The developers planning to build a self-storage facility in Sandy Spring are facing another hurdle now that a County Council committee has recommended passing a zoning text amendment that would stop the project in its tracks.

The amendment would further limit what sort of businesses can set up shop in Sandy Spring and Ashton. It was unanimously recommended for approval by the County Council's Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committee on Oct. 8 and is set to go before the full council on Tuesday, said Jean Arthur, a council spokeswoman.

Passage of the amendment would halt plans by Columbia-based Siena Corporation, which wants to build an ezStorage facility on Sandy Spring Road (Route 108) across from the Sandy Spring Museum. The project had received strong criticism from the community.

The Planning Board voted in favor of the zoning text amendment in April. It had narrowly approved Siena's preliminary plans for the facility just a few months earlier.

Gas stations, laboratories, department stores and a variety of other uses had already been listed as prohibited in the area, which is part of a Rural Village Overlay Zone, but the amendment goes one step further by adding pawn shops, combination retail stores, adult entertainment businesses, warehouses and storage services, like ezStorage, and more.

County Councilwoman Nancy M. Floreen (D-At large) of Garrett Park said the council committee sympathized with the community's concerns.

"They want small-scale activities there, which we completely support," she said. "But we can't force [those types of] businesses to locate there, though, so that's a challenge."

But Craig Pittinger, vice president of Siena, said he finds the timing of the zoning text amendment to be unfair.

"We're disappointed in the committee's decision because we're developers following the rules and they're changing the rules on us mid-stream," he said.

And while Michelle Layton, co-chair of the Sandy Spring Ashton Rural Preservation Consortium's steering committee, said the issue at hand was upholding the intent of the area's master plan, not ruining ezStorage's plans, she is glad the County Council is a step closer to passing amendment.

"While ezStorage was wrapped up in this, for us it's a greater result in making sure the master plan is maintained," she said. "It also gives some design guidelines for other developers who might want to come into the area."

The zoning text amendment was drafted by County Councilman Don Praisner (D-Dist. 4), who passed away in January. Councilman Marc Elrich (D-At large) of Takoma Park agreed to sponsor the amendment following Praisner's unexpected death.

A zoning text amendment put forth in the summer by Councilwoman Nancy Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring that would essentially restrict ezStorage from building a storage facility near the intersection of routes 29 and 198 in Burtonsville saw a different outcome from the PHED Committee on Oct. 8.

The committee voted to add a grandfather clause that would allow ezStorage to move forward with plans but restrict similar zoning conflicts in the future. The council still needs to vote on the revised zoning amendment at a future meeting.