How about checking to see if the new column is actually needed?

Look at the design of what is there already and ask if it can encompass the need without the adding the extra column.

A good example of this is the need to add BIT columns.  As you can't index them anyway you may as well have a generic Flags field as an integer and use a bit pattern.  This way your existing design allows for additional flags (bits) at a later date.

I'm just auditing an external application and it appears that there are at least 4 ways of marking a record as being restricted from public viewing. 

It looks like the database was built by 4 natural antagonists with a dislike for computers.