A Howard County bill that would give developers more leeway in where they can build housing could be withdrawn.
“It?s mainly because of the timing,” said bill sponsor and Council Member Calvin Ball, D-District 2, who received complaints from residents about the proposal.
A partnership between the developers and the county?s housing commission, which oversees residential growth, would benefit the commission by providing another funding stream. It would also benefit the developers by extending moderate-income housing to commercial land and giving them tax credits, according to the bill.
Families that make less than $65,000 a year qualify for affordable housing in Howard County.
Developers, under current zoning regulations, cannot put housing on commercial land, but the housing commission can do so on commercial property it owns. This partnership would allow for housing on land owned by private investors as well, said Leonard Vaughan, executive director of the commission.
“Mr. Vaughan approached me, and he really wanted some legislation that would allow the county to better collaborate with private entities,” Ball said.
In particular, the commission could move forward on developing 59 units on 2.5 acres on Frederick Road near Centennial Lane, said Council Chairman Chris Merdon, R-District 1.
But Vaughan declined to provide details about the development or the developer, saying it is still in the development stage. No plans have been approved. Because the commission is not bound by certain residential zoning regulations, such as density, rules must be put in place, Merdon said.
“The commission really wants clear rules as to what the requirements are for developments,” Vaughan said. “Investing in property is expensive, and we don?t want to invest and then find we can?t do something.” Merdon was drafting an amendment to Ball?s bill that required zoning regulations be developed within six months to govern the use of commercial land for
residential purposes. The County Council will vote Tuesday on whether to withdraw Ball?s proposal.
Critics say housing bill is zoning legislation in disguise
Critics say the proposal that could increase moderate-income housing in Howard County through a partnership between the housing commission and developers appears to be legislating zoning changes.
“It?s a wolf in sheep?s clothing, a zoning bill dressed in something different,” said Mary Catherine Cochran, president of Preservation Howard County, a nonprofit group that advocates saving historical land in the county.
Developers in these partnerships would be permitted to build moderate-income housing on commercial land, she said. Developers cannot put housing on commercial land, according to current zoning regulations.
Because commission-owned land is not bound by most zoning rules, this move could bring high-density growth, which could affect the school system and surrounding neighborhoods, she said.
“They can avoid all the hard things other developers have to do to develop property,” Cochran said.
The County Council is expected to vote on the withdrawal of the bill, proposed by Council Member Calvin Ball, D-District 2, on Tuesday.
No one testified against the proposal during the recent public hearing when it was presented.
Critics attributed the lack of immediate public response to complicated language in the bill, and the County Council?s failure to alert the public to it. “It?s really a stealth bill,” said Courtney Watson, a school board member and candidate for the District 1 council seat.
“It wasn?t understood by the public, and the sponsor didn?t make an effort to inform the public or the community.” Watson said the process with this bill was similar to that of a controversial bill dubbed Comp Lite, which included dozens of zoning changes. Critics of that bill said there was no public notification.
Although the county needs more moderate-income housing, any zoning changes should through the proper public review process, Cochran said.
“The surrounding community should have some rights, as they do in the normal [zoning] process,” Cochran said. “It needs a lot of thought and review.”
? Sara Michael
