A professional mediator stepped in Wednesday to direct a focus group on redevelopment in downtown Columbia.
Linda Burton, president of DRW coaching in Ellicott City, provided a welcome push for a group that had been stymied in discussions for more than nine months.
“I?ve been to every meeting, and I think this has been the best one yet, because you do have a facilitator,” resident Marvin Lawson told the focus group.
Through Burton, the group identified its role: to convey residents? ideas on downtown Columbia?s redevelopment to the Department of Planning and Zoning ? without becoming the official voice of the community.
“We?re just here for input,” said focus group member Richard Talkin. “We?re not going to appear before the County Council to endorse this plan.”
The focus group provides feedback on proposed changes to 493 acres of the Columbia Town Center Village. The land will be developed with up to 5,500 residential units, 5.2 million square feet of office space, 1.3 million square feet of retail space, according to a document titled “Columbia Town Center 2030.”
Planning and Zoning Director Marsha McLaughlin said she originally envisioned the focus group to be a “sounding board” on the possible changes.
However, the group?s role was never clearly defined, leaving members to discuss issues they thought was pertinent but others believed was irrelevant, she said.
“Have we had accomplishments? That?s debatable at this point,”said Maggie Brown, group member and Columbia Association board president.
Officials in the Department of Planning and Zoning brought in Burton after concerns that the group was not making concrete progress.
Some members expressed that frustration to Burton.
“When I asked to be on this focus group, I had no idea what we were going to do, and to this day I don?t know what we?re doing,” said focus group member and State Del. Liz Bobo, D-Howard County.
