Developers looking to fast track their building projects on Route 1 must donate land along the corridor for elementary schools, community centers or other amenities in coming years.
“It allows developments to be advanced if the developer donates land to the county,” said Councilwoman Courtney Watson, D-District 1, referring to a bill passed by the Howard County Council on Monday.
The donated land has to be “suitable for the construction of public amenities in the Route 1 corridor,” but there?s no designation stipulating how much land, according to the legislation, which will go into effect by the end of the summer.
The legislation was targeted for a few projects, like the Savage MARC Station project, which includes housing, and development at Alladin Mobile Home Park, which have been stalled for a lack of financing.
“It doesn?t increase the [housing] units or density,” said Councilwoman Jen Terrasa, D-District 3, of the legislation.
“But what it does is allow them to be built sooner.”
Developers will be able to take 125 housing allocations per year by borrowing from future allocation years, under the new legislation.
The county allows for 1,850 housing units to be built each year; of these, 250 are along the Route 1 corridor.
The process for seeking approval for development depends on how far out the allocations are, and right now they?re taken for the next three years, said Marsha McLaughlin, the county?s planning director.
In addition, the project?s size and complexity dictate the length of the process, said Kevin Enright, county spokesman.
County Executive Ken Ulman said he recommended the original bill to provide flexibility with the revitalization of Route 1 by not preventing projects from being held up.
“I?m glad they?re looking at developers giving land back to the community for the public facilities,” said Elizabeth Eggleston, who lives in the Elkridge community.
The bill passed with an amendment that excludes a portion of the Elkridge area from development.
“We still have some concerns about the pace of development, but overall we?re happy with the majority of Elkridge being taken out,” said Eggleston.
Elkridge has seen heavy development over the past five to 10 years and needs time for public facilities to catch up to the growth, Watson said.
