Councilman Marks: More than 4,900 acres downzoned

The following is a legislative update from Councilman David Marks…

On Tuesday, August 27th, the Baltimore County Council approved the new Comprehensive Zoning Map for Baltimore County.

In the Fifth District that I represent, acting on my recommendation, the Council downzoned 4,944 acres of property. The Council increased the density or intensity of potential development on 145 acres. That means that 97 percent of changes represent downzoning—more open space preserved throughout our district.

The changes do not include issues where there is not a clear increase or decrease in zoning intensity. Additionally, I recused myself on one zoning issue that includes my home.

Over the past four zoning cycles, I have acted to lighten development and preserve green space throughout my district. Since 2010, we have acted on thousands of acres from Towson to Perry Hall, and from Kingsville to Middle River.

My constituents are not anti-development. In fact, the Greenleigh community—one of the fastest-growing areas in Baltimore County—was untouched during this zoning process. I have repeatedly said that development needs to be steered toward places like White Marsh Boulevard.

What they do not want is uncontrolled growth that spills out into rural communities and along older routes. They want infrastructure and schools to be in place, and they value parks and green space.

I have used the zoning process to lighten growth while Baltimore County built new schools and parks. Thanks to good decisions, enrollment has dropped at many campuses; we have opened Nottingham Middle School, Honeygo and Rossville Elementary Schools, and moved to create new parks throughout the Eastside, most recently at the C.P. Crane plant property.

Here are some specific ways we listened to the community:

• Our rezoning decisions lightened development along Eastern Avenue, one of the most dangerous state routes in Baltimore County.
• We listened to the Wilson Point community that wants to preserve the ballfields at Lockheed Martin.
• We downzoned property on Graces Quarters Road and Ebenezer Road that could have yielded dozens of homes if ever developed.
• In White Marsh, we downzoned a historic amount of land along Philadelphia Road, where traffic is clogged because the state never built an eastbound connection to White Marsh Boulevard.
• In Perry Hall, we opposed a zoning change that would have allowed townhouses near Gerst Avenue. We also protected the entrance into the community along Belair Road near Gunpowder Falls State Park.

I would like to thank all those residents, property owners, and organizations who testified over the past year. Your input produced what I believe is a fair and more community-friendly zoning map.