There is still room for one of the zones in Harford County. Under state law, there may be as many as six zones during a given calendar year.
James C. Richardson, executive director of Harford County's office of economic development, said the local government has been taking advantage of existing "Enterprise Zone" designations for some military-related developments and will likely apply for a BRAC zone designation next spring.
In the more common enterprise zone approach, a state gives tax incentives directly to businesses that set up shop in a preferred location. Maryland's BRAC zone plan, which was approved by the General Assembly this year, helps local governments fund infrastructure improvements.
Starting in fiscal year 2011, counties and Baltimore City will be eligible for a 100 percent refund of any additional state property tax revenues generated as a direct result of development in BRAC zones. Also, the state will pay local governments a 50 percent match of any additional county property taxes they generate through development in the zones.
The arrangement is intended not only to spur development but also to spark competition between the various BRAC zones for state money, said Economic Development Secretary David W. Edgerley, who called the zones "a cutting-edge, national attention-getting vehicle that gives us a way in which to organize money to make improvements."
Also yesterday, Brown announced the 13 campuses that will split almost $2 million in state funds this year to create programs to prepare Maryland's work force for BRAC-related jobs. Among the grants were $107,059 to Morgan State University for information science programs and $153,198 to Harford Community College for engineering programs.
Baltimore -- 43-acre Westport Waterfront site to include 2,000 homes, hotel rooms and retail space, with improvements to Interstate 295 ramps.
Odenton -- 777 acres near MARC station in Odenton and along Route 175, home to mixed-use Village at Odenton and Odenton Town Center developments.
Prince George's County -- 655-acre zone includes the Branch Avenue Metro station and commercial areas along Auth Road, Suitland Parkway, Branch Avenue and Allentown Road.
Frederick -- 645 acres on east side includes the city's historic downtown and transit center, with office, industrial and warehouse space to be built.
Laurel -- 293-acre area includes the Laurel Commons Town Center, Hawthorne Place, and growth along Route 1 and the Main Street area near the city's MARC station.
