With help from Baltimore County, a bitter, two-year battle between the Country Club of Maryland and its neighbors is ending amicably as the parties reach negotiations on a controversial housing project.
The Country Club of Maryland has agreed “in spirit” to revise its original plans to build 56 homes on 18 acres of club-owned property to 36 homes on 13 acres, attorney Lawrence Schmidt said at a county zoning hearing Thursday. The club also agreed not to develop about 90 acres of its golf course for at least 25 years.
Baltimore County will likely pay $2 million to keep another 55 acres that include part of the Herring Run watershed as open park space if the club ever stops using the land as a course.
“I?m pleased,” said Idlewylde community activist Cynthia Jabs. “I think the county is going to get a good bang for its buck. It?s visionary.”
Representatives from various county departments spoke in favor of the development plan, which allows the club to pay $77,400 instead of providing required open space ? at Thursday?s hearing. The county?s contract to buy the development rights to the 55-acre parcel and the agreement between the club and community is still subject to County Council approval.
Some community members questioned motivations behind the county?s offer, pointing to connections between Schmidt, the county?s former zoning commissioner and his partner, David Gildea, who worked as law clerk under County Executive Jim Smith during his tenure as a circuit court judge.
County spokesman Don Mohler refuted the insinuations and said the price offered was “very reasonable.”
“It?s not about the development,” Mohler said in an interview last month. “You don?t have many opportunities to purchase this kind of open space in the middle of an urban setting.”
Hostilities between the club and community peaked in August when neighbors said they felt county planners were rushing the proposal through the approval process. At on point, residents were racing to get their self-drafted community plan ? which would force the club to downscale the project ? adopted before the housing project was approved.
Tuesday, zoning commission William Wiseman commended the club and community for their efforts to compromise.
“There?s been a massive effort not only from county staff but also the parties themselves,” Wiseman said.
“I?m ecstatic about the way the parties have handled themselves.”
