What the Columbia zoning ordinance says about building height, district by district. Section numbers link to the official ordinance.
CD-2 height: principal buildings 3 stories max, accessory buildings 2 stories max. Stories and height exclude attics, basements, chimneys, and similar features listed in the table note. Any building exceeding 35 feet requires Fire Department approval conditions per the table footnote.
CD-3L height: principal buildings 3 stories max, accessory buildings 2 stories max, with the same attic, basement, and rooftop feature exclusions as the other character districts. Any building exceeding 35 feet requires Fire Department approval conditions per the table footnote.
CD-3 height: principal buildings 3 stories max, accessory buildings 2 stories max, with attic, basement, and rooftop feature exclusions per the table note. Any building exceeding 35 feet requires Fire Department approval conditions per the table footnote.
CD-4 height: principal buildings 3 stories max, accessory buildings 2 stories max, with attic, basement, and rooftop feature exclusions per the table note. Any building exceeding 35 feet requires Fire Department approval conditions per the table footnote.
CD-4C height: principal buildings 4 stories max, accessory buildings 2 stories max, with attic, basement, and rooftop feature exclusions per the table note. Any building exceeding 35 feet requires Fire Department approval conditions per the table footnote.
CD-5 has a 2 story minimum for principal buildings, with a maximum of up to 5 stories in areas defined by the table and 3 stories elsewhere; accessory buildings 2 stories max. The location-based split in Table 4.3.1-F controls, so confirm which height area applies to the parcel with Development Services.
CD-5C height: principal buildings 2 story min and 4 stories max; accessory buildings 2 stories max. Stories exclude attics, basements, and rooftop features per the table note; buildings over 35 feet trigger Fire Department approval conditions.
SD-MHP height: principal buildings 2 stories max, accessory buildings 2 stories max.
SD-INT accessory buildings are capped at 45 ft max. The principal building height row in Table 4.3.1-I ties allowed height to site conditions including an impervious coverage threshold of 40 percent or less; read the exact table row and confirm the interpretation with Development Services.
SD-LI height: principal buildings 45 ft max, accessory buildings 45 ft max. Impervious surface coverage is capped at 70 percent max per the same table.
SD-HI height: principal buildings 45 ft max, accessory buildings 45 ft max. Impervious surface coverage is capped at 70 percent max per the same table.
PUD-R allows 12 density units per acre max, accessory buildings 2 stories max located in the third layer only, and impervious surface coverage of 70 percent max (90 percent max for each group of attached townhouses). Principal building height comes from Table 4.3.1-L and the approved Master PUD Development Plan; read both before relying on a height number.
PUD-MU principal building height is set in Table 4.3.1-M together with the approved Master PUD Development Plan; accessory buildings are limited per the table. Read the table row and the recorded plan before relying on a height number.
Civic District height: principal buildings may be up to 20 feet higher than the maximum height of any adjacent character district; accessory buildings may not exceed the principal building height. Impervious surface coverage is capped at 80 percent max.
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