Waynesboro prunes plans to plant trees in Rotary parking lot

July 18, 2008|By JENNIFER FITCH

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- The Waynesboro Borough Council has greatly trimmed a plan to plant trees in the public Rotary parking lot.

Landscaping design that went before the council Wednesday was hacked from 35 trees and 142 shrubs to "up to eight trees." The council said it could later add trees in concrete planters.

Councilman Ronnie Martin praised the full redesign plan for the parking lot but said the cost had escalated beyond council's means.

"It's beautiful. I'd love to see it, but we don't have the money," Martin said.

State Sen. Terry Punt, R-Franklin/Adams/York, obtained $93,000 worth of grant money to overlay the lot behind West Main Street, restripe the spaces, improve the lighting and add a 5-foot-wide walkway around the perimeter.

Original estimates indicated the work could be done for $86,000.

The council worked with Main Street Waynesboro Inc. and a landscape architect to explore more extensive plans, including concrete islands and various types of trees and shrubs. Those additions would've tacked on an additional $153,000 to the project, according to Borough Engineer Kevin Grubbs.

Councilman Craig Newcomer originally pushed for the full plan.

"Guys, we're fighting to get businesses downtown. If we always do what we've always done, we'll always be where we've always been," Newcomer said.

However, Newcomer ultimately joined his fellow councilmen in the unanimous vote to scale the effort back in the interest of cost savings.

"Where do we come up with 100,000-plus dollars? We don't have it," Councilman C. Harold Mumma said.

Local businessman Harry Morningstar urged the council to "figure out how to put some trees in there."

"Look at some compromise for gosh sake," Morningstar said.

Grubbs said the lot will have fewer, larger spaces after the project, which might have a September bid opening.

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