Plans for a large grocery store to anchor a shopping center in Turf Valley’s Planned Golf Course Community in Ellicott City can move forward.
The Howard County Council this week approved the controversial legislation that increases the size of grocery stores from 18,000 to 55,000 square feet within Turf Valley community.
However, an approved amendment to the bill limits so-called “big box” retail stores, such as Best Buy, to 20,000 square feet.
Council members acknowledged how the proposal split the community, but unanimously supported the bill because it would not harm businesses along Route 40 and would benefit the community.
Owings-Mills based Greenberg Gibbons Commercial, which manages and develops commercial real estate with a focus on community shopping centers, is proposing to build the town center, which bill supporters have said would be an attractive community focal point, instead of a strip mall.
Opponents, who have questioned the bill’s effect on traffic and residents in general, sought to have the council delay the vote so the bill’s effect on the area business could be studied further.
— Josh Kowalkowski
