Howard County?s push to expand affordable housing opportunities is moving forward despite pleas from residents who asked officials to postpone the vote to allow more public comment.
“It?s a mess. It was done haphazardly,” John Lederer, head of residents group Friends of Font Hill, said Thursday night of a proposal that would let the Housing Department build housing in certain commercial areas.
Lederer?s group pushed for the county?s Planning Board to delay the vote for more resident comment after the county made major changes to the proposal.
Bridget Mugane, president of the Howard County Citizens Association, also asked for more time and discussion. In a letter to county officials, Mugane said the “important and controversial measure” is being “rushed through in August, the vacation month, thus diminishing public involvement.”
However, Planning Board members said the changes, which removed some commercial areas for affordable housing, weren?t major enough to warrant another meeting and agreed to recommend the zoning regulation amendment to the County Council. Residents will have a chance to comment when it goes before the council as legislation.
Linda Dombrowski, the board member who voted against the recommendation, raised concerns that Columbia, which has its own zoning district, was not included in the proposal. She also said the changes should be proposed with other affordable housing legislation, which is expected this fall.
The board also said the County Council should be given a list of the commercial property available, so they know how much these changes could impact the county.
Housing Director Stacy Spann said limitations in the proposal, such as setbacks and building heights, curb chances for abuse, and the cost of commercial land alone keeps limits their ability to build housing.
“We?re not shopping for commercial land, because we can?t afford it,” Spann said.
