Faced with opposition from builders, PTA groups and a school board member, Baltimore County Council Chairman Kevin Kamenetz reluctantly withdrew last night his controversial bill regulating development around crowded county schools.
Instead, the seven-member council voted unanimously to extend for 90 days -- until Feb. 1 -- the current law prohibiting new home construction around crowded elementary schools while an agreement is sought on a more comprehensive law.
"We'll be back in the short term," said Councilman Vincent J. Gardina, a Perry Hall Democrat, who favored a delay.
Other council members sought the delay, too, they have said, to give them more time to discuss changes to Kamenetz's bill.
Work on the comprehensive rezoning process, which ended Oct. 8, prevented the school crowding bill from getting the attention it deserves, most members have said.
Kamenetz waited until nearly the last minute to withdraw his bill, deciding to do so minutes before the council met last night, and insisted that he had the votes to pass it.
He said he withdrew the bill because builders and PTA groups are far apart on the issue and not because of council opposition.
Kamenetz, a Pikesville-Randallstown Democrat, said the current moratorium isn't expected to affect any new homebuilding projects over the next two years anyway and a $90 million school construction bond issue on the Nov. 5 ballot will solve any short-term crowding problems.
"I want both sides to be comfortable," Kamenetz said before the meeting. He was referring to PTA groups and homebuilders.
County PTA President Linda Olszewski, who attended last night's council meeting, said she is happy about Kamenetz's decision and the council's extension of the current law -- both of which she sought.
"We don't want a foot in the door," she said, referring to Kamenetz's bill, which she considered imperfect. "We want a bill that will work."
Tom Ballentine, lobbyist for the Homebuilders Association of Maryland who also attended last night's council meeting, offered grudging approval "if a time delay can get us away from the moratorium."
The community and PTA groups want stronger controls on development but builders argue they aren't causing crowding in the schools and are being made the scapegoat for the problem because of political expediency. They want the moratorium ended.
