 RTP Public Survey is now open! Links to the survey (in both English and Spanish) and other information is available at our HATS 2050 RTP Public Information webpage.
In addition to taking the survey yourself, please consider posting something to your social media networks. Sample text is below and our HATS 2050 RTP logo is attached. Alternatively, you are encouraged to share one of the posts from TCRPC social media outlets (facebook, twitter/X, or linkedin). We typically run a post every few days, so you shouldn’t have to scroll back too far to find one!
Any input (or assistance in gathering input) you can provide us would be greatly appreciated. Please let us know if there’s something we can do to facilitate your outreach assistance. Whatever we can do to help you get our word out…let us know!
Any questions, comments, or requests can be directed to Andrew Bomberger, AICP (abomberger@tcrpc-pa.org)
Carlisle Connectivity Project – Final Phase Underway: Work on the final phase of the Carlisle Connectivity Project (CCP) started this past spring. This phase includes improvements at North Hanover Street and Carlisle Springs Road. The North Hanover Street and Carlisle Springs Road intersection will be realigned to bring the approach to a 90-degree angle. The plan also calls for this intersection to be signalized. Additionally, a 5-point roundabout at the intersection of North Hanover, West and East Penn Streets, and Fairground Avenue is underway. The latter will feature a retaining wall at the northeast corner of West Penn Street and North Hanover Street in the parking lot of Chen’s Restaurant to accommodate the roundabout.
Initial work included replacement of the aging cast iron water mains in the project area. Some of the mains date back to the early 1930s. Fairground Avenue south of the railroad tracks will also see water main and storm sewer improvements.
The Connectivity Project was only made possible through the partnerships and support of federal, state and local agencies and stakeholders.
Status updates on the CCP can be found at: www.carlislepa.org/ccpfinal.
Vision Zero Initiative: A resolution in support of Vision Zero was passed last year by Borough Council committing to the goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries on Borough-owned streets by 2033. An internal committee has been formed that is focusing on developing an Active Transportation Plan for the Borough, which documents conditions and guides the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of bicycle and pedestrian programs, policies, guidelines, and infrastructure improvements. Vision Zero is envisioned to increase the safe, health, and equitable mobility for all.
Leveraging Grants to Advance Initiatives: Leveraging grant funding continues to assist the Borough in advancing priorities while remaining fiscally responsible. Several grants obtained last year include PennDOT Green-Light-Go for upgrades to the downtown traffic signal communication system; COVID ARPA H2O Pa Grant for the Carlisle Regional Sanitary Sewer Rehabilitation Program; PennDOT Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Grant that facilitates safer pedestrian and bicycle traffic to the Carlisle School District along PA Route 74/Waggoners Gap Road; Pa. Transportation Infrastructure Investment Grant Fund and a US DOT Regional Transportation Implement Grant both to support the North Hanover Street component of the Carlisle Connectivity Project; Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant for the purchase of Borough-owned electric vehicles; and, Commonwealth Financing Authority Local Share Account Grant to assist in purchase of new rescue pumper for the Carlisle Fire Department.
Land Use Reform: In January 2023, the Borough formed a Land Use Reform subcommittee with the goal of reviewing Carlisle’s adopted land use policies and regulations and consider recommendations for improvement. The subcommittee also reviews urban and suburban design best practices, off-street parking standards and alternatives, and strategies to induce small-scale housing markets, infill of vacant or underutilized developed land, and reuse of existing buildings.
Several subcommittee recommendations that have been acted upon include the rezoning of the former Frog, Switch & Manufacturing Company to Urban Mixed Use that is envisioned to allow for a wider variety of land uses including residential, commercial and open space.
Another recommendation included a zoning ordinance amendment that allows for a fee in-lieu of parking. Developers can request a reduction in off-street parking for a one-time fee. Additionally, a reduction to parking minimums to one off-street space per one-bedroom or less dwelling unit and two spaces for dwelling units with two ore more bedrooms was adopted by ordinance.
The subcommittee is now exploring Accessory Dwelling Units or ADUS, which are small residences on a single-family lot with a larger, primary dwelling. ADUs can provide rental income to homeowners and an affordable way for renters to live in single-family neighborhoods.
More information on the subcommittee’s activities can be found at: www.carlislepa.org/lur.