New Town Development Process

To implement the recommendations of the Downtown Columbia Plan, new development or redevelopment of any property located within Downtown Columbia that is approved after April 6, 2010, must comply with all provisions applicable to Downtown Revitalization, except as provided in Section 125.0.A.9.f of the Zoning Regulations. Downtown Revitalization shall require the approval of (1) a Final Development Plan or Final Development Plan Amendment, and (2) a Site Development Plan.

The owner of any portion of a Village Center may propose Major Village Center Redevelopment by filing a petition to amend an approved Preliminary Development Plan, Comprehensive Sketch Plan, or Final Development Plan for the owner’s property in the Village Center. 

New Development

In the NT District, as in all areas of the County, a building permit is required for construction. Before applying for a building permit, please review the Final Development Plan (FDP) to ensure the project complies with the FDP before submitting the building permit application.

A Site Development Plan (SDP) must be approved before a building permit is issued for most new construction in the NT District. However, for detached residences and townhouses, the approved SDP does not need to be revised for many improvements made after the house is built, such as the construction of decks, additions, and sheds, as long as the improvements comply with the requirements established by the FDP (e.g., setbacks).

New and expanded nonresidential or apartment developments require a revised SDP, which must be approved by the Planning Board unless the changes are considered minor in accordance with Section 125.0.G.2&3 of the Zoning Regulations. Minor changes not requiring Planning Board approval include, but are not limited to, minor accessory structures, small buildings or parking lot additions, and clearing or grading that does not exceed 5,000 square feet in area.

Adjustments to FDP Bulk Requirements

Process

Bulk requirements are numerical requirements such as building setbacks, building height, lot coverage, lot size, and the number of parking spaces. A property owner wishing to make improvements that do not comply with the bulk requirements listed in the FDP may apply to the Planning Board for an adjustment to the requirement. For example, a homeowner may apply for a setback reduction or an increase in allowed building coverage. The Zoning Regulations authorize the Planning Board to approve such adjustments if it finds that:

• The adjustment will not alter the character of the neighborhood or area in which the property is located, will not impair the appropriate use or development of an adjacent property, and will not be detrimental to the public welfare; and
• The adjustment is needed due to practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships, which arise in complying strictly with the Final Development Plan, and/or results in a better design than would be allowed by strict compliance with the development criteria.

A request for an adjustment to the bulk regulations requires a public meeting if requested as part of the Site Development Plan for the development of an unimproved property or if the request is for an addition or alteration to a developed property.

Add a Permitted Use to the FDP

Only uses listed in the Final Development Plan (FDP) are permitted on a property. Other uses are permitted only if an amendment to the FDP is approved by the Planning Board.

Only the original petitioner for the NT District may propose amendments to an approved Comprehensive Sketch Plan or FDP, except any property owner may propose amendments to the FDP to allow a particular use on his or her property. In such a case, no amendment shall be proposed which would either alter the land use designation established by the Comprehensive Sketch Plan or allow an increase in residential density.

For such residential property, the Planning Board must hold a public hearing on the additional use and may approve the request only if they find that:

• The use is consistent with the land use designation of the property established on the recorded FDP and compatible with existing or proposed development in the vicinity; and
• The use will not adversely affect vicinal properties.

A proposed Comprehensive Sketch Plan Amendment shall be reviewed in accordance with Section 125.0.C of the Zoning Regulations, and a proposed FDP Amendment shall be revised in accordance with Sections 125.0.D or 125.0.E of the Zoning Regulations.