[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6160460,"mediaKeyId","5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1","parentId",5450448,"title","Planning commission takes no position on 50 North Fourth Street zoning request due to missing details","audioSeconds",150,"startMs",160000,"endMs",310000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1&start=160&end=310","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1/thumbnail_160000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6160460/Columbia/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-commission-takes-no-position-on-50-North-Fourth-Street-zoning-request-due-to-missing-details","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160460-951717de2ae05655e90a4c1e06e6ed21/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607037&Signature=aKncaxxJv3vLrl1xzpdTC0eX9c93k3enta-vLa4DOFcAzcZKEOLel5JtkF9sh~ND3nAvjwmgzLwAueQV5myIiCK6ecjgvm0t7MSqkWIYCPQ6PTQeRyUPXGd05~EyyU67V2fKec5og4U-hjnrJAQWefFYTEl0GC9LKUhnN9WrPMC2w-rjnK9KvpO8WysNtg0AFVbjE~cShBH8T0dB54I4UidLJXT0pPhq-mZmxORoaKbzRwb3C67vGKYU-U87HDiXoG7gKAIQiX7ExILwqd~z2SeXm2XcK57Cln3P~ah4JIOt3K4PjmETLDj1aZKtgEBnQjHdCwF92Iu1YrU~brVXGw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Columbia Borough, PA","date","2025-07-22T18:15:40Z","article","The borough Planning Commission declined to issue a recommendation on a zoning relief request for 50 North Fourth Street, a property proposed to be used in part as a church, saying the application lacked basic details about attendance, parking and frequency of use.

The item is significant because special-exception determinations for downtown commercial parcels hinge on expected occupancy, parking capacity and compatibility with adjacent uses.

Commission members noted the property formerly housed a vape shop and described the current request as permitting the first floor to be used by a church while the second and third floors remain residential. One commissioner said, \"we don't have any information on how many people would be attending the church\" and added that the zoning hearing board would address parking and frequency questions.

The planning commission said it lacked answers about days and times of proposed church activities, anticipated attendance and on-site parking allocations; commissioners agreed those specifics should be explored by the zoning hearing board and that the commission would not take a recommendation. A commission member called the item \"a good one for the zoning hearing board.\"

The commission recorded no formal recommendation and moved the matter to the zoning hearing process for additional evidence and testimony.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Commission Regular Meeting 07.22.2025","oneSentenceSummary","Commission members said they lacked necessary information about the proposed church use at 50 North Fourth Street and deferred substantive review to the zoning hearing board; no recommendation was issued.","taxTitle","Columbia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania","taxId",71545,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160465,"Planning commission expresses reservations about short-term rental at 521 Locust Street, makes no recommendation",499,1024000,1523000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1&start=1024&end=1523","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1/thumbnail_1024000.jpg","/articles/6160465/Columbia/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-commission-expresses-reservations-about-short-term-rental-at-521-Locust-Street-makes-no-recommendation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160465-42d0d91f7aa6d9e45412f75aa1cb5156/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607037&Signature=SLKv-kzBubbQk34RL~tKRZcMqDopBWB8F2KjafXZLDIc3PBOoKMzp6pwLti6fmyO-COx8guzs900u-Ca2x-BvYZnTJMlxOHJ7Toqwfz5ak3c5iE5vSlshEphpwFXuTLS-UcD0w32SUbyh2SrQ1e2vgraGo52bUT1uItTNQedeK9P62HO7hE2AoxoeK917JzoVcVY~mYc2I2l61HQXrcJt~IPsrT-Phi-p8xIFzTFlzHYOTxCJpXY4wUkbjmdB~b434WQw0gKr9UITJ1O9hDltx8enQ4fT88EmwPAmOgobb3Fb51TJHVFkyxIQjeMcTPTTpQu~aB7MNTOr4QyQloL4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The borough Planning Commission raised concerns about an application to allow short-term rental use at 521 Locust Street and declined to recommend approval, noting the borough's short-term rental rules specify detached dwellings and that policy guidance from council is unsettled.

