Columbia planning commission weighs zoning changes for McGinnis airfield site; council opposed residential use

The Columbia Borough Planning Commission on Jan. 21 discussed proposed land‑use ordinance amendments for the McGinnis airfield property, focusing on whether to create a separate special business district, prohibit residential development, allow parking as a principal use, and change lot‑size and building‑coverage rules to make the site more marketable.

Chairperson Mary Wickenheiser said the commission had sent a letter to borough council and described council members’ reaction at a Jan. 7 council workshop. “They were questioning why we sent a letter,” Wickenheiser said, and she added council “felt they did not want any kind of residential use with that property.” The commission’s review drew repeatedly on the McGinnis airfield site inventory and analysis report by ELA (July 2021), which Wickenheiser cited as the working guideline.

Why it matters: The borough is preparing the former airfield for redevelopment as a business/industrial park. Zoning text and table changes will shape what kinds of businesses can occupy the property, what infrastructure the borough must provide, and how nearby residential areas will be buffered.

Discussion highlights

- Districting and residential prohibition: Commissioners discussed treating the airfield area as a special district separate from existing light‑industrial or general‑industrial zones. Wickenheiser said council opposed permitting residential uses on the site; she…