COLUMBIA SPY

Friday, June 9, 2017

Another threatened Columbia property

FROM A RECENT LNP ARTICLE:

The Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County has released its list of the area's 10 most-threatened historic properties.

Where: William Patton House, 31 S. Second St., Columbia.

An 1864 Gothic Italianate brick building, the 2 1/2-story home has an elaborate portico; an Italianate pair-bracketed raking cornice; and a bold decoration within a rectangular transom and sidelights. The building, formerly adapted for use as a convalescent home, has signs of obvious neglect.

MORE PROPERTIES HERE:

http://lancasteronline.com/features/home_garden/historic-preservation-trust-these-are-lancaster-county-s-most-endangered/article_2d050fa6-4b9d-11e7-ba10-4b95d16248a7.html

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Bicycle Rodeo this Saturday

Trolley driver needed

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Controversial Columbia property now for sale

A Columbia property that was the subject of controversy a few years ago is now up for sale. 631 South 13th Street, owned by Vincent Fiorella, was in the news in 2014 when construction on a pole barn on the property was halted more than halfway towards completion. Columbia's zoning enforcement officer issued a stop work order for the project, after approving it months earlier.

According to Fiorella, he learned in mid-September of 2014 - when the building was 85% complete - that the permit was about to be revoked. He said zoning enforcement officer Jeffrey Helm informed him that he [Helm] had made a mistake, and the structure was not in compliance. Fiorella said he subsequently received a letter of September 25, ordering him to stop work. He then received another letter, dated September 26, informing him that the permit was being revoked, because the structure exceeded the 1,000-square-foot limit imposed by borough ordinance.

At its December 3 meeting, the Zoning Hearing Board rendered a decision essentially upholding the revocation of the permit.

The property sits in a residential neighborhood. As shown above, its current listing on realtor.com states:

"Ideal property and location for car collectors,constr. contractors, and private inside storage with four large 10'x8'doors and one large 10'x12' overhead steel garage doors."

The backstory is HERE.

School districts reaching a 'tipping point' on being able to deliver quality education

In the 332 school districts that responded to the survey, budgetary challenges are causing seven in 10 districts to look at property tax increases for next year. In many cases, that is accompanied by furloughs, program cuts, delayed textbook purchases, postponed maintenance projects, and dipping into reserve accounts.

http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/06/school_districts_reaching_a_ti.html