The height of the planned 275-foot Plaza Residences in Columbia could be limited if the county moves forward with proposed zoning changes.
Council Member Mary Kay Sigaty, D-District 4, proposed two amendments to the county?s zoning regulations:
» Setting a maximum height of 150 feet for the New Town zoning district, which is Columbia;
» Changing a grandfather clause so the proposed tower is included.
“It?s the whole tower process that got us thinking about this,” she said.
The height limit would expire whendowntown Columbia planning is complete and zoning regulations are finalized, so residents could weigh in on the tower during the downtown planning process.
Residents raised concerns during public workshops last year, known as the charrette, on downtown Columbia that the height of the proposed tower was not included.
“Our belief was from the beginning it was a mistake to exempt the tower plans from the charrette process,” said Alan Klein, spokesman for Coalition for Columbia?s Downtown, a resident?s activist group.
Klein lauded Sigaty?s move, saying she fulfilled a campaign promise.
The second amendment changes a grandfather clause so the height limits would apply to all buildings under appeal or judicial review.
The change “applies to all [projects], but it would have the effect of making the new height limits applicable to this development, in our view,” said Paul Johnson, Howard?s deputy county solicitor.
The Board of Appeals has delayed a decision on whether four Columbia residents can challenge the county?s approval of the tower until a decision is made in a related circuit court case.
Sigaty?s amendments first will be reviewed by the Department of Planning and Zoning and then be brought to a public meeting with the Planning Board that will make recommendations before it goes before the council.
