Harpers Ferry News and Updates

Virtual meetings information

Until further notice, the Corporation of Harpers Ferry will hold meetings virtually via Zoom Webinar, which provides for public participation during public comment portions of a given meeting’s agenda. Alternatively, meetings may be watched via YouTube video live-stream or listened to by telephone. Click here for more information.

Hill Top House Hotel petitions for changes in corrective deed

During a special meeting of the Town Council on 11 August 2022, the owners of the Hill Top House Hotel properties petitioned for several changes to the street-use agreement made between the Town and SWaN Investors in early 2021. These changes would be documented in a corrective deed to the former street and paper street rights-of-way that the Town sold to SWaN in exchange for the agreements. The proposed changes may be reviewed in the following documents, which were presented to the Town Council at the special meeting:

• Hill Top House Hotel Street-Use Agreement Amendments
• Requests for Change in Corrective Deed to HF / HTHH Street-Use Agreement

During the meeting, one additional change was requested by the Town Council. That change will be added to the corrective deed document by the attorneys representing both the Town and the Hotel; once updated and received, the corrective deed will be posted for public review.

A special meeting to consider first reading of an ordinance approving the corrective deed will be scheduled in the near future, followed by a public hearing and consideration of the second and final reading for approval.

New ordinances approved by Town Council

On 24 March 2022, the Town Council approved two new ordinances.

Ordinance 2022-01 addresses fences, construction fences, and retaining walls. Work on this ordinance began with the Planning Commission in 2016. After several years of continued deliberation, input, and improvements from the Town Council, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Ordinance Review Committee, among others, the ordinance was finally approved by the Council and signed by the Mayor and Recorder with immediate effect.

Ordinance 2022-02 concerns vacant and uninhabitable vacant structures. This ordinance was proposed by Mayor Greg Vaughn and draws from similar ordinances in other West Virginia municipalities. After approval by the Town Council, this ordinance was also signed by the Mayor and Recorder with immediate effect.

Both ordinances will be entered into the Codified Ordinance books within 90 days, in compliance with official procedure; however, both ordinances are now enforceable.

Advice for Visitors to Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry welcomes visitors to our tiny, historic, amazing town. Please remember that Harpers Ferry is a real town with families, senior citizens, children and pets who hope that the multitude of people who come to experience our history and beautiful scenery will respect the property, health and safety of our residents.

To ensure that your visit is pleasant and successful, please consider the following information:

Parking

The National Park Service has opened its large parking lot at Cavalier Heights and offers bus service into town. If you park there and choose to walk, it is about a 2-mile walk to get to town. If you wish to park in Harpers Ferry, you need to download the ParkMobile app to your phone. Paid parking is available on Washington Street and Storer College Place in upper town Harpers Ferry, and along Potomac street in lower town. Some visitors may have difficulty getting a wi-fi signal at first, so try moving slightly away from your parking spot. If you can’t get a signal and don’t want a parking citation, you should consider finding a different place to park. Do not block driveways, mailboxes, or fire hydrants. Parking is not allowed in the residential side streets or the streets that parallel the main street through town. Heed the “Residential Parking Only” signs if you do not want a parking citation.

Trash

The National Park Service has adopted a “Leave No Trace” policy, which means that visitors must be prepared to dispose of their trash by carrying it out of the park when leaving. There are no trash or recycling receptacles on Park property. If you accidently drop something on the ground, please be considerate and pick it up. Facemasks can easily fall out of your pocket and they are especially unsafe for other people to have to pick up. A limited number of trash receptacles are found along the commercial side of Potomac Street that are maintained by the town.

Sanitary facilities

The National Park Service maintains public restrooms along Shenandoah Street. Public restrooms at the train station are also available.

We hope you enjoy your visit to Harpers Ferry.

Notice of vacancies on boards of Town government

The Corporation of Harpers Ferry is actively seeking volunteers to serve on the following boards of the Town government:

• Board of Zoning Appeals
• Tree Committee
• Water Commission

Those individuals interested in seeking appointment to any of these deliberative bodies should send a letter of interest to the Town Clerk at clerk@harpersferrywv.us.

Information on paid parking in Harpers Ferry

Harpers Ferry has instituted three paid parking zones to improve safety and better regulate the very limited parking within the Corporation. Two of the zones, 7510 and 7520, are on Washington Street (Alt. U.S. 340). The third is on Potomac Street in Lower Town. The cost for parking is $2.00 per hour in Zones 7510 and 7520, and $3.00 per hour in Zone 7515. Parking may be purchased in half-hour segments. Payment may be made using the Parkmobile cell phone app. To use Parkmobile, open the app, enter zone number, select amount of time desired, and pay by major credit card or PayPal. Visitors may find it easier to download the app to their cell phones before visiting Harpers Ferry to simplify their parking experience at the following link: http://us.parkmobile.com/mobile-apps.

Paid parking is strictly enforced in all zones between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Sunday through Saturday. Violators may be fined and / or towed. Parking is free in all paid parking zones after 6:00 p.m. and before 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Saturday.

All side streets within the Corporation of Harpers Ferry are parking by residential permit only. Violators may be fined and / or towed. Permits for residents and their guests may be purchased at Town Hall.

Harpers Ferry Water Works customers can pay online.  To learn more, click here.

List of businesses licensed in Harpers Ferry

The Corporation maintains a list of operators and companies licensed to perform business in Harpers Ferry. To review the list, click here.