The Baltimore City Planning Commission voted against the West Covington Urban Renewal Plan by a 7-to-1 vote Thursday night, sending the redevelopment proposal to City Council with the suggestion of eliminating eminent domain from the plan.
Planning Commission Chairman Peter Auchincloss urged City Council members Rochelle “Rikki” Spector, a commission member, and Edward Reisinger, the 10th District representative, to relay the commission?s eminent domain concerns to the other council members.
“It?s a ?No? because there are some holes that we?re going to have [City Council] work on diligently,” Auchincloss said after more than 2½ hours of discussion on the plan.
The commissioners were in agreement that the plan presented a needed redevelopment opportunity for the city, but they couldn?t approve of the plan because it would have meant relocating three businesses and residents from seven homes in West Covington ? a Middle Branch waterfront location south of Interstate 95 and west of Hanover Street.
Under the plan, the city would have had the power to acquire by condemnation the sites of three businesses ? Schuster Concrete Co., Allied Waste Service and Atlantic Forest Products ? and seven homes along McComas Street in West Covington. The city would then have requested development proposals for the area from the private sector.
Representatives from the businesses and residents of the McComas Street neighborhood all spoke in opposition of the redevelopment plan at the meeting, saying redevelopment could occur in the area without the city taking control of the land and relocating the businesses and homeowners.
“I?ve seen a number of eminent domain issues,” Auchincloss said. “I can?t remember having the issues with previous matters like I?ve had with this one.”
There was a lot of talk about Baltimore-based sports apparel firm Under Armour during the meeting. M.J. “Jay” Brodie, president of the Baltimore Development Corp., confirmed Under Armour officials have expressed interested in relocating their corporate headquarters to the West Covington site.
Brodie, though, cautioned the company would have to submit a bid for the land and go though the public process like any other company, even if the city ultimately took control of the land.
“We have urged Under Armour to stay and expand in the city. Under Armour has expressed interest in the site,” Brodie said. “There would be no guarantees.”