The issue matters because converting or approving short-term rentals in medium-density residential areas can change housing supply, parking demand and neighborhood character; the commission said local rules currently limit short-term rentals to detached homes.

A planning commissioner summarized the rule: \"short term residential units must be detached\" and said 521 Locust is in a medium-density district where the structure is attached to neighboring units. Commissioners noted the property appears to have multiple meters and added a third-floor unit, and that the applicant's filing indicated the owner would reside there some of the time but expected to operate short-term rentals often (a comment in the record said the applicant planned to use the unit as a short-term rental \"70% of the time\").

Commissioners said there is not a clear policy consensus at council about whether to expand short-term rentals beyond detached dwellings, and that lack of a council decision makes it difficult for the commission to recommend exceptions. One commissioner said legal ads sometimes list both a special exception and a variance to cover uncertain application scope. After discussion the commission recorded no recommendation, leaving the matter for the zoning hearing board to determine whether a special exception or variance is appropriate.

Commissioners also voiced concern that allowing attached properties to convert to short-term rentals could encourage a row of similar conversions on the block.

The commission advised staff and the applicant to proceed through the zoning hearing process rather than expecting a planning commission recommendation given the unresolved council policy on short-term rentals.","Commission members questioned a short-term rental application for 521 Locust Street because local rules limit short-term rentals to detached dwellings; without clear policy guidance, the commission declined to recommend approval and urged the zoning board to decide.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160470,"Residents, commission debate conversion of 27 South Fish Street to additional apartments",307,441000,748000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1&start=441&end=748","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1/thumbnail_441000.jpg","/articles/6160470/Columbia/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Residents-commission-debate-conversion-of-27-South-Fish-Street-to-additional-apartments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160470-9dfabc4d1151efbb180f50cb38cb635c/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607037&Signature=bp4rdyC9VLitFRDy1U1xR-~VhrYgSuLDjGedmmAHL-sWJnkliFYoc4PqRmXcZfbM~A7fK3PoXWJ6UTnD2RM1I3XeaYSUB0tnKQddP~HR09qiRsCZPHi83A9v0UKG~N1S6uzPkCKTaQl-Jd9RtbcNgfvNTUp9~TxsrVHyo1f805F-eRek8ZaUeWmzbgbecf-h5lWoI9GEiGiwHttgx96M8-YOkNP9cc0CDhtjFztBsiUZU1EUthmyrrGNzI8hNP0ZZWZkpEmmXd~8FjF8j2rRip4-UQVQt9tnRhCXifWcPstv6y7bGG-Ghdtn3h37MzRBlopzvpTnsXGB52u~RV-mUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Neighbors told the borough Planning Commission they oppose a plan to convert a commercial space at 27 South Fish Street into an additional apartment unit, citing parking loss and increased activity on a narrow, residential street.

The matter matters because converting commercial space to additional dwelling units can increase on-street parking demand and change neighborhood character on a block the speakers described as previously mostly single-family.

A resident who identified herself as a neighborhood occupant described a long history of the street and said, \"our street began to become rental row on both sides, it has become nothing short of a nightmare for us,\" and asked the commission to oppose creating an additional apartment. She raised specific parking complaints: limited curbside spaces, driveways blocked by parked cars, and that on street-sweeper days residents cannot park near their homes.

Commissioners said they lacked detailed information about the applicant's proposed occupancy levels, frequency of events and exact parking arrangements, and that those matters would be determined at the zoning hearing board. A commission member told residents the commission would not make a recommendation on the application and encouraged them to appear before the zoning hearing board to present their concerns.

Commission discussion noted the application appears to seek a conversion of the building's commercial floor into a fourth residential unit. Commissioners asked whether the applicant had appealed a zoning officer determination; staff indicated the application included a special-exception request and that legal notices sometimes list both a special exception and a variance to cover uncertain application scope.

The commission's action was to take no recommendation on 27 South Fish Street. Commissioners said the zoning hearing board is the forum to evaluate parking, frequency of use and licensing questions.

