Over the last few years communities like Shandon and Rosewood have taken advantage of a protection measure that helps their historic neighborhoods. On Thursday, July 23 Mark Mylott, the director of planning and development services, explained the history and the importance of Community Character Protection at the Columbia Council of Neighborhoods meeting.

Mylott says the measure became necessary three years ago when city council faced serious issues in some of Columbia’s most historic neighborhoods. Houses were being built on lots where they didn’t belong. Houses that were bigger than the surrounding homes were being built, and houses that were considered defining to the character of their neighborhood were being demolished. Along with those concerns, the planning department was understaffed, which meant that the regulations that were in place to prevent such problems were not able to be enforced fast enough to stop such development. As a result, city council put into place an interim zoning district known as community character protection measures or interim measures. It was determined nearly two months ago that interim measures was such a success that city council passed a more permanent status for neighborhoods, permanent community character measures.

These measures ensure that while structures 50 years or older could still be demolished, a review by the Design Development Review Commission (DDRC) would have to take place as well as a public notice to the neighborhood.

New developments, mostly concerning newly divided sub lots on corner lots, have certain set backs and height considerations to prevent shoehorn sub lots. Mylott says the measures wouldn’t necessarily prevent the shoehorn sub lots from happening, but it would ensure that the structure would fit the neighborhood better.

“It strikes a balance between the development community and legitimate community concerns,” Mylott says.

For communities to be under this new permanent community character protection their neighborhood president or their city council representative has to fill out an application send it to the planning commission. The planning commission will send its recommendation to the city council, which will make the final ruling. According to Mylott the process usually takes between 60 and 90 days, depending on when the application is received.