Residential Development

* Annie F. Burgess, 93, of Ellicott City, retired clerk:I don't think they should have any more building. They got enough as far as I'm concerned. I've been a resident of Howard County all my life. I think there's too much building in all of the county. I'm tired of all these buildings.

Eastern Baltimore County residents say a bill before the County Council could open the door to poorly planned development on a key tract in the Middle River area near Route 43. "Let's work on a better bill, please," said Allen Robertson, president of the Bowleys Quarters Community Association, during a council work session Tuesday. Robertson said his group wants the council to withdraw or table the legislation. The measure, proposed by County Executive Kevin Kamenetz's administration, would allow residential development on part of an 800-acre tract near White Marsh Boulevard that is now zoned for industrial use. County leaders once hoped the site would attract major employers.

There's a transformation taking place this fall that is obvious from the former National Brewery in Brewers Hill. On a terrace just below the iconic Mr. Boh sign, I observed a construction army at work along Conkling and Dean streets. Over the summer, they labored on the creation of more than 600 new apartment rental units in low-rise buildings. Week by week, floors rose. Balconies appeared. Parking decks arrived. And sweeps disappeared down an ancient brick powerhouse chimney. For years, this eastern end of Canton was a hard-toiling industrial neighborhood, served by ships and rail sidings, surrounded by rowhouses and dotted with church steeples.

A battle over the future of the closed Chestnut Ridge golf course in Lutherville is continuing, with the company that bought the property now suing the Baltimore County Council over its decision to limit the land's development potential. In a lawsuit filed last month in Baltimore County Circuit, CR Golf Club LLC, which has ties to Timonium developer Cignal Corp., claims council members made an unfair land-use decision this summer that limited the number of homes that can be built on the approximately 230-acre property off Falls Road.

An environmental contractor just outside Sykesville has asked the Carroll Circuit Court to review the mayor's and Town Council's decision last month to rezone a neighboring property for residential development.While it's more usual to see neighborhoods trying to keep out industry, this judicial review is sought by Enviro Serve Inc. of the 7400 block of Buttercup Road, a training school for construction workers that serves the East Coast in remediation work such as asbestos and lead-paint removal.

The County Commissioners put the final touches yesterday on a growth-control measure that would limit residential development to 1,000 units a year.The bill, which is intended to direct growth to areas where schools, roads and public services are adequate, was altered slightly during a three-hour work session attended by developers, attorneys, municipal officials and representatives of the Carroll Economic Development Commission.The commissioners plan to enact the revised measure at 8: 30 a.m. Tuesday.

PLANNERS know that stimulating residential development is a way to revitalize declining urban centers. Witness Baltimore's recent proposal to turn the fanciful Bromo-Seltzer Tower near Camden Yards into apartments. Indeed, at many locations, city developers are responding enthusiastically to the call for residential conversions.But officials haven't had much success coaxing a similar housing revival in Towson.Towson, a so-called "edge city" by virtue of its concentrated office space and major retail, is not in decline, but county officials have long-range concerns.

Faced with a burgeoning enrollment at Mount Airy Elementary School, the county commissioners decided yesterday to limit residential development in the unincorporated areas around the town to 50 lots a year. The building limit, which can be reviewed at any time, takes effect immediately and will remain in place through 2007, the commissioners said. Mount Airy Elementary, built in 1935 and expanded in 1987, has a capacity of 675 pupils. Its enrollment is 738 pupils. Next year, enrollment is projected at 833 and, by 2007, the number could reach 1,000.

A battle over the future of the closed Chestnut Ridge golf course in Lutherville is continuing, with the company that bought the property now suing the Baltimore County Council over its decision to limit the land's development potential. In a lawsuit filed last month in Baltimore County Circuit, CR Golf Club LLC, which has ties to Timonium developer Cignal Corp., claims council members made an unfair land-use decision this summer that limited the number of homes that can be built on the approximately 230-acre property off Falls Road.

Shaner is vice chair of U.S. tennis panel Carol Shaner, president of Franklin/Thomas Association Management Inc. of Ellicott City, has been appointed vice chairman of the U.S. Tennis Association's Technical Committee. Richard Della joins Rainmaker Group Richard Della has joined the Rainmaker Group, a golf course and residential development company, as a vice president of development. He will work with Rainmaker Associates Ltd., the residential development arm of the company that developed Timbers at Troy Golf Course in Elkridge.

