Planning and Zoning to hold public hearing on potential mall changes

Planning and Zoning held a public hearing on potential changes that could be coming to the Columbia Mall.

ABC 17 News previously reported the changes would split the lot where the mall sits into two. The old Sears building which closed in July 2018 would be the home to a second Dillards.

Michael MacMann from the Planning and Zoning Commission said the split would not be a physical one but would only be on paper.

“These folks, what they want to do is create, for a lack of a better term, this is not the correct term, a zero lot line. Think of it like a condominium where your wall is your dividing between you and your neighbor,” he said.

The line would divide everything on the lot, including parking. These types of divides are not currently allowed.

“Our new code, as of two years ago, does not allow buildings to sit on different plats with multiple owners that are different legally from each other. We require them now to be one legal entity underneath the building. And the mall in general is that,” MacMann said.

“One of the reasons we went away from that and kind of naturally that folks are going away from that is it can create a lot of confusion and conflict when one party wants to do something with their property, which is a building, and someone else wants to do something with their property, which is a building, and those buildings are attached,” he said.

MacMann said he still has some questions about green space under the new plan, but he does not know how the other commissioners feel about the potential changes.

The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission voted in favor of the changes and will make a recommendation to City Council. It will now move to the City Council’s consent agenda.