Harrisburg council approves appointments, engineering contract and restores downtown noise-exempt map

Harrisburg City Council on April 22 approved several resolutions, including the appointment of Cheyenne Johnson to the Environmental Advisory Council, authorization to negotiate a professional services agreement with Urban Engineers Inc., and an amended petition to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board restoring a 2017 downtown noise-exempt map.

The set of votes was taken during the legislative session after committee reports. Council President Bowers presided and City Clerk Truesdale read each resolution into the record. Each of the four resolutions that were put to a roll-call vote passed 6-0; Councilman Jones was recorded as excused.

Council members said the actions support immediate administrative needs and ongoing downtown recovery. Resolution 20 of 2025 was considered with an amendment that reverts the downtown boundary map to the footprint used in 2017 (the amendment was described as replacing the more-limited 2019 footprint). Council suspended the rules to discuss and amend the resolution and then voted on the amended version.

Resolution 18 of 2025 appoints Cheyenne Johnson to the Environmental Advisory Council; council confirmed receipt of Johnson’s statement of financial interest and noted that council appointments now constitute a quorum enabling the advisory body to resume meeting. Resolution 21 of 2025 approves a preliminary/final lot consolidation and land development plan to construct a new City of Harrisburg parks maintenance facility on property tied to a larger redevelopment of SRTA’s operations and maintenance facility at 901 North Cameron Street; councilmembers expressed general support while noting outstanding questions about liability and memoranda of understanding between parties. Resolution 24 of 2025 authorizes the city to negotiate and enter into a professional services agreement with Urban Engineers, Inc., to provide construction inspection and construction management services on an as-needed basis; city staff described an understaffed engineering department and a high volume of infrastructure work as the rationale for the contract.

Two appointment resolutions (25 and 26 of 2025) were moved to the Public Safety Committee for further consideration; resolution 27 of 2025, which would retain BADA Environmental Associates for environmental and geotechnical consultant services on the Mooers Manor aquatic facility project, was referred to the Parks, Recreation and Enrichment Committee.

Votes at a glance: all roll-call votes recorded in the session show Councilmembers Daniels, Davis, Green, Rolls, Rodriguez and President Bowers voting “yes” on the measures that were adopted. The council did not record any “no,” “abstain,” or “recused” votes on the adopted resolutions.

Council leaders said additional public hearings and state processes remain for some items — notably the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board review tied to the amended downtown noise-exempt map — and that residents will have further opportunities to review the revised map at the PLCB hearing.