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Oakland Mills residents take Ulman’s purchase delay in stride
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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Oakland Mills residents, who have been living with a vacant lot at the village center for almost a decade, aren’t daunted by County Executive Ken Ulman’s delay in purchasing office space there to revitalize the community.
“We have a lot of patience,” said Oakland Mills Village Manager Sandy Cederbaum.
“We realize things do take time.”
Ulman asked the County Council to defer approval of the purchase of the floor at Meridian Square for additional county office space until he submits that purchase and the renovation of county office buildings as an item in the proposed fiscal 2009 budget.
Ulman this week scrapped plans to build a new office complex in favor of this purchase and renovations.
Ulman’s plan might not delay the construction of Meridian Square, but the county would have to wait until July to purchase the space. Developer Metroventures USA LLC did not return calls for comment.
The timing of Meridian Square is less critical for Oakland Mills residents, who just want to see it built and the county to invest in the redevelopment, Cederbaum said.
The project “looks promising,” she said, adding the developer continues to pursue other tenants.
Oakland Mills Village Board Chairman Bill Woodcock said Ulman’s approach to purchasing the space was likely a better financial plan for the county, and his optimism for the project wasn’t dampened.
Despite the request to withdraw the related measure, the County Council still debated the item during its work session Monday.
Councilman Greg Fox, R-District 5, questioned whether parking was adequate and whether exceptions were made for the project despite not having the necessary amount of parking spaces.
Planning and Zoning Chief Marsha McLaughlin said Meridian Square was considered “somewhat special” because it was a redevelopment project of a long-vacant lot. The county’s regulations, which include parking, don’t account for redevelopment projects that might not have ideal locations.
Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty, D-District 4, similarly raised parking concerns, calling it “troublesome” that the county would buy into a project that relied on street parking, as well as a lot, to accommodate parking.
“It points to a public policy discussion we should have,” she said.
smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
8:13 AM MST on Fri., May. 9, 2008 re: "Howard land-use group releases recommendations to involve public"
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11:25 AM MST on Fri., Feb. 22, 2008
re: "Two Council proposals take aim at the ‘infill’ development"
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5:13 AM MST on Sun., Feb. 3, 2008
re: "Ulman seeks to scrap plans for new government campus"
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4:29 PM MST on Fri., Jan. 11, 2008
re: "Howard residents question traffic studies’ credibility"
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7:34 AM MST on Thu., Jan. 10, 2008
re: "Howard residents question traffic studies’ credibility"
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1:09 AM MST on Thu., Dec. 13, 2007
re: "Council questions office-space purchase"
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Examiner Reader said:
This task force was heavily skewed toward the land development community.
5 agree | 2 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
We are an extremly confused nation. We are not creating new urban areas, we are growing by about 2 million people a year, we want affordable housing, we want long time resident to never have to move, we don't want change or more density with 'infill', we want continued mass immigration -- often the same people and political parties are for all these things.
74 agree | 68 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
I can't believe Ulman would waste over $7 million by abandoning plans, while at the same time giving his donor buddy a sweetheart lease with County funds. Wait a minute - I can believe it because Ulman is a deceptive arrogant jerk who slanders Mary Kay Sigaty to steal an election.
85 agree | 86 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
"Traffic engineers wouldn’t stay in business if they used false assumptions or data" Why not? Politicians stay in business when they use false data on their resumes. "Secretary of the Cabinet" anyone?
87 agree | 91 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Any protests to traffic conditions, etc., under Howard County's new administration will be ignored. What Mr. Ulman wants, Mr. Ulman will get. Remember this the next time you go to the polls.
88 agree | 81 disagree
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Examiner Reader said:
Doesn't a contributor to Ulman own the building where Ulman wants to sign an overpriced lease? But, just because someone fakes their resume to get elected, doesn't mean they will continue their dishonesty once in office...
108 agree | 105 disagree
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