Columbia Planning Commission recommends zoning changes to add data centers, dispensaries and limit package-delivery hubs

The Columbia Planning Commission voted April 15 to recommend that borough council consider a set of zoning ordinance amendments that would add a data-center definition, allow marijuana dispensaries in certain industrial zones, add tattoo and body-piercing as a permitted use in highway commercial, expand the borough's adult-use category to include smoke and vape shops, and create a separate category for package-delivery distribution centers capped at 50,000 square feet.

The changes would amend the table of permitted uses and related definitions in the borough zoning ordinance. Commission members said the package is intended to clarify how new logistics and technology uses are treated in light business, light industrial and general industrial districts and to add definitions drawn from previous ordinances for other uses.

Chairperson Wickenheiser told the commission that the recommendation is an initial step and that the solicitor will draft formal ordinance language for council and Lancaster County Planning review. "All in favor, signify by saying 'aye'," Wickenheiser said before commissioners voted to forward the measures to council.

Key proposed items discussed by the commission include: - A definition for "data center" to be added to the zoning definitions and added as a permitted use in light business (LB), light industrial (LI) and general industrial (GI) where appropriate. - Adding marijuana dispensaries to the table of permitted uses under LB, LI and GI, with definitions to be taken from Ordinance 885 (as cited in the meeting packet). - Adding tattooing and body piercing as permitted uses under highway commercial, using definitions from Ordinance 796. - Expanding the borough's adult-use definition in section 2 20 19 to include smoke and vape shops and adding a smoke-shop definition for the same section. - Creating a new definition for "package delivery service distribution center" (a carrier facility or central hub) with a maximum building size of 50,000 square feet; the proposed category would be permitted in LB, LI and GI. The commission decided to leave general warehousing as a special-exception (SP) use and not change that designation.

Commission members discussed whether to amend the warehouse definition to include package-delivery uses or to add a separate definition with its own size cap. Commissioner comments cited traffic control and scale as the primary concerns; one commissioner suggested a separate definition with a square-footage cap to limit large logistics hubs in certain zones. Justin (who provided draft definitions for the packet) had recommended considering a separate category or amending warehouse definitions; the commission settled on the separate, capped category.

Commissioners and staff noted procedural next steps: the solicitor will convert the commission's recommendation into ordinance language; the draft will be returned to the commission for review, referred to Lancaster County Planning for county-level review, and scheduled for a public hearing before any adoption. The commission said that, depending on review timelines, the process could extend into July before ordinances are adopted.

The commission voted to forward the recommendation to borough council. The motion was made from the floor and passed on a voice vote with all members saying "aye."