Council may delay Route 1 development decision

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - A proposal to fast-track residential development along Route 1 may be delayed as the Howard County Council shared community concerns about a lack of amenities in the area.

Councilwoman Mary Kay Sigaty suggested the council consider putting off a decision on a measure that allows developers to take housing allocations from future years for current projects.

“I believe this should be tabled,” said Sigaty, D-District 4, at a council work session, adding the council might not have enough time to consider changes to the bill before voting Monday.

The bill would allow a few projects to move forward by letting developers take 125 additional housing allocations.

County law allows for 1,850 housing units to be built each year; 250 of those are along the Route 1 corridor.

A few projects, such as the planned development at the Savage MARC station and the redevelopment of the Aladdin mobile home park, need these advanced allocations to secure financing, said Planning Director Marsha McLaughlin.

However, residents have rallied against the measure, saying the area lacks amenities like a community center and schools.

More residential development would add to the woes brought on by a development boom, residents said.

“There’s a lot of resistance to those projects,” said Council Chairwoman Courtney Watson, D-District 1.

Joel Gallihue, manager of school planning for the public school system, told council members that the legislation would expedite school capacity limits by about one year.

For example, Bellow Springs Elementary School in Ellicott City would reach capacity — thus the area would be closed for new residential development — by 2013, rather than 2014 as currently projected, he said.

Sigaty questioned whether the county could grant housing allocations to specific projects, rather than approving advanced allocations over such a broad area.

“Is there another way to solve it?” she asked at the work session.

Councilman Calvin Ball, D-District 2, said the way the bill is drafted has raised too many concerns.

“I would have difficulty supporting it as it is,” he said.

McLaughlin agreed to consider changes to the measure that would address these concerns. Any changes to the bill must be submitted by Thursday afternoon.

smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com

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