Turf Valley land owners are trying again. This time the Mangione family wantsroughly 70 acres in Ellicott City included in Howard?s public water and sewer system.
“It?s one of the places we are supposed to be growing; it?s part of the growth policy,” Department of Planning and Zoning Director Marsha McLaughlin said. But a similar measure to incorporate about 46 acres of that same land died in the County Council last fall amid health concerns over developing on former golf-course land.
Turf Valley land has been included in the boundaries for public water since the 1985, McLaughlin said. Until now, much of the land hasn?t been developed yet, because the Mangiones have moved slowly in developing the land, she said.
“The policy decision was made before it was created as the first planned golf course community,” she said, referring to the county?s General Plan for growth, which included this land.
Three bills to be introduced in the County Council are the last step in the process before Mangione Enterprises can continue development and Howard can charge the developer fees for water and sewer, she said.
“Now they are coming in and saying ?Please bill us,? ” McLaughlin said.
The measures are requests for:
» 46.6 acres on Marriottsville Road
» 18.4 acres on the north side of Turf Valley Road along Interstate 70
» About four acres on the east side of Marriottsville Road, north of Albeth Way.
Bills to bring public water and sewer to new developments are brought to the county when opposition exists, said Paul Johnson, deputy county solicitor.
If no objection occurs, the incorporation is done administratively without action from the council, he said.
Last fall, Turf Valley critics called for more environmental testing to stall development.
“There is a fundamental issue of the public?s environmental health and safety,” Marc Norman, a resident and criticof Turf Valley development, said at the time.
Then a member of the County Council, County Executive Ken Ulman expressed concerns about residents? health and safety and moved to delay the measure.
However, bound by county code, Ulman must send the measure to the council.
IF YOU GO …
» What: Howard County Council?s public hearing on the land bills
» When: 7:30 p.m. April 16
» Where: Banneker Room, George Howard Building, Ellicott City
