Photo and Story By John Temple Ligon Temple@TheColumbiaStar.com

Lucinda Statler, urban design planner for the City of Columbia Planning Department. The city's planning department was the host at King Park for a Five Points planning session Monday night, August 20. Property owners were out in force, as were the shopkeepers and the restaurateurs. There were some politicians, to include active elected officials and declared candidates and even a few latent types about to surface.

The real draw was the earlier disclosure about the property anchored by Bob Andrews Motors and The Bazaar shopping complex, but the property has a front on Gervais, too, between the Exxon Station and the tracks. Under contract with Hendon Properties, an Atlanta property company known for its large shopping centers with national retailers, the valuable parcel near the corner of Harden and Gervais sets up a gateway to Five Points.

Hendon is silent about what is planned. The firm has two years to close on the sale. The clandestine plans had an effect on Five Points activists, who showed up to hear the city explain its planning process and to invite the activists to participate in the hopes of keeping Five Points, Five Points. Part of the participation was to fully review the four planning options and declare a preference.

Running the show was Lucinda Statler, a member of the American Institute of City Planners and an employee of the city. There were a few other members of the city's planning department scattered about the room as facilitators. Also scattered about the room of tables were copies of the Five Points Design/Development Guidelines. Everyone was given a copy of the facilitator notes.

The facilitator notes itemized the four planning options, which are presented here in the city's language:

Option 1: Tied to permitting

Any project required to get a zoning permit for new construction, exterior renovations, additions, or site improvements must get a Certificate of Design Approval. This is similar to the current process for the City Center Design Development District. Smaller projects would be reviewed at the staff level; larger, more complex projects would be reviewed by the D/DRC. C- 3 zoning would remain.

Option 2: Size matters

Any project over 35' total height, or 5,000- sq.- ft. building footprint, must get a Certificate of Design Approval. Smaller projects would be reviewed at the staff level. Larger, more complex projects would be reviewed by the D/DRC. A threshold would be established. C- 3 zoning would remain in place, with potential height, setback, and parking modifications applied to the overlay district.

Option 3: Give and take

Any project requesting relief or assistance from the city would be required to get a Certificate of Design Approval. This includes zoning variance, special exception, re- zoning, alternative compliance with landscape ordinance, and encroachments. Projects built as- of- right would not require design review. C- 3 zoning would remain. Additional thresholds would be established to determine at which point a project must be reviewed by the Commission rather than staff. Generally, smaller projects could be reviewed at the staff level, and larger projects would be required to go before the D/DRC.

Option 4: 120- day wait

Every project must go through design review. However, if an applicant still wants to build what was proposed prior to the process, he may apply for his permits 120 days after the date of the application of the design review or he may pick up his permit for the drawings that are in compliance with the Certificate of Design Approval right away. Theoretically, the applicant would save time by going through design review. C- 3 Zoning would remain.

The audience was asked to complete a survey, which included a preference among the four planning options, the circumstances for height limitations, and a feel for the overall boundaries of the Five Points master plan.