Oella

More than 30 Howard County roads were closed at various points yesterday because of flooding induced by heavy rain overnight or other storm-related issues, but most reopened after the rain stopped and the sun emerged, county officials said In addition, a downed power line dangling over a portion of westbound U.S. 40 near the Normandy shopping center in Ellicott City forced the closure of one lane and a traffic backup there. The cause of the downed line was unclear. From Furnace Avenue and Race Road in Elkridge, on the eastern edge of Howard, to South Entrance Road in Columbia and Hipsley Mill Road on the Montgomery County border in the far western county, the rains fueled high water that blocked motorists.

School construction panel discusses declining revenue The first meeting of Howard County Executive James N. Robey's new Committee to Explore Capital Funding Alternatives for Education lasted more than two hours, but two small charts presented to the group told the story. One chart showed that the county spent $28.2 million building schools in 1998, but it expects a request for nearly $147 million next year to keep up with growing enrollment, smaller class sizes, renovations, inflation and all-day kindergarten.

A court decision that has once again pushed back plans to convert historic Oella Mill into luxury apartments is bringing some businesses back to the towering 200-year-old edifice, where retailers and others can find some of the cheapest commercial rent in the area. Both customer visits and the number of tenants have increased at the mill's antiques mall as word has gotten out that the popular location is still operating because plans to develop the building overlooking the Patapsco River have been rejected by Baltimore County Circuit Court.

Developers plan to appeal a Circuit Court decision that denies them permission to turn the nearly 200-year-old Oella Mill overlooking the Patapsco River into 175 luxury apartments. A Baltimore County Circuit Court judge reversed earlier approvals of the project by the county zoning commissioner and Board of Appeals, noting incomplete applications, inadequate open space reserves and a violation of bans on developing within the 100-year floodplain. "We were obviously very shocked," said Jon Wallenmeyer, vice president of Forest City Residential Group, the developer.

On June 18, 2003, ALBERT PAUL BOONE passed away. He was 78. Mr. Boone never married. He is survived by a brother, Leonard Boone of Oella, MD and a sister, Rose Doetsch of Fairless Hills, PA. He was preceded in death by a brother, Fred Boone and a sister, Helen Choyce, both of Ellicott city. Please direct inquiries to Slack Funeral Home, P.A., 410-465-4400 or www.slackfuneralhome.com

Opponents of a plan to convert historic Oella Mill into luxury apartments have carried their struggle to the Baltimore County Circuit Court, a step that is likely to delay for months a final decision on whether the project should be built. Residents of Oella, a small town across the Patapsco River near Ellicott City, fear that their community's narrow, winding roads will not be able to handle the additional traffic they expect from the 175 apartment units. The Baltimore County Board of Appeals upheld a zoning commissioner's decision in July to allow Forest City Residential Group, a Cleveland developer, to build the apartments in the almost 200-year-old mill.

Converting Oella Mill perfect Smart Growth Gov. Parris N. Glendening writes enthusiastically about Smart Growth ("Build on success of Smart Growth," Opinion * Commentary, Nov. 20) while in another article the Baltimore County Board of Zoning Appeals approves the conversion of the Oella Mill into apartments ("Panel approves conversion of Oella Mill into apartments," Nov. 20). There is a connection. Nowhere is there a better opportunity to demonstrate Smart Growth than in historic Oella, the quaint, early 19th century mill village across the Patapsco River from Ellicott City.

The conversion of the historic Oella Mill into luxury apartments appears likely to go forward after Baltimore County's Board of Special Appeals agreed yesterday with the conclusions of the county zoning commissioner. A formal opinion will be released within 15 days, but the three-member panel agreed, after deliberating for 90 minutes, that opponents' concerns about parking, traffic, safety and recreational space did not warrant a reversal of Zoning Commissioner Lawrence E. Schmidt's decision in July to approve the project.

The conversion of the historic Oella Mill into luxury apartments appears likely to go forward after Baltimore County's Board of Special Appeals agreed yesterday with the conclusions of the county zoning commissioner. A formal opinion will be released within 15 days, but the three-member panel agreed, after deliberating for 90 minutes, that opponents' concerns about parking, traffic, safety and recreational space did not warrant a reversal of Zoning Commissioner Lawrence E. Schmidt's decision in July to approve the project.

The 13th annual Road to the Arts weekend, which celebrates the opening of the 2002-2003 gallery season in Howard County, kicks off tomorrow and features nine free shows and receptions in nine galleries, all within a 20-minute drive of one another. "It's really sort of a promotional effort to encourage people to come out and find out what and who the local galleries are," said Amy Poff, deputy director of the Howard County Center for the Arts, which sponsors the event. "I would love for people to visit all [nine]