Vincent J. Gardina, the Baltimore County councilman who has crusaded for more single-family homes and larger lots as the county redevelops the east side, said he plans to ask for less restrictive zoning to allow a townhouse development in the Bird River area.
The County Council will vote today on a community development plan for a largely undeveloped 1,000-acre tract in the Middle River and Bird River area.
Gardina, a Perry Hall Democrat, said he will submit the zoning change for 50 acres as an amendment to the community plan, although he did not present it when the council discussed the plan at its work session Tuesday.
While drafting the development guidelines, the Planning Board recommended against changing the parcel's zoning.
If approved by the council, the zoning change would allow about 275 townhouses on the tract.
Gardina said he has met with the developer and has been assured that the townhouses would be well designed and of high quality. They would have garages and basement walkouts, and they would be in an isolated corner of the community, he said.
"I went and visited it and felt that that kind of zoning would be appropriate for that area, conditional on a number of things. And I have been able to work with the developer and with the community to improve the design on the townhouses," he said.
Gardina declined to name the developer.
Randy P. Cogar, a Planning Board member who lives in the area and served on a study group, said he didn't support the zoning change but was won over by the developer's plans.
William C. Wright, another study group member, also supports the townhouse proposal.
"There are a lot of people that don't like it, but there are a lot of people that don't want to progress," he said.