There's a transformation taking place this fall that is obvious from the former National Brewery in Brewers Hill. On a terrace just below the iconic Mr. Boh sign, I observed a construction army at work along Conkling and Dean streets. Over the summer, they labored on the creation of more than 600 new apartment rental units in low-rise buildings. Week by week, floors rose. Balconies appeared. Parking decks arrived. And sweeps disappeared down an ancient brick powerhouse chimney. For years, this eastern end of Canton was a hard-toiling industrial neighborhood, served by ships and rail sidings, surrounded by rowhouses and dotted with church steeples.

Developer Jackson-Shaw has started the next stage of residential development at Brickyard Station, a 63-acre transit-oriented community in Beltsville and Laurel. JLB Partners purchased land to construct 433 multifamily units, with completion expected in fall 2013, and Ryland Homes is starting construction on model homes prior to developing more than 400 single-family homes and townhomes in the community. Both projects represent a combined investment of $200 million for Brickyard Station, Jackson-Shaw officials said.

It's a common refrain, and sometimes uttered for various reasons: We need to continue to control residential growth in Carroll County. My reason? New residences attract growing families - and growing families burden our school system. It is stated in the press, and even in the school system, that our school population is shrinking. That may be, countywide, but in my view the situation would have more gravity if I did not see portable classrooms still parked at most of the schools in the southern part of Carroll County.

The Harford County Council is poised to attempt action to ease development restrictions imposed by the Maryland General Assembly in the 2012 session. In short, the restrictions apply to areas outside Harford County's official development area. That area, known as the Development Envelope, is served by public water lines and sanitary sewer service, making it most suitable for large scale residential and commercial development. The affected area, even on county planning documents, is largely rural.

The Howard County school board is scheduled to reconsider Tuesday a measure that would determine which schools can accommodate new residential development. Each year, school officials craft a chart that designates the areas ripe for development under the county's Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance by labeling schools as open or closed. The ordinance ensures that roads, school buildings and other infrastructure can handle more residents. Recently, the school board failed to pass the chart, voting in favor of it 4-3. The chart requires at least five votes for passage and allows for the student board member, who has limited voting powers, to cast a vote.

Facing Havre de Grace over the next two years are many issues that have posed challenges to the city for the past several years, notably land development policy, the related matter of water and sewer service finances and the ever-present issue of the degree to which tourism is part of the city's economic base. On May 8, voters in the city will have a choice among seven people - three incumbents and four newcomers to city politics - when they cast ballots to fill three seats on the six-member Havre de Grace City Council.

BALTIMORE County Councilman Vincent J. Gardina's proposed 18-moratorium on residential development may be just the device needed for the county to realize its economic development goals on the east side.Moratoriums generally act like floodgates. While in place, they stop development. Once they end, a torrent of development follows.Business development has always been the rationale for extending Route 43 beyond White Marsh to Middle River. Now that the road's construction is receiving its final approvals, county officials worry the new thoroughfare may generate a flurry of unintended residential growth.

Runaway growth a burden to residents It is disappointing, but not surprising, to learn of the new proposed "fire tax" to cover the cost of fire and emergency medical services for Carroll County. This is one more example of the cost of residential development being born by the existing homeowners, instead of the developers causing runaway growth. As reported in The Sun, a public hearing was held Sept. 22 in Union Bridge regarding the proposed annexation of a 126-acre parcel for a residential development, with another planned development that could triple the inhabitants of our 1,100 population town.

Baltimore County Council members on Monday approved preliminary plans for three residential developments: two senior-housing projects in the county's southwestern corner and a townhouse project in North Point. The council unanimously signed off on "planned unit development" proposals for the projects. The designation lets developers build more densely than they would under regular zoning rules, on the condition that their project offer some community benefit. Such projects require County Council approval before local planning officials review them.

It's not surprising that changes to the Harford County Charter suggested by a 15-member board appointed to review the county's de facto constitution would contain elements related to residential development policy. The charter review board formally released its report last week and it includes, among its proposals, a suggestion that the county's land use plan have a housing element and an agriculture element so as to direct residential development into appropriate areas. Also included is a provision that would change the public notice requirements for hearings on proposed government action.