Community Cautious of Zoning Changes

As several local developers seek zoning changes on properties in Reisterstown and Owings Mills, one local advocacy group is watching to make sure developers don’t get a chance to abuse potential zoning classifications.

“Once you give them the zoning and they don’t know what they’re going to do, anything that that zoning allows is going to get done and it’s not always going to be what the community wants it to be,” said George Harman, president of the Reisterstown-Owings Mills-Glyndon Coordinating Council. Approximately half a dozen plans were presented at Monday night's ROG meeting.

Harman was referring to several rezoning requests – including properties across from the St. Thomas Shopping Center in Owings Mills and at the corner of East Cherry Hill and Reisterstown roads in Reisterstown – that sought retail zoning while developers could offer few details.

Every four years, the county conducts what a Comprehensive Zoning Map Process, also known as CZMP. Through that process, any citizen can submit a petition to request a change to the zoning on any given piece of property.

Through CZMP, developers from Garrison Properties are seeking to rezone several dilapidated residences across from the St. Thomas Shopping Center to business roadside, the most permissive business classification. Ron Shaftel and David Altfeld, both representing Garrison Properties, mentioned a variety of ideas for what to do with the space, ranging from a shopping center to assisted living. But nothing is concrete.

Other proposals include rezoning some property next to Susquehanna Bank in Reisterstown to business local, a small-scale commercial classification, to bring in a national pharmacy chain, according to Dino LaFiandra, an attorney with Whiteford, Taylor and Preston. There are no prospective tenants yet, he said.

Harman is hesitant to support rezoning for projects with vague plans, and hopes officials will be hesitant as well.

“I just can’t see anybody, not even the county council people, just rolling and giving them the zoning without a design or plan,” he said.

At least two other proposals without specific plans were presented at Monday’s ROG meeting. Harman wants developers to establish covenants with the community so that if rezoning proposals are granted, the zoning won’t be abused.

“I don’t know how we can void a zoning change once you’ve done it unless you have that covenant agreement separate from that zoning change,” he said.