The Anne Arundel County school board said Wednesday that it is willing to allow the county government to determine which schools are open to new students.
The board voted 7-0 to support legislation proposed by County Executive John R. Leopold that would allow the county government ? not the school board ? to create and publish the school utilization chart, a listing of school capacity.
The chart has been criticized as curbing residential development in the county. If the chart lists a school as closed, property owners within that school district cannot build new homes.
“We don?t develop property,” board member Eugene Peterson said. “We just do what?s in the best interests of the schools.”
The chart has sat unapproved due to a lawsuit pending before the Court of Appeals over its legality.Until the chart is approved, the county?s planning department will not issue building permits in closed areas that actually have open seats.
As a result, developers are building senior housing ? which is not restricted by school capacity ? and small landowners cannot subdivide their land for family conveyances.
The issue has worried some county planners, who said the chart could hurt housing stock for the 5,000 new employees coming to Fort Meade within the next three years.
Board member Michael Leahy said the school board just provided a ministerial duty with relation to the chart and didn?t analyze it.
Leopold said Wednesday he was pleased Superintendent Kevin Maxwell recommended the board?s support.
The board unanimously voted down support for a bill to exempt from the adequate-schools test property owners trying to subdivide their land into five lots or fewer. School officials cited a perceived lack of safeguards.
The County Council is scheduled to vote on the bills Dec. 17.
