The fight against data centers in Columbia: Where we are and where we go from here

KATHY WOODS EMBLETON 

We have, for all intents and purposes, stopped the Borough sale of McGinness to Saadia Holding. At the July 14th Borough Council meeting, Councilman Ethan Byers made a motion to remove data centers as a permitted use from the light business district, where McGinness is located. The vote was 4-3 in favor. After that, the zoning change was heard by the Columbia Borough Planning Commission, where it was recommended that the change be made by a vote of 4-0. Both Eric Kauffman and Heather Zink spoke to the Commission and urged them to vote no. Next, the zoning change will be reviewed by the Lancaster County Planning Commission, of which Heather is a member. It's important to note that the County Planning Commission cannot block the change; they can only make a recommendation. The hope of the three Council members who voted no on the zoning change is to flip one Council vote when it comes back to Council after advertising the change and holding a hearing on it.

What the Saadia data center proposal for McGinness obtained by LNP through a right to know request shows is what Council most likely would have approved on May 26th except for the technicality that Saadia would not make payment in full within 60 days as required by PA law. It's clear why Saadia insisted on a nondisclosure agreement; they didn't want the public to know that a data center the size of three Walmart super centers would be built in our tiny 2 square mile town. It completely refutes the claim by one Council member that the proposed data center was comparable to the little telephone company switching center on N Second Street.

Our fight isn't over. By PA law, Columbia can't completely ban data centers through zoning. Council is in the process of writing a data center ordinance to protect the community in the event that a data center developer attempts to purchase property in the industrial zones. Currently, only two properties would be in play, Colonial Metals, which at 7 acres is much too small for a hyperscale data center, and ASC, which is currently not for sale. We need to insist that Council write and approve a data center ordinance which protects the people of Columbia and not a potential developer.

If any Columbia residents are interested in joining the fight against data centers in our town, either by making phone calls or knocking on doors, please message me directly.