Zoning Department

Kimberley Flowers, a former government employee in Washington and Baltimore, has been named deputy director of the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning. In the $104,187-a-year position, Flowers will serve as an ombudsman among the department, community and other government officials. She began her new job Monday. The position was recommended in February by a transition team for County Executive Ken Ulman, which said that there was a need to establish greater trust with the community.

The county is declaring as surplus a half-acre of land in one of the heaviest local flood zones, after buying up property to keep flood-threatened land away from private owners to avoid damage and insurance issues. Part of the half-acre lies in the county's Bynum Run floodway, a flow path that carries significant volumes of water during a flood. The county has restrictions that make it virtually impossible to build in the floodway. It also has restrictions on development in the nearby floodplain.

Annapolis Town Centre at Parole Location: Just outside Annapolis, bounded by Route 2, Riva Road and Forest Drive. Developer: Greenberg Commercial Corp., Owings Mills Architect: Martin Architecture, Philadelphia Description: The long-anticipated redevelopment of the 33-acre Parole Plaza property is slated to feature several anchor stores, numerous shops and offices and residential towers as high as 16 stories, all built around a main boulevard. Status: The developers have responded to several rounds of questions from county officials about their initial plans and hope to receive preliminary county approval this month.

The Maryland Cooperative Extension's Harford County office and the Harford County Planning and Zoning Department's Agricultural Land Preservation Program will conduct a free "Agricultural Land Preservation" seminar from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. March 12 at the extension's office, 2335 Rock Spring Road, Forest Hill. Scheduled speakers are lawyer Jay Young, real estate appraiser Aimee O'Neill, Harford County Agricultural Land Preservation Program administrator Bill Amoss and Harford Land Trust representative David Miller.

The Howard County Board of Appeals will take up a U.S. 1 gas station proposal again at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 1 after running out of time for a vote at its hearing Thursday night. Developer Donald R. Reuwer has applied for zoning approval to build a gas station, along with a convenience store and fast-food restaurant, at the northwestern corner of the U.S. 1 and Route 100 interchange. The county Planning and Zoning Department has recommended against the plan, saying it would undermine efforts to revitalize the U.S. 1 corridor in Howard County.

City development agency relocated to West Street offices The Annapolis Office of Economic Development has been moved from Duke of Gloucester Street to 151 West St. Operations at the new site begin today. According to an announcement by Mayor Dean L. Johnson last week, the former home of the city agency was "in an extremely crowded building" that houses the Planning and Zoning Department. The economic development office shares its new building with the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce and the Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Authority.

Stung by criticism of their development plans, an Elkridge couple may seek to build three single-family homes instead of nine in the Lawyers Hill historic district, according to a preliminary proposal recently submitted to the county's Health Department.But Lawyers Hill residents Timothy and Susan Coleman would consider that change only if the department approves a septic system also proposed in the revised plans, said R. Jacob Hikmat, the couple's engineer.Otherwise, the couple will present their original, nine-house proposal to the county's Planning Board, he said.

Bowing to criticism of their development plans, an Elkridge couple have withdrawn their proposal to build nine single-family homes in the Lawyers Hill historic district. Instead, they have opted to build three homes, said the couple's engineer.The new plan probably will be submitted to the Howard County Planning and Zoning Department next month, said engineer R. Jacob Hikmat.Lawyers Hill residents Timothy and Susan Coleman's original proposal for the 5 acres surrounding their 1850s mansion home, known as Hursley Manor, drew strong opposition in April from nearby residents.

North Laurel Park residents voiced support this week for a study group's proposal to improve the community's roadways, sidewalks, storm water management facilities and sewers.The group, which includes four residents and one official from the county's planning and zoning department, made its pitch at a sparsely attended meeting of the North Laurel Civic Association Tuesday.County Councilman Dennis R. Schrader, a Republican who represents the area, commissioned a study of North Laurel Park's problems in February as part of his proposal to draft a master plan for the North Laurel-Savage area.