Waverly Woods

Developer Donald L. Reuwer has lost his bid to rezone Waverly Woods in Ellicott City. The Howard County Zoning Board voted Wednesday night to rezone only the largest of four areas in his proposal for the 52-acre property. The board unanimously agreed to rezone the 27-acre site from residential to commercial use. Hundreds of area residents opposed the rezoning, fearing increased traffic, noise and the effects of development on their well water. Reactions to the decision were split. Some residents, who see development as unavoidable, made a deal to support Reuwer's rezoning proposals if he agreed not to commercially develop two other sites that total 11 acres.

Residents who live near Waverly Woods in Ellicott City long ago lost their battle to prevent the 680-acre mixed-use community, but they are not through fighting the developer. Last night, more than 200 residents went to the Howard County Planning Board meeting to protest proposed rezonings of six parcels of land in and adjacent to Waverly Woods. They worry that the proposed changes -- which would make some residential land commercial and some commercial land residential -- would allow developer Donald L. Reuwer to build more homes and get twice as much space for commercial uses.

The Cloisters Reservations are now being accepted by Chateau Builders for two new condominium buildings, The Cloisters, being built at the Village Greens at Waverly Woods in Howard County. The Cloisters will consist of 70 residences and offer five floor plans for two-bedroom and two-bedroom-with-den units. The models will be called The Pinnacle, The Cypress, The Augusta, The Kemper, The Legend and The Doral. The base price for the models will start in the low $170,000s, and delivery is expected for residents in June 2000.

Trying to end their conflict, representatives of Waverly Historic Mansion in Marriottsville and proponents of building an Exxon gas station across the street are discussing ways to build it without destroying the 200-year-old mansion's surroundings. Both sides requested that yesterday's scheduled Board of Appeals meeting on the issue be postponed while they discussed alternatives. The meeting was rescheduled for July 6. Exxon representatives say they are considering shifting the proposed six-island, 50,000-square-foot facility 100 feet south, landscaping the site -- adding buffers -- and building the station out of materials similar to those used in the mansion.

Developers of a proposed Exxon gas station, convenience store and car wash in Marriottsville told the Board of Appeals last night that the project would blend with the character of the Waverly Woods community.They also said the project would meet what developers described as a growing demand for gas stations in western Howard County.The developers, who are represented by attorney David A. Carney, want to build a six-pump station at the intersection of Warwick Way and Marriottsville Road. The station would be part of a 50,000-square-foot facility.

If you blink your eyes, you might miss it.That's how small Woodstock, a neighborhood on the border of Baltimore and Howard counties, is.Surrounded mostly by farmland, Woodstock is fairly serene despite its proximity to busy Interstate 70."When we moved here, Woodstock was even more of a sleeper community than it is now," said Terri Berchelli, who moved to Woodstock 14 years ago."Some people in Ellicott City don't even know it is here."Berchelli and her husband, Vince, moved to Woodstock 15 years ago from Prince George's County.

Address: 10850 Birmingham WayEllicott City, 21163Telephone: 410-313-9182Professional: Mike Kavka, PGASuperintendent: Stephen LutzCourse architect: Arthur HillsOpened: June 29, 1998Open: 7 a.m.Status: PublicHoles: 18Par: 72Yardage: 5,606 (forward tees), 6,602 (middle), 7,024 (tips)Greens fees: $38 weekdays; $50 weekends and holidaysCarts: $10Tee-time policy: Times reserved up to two weeks in advance.Additional features: Practice area, full irrigation, lessons, club rental, pro shop, snack bar, beverage carts.

After going some 15 years in the 1970s and 1980s with no new golf courses in the area, three daily-fee facilities will open this week, two of them on the same day.Waverly Woods, off Route 99 in Howard County, and Beechtree Golf Club, in Aberdeen, start tomorrow, followed on Wednesday by The Woodlands, adjacent to Diamond Ridge GC in Woodlawn.They join a number of facilities that previously opened in the '90s, including Caves Valley in Owings Mills and Fairway Hills in Columbia.Waverly Woods and The Woodlands are just a few miles apart, and the two courses are somewhat similar in their layouts.