When the Planning Board chairwoman asked the supporters of zoning changes that would limit building heights in Columbia to stand, nearly half of the packed Banneker Room stood.
The second request Tuesday evening was for opponents of the limits ? and again about half the room stood.
The board is considering two zoning regulation amendments, proposed by Howard County Council Member Mary Kay Sigaty, D-District 4, aimed at capping the height of buildings, including the proposed 275-foot Plaza Residences, at 150 feet.
On one side, opponents of the amendments ? heavily represented by the business community ? argue the changes would send a negative message to businesses.
“We believe retroactively denying approval will allow developers to lose trust in the process,” said Del Karfonta, chairman of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, referring to how the changes would affect the tower, which has been approved. “Businesses must be able to depend on a predictable process.”
“A very small minority afraid of change have gotten the ears of our public officials,” said Sharonlee Vogel, chairwoman of the Commission on Aging.
The other side took issue with how the tower was not included in the fall 2005 community meetings about the future of downtown Columbia.
Stephen Meskin, a candidate for the Town Center Village Board, called the amendments “a small change,” and said the member of the Chamber of Commerce was making “exaggerations of disaster.”
The board will meet May 24 to continue the hearing.
