Background: As many Howard County residents may know, Columbia is a planned community with many covenants that guide community development. One of the key covenants limits the amount of retail allowed for businesses in industrial parks. Covenants are negative in as much as they take away some freedom, but they are also positive because they set a standard, and this adds value. There is currently a plan to build a AAA Car Care Center which is in direct conflict with Columbia's covenants. AAA certainly has the right to build a repair facility, but they do not have the right to have 50% of their building retail, travel and insurance services, which is close to three times the amount permitted by the covenants.
