Community activists lauded a measure requiring former golf courses be tested before development takes place, but some said the Howard County bill isn?t strong enough.
“We think the intention?s good, [but] we want to make sure they use something that?s thorough,” said Kim Birnbaum, vice chairwoman of the Howard County group of the Sierra Club?s Maryland chapter.
The proposal relies on general industry guidelines, she told the County Council, adding that the American Society for Testing and Materials? standards don?t address all safety concerns.
The county may need to include its own guidelines to ensure the bill?s intentions are met, she said.
The bill requires developers to assess land using not only industry guidelines but the Maryland Department of the Environment water and soil testing standards.
The measure is aimed at Turf Valley developer Louis Mangione of Mangione Family Enterprises, which plans to build houses on parts of the former golf course on Route 40 near Interstate 70. High levels of arsenic have been found in areas near the maintenance shed.
Turf Valley opponent Marc Norman said the bill only would require testing near the maintenance shed, rather than the entire golf course.
Speaking on behalf of the Turf Valley landowners, environmental lawyer Michael Powell said the Turf Valley owners will enter and complete the state?s voluntary cleanup program, but said the bill needed a few minor changes to adjust deadlines and procedure.
Howard?s Health Officer Dr. Peter Beilenson said minor changes would be made to the bill to bring it more in line with the state?s cleanup program.
He said all land, not just the shed area, would have to be assessed.
But the legislation doesn?t need to be perfect, Beilenson said, because it will be a “backstop” in case the developers fail to complete the cleanup program.
The council will vote on the legislation at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1.