The resident urged additional enforcement and repeated objections to more rental units on the block. The commission closed by asking residents to bring their specific parking and nuisance observations to the zoning hearing board so the board could consider them under the zoning process.","Neighbors urged the planning commission to oppose converting a former commercial/tattoo space into an additional apartment unit, citing parking loss and neighborhood change; the commission made no formal recommendation and urged neighbors to raise concerns at the zoning hearing.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6160475,"Planning commission grants conditional approval for former freight-railroad redevelopment plan",495,1835000,2330000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1&start=1835&end=2330","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5450448-699c16750b17811b7774947567eee1e1/thumbnail_1835000.jpg","/articles/6160475/Columbia/Lancaster-County/Pennsylvania/Planning-commission-grants-conditional-approval-for-former-freight-railroad-redevelopment-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6160475-96d37900b78173f8741bc1f4d3c80724/orig.mp4?Expires=1773607037&Signature=GtmNiQSStIR8QhV6Ad4-L4Pn51nzm0XMYDAk1i-asEJmXrojMmWpHxIMLxQHuNh9V9mQQ4RYsd9VxWHBbYo3hsnAW7bF-D~X8th9btUm3Pg9l7T~hP9BizRGIvTrWa-HTikxn8hmp7Y5au58TnfqnWN9iH5G1DU8w08MfA5~wKehTRhnjJTDW7gBR93jqCfYw3czpS2aSRMLif6DEEEPxEa48oWvIN8CfplxdIUdvcZ6rNtH4OS6514wqj~Ak~kguhcSvEfXDTCIO4CvD-FQZnZVbgwOWs1QzRDSH0kjtWRiSfPoPPp28IJ1pBzKDj-ZCrhk3NwKiDQR83MYNs67xA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The borough Planning Commission granted conditional approval to a land-development plan for the former freight railroad building, voting to approve a set of design modifications and to make final approval contingent on satisfying the borough engineer's comments.

The approval matters because the project will extend a water main, connect to the sewer system and convert a former freight facility for new uses, steps that require multiple technical approvals before construction can begin.

Ben Morton, a landscape architect with RGS Associates, told the commission the design team has coordinated with the architect and utilities since an initial March briefing, saying the team \"submitted to the Columbia Water Company, as there is going to be a water main extension to serve the former freight railroad building\" and that the water company had given conditional approval pending a main-extension agreement and financial security. He said the project has a sewer connection permit and that the applicant filed a planning-module exemption with the ADP related to sewage.

Morton said the land-development plan was submitted in early June and that the design team has been revising the plans to address review comments. During the meeting the applicant withdrew a requested waiver of section 18417(g)(7) of the borough regulations, removing that item from consideration. After discussion, a commission member moved to grant the listed modifications referenced in the borough engineer's review letter and the RGS letter dated June 6. A second was recorded. The commission then moved to grant conditional approval \"subject to the comments satisfying the comments in the Borough Engineer's 07/08/2025 review letter.\" The motion carried; the commission recorded the conditional approval with the stated condition.

Commission discussion focused on technical details and on consolidating several minor modification requests into a single approval; commissioners and staff noted one waiver request had been withdrawn before the final votes. The approval requires the applicant to satisfy the borough engineer's comments, provide the water-main extension agreement and required financial security and complete any outstanding plan revisions identified in the July 8, 2025 engineer review.

The project will proceed to permit stages only after the conditions are met, including final sign-off from the borough engineer and any utility agreements. Morton closed by saying the team did not foresee challenges meeting the outstanding items and thanked the commission for its input.

A copy of the borough engineer's July 8, 2025 review letter and the applicant's June 6 RGS letter are listed in the record as the basis of the conditional approval.","The borough planning commission granted conditional approval to a land-development plan for the former freight railroad building, subject to the borough engineer's comments and several modifications; the applicant withdrew one requested waiver.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning commission takes no position on 50 North Fourth Street zoning request due to missing details

Planning commission expresses reservations about short-term rental at 521 Locust Street, makes no recommendation

Residents, commission debate conversion of 27 South Fish Street to additional apartments

Planning commission grants conditional approval for former freight-railroad redevelopment plan