By a vote of 5-1-1, Columbia Borough Council, at its meeting last Monday, approved sending a "letter of intent" to the Safe Harbor Water Power Corporation so that the borough can officially accept the gift of three parcels of land along the Susquehanna River from Walnut Street south to the Lancaster Water Company.
The three parcels are currently housing the Columbia Water Company and the river front cabins.
Voting to send the letter were Mary Wickenheiser, Mary Barninger, Sandy Duncan, Renae Sears and Mike Buery. Voting against the motion was Kelly Murphy, while newly appointed councilmen Jim Smith abstained.
In the letter, Wickenheiser explained the potential purchase of the three parcels will most likely involve the Columbia Economic Development Corporation or another entity, the Columbia Water Company and the Columbia Heritage River Cottage Association.
"Not all three parcels will be transferred," Wickenheiser said.
Duncan said the motion to send the letter was council doing "due diligence."
"This is the safest way (for the cottage owners) to protect their property," said Buery.
14 comments:
Did i read this right? The columbia water company does not own its land.
they should also buy the lots at the bottom of Union Street
what lots at the bottom of union street?
the bottom of union street is at front street
I happen to know that there is a group of investors interested in that land. God help the boro if this group is locked out of bidding on this venture. they have alot of capitol and will probably bid or pay more than cottage owners will.
A group of Investors? Between Norm and Lutz, if you would listen to them every month about Investors coming into Columbia, this town would be blossoming by now. The riverfront is sacred ground and it should remain that way. Let the investors look for other area's in this town.
AMEN !
i agree 1 million percent.....
look elsewhere or invest your money in some of the MANY vacant buildings in town ! Take a hint from the new owners of Hotel Locust ! Put YOUR money where your mouth is - reinvest in downtown.
Nothing sacred about that land .If the boro gets that land it should be sold to the highest bidder.If you owned something and were selling it, dont tell me you wouldnt want to make as much as possible. CRY BABIES!!!!
Hey "CRY BABIES"........post your name and get a backbone. I have no connection down at the cottages and I feel this area has a historical value that is just as important to our past and future. Money is not everything. Do you sign your checks and credit card receipts as ANONYMOUS? Get real and post your name so you and I can debate the real issues in this town. I'm not hard to find.........regards,
Tim Swartz
tswartz2114@aol.com
Hum... Does this mean that you support the Historic District and the HARB? Or are you hiding behind "...historic value..." when your reason may be entirely something else? Tim you have always been one for holding the tax rate, if not reducing it. To sell this off to the highest bidder may be a way of holding that tax line. You would not be in favor of that?
I say buy out the columbia water company. The town can make good on it. Also, The land at the river should always be owned by columbia, since we are going to get it free from safe harbor! The cottages should stay as a rented area. Thanks for reading Robert
I agree Robert, the land at the river should always be owned by Columbia.
Columbia is not in the real estate business. Sell the land to the cottage association and let it be that. What makes one think the Columbia Water Company is for sale. This is a privately owned company. The Boro has a hard time of maintaining the Sewer Plant. We are going to Borrow up to 16.5 million to build a new plant.Keep in mind that all these projects being done by the Borough has to be paid for at some point. Guess who is going to pay for this?
Post a Comment