The monthly Planning Commission meeting (Click here to see the June planning commission agenda) was held last night in the council chamber at the Columbia Borough Hall. Approximately a dozen citizens attended the meeting which was called to order by chairman Donald Haines at 7:00 pm. All, but one, of the Commission members (listed below) were present; Tiffani Lynn was absent.

According to the Borough Website: “The Planning Commission meets the third Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Borough Office.  The public is invited to attend. The Columbia Planning Commission is a relatively unique planning in Lancaster County. Unlike most municipalities which rely on the Lancaster County Planning Commission for subdivision and land development plan approval, Columbia has chosen to perform these responsibilities to maintain rapid, coordinated, local control.

 “The Planning Commission is responsible for plan approvals and zoning ordinance revision advice. In addition, the Commission regularly comments on Zoning Hearing applicants and other planning initiatives in and adjacent to the Borough.

“The Commission’s philosophy is that Columbia lies in the middle of  the York-Lancaster Region and is pivotal to and benefits from both regional and local policies. Commission members regularly attend workshops and seminars and meetings within and outside the Borough to learn about and provide input to planning organizations and efforts.  

“Members: Donald Haines, Chairman; Jay Lewis, Vice Chairman; Virginia Abendschein, Member; Tiffani Lynn, Secretary; Carmen Swinehart, Member; Terry Sears, Member.”

The majority topic of the nearly two-hour meeting was about the “official map.” We will have more insight and detail about “official maps” in future article postings, but the following narrative is according to the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code

“Article IV – Official Map

Section 401. Grant of Power.

(a) The governing body of each municipality shall have the power to make or cause to be made an official map of all or a portion of the municipality which may show appropriate elements or portions of elements of the comprehensive plan adopted pursuant to section 302 with regard to public lands and facilities, and which may include, but need not be limited to:

(1) Existing and proposed public streets, water courses and public grounds, including widenings, narrowings, extensions, diminutions, openings or closing of same.

(2) Existing and proposed public parks, playgrounds and open space reservations.

(3) Pedestrian ways and easements.

(4) Railroad and transit rights-of-way and easements.

(5) Flood control basins, floodways and flood plains, storm water management areas and drainage easements.

(6) Support facilities, easements and other properties held by public bodies under taking the elements described in section 301.

(b) For the purposes of taking action under this section, the governing body or its authorized designee may make or cause to be made surveys and maps to identify, for the regulatory purposes of this article, the location of property, traffic way alignment or utility easement by use of property records, aerial photography, photogrammetric mapping or other method sufficient for identification, description and publication of the map components. For acquisition of lands and easements, boundary descriptions by metes and bounds shall be made and sealed by a licensed surveyor.

Section 402. Adoption of the Official Map and Amendments Thereto.

(a) Prior to the adoption of the official map or part thereof, or any amendments to the official map, the governing body shall refer the proposed official map, or part thereof or amendment thereto, with an accompanying ordinance describing the proposed map, to the planning agency for review. The planning agency shall report its recommendations on said proposed official map and accompanying ordinance, part thereof, or amendment thereto within 45 days unless an extension of time shall be agreed to by the governing body. If, however, the planning agency fails to act within 45 days, the governing body may proceed without its recommendations.

(b) The county and adjacent municipalities may offer comments and recommendations during said 45-day review period in accordance with section 408. Local authorities, park boards, environ mental boards and similar public bodies may also offer comments and recommendations to the governing body or planning agency if requested by same during said 45-day review period. Before voting on the enactment of the proposed ordinance and official map, or part thereof or amendment thereto, the governing body shall hold a public hearing pursuant to public notice.

(c) Following adoption of the ordinance and official map, or part thereof or amendment thereto, a copy of same, verified by the governing body, shall be submitted to the recorder of deeds of the county in which the municipality is located and shall be recorded within 60 days of the effective date. The fee for recording and indexing ordinances and amendments shall be paid by the municipality enacting the ordinance or amendment and shall be in the amount prescribed by law for the recording of ordinances by the recorder of deeds.”

While it was noted by several in the audience at the meeting that a distinct minority of county municipalities (or the state) have an official map (It appears, for instance that there are only three in Lancaster County), Lancaster County’s “Smart Growth Toolbox” provides this description for the “official map”:

Description: Municipalities in Pennsylvania have been granted the power to create Official Maps through the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC) of Pennsylvania to designate areas for both current and future public land and facilities on a map.  This designation on the Official Map then allows a municipality the ability to delay development of a property or properties (up to a year) to provide the municipality an opportunity to acquire the property for the designated public facilities.  Within that time span of a year, the municipality may opt to not acquire the property(s) at all and allow for the property owner to move forward with his or her development plans. 

Under the MPC, an Official Map may include, but need not be limited to, existing and proposed public streets, watercourses and public grounds, including widenings, narrowings, extensions, diminutions, openings or closing of same; existing and proposed public parks, playgrounds and open space reservations; pedestrian ways and easements; railroad and transit rights-of-way and easements; flood control basins, floodways and flood plains, storm water management areas and drainage easements.

Here is an example of what one municipality has done to inform their citizenry about the concept of the “official map:” Official Map Frequently Asked Questions. But do not take someone’s verbal ramblings as gospel; you can read more “black and white documentation” about Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code by clicking here.