Over 50 people, mainly Columbia residents, attended a meeting sponsored by the nonprofit Columbia Economic Development Corporation at Perfect Settings on Wednesday night. Lancaster County redevelopment consultants presented a Columbia Downtown Master Plan as a step forward towards revitalizing the borough.
A copy of the plan can be viewed/downloaded HERE.
More details will follow.
Columbia Spy 
How could they not address the unaffordable school district, & police force. Without this town getting its costs under control the taxes will keep development away. Regionalization will lead to development, & a quality way of life in this town
LikeLike
It will be interesting to see what's said at tonight's school board meeting.
LikeLike
Ditto: tonight's tax independence meeting at the VFW.
LikeLike
The consultants did not recognize the parking problem. Mr. Yoe began telling about the river park and the fact that trucks and boat trailers are parked there all weekend and he is correct from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. That area is full. The spaces for cars is limited. Now add the fact that the new building may be rented out on weekends and people will be coming to kayak and check out the trail. I will continue in next comment…
LikeLike
Continued…the parking lot at Locust and Bank fill up quickly during summer with vehicles of those going on bus trips through the historic society. Perfect Settings will have wedding receptions and those folks need parking spots as well. I suggested paving the flat strip of land across from Bootleg Antiques. Continued…
LikeLike
Flat paving has to cost less than a parking garage. A walking path under the bridge could provide access to Rotary Park. It would be great to purchase the mattress building and remove it totally from that corner, it has no historic value that I am aware of. Some could even argue that it is an eyesore in an area that should look inviting.
LikeLike
Yes, boaters monopolize parking every weekend in the summer, even going so far as parking on the bank at the upper end of the park.
LikeLike
Not to mention on the grid under the grass next to the sidewalk.
LikeLike
A single vehicle in a space designated for a vehicle and trailer will get ticketed – Memorial Day to Labor Day, yet I've never seen a vehicle on the bank get ticketed.
LikeLike
So, the point is – River Park needs more parking to be made available for visitors without boat trailers.
LikeLike
I want to add that I understand what Jeff Seibert was saying about carrying quarters for parking, I have been doing that for quite some time now. I even put one in sometimes for other people. But that being said, I have been to places where the parking was so bad that I would never consider going back. I'm certain that this will not be a problem during the winter months.
LikeLike
Five council members were not present at this presentation/meeting. I did not see anyone from the visitor's center either. Perhaps they all have their own agenda and don't care to hear what anyone else has to say. I'm not clear on who hired and paid for the consultants, can anyone answer that?
LikeLike
Perhaps someone that has their own agenda
LikeLike
It would be much more user friendly to tear down the eyesore building at the bottom of Locust Street for parking
LikeLike
Most of the downtown tenants need new mattresses ! , and $99 a set is hard to beet
LikeLike
Eyesore? Be nice if we could find a tax-paying business to move in there instead. That is kind of this town's problem.
LikeLike
The town's problem is kind of political. Why do we need a bunch of consultants to “plan our future” ? Maybe the free market can plan our future like it has been doing in this country for the past 200 years !. The consultants had nothing to do with the economic growth in Columbia over the past five years, and they will have nothing to do with the economic growth over the next five years. The economic growth as well as the types of businesses that come to town will be determined by the people that are willing to buy the properties and start the businesses, the “free market” that the Country was founded on. Government was set up to protect the Citizens, not to be the Citizens !
LikeLike
How could they not address the unaffordable school district, & police force. Without this town getting its costs under control the taxes will keep development away. Regionalization will lead to development, & a quality way of life in this town
LikeLike
It will be interesting to see what's said at tonight's school board meeting.
LikeLike
Ditto: tonight's tax independence meeting at the VFW.
LikeLike
The consultants did not recognize the parking problem. Mr. Yoe began telling about the river park and the fact that trucks and boat trailers are parked there all weekend and he is correct from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. That area is full. The spaces for cars is limited. Now add the fact that the new building may be rented out on weekends and people will be coming to kayak and check out the trail. I will continue in next comment…
LikeLike
Continued…the parking lot at Locust and Bank fill up quickly during summer with vehicles of those going on bus trips through the historic society. Perfect Settings will have wedding receptions and those folks need parking spots as well. I suggested paving the flat strip of land across from Bootleg Antiques. Continued…
LikeLike
Flat paving has to cost less than a parking garage. A walking path under the bridge could provide access to Rotary Park. It would be great to purchase the mattress building and remove it totally from that corner, it has no historic value that I am aware of. Some could even argue that it is an eyesore in an area that should look inviting.
LikeLike
Yes, boaters monopolize parking every weekend in the summer, even going so far as parking on the bank at the upper end of the park.
LikeLike
Not to mention on the grid under the grass next to the sidewalk.
LikeLike
A single vehicle in a space designated for a vehicle and trailer will get ticketed – Memorial Day to Labor Day, yet I've never seen a vehicle on the bank get ticketed.
LikeLike
So, the point is – River Park needs more parking to be made available for visitors without boat trailers.
LikeLike
I want to add that I understand what Jeff Seibert was saying about carrying quarters for parking, I have been doing that for quite some time now. I even put one in sometimes for other people. But that being said, I have been to places where the parking was so bad that I would never consider going back. I'm certain that this will not be a problem during the winter months.
LikeLike
Five council members were not present at this presentation/meeting. I did not see anyone from the visitor's center either. Perhaps they all have their own agenda and don't care to hear what anyone else has to say. I'm not clear on who hired and paid for the consultants, can anyone answer that?
LikeLike
Perhaps someone that has their own agenda
LikeLike
It would be much more user friendly to tear down the eyesore building at the bottom of Locust Street for parking
LikeLike
Most of the downtown tenants need new mattresses ! , and $99 a set is hard to beet
LikeLike
Eyesore? Be nice if we could find a tax-paying business to move in there instead. That is kind of this town's problem.
LikeLike
The town's problem is kind of political. Why do we need a bunch of consultants to “plan our future” ? Maybe the free market can plan our future like it has been doing in this country for the past 200 years !. The consultants had nothing to do with the economic growth in Columbia over the past five years, and they will have nothing to do with the economic growth over the next five years. The economic growth as well as the types of businesses that come to town will be determined by the people that are willing to buy the properties and start the businesses, the “free market” that the Country was founded on. Government was set up to protect the Citizens, not to be the Citizens !
LikeLike