Howard County Tightens Limits On Housing Development

After months of research and debate, the Howard County Council Monday night narrowly approved updates to rules designed to ensure that development doesn’t overburden roads and schools.

The 3-2 vote brought a warning from a builders’ trade group that the new regulations will shut out development and criticism from some residents that a loophole would allow growth in already overpopulated school zones.

“This legislation is a step in the wrong direction for Howard County,” said Josh Greenfeld of the Maryland Building Industry Association. “It fails to relieve overcrowding, does not hold the school board accountable and will have significant impacts on the county’s budget and ability to perform its service.”

Democratic Chairwoman Mary Kay Sigaty and Republican Greg Fox voted against the update to the county’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.

Fox said the changes place a “moratorium” on development by lowering the county’s threshold at which to close areas to construction.

Click here to read the rest of the article written by Kate Magill over at the Baltimore Sun

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