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Compromise needed for housing issue in Eldersburg

Thursday, Sept. 22, 2005

Last Thursday nightıs meeting of the Freedom Area Citizensı Council hosted a good discussion on the issue of Security Developmentsıs plan to build a 254-unit housing development off Kali Drive in Eldersburg. Although county officials and the newly formed citizensı group, Carrolltowne United, were present, the focus of the discussion, Security Development, was not.

Not surprisingly, both the county and the citizens would like to work out some type of compromise with the developer, particularly to have commercial development at the site instead of homes. Commercial would be less intrusive on the community and certainly would not impact the overcrowded schools.

Although Director of Planning Steve Horn said there is enough water for the housing development that water really is contingent on the City of Baltimore allowing the county to take more water out of Liberty Reservoir.

In turn, however, Horn indicated that the city also would assume that current storm water management issues, which could impact the reservoir, would be followed. Therein is the rub. Security Development succeeded in getting Judge Michael Galloway to force the county planning commission to approve a decade old plan which would be under 10-year-old rules. Storm water management and fire safety regulations, as well as school capacity, are outdated.

The county, which can have limited discussion with the developer because the development plan is in the courts, and the citizens seem to sincerely want to work out the issues. New residents moved to the community with commercial development for the site noted in the master plan. Older residents and FACC were fighting the plan from the beginning but they all seem to be on the same page.

Both the citizens and the county have tried to talk to the developer, the citizens without any success so far, the county with limited success. Horn said the county is willing to fast-tract commercial development, to provide help in getting permits, etc. Horn, however, did not offer a lot of encouragement to the citizens that Security would follow through with the commercial development.

At this point the county has to wait on the courts; the citizens are hoping for a conversation with the developer; and the developer? Well no one is quite sure because he is not talking except through the courts. He is however pushing to get his housing plan moved through the planning department. We can only hope that the courts will decide in the countyıs favor. Perhaps then the developer will sit down and talk.

We do want to commend FACC for holding the meeting. It helped for each group, and others, to get the latest information.