Tax incentives for green buildings would entice more developers to choose Carroll, county officials say.
That, in turn, would build the county?s tax base, say the officials, who are considering pushing green-building legislation in the General Assembly session. While some other counties mandate green standards, incentives could pull in greater overall tax revenue from more businesses, said Larry Twele, Carroll?s economic development director.
“It gives us a competitive edge,” Twele said. “It gives us an enticement, an incentive, rather a mandate.”
Carroll?s tax base now relies mainly on home property taxes, not commercial businesses.
Twele was unsure how large the tax break would be, but said Carroll would offer developers more incentives than the green legislation passed nearly three months ago in Howard County.
The Howard law mandates that private builders apply for nationally accepted Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and requires publicly owned buildings of at least 10,000 square feet to be certified.
Commissioner Michael Zimmer supported the Carroll incentives rather than required green standards.
“What we?re doing here is more of a leadership plan ? not mandated,” he said.
The Howard proposal began with even more mandated green-building standards but after compromises offered some incentives. Council members believed a mandate would be too suffocating to businesses.
Similar to the way automobiles now get greater mileage per gallon, Twele believed building green would be the standard within a decade or two.
This is just a way to get ahead of the game, he said.
The proposal comes after the first green shopping center on the East Coast broke ground in Eldersburg last month.
