The Anne Arundel Council has required that all public hearings for proposed developments must be within five miles of the project site. The concern arose when a developer proposing to build a community in Millersville but held the public meeting 15 miles away in Annapolis.
The developer, Koch Homes, said that site was the only place with handicap accessibility.
The new law requires themeeting to be held within five miles driving distance from the site. The county planning officer can grant exceptions.
“We were asking people to travel 30 minutes from the proposed subdivision to an area that had nothing to do with it,” said Councilwoman Cathy Vitale, R-District 5.
The bill was approved unanimously Tuesday and had the support of County Executive John R. Leopold.
