Columbia Borough Planning Commission Prioritizes Zoning Overhaul; Considers State’s 400‑Hour Assistance Pilot
February 17, 2026 – Columbia, PA
The Columbia Borough Planning Commission held its February meeting Tuesday evening, addressing routine business before turning its focus to major planning initiatives that could shape the Borough for years to come—chief among them, a potential partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) to modernize Columbia’s zoning ordinance.
Minutes Approved with Clarifications on Zoning Hearing Procedures
The Commission approved the January 20 minutes after adding a clarification regarding zoning hearing protocol: when a Planning Commissioner cannot attend a Zoning Hearing Board meeting, a recommendation letter may be submitted—but only through the ZHB solicitor, not directly to board members. With that adjustment, the minutes were unanimously approved.
DCED Introduces Free 400-Hour Municipal Planning Pilot
A representative from DCED’s Office of Community Planning presented two different programs available to municipalities:
1. Municipal Assistance Program (MAP)
A long‑standing, competitive grant that supports:
- Comprehensive plans
- Zoning ordinance updates
- Official maps
- Shared-service or multi‑municipal projects
MAP typically requires a 50% match, with at least 25% from non‑state sources.
2. Community Planning Technical Assistance Pilot (New)
The centerpiece of the evening was a detailed presentation on DCED’s new pilot program offering 400 hours of direct planning assistance at no cost to the municipality.
There is no application form during the pilot phase. Instead, DCED selects communities that:
- Have current comprehensive plans
- Show readiness to act
- Have staff capacity to coordinate the work
- Demonstrate clear priorities with implementable goals
DCED planners would work directly with Borough staff through a mutually agreed scope of work, formalized with a letter of understanding that Borough Council must approve. The Borough would only be responsible for providing documents, meeting space, and occasional printing—not funding.
Commission Identifies Zoning Alignment as the Top Priority
Commission members expressed strong interest in using the 400 hours to evaluate and update the Borough’s zoning ordinance, which has long needed realignment with the community’s adopted comprehensive plan.
Members discussed several reasons zoning rose to the top:
- Current ordinances do not fully reflect Columbia’s land‑use vision.
- District consolidation has already begun but needs professional support.
- County planning tools (“Simplified Zoning”) offer momentum for reform.
- Zoning updates were a major implementation item in the comprehensive plan.
While DCED’s pilot offers options in housing, parks, catalyst sites, transportation, and safety design, the Planning Commission strongly favored focusing efforts on one major project—a zoning analysis and alignment project.
Parks Not Considered a Priority
With the Park renovations nearly complete, new playground equipment installed at Jansen Park, and Park improvements in recent years, members felt park planning is currently stable. Additionally, the River Park Master Plan remains on hold pending PennDOT’s bridge decisions, limiting near‑term progress.
Active Transportation Still Valued
Sidewalk connectivity, bike routes, and wayfinding remain important long‑term priorities, but members preferred completing the zoning project first.
Next Steps Toward DCED Partnership
DCED will prepare one or two draft scopes of work, likely centered on zoning ordinance modernization. These drafts will be reviewed by the Planning Commission at the March 17, 2026 meeting.
After Commission review, the preferred scope will be forwarded to Borough Council—potentially for approval in April.
County Planning Provides Update on “Simplified Zoning” Resources
Representatives from the Lancaster County Planning Department presented updates to their Simplified Zoning Initiative, a multi‑year effort to help municipalities streamline complex zoning ordinances.
Updated in September 2025, the County’s toolkit includes:
- Recommended zoning district types and purpose statements
- Bulk regulation templates tailored to urban, suburban, and rural contexts
- Over 18 pages of modernized housing definitions
- “15 Big Fixes” — easy wins communities can adopt quickly
- An innovative impacts‑based regulatory model (still experimental)
County planners encouraged Columbia to coordinate with neighboring West Hempfield Township, which adopted its own comprehensive plan in December 2025.
Annual Planning Commission Report Ready for Council Review
The Commission reviewed its required 2025 Annual Activity Report, due to Borough Council by March 15 under the PA Municipalities Planning Code. Staff will forward the report for inclusion in an upcoming Council workshop agenda.
Looking Ahead
- Next Planning Commission Meeting:
March 17, 2026 (St. Patrick’s Day)
Agenda will likely include review of DCED’s draft scopes of work. - Potential Council Action:
If a scope is selected in March, Council may consider approval in April.
With the possibility of 400 hours of state-supported planning assistance, 2026 could mark a significant step forward in implementing Columbia’s long‑term vision—starting with a long‑awaited modernization of its zoning ordinance.
