Members of Howard County?s business community oppose zoning changes to limit building heights in Columbia, including that of the planned 275-foot Plaza Residences.
“It?s business-unfriendly,” said Doug Godine, general manager of real estate trust for General Growth Properties, which owns land in Columbia?s Town Center.
The amendments, proposed by Howard Council Member Mary Kay Sigaty, would set aheight limit of 150 feet in Columbia and include a clause so the tower proposed by WCI Communities Inc. is included.
“The amendments are singularly targeting the WCI building, which went through the [approval] process two and a half years ago,” Godine said.
Limiting approved plans that have been approved sends the wrong message to developers and businesses, he said. The Howard County Chamber of Commerce encouraged businesses to sign a petition in opposition to the amendments. As of Monday afternoon, more than 100 individuals and companies had signed, representing thousands of employees, Chamber Chairman Del Karfonta said.
“We believe that retroactively denying the Plaza?s approval will cause developers to lose trust in the process the county uses to approve buildings,” the petition states.
The changes would allow the county to deny permits, even if the business had gone through the proper process, Karfonta said. This would “interrupt the predictability of business in Howard County,” he said.
Sigaty said she could see the business community?s perspective, but “this is the only tool I have to carry forward concerns in my community.”
