Upper Macungie Alters Park Rules for Guns

How do you alter the posted rules in a public park to allow guns without putting residents up in arms? The answer: very carefully. 

Upper Macungie had posted rules for its parks in the township newsletter that said it was illegal to carry a gun in its parks. A resident told the township supervisors that such a rule was unconstitutional, according to officials.

Supervisor Kathy Rader said she researched the question and found that the township couldn't prohibit people from carrying a gun in the parks. They could only bar someone from discharging a weapon there. The supervisors voted to change the language to say that.  

"They cannot discharge or hunt but we can't stop them from carrying," Rader said at Thursday's supervisors meeting. 

Township Solicitor Andrew Schantz said the language should be clear that people still need a permit to carry a concealed weapon. 

The question came at the end of the supervisors meeting and they clearly didn't want residents to get the impression that allowing guns in township parks meant Upper Macungie was the new Wild West. 

"We don't want people to be all upset," Rader said.