Mercersburg clarifies sidewalk rules with new ordinance

Mercersburg Borough Council adopted a new sidewalk ordinance Monday night. All properties within the borough will eventually need sidewalks, but it's not something that has to be done overnight, according to ...

[SBE]

Another ordinance for the folks of Mercersburg. First they forced everybody to hook up to the sewer (then a couple of weeks later they put an ad in the Merchant saying the water bills had better be paid within 60 days of being issued. Wonder if this included the cost of hooking up?).

Now, if you make any improvements to your property, you have to install a sidewalk. If I lived in Mercersburg, I just wouldn't make any improvements to my property, so I wouldn't have to put in a sidewalk. Let the house fall down around my head, but no sidewalks - don't want people walking through my yard anyhow.

Not smart thinking on behalf of the Mercersburg town managers, in my opinion.

[A Talking Horse]

I'd love to hear what the underlying rationale is for this approach?

All this would seem to do is provide incentive to never invest more than $20000 at a time in Mercersburg - and ensure that sidewalks are never fixed.

[Dave]

In my mind as I drive past the welcome sign to historic Mercersburg, I just can't help but think histerical Mercersburg.

Forcing people to not only tap onto its water system but to also have to use city water was a far reach of any authority. To declare well water "dangerous" as Mercersburg gets their water from - wells! Wells tended by people who lost their water ordinance.

Now, to mandate sidewalks. Big City Mercersburg!

[A Talking Horse]

Dave wrote:

In my mind as I drive past the welcome sign to historic Mercersburg, I just can't help but think histerical Mercersburg.
Forcing people to not only tap onto its water system but to also have to use city water was a far reach of any authority. To declare well water "dangerous" as Mercersburg gets their water from - wells! Wells tended by people who lost their water ordinance.
Now, to mandate sidewalks. Big City Mercersburg!

Here's a funny story about that sign.

Years ago - there was another version of that sign.- a hand painted one. It had a little picture of James Buchanan and said "Welcome To Historic Mercersburg" - Well - I dont think the sign was up for 48 hours before some joker climbed up there and neatly added "pre-" before the word "Historic"

The joker even copied the script font - So it was not terribly noticeable that the sign now read:

"Welcome to Pre-Historic Mercersburg"