Colorado Springs City Council chambers erupted into dismayed shouts after councilmembers on Monday informally decided not to refer a ballot question to voters this November that would limit building heights in a small section of downtown.

“Come on!” and “Shame on you,” residents who filled council chambers, generally in support of limiting building heights, cried at councilmembers.

“It’s your legacy, not ours,” someone in the audience said.

“No, it’s our legacy. It’s our town, not theirs,” another replied.

With Councilman Mike O’Malley absent from Monday’s council work session, Councilman Dave Donelson was the lone supporter of his own proposal that the council formally vote at a future regular meeting on the item. At that meeting, the council would have had the opportunity to hear feedback from residents, business owners and developers — who could not give public testimony at Monday’s work session — and then decide whether to refer the question to voters on Nov. 5.

Donelson said 5,800 residents who have signed an online petition since it launched in late April support his proposal to allow Colorado Springs voters to decide if building heights should be limited to no more than 248 feet within an approximately 0.4 square mile section of downtown where most building heights — for apartments, civic and mixed use buildings — are not limited by code or a master plan.

The council also has the power to pass an ordinance that could put height limits in place.

Previously, residents supporting height limits said they prefer a ballot referendum over any possible council ordinance because it would codify a cap that could only be changed in the future by another vote of the people.

If the council were to pass an ordinance, council members could easily alter or overturn it in the future, they have said.

Donelson repeated statements Monday that voters should have a say in the matter. Capping building heights in this area of downtown would preserve the Colorado Springs skyline and views, like that of Pikes Peak, that residents and visitors cherish, he said.

“It’s important that Colorado Springs stays true to itself. … If we’re afraid to put [the referendum] on the ballot, why is that? If we believe this current policy of no limits on building heights reflects what citizens want, then let’s put it on the ballot and be sure. If we think it doesn’t reflect what citizens want, and that’s why we don’t want to put it on the ballot, shame on us,” he said to quiet applause from the audience.

A revised proposal brought forth last fall to build a 36-story, 497-unit apartment tower in southwest downtown sparked the debate months ago about whether all areas of downtown should have building height limits.

The 350- to 400-foot high-rise proposed on the southwest corner of a block bounded by Sahwatch and Costilla streets and Cascade and Vermijo avenues is estimated to stand about 42% to 62% higher than the 247-foot, 16-story Wells Fargo Tower downtown, the tallest in city history.

Currently, development across about 1 square mile of downtown is governed by Colorado Springs’ 2009-approved form-based code. It emphasizes form, the look and feel of buildings rather than land use and supports a more urban environment, Planning Manager Ryan Tefertiller said.

About two-fifths of this area of downtown is made up of the “central sector,” including the core of downtown and the southwest downtown district, where most building heights are unlimited. Within this area is where developers have proposed the high-rise apartment building. Building heights on the outskirts of the “central sector” are limited to create a transition between downtown and neighboring residential neighborhoods, Tefertiller said.

Councilwoman Lynette Crow-Iverson and Councilman Randy Helms said they supported personal property rights.

The City Council is tasked with making land use decisions. Crow-Iverson told The Gazette in an April 4 email the council should not limit building heights but “empower communities” to provide input into the future of their neighborhoods through participation in zoning and other public hearings.

“This is death by 1,000 cuts,” Crow-Iverson said Monday. “I have a problem with people up in Flying Horse (for example) voting on a question of building heights downtown. I’d rather make that decision for us.”

She proposed the city review its 2016 Experience Downtown Master Plan that guides development downtown through a public process so residents and other stakeholders could provide feedback, including about whether to limit building heights.

Councilmembers David Leinweber and Michelle Talarico vocally supported Crow-Iverson’s informal proposal.

Colorado Springs City Council chambers erupted into dismayed shouts after councilmembers on Monday informally decided not to refer a ballot question to voters this November that would limit building heights in a small section of downtown.

“Come on!” and “Shame on you,” residents who filled council chambers, generally in support of limiting building heights, cried at councilmembers.

“It’s your legacy, not ours,” someone in the audience said.

“No, it’s our legacy. It’s our town, not theirs,” another replied.

With Councilman Mike O’Malley absent from Monday’s council work session, Councilman Dave Donelson was the lone supporter of his own proposal that the council formally vote at a future regular meeting on the item. At that meeting, the council would have had the opportunity to hear feedback from residents, business owners and developers — who could not give public testimony at Monday’s work session — and then decide whether to refer the question to voters on Nov. 5.

Donelson said 5,800 residents who have signed an online petition since it launched in late April support his proposal to allow Colorado Springs voters to decide if building heights should be limited to no more than 248 feet within an approximately 0.4 square mile section of downtown where most building heights — for apartments, civic and mixed use buildings — are not limited by code or a master plan.

The council also has the power to pass an ordinance that could put height limits in place.

Previously, residents supporting height limits said they prefer a ballot referendum over any possible council ordinance because it would codify a cap that could only be changed in the future by another vote of the people.

If the council were to pass an ordinance, council members could easily alter or overturn it in the future, they have said.

Donelson repeated statements Monday that voters should have a say in the matter. Capping building heights in this area of downtown would preserve the Colorado Springs skyline and views, like that of Pikes Peak, that residents and visitors cherish, he said.

“It’s important that Colorado Springs stays true to itself. … If we’re afraid to put [the referendum] on the ballot, why is that? If we believe this current policy of no limits on building heights reflects what citizens want, then let’s put it on the ballot and be sure. If we think it doesn’t reflect what citizens want, and that’s why we don’t want to put it on the ballot, shame on us,” he said to quiet applause from the audience.

A revised proposal brought forth last fall to build a 36-story, 497-unit apartment tower in southwest downtown sparked the debate months ago about whether all areas of downtown should have building height limits.

The 350- to 400-foot high-rise proposed on the southwest corner of a block bounded by Sahwatch and Costilla streets and Cascade and Vermijo avenues is estimated to stand about 42% to 62% higher than the 247-foot, 16-story Wells Fargo Tower downtown, the tallest in city history.

Currently, development across about 1 square mile of downtown is governed by Colorado Springs’ 2009-approved form-based code. It emphasizes form, the look and feel of buildings rather than land use and supports a more urban environment, Planning Manager Ryan Tefertiller said.

About two-fifths of this area of downtown is made up of the “central sector,” including the core of downtown and the southwest downtown district, where most building heights are unlimited. Within this area is where developers have proposed the high-rise apartment building. Building heights on the outskirts of the “central sector” are limited to create a transition between downtown and neighboring residential neighborhoods, Tefertiller said.

Councilwoman Lynette Crow-Iverson and Councilman Randy Helms said they supported personal property rights.

The City Council is tasked with making land use decisions. Crow-Iverson told The Gazette in an April 4 email the council should not limit building heights but “empower communities” to provide input into the future of their neighborhoods through participation in zoning and other public hearings.

“This is death by 1,000 cuts,” Crow-Iverson said Monday. “I have a problem with people up in Flying Horse (for example) voting on a question of building heights downtown. I’d rather make that decision for us.”

She proposed the city review its 2016 Experience Downtown Master Plan that guides development downtown through a public process so residents and other stakeholders could provide feedback, including about whether to limit building heights.

Councilmembers David Leinweber and Michelle Talarico vocally supported Crow-Iverson’s informal proposal.