Projects

     The following projects are ongoing or being researched by the Borough Council.  This list is not all inclusive and is subject to change at any time.  Stop by a Borough Council meeting to learn the latest on what is happening in your borough!

Last Updated: April 29, 2012

- Vultures! (updated Apr 29, 2012):  The Borough is looking into the problems caused by the vulture population in town.  Council met with three personnel from the US Dept of Agriculture on February 23rd to discuss vulture management practices and options for the Borough.  The meeting included site visits to four vulture roosting locations in the Borough.  USDA provided three options to the Borough at varying costs to encourage the vultures to move to other locations outside the Borough.  Currently, council is working with residents to harass the birds to encourage them to move outside the Borough.  The Borough has also purchased several pyrotechnic guns and placed them with residents around town.  These pistols shoot “screamers” to encourage the vultures to move.  The use of firearms or pyrotechnics to harass the birds is illegal without a special permit from the Borough.  The Borough is also working to acquire a depredation permit to kill a select number of birds to use their bodies as effigies as another harassment technique.  Those who use the pyro pistols must abide by the following rules for the safety of all residents:

-          Basic firearms safety is paramount.  Follow all normal firearms safety precautions.

-          Be cognizant of what is beyond or down range of where you are shooting.  If there are houses and people, don’t shoot in that direction.

-          The screamers don’t need to be aimed at the birds to be effective.  The noise in the vicinity should be enough.  Shoot up in the air, not laterally or downhill where hazards to people and property are increased.

-          Realize that the screamers have small rocket motors and get very hot.  They could start a fire if they land in the wrong environment.  It is a good idea to have a small fire extinguisher on hand when using the pistols.

-          Try to shoot them such that the used shells can be retrieved so as to not create a trash problem with neighbors.

To learn more about the Turkey Vultures and Black Vultures, download these flyer’s from USDA: Vultures fact sheet & NWRC vulture brochure. WARNING: Vultures are protected birds and must be dealt with in accordance with Federal and State law.  Do not take these matters into your own hands!

- Tropical Storm Lee damage and repair (updated 3 Jan 2012): Glen Rock Borough has been working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) to assess the damage caused by the flooding from TS Lee.  Eligible repairs will be completed with FEMA paying 75% and PEMA paying 25%.  The Borough had damage to the library basement, Codorus Street,the fence along the stream by Water St, and the stream retaining wall.

The Borough has awarded a contract to A & M Fencing to replace the fence along the stream north of Water Street.  The fence has been fixed.

-  Storm Sewer Evaluation and Reconstruction (updated Feb 29, 2012):  Glen Rock Borough has been awarded a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Growing Greener II Community Environmental Initiative Grant.  OK, that certainly is a mouthful!  What it means is the Borough has been awarded up to $233,750 to assess some of our storm sewers via video camera to figure out which ones are in the most dire need of repair.  The Borough’s monetary requirement for the grant is $42,000.  A large portion of the money will be used to repair the storm sewer itself.  The intention is to improve storm water drainage and reduce unwanted runoff into the South Branch of the Codorus Creek and therefore the Chesapeake Bay.  Church Street will be a high priority because the storm sewer there is causing sink-holes in the pavement that often require expensive repairs.  Other areas of concern are the lower portions of Hanover and Manchester Streets.  The Borough has awarded the bid for the videoing of the sewer system worth just under $6,000.  The videoing was started on December 21, 2011 and is now complete.  Repair work will be done in Spring to Summer of 2012.

-  Municipal Parking Lot Improvements (updated Apr 29, 2012):  Borough Council has acquired a $66,000 EPA Grant to pave the parking lot next to the library with a semi-permeable pavement and put in rain gardens to help reduce storm water runoff into the South Branch of the Codorus Creek.  The estimate for the total project cost is $135,000.  We believe the Borough will get an additional $44,000 for the EPA grant bringing that total to $110,000.  Bid proposals are being prepared but will not go out until late February 2012 since work will not start until around April 2012.  The engineering for the stream bank stabilization is complete.  Council had also secured an additional $24,000 Grant through the York County Conservation District to restore the stream bank along the parking lot.  The permit for the stream bank stabilization has been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection and was recently approved.  Final bids will be out soon for the stream bank restoration.  This portion of the project will need to be done by the end of June to use grant money.

-  School Street (updated Apr 29, 2012):  The retaining wall that supports School Street is being pushed out over time and must be secured or the wall may collapse.  Initial engineering has been completed to  design a repair solution for the retaining wall .    The repair will include soil nails drilled through the wall and into the ground beyond the wall.  This will keep the wall from moving further.  After the wall is secured, School Street will need to be repaved.  The wall restoration and paving will happen concurrently in Spring 2012.  This project was put out to bid and awarded at the April, 2012 Council meeting.  The total cost for the repair is just over $207,000.  The repairs should start soon.

