A self-storage facility that residents say does not fit the character of the community or intent of the local master plan will not be permitted in Sandy Spring.

The County Council on Tuesday morning unanimously passed a zoning test amendment that limits what sort of businesses can come into Sandy Spring and Ashton and has dashed Columbia-based Siena Corporation's plans to build an ezStorage facility on Sandy Spring Road (Route 108) across from the Sandy Spring Museum.

The project had received strong criticism from many in the community.

Craig Pittinger, vice president of Siena, and Rob Dalrymple, an attorney representing Siena, could not be reached for comment by Gazette press time Tuesday afternoon.

In a previous interview, Pittinger said he finds the timing of the zoning text amendment to be unfair, adding, "We're developers following the rules and they're changing the rules on us mid-stream."

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 took that one step further by adding pawn shops, combination retail stores, adult entertainment businesses, warehouses and storage services, like ezStorage, and more.

County Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park asked Jeff Zyontz, the council's legislative attorney, what would happen to the property now.

Zyontz said the site would remain as it is until other plans are put forward.

"I hope my constituents get whatever they want there," Leventhal said.

Michelle Layton, co-chair of the Sandy Spring Ashton Rural Preservation Consortium's steering committee, said she attended Tuesday's meeting and her group appreciates Leventhal's remarks.

"We were pleased that the entire council supported the zoning text amendment and were especially happy to hear Councilman Leventhal's encouragement of community input in its development," she said.

The Ashton resident has said the issue has always been about upholding the intent of the area's master plan, not ruining ezStorage's plans. But Layton added that now that the storage facility is out of the picture, she would like to see a café, bakery, park or other uses that would encourage "community development."

"I think there's a lot that could go in there and would fit in with the character of the neighborhood and the nature of the area," she said.

And while Sandy Spring will not be getting an ezStorage facility, Burtonsville will. Over the summer, Councilwoman Nancy Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring had proposed a zoning text amendment that would have stopped ezStorage from building a facility near the intersection of routes 29 and 198, but it was revised after discussions between council members.

The amendment, which was also unanimously passed Tuesday, now includes a grandfather clause that allows ezStorage to move forward with plans, but restricts similar zoning conflicts in the future.