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Council advances four‑unit plan development on West Columbus Drive despite transportation waiver
Summary
An application to develop four townhouses at 206 West Columbus Drive moved forward on first reading; staff found inconsistency with some code sections and transportation flagged alley backup distances, but planning staff supported compatibility with the neighborhood.
The council advanced a plan development application (REZ24114) that would convert a vacant parcel at 206 West Columbus Drive into four attached single‑family units arranged around a shared courtyard and connected to an adjacent sidewalk easement.
Christopher Demas of development coordination summarized the site plan: four, three‑story units with two‑car garages, a maximum proposed height near 36 feet, guest parking along the alley and pedestrian connections to West Columbus Drive. Planning commission staff Quinn Steele said the proposal is compatible with the Tampa Heights urban village and consistent with the Comprehensive Plan; the commission recommended approval.
Staff and applicant disagreement focused on a transportation finding and a requested waiver. Development review staff found the petition inconsistent with the land development code; transportation staff flagged a required 24‑foot aisle/backup standard that could not be met in the alley. The applicant, Steve McElhinney, said the visitor parking spaces were widened to 10 feet and he provided maneuvering diagrams for alley access; he argued the mandatory alley use in the code creates practical constraints in older blocks and asked council to accept a waiver reducing aisle width from 24 feet to 20 feet for alley backup.
Council action and conditions: Council moved the ordinance for first reading and accepted a revision sheet that requires certain site modifications to be completed between first and second reading. Planning staff recorded no adverse neighborhood impacts and emphasized that the design preserves alley access while providing additional housing. The motion for first reading carried unanimously; final adoption is set for July 17.
