Most of downtown Columbia is zoned for "central business." But the same zone that lets developers build small boutiques with loft apartments lets in huge, disruptive housing complexes like the Brookside Apartments.
The way a city zones property is part of the planning process. It's about the way a city sees itself--or the way it wants to see itself. But the C-2 zone is a mess. City Council member Barbara Hoppe calls it the "wild west" of zoning because there are so few restrictions on what it allows.
How did downtown zoning get this way? Is anyone doing anything about it? Should anyone do anything about it?
We answer these questions and break the whole issue down in this week's episode of CoMo Explained.
CoMo Explained is a weekly podcast from the KBIA newsroom that breaks down local issues vital to Columbia. Let us show you why the news matters.
Download CoMo Explained every week at KBIA.org (find us under the "Talk Shows" button) or subscribe to our podcast through iTunes. As always, you can listen online but it might be easier to download the whole show and listen at your leisure.