A struggle to put 38 Howard County land-use changes to referendum was scrapped by Maryland?s highest court, said attorneys representing both sides.
The case was denied by the Maryland Court of Appeals in closed court, and an official notification is expected to be issued Friday.
“Hopefully, Howard County now has some finality and business can return as usual,” said Harry Siegal, the attorney who represents Morsberger LLC, a company that intends to build senior housing in Marriotsville.
“This effectively ends any challenge,” Siegal said.
Ellicott City resident Angela Beltram led the appeal. Her group, Citizens for an Open Process for Everyone, has protested the land-use changes for months.
Beltram?s case was thrown out based on conflicting technicalities that were not explained to them by the Board of Elections, said her attorney, Katherine Taylor.
“It?s very disheartening, because you see once again a situation where the citizens are trying to do what they believe is the right thing, and those with the deep pockets end up winning,” Taylor said.
However Beltram said she is not giving up. She and COPE intend to challenge the legislation that allowed the zoning changes to occur, she said.
The Howard County Office of Law probably won?t consider her protests to the legislation as it decides on a start date for the zoning changes, said Barbara Cook, the County Solicitor.
“If they are challenging the legislation, that will be a separate matter,” Cook said.
No date has been set for the changes, Cook said.
The referendum effort was not the only one thrown out this week. A Republican-led effort to put early voting to referendum was also nixed by the Court of Appeals.
“The right of referendum seems to be dead in Maryland,” Beltram said.