-  Downtown Revitalization (updated Sept. 16, 2012):  Council is looking for innovative ways to revitalize the downtown area.  We have met with the York County Planning Commission, the York County Economic Development Corporation, and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center to determine the best way to develop a vision and multi-year plan for improvement.  Council has also met with local residents and business owners to gain input from the community.  We are still seeking input from the community and interested parties.  Council is trying to get input from a developer on potential uses for the old Oakworks/AMF building or other underutilized buildings in the borough.  Also, we may be able to secure an architect to do a rendition of the future vision of the downtown area.  Stay tuned for more info.

-  Start-up of a Glen Rock Business Association (updated Oct. 27, 2011):  Council is meeting with local business owners to determine the feasibility of organizing a Glen Rock Business Association for the betterment of local merchants and residents.  We are in need of three interested local business owners who are willing to get this initiative off the ground.  If you are willing to help, contact the Borough Office or send an e-mail to the Webmaster (link at the bottom of the page).

-  Glen Rock Park (updated Feb 29, 2012):  Borough Council has applied for a PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) small community grant to replace the aging wooden playgroup at the park.  This application was submitted on April 20th, 2011 and was awarded to the Borough in December 2011. We will need to use 2012 to do the grant contract and associated planning for the grant.  We expect the project to be actually completed in 2013.  The grant is worth $40,000 to the Borough.  Our contribution would be $20,000 for a total of $60,000 for the project.  We are very excited that the Borough got another grant award!!  Council will be working with the Rec Board on this project.

-  Possible Lighting Improvements in Downtown Area:  Council is looking into improved lighting in the downtown area.

 - Curb and Sidewalk Repairs on Hanover Street (Updated Apr 29, 2012):  Glen Rock has been awarded another Community Development Block Grant by the York County Planning Commission to repair/replace some of the curb and sidewalk on Hanover Street.  The section proposed is on the South side of Hanover from Link Street to Glenvue Ave.  This grant is worth $100,000 and will be a project for 2012.  We are checking to see if this grant money can be used in conjunction with the Growing Greener Grant which will focus on Church street storm sewer repair.  This grant would help repair the curb and sidewalk on Church street following the repair of the storm sewer.

Completed Projects!

     Here are just a few of the recently completed projects.  We hope you enjoy the results!

- Fresh Paint Days Pennsylvania Grant (completed Oct. 2011):  The Council won a grant for up to 40 gallons of paint and $200 in paint supplies to paint the Borough Maintenance Building on Valley Street.  Read more about the grant here: Fresh Paint Days for Glen Rock .  Here is a slide show with before and after pictures:  Click Here.

 -  Cottage Ave Paving (completed Sept. 2011):  The Borough received a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) worth up to $106,000 to repave Cottage Ave.  This grant application was submitted three years ago and will finally pay off for Glen Rock.  Gas and water lines were replaced prior to the paving.  The total cost was projected to be $111,070.56.  The actual cost was $106,046.27!!  So aside from the engineering costs (roughly $10,000), the project cost the Borough $46.27!  Now that is a success story!

- New Outfield Fence at the Park (completed Spring 2011):  There is a new outfield fence at the baseball field.  The old one was deteriorating and becoming a hazard.  It was also too short (4 feet).  The new fence is vinyl coated to last a long time and is 6 feet tall with an even taller section in the middle.  This project was done in coordination and financed  with the Glen Rock Rec Board and the Glen Rock Athletic Association.

-  Tear Down of the Old Community Building on Baltimore St. (completed Fall 2010):  Although we will miss the old community center as it once was, the dilapidated building was an eyesore.  This demolition was funded by a Community Development Block Grant.  The lot now looks fresh and opens the area up nicely.  Let’s see what we can do with this area in the future!   Also, a big thank you to Bob Machovec for painting the sides of the newly exposed buildings…it is a nice improvement to the area!

-  Borough Website: So, what do you think?  We hope this site gets a lot of use from the residents of Glen Rock.  It will always be a work in progress and we look forward to your suggestions.

-  Spring Cleanup:  The 2011 Spring / downtown cleanup was a big success thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time and a big thanks to all the businesses that donated to the cause.  The project was supported by the Watershed Alliance of York, Wetzels, Mignano Bros, and many many area residents.  Check out these pictures of the event:

For Questions and Comments about this website, contact the webmaster via e-mail:  Webmaster@glenrockpa.org