Some Baltimore County lawmakers want to reinforce regulations that determine what type of cost-cutting shortcuts home builders are allowed to take.
County Council Member Kevin Kamenetz, D-District 2, says his recent proposal directs the county?s planning office to create a pattern book that will illustrate architectural regulations to housing developers, such as what types of building materials and architectural features are allowed. The council will discuss the proposed bill at its work session this afternoon.
The goal is to steer builders away from “McMansion” style homes cropping up around the county, Kamenetz said, citing specific problems with brick-front homes with three vinyl sides and oversized garages. Some county developers and real estate experts are questioning the bill ? and the regulations it reinforces ? saying the regulations are the source of skyrocketing home prices in the county. They might also unlawfully legislate aesthetic taste, said Carolyn Cook, director of government relations for the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors.
“You might think stone veneer in one place is nice and another material on the other side is fine,” Cook said. “Should the buyer have to pay for it if they can?t afford it and don?t want it?”
Cook said housing prices in Baltimore County are increasingly difficult for first-time home buyers to afford.
Median housing prices in Baltimore County
» 2000: $125,000
» 2001: $127,500
» 2002: $140,000
» 2003: $147,000
» 2004: $190,000
» 2005: $249,900
» 2006: $260,000
Source: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Inc.
