'HoCo By Design' Approved By Planning Board, Advances To County Council

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The Howard County Planning Board has unanimously approved HoCo By Design, the county’s general plan update and Route 1 corridor plan. The board now has prepared a recommendation to the County Council for adoption. The vote comes on the heels of a three-year process that included community input and data analysis.

HoCo By Design is a long-range plan that helps guide the county’s decisions on land use, growth, development and conservation for the next 20 years. Its recommendations provide guidance for the county’s capital budget, zoning and land development regulations, as well as future county planning efforts.

“Our HoCo By Design plan is the product of a comprehensive public engagement strategy that engaged a broad spectrum of our community, including historically under-represented populations,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said. “To inform this transformational plan, the department of planning and zoning conducted historic community engagement with nearly 100 community meetings and received more than 12,000 comments from participants across our county. HoCo By Design also identifies numerous policies that will advance a more equitable and inclusive future for all County residents.”