TOWN OF COLUMBIA PLANNING & ZONING COMMISSION
Update to the Plan of Conservation & Development – Public Survey
The Planning & Zoning Commission seeks input on the Plan of Conservation & Development
The Columbia Planning & Zoning Commission is beginning the process of updating the Town’s 10-year Master Plan, known as the Plan of Conservation & Development (PoCD). This Plan, which was last updated in 2016, will help set the direction for the community’s next decade.
The current (2016) Plan begins with the following Overall Plan Philosophy:
- Protect what Columbia residents value while the Town continues to grow;
- Encourage development that is compatible with our rural character; and
- Protect natural and cultural resources for future generations.
The Plan then establishes specific goals in the areas of: Community & Cultural Resources, Natural Resources, Open Space, Housing, Business & Economic Growth, Agriculture, Community Facilities & Services, Recreation, Transportation, and Utilities. Each of these topics will need to be updated, and the Town will be seeking to update its overall vision for the next ten years of Columbia’s existence. This conversation will take place over the next year, primarily at its twice-monthly Planning & Zoning Commission meetings, held every second and fourth Monday at 7:00 p.m. at Town Hall and online via Zoom.
The Commission is now seeking public input on what this vision will look like. They have set up an online survey, to identify the community’s opinions and preferences for various municipal investments and areas of focus. Should the Town be spending money to buy more open space or protect farmland? Should the Town be more active in marketing the Route 6 commercial corridor to new businesses? Should rail-trail connections or protection of Columbia Lake receive more attention? Where should we direct new housing developments? These are critical questions to the Town’s future – and only the community can answer them.
To participate in the survey, which is open now, please scan the QR code below or go to: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ColumbiaPoCD2026 If members of the public have questions about the process or getting involved, they can contact jguszkowski [at] columbiact.org (jguszkowski[at]columbiact[dot]org).