Residents unhappy with proposed changes to land use soon may be able to sit down with developers under a bill proposed by the Democratic members of the Howard County Council.
The bill would allow the council, which also functions as the county Zoning Board, to recommend mediation sessions between residents and developers to work out solutions.
“It?s been frustrating for the zoning board to watch these two adversaries go at it,” said Council Member Guy Guzzone, D-District 3, referring to bitter appeals that pit residents against developers.
Current guidelines allow residents to voice their opinion on proposed changes to zoning in three different public meetings, but they never get a chance to hash out a compromise with developers if they?re unhappy, said Council Member Kenneth Ulman, D-District 4.
Informal mediation sessions have already been used by the county to get residents and developers to compromise. When residents tried to block the Iron Bridge Wine Company in Columbia from expanding, the council recommended they meet in a mediation setting to compromise.
“I?m for anything that keeps lawyers out of it,” said Iron Bridge owner Stephen Wecker. “We certainly had legal rights that we gave up, but we circumvented a long court battle. When you get 85 attorneys involved, the only people that make money are the attorneys.”
If the program is a success, Ulman said it could extend to other areas where zoning disputes are prevalent, such as Columbia where last month residents alleged that a proposed high-rise building would violate the city?s New Town zoning laws.
Columbia resident Stephen Meskin, who fought against the high-rise, said he favored mediation for smaller issues, but said he was not sure it would have helped in his situation.
“It would add another layer and maybe developers could compromise,” Meskin said. “But sometimes it’s just not feasible.”
But it may take more than mediation to cool some residents? anger over zoning changes.
“It?s too little, too late as far as I?m concerned,” said Angela Beltrom, Ellicott City resident and leader of a successful effort to put parts of the county?s comprehensive rezoning plan to a referendum this November. “It?s not a question of mediation, it?s a question of standing up to developers and legal standards.”
The council will introduce the bill July 3, hold a public hearing July 17 and vote later in the month.
Examiner Staff Writer Laura Greenback contributed to this report.
