NAIOP MD believes the proposed Baltimore County Master Plan needs to be revised to support higher density development in designated areas. High density developments, such as Owings Mills Metro Center, have fueled growth in some areas of Baltimore County. Photo courtesy of David S. Brown Enterprises.
NAIOP Maryland is urging Baltimore County to revise its master plan to better support future growth, including higher-density development within targeted growth areas.
On May 31st, NAIOP submitted comments on Master Plan 2030, Baltimore County’s blueprint for growth and development over the next 20 years. NAIOP urged the Planning Board to ensure that the plan provides more explicit support for density within designated growth areas, removes statements and incorporated documents that may lead to conflicts, and recommended establishing objective performance targets so that small area plans accommodate future growth within current growth areas.
NAIOP also recommended the Planning Board conduct a deeper feasibility study of development and redevelopment capacity, and endorsed the establishment of a master plan advisory group to work with the Planning Board as it finalizes the plan.
From the NAIOP comment letter:
The 2030 Master Plan must provide the foundation to achieve important economic, environmental, and social goals. The Plan must present a renewed strategic approach to future growth that recognizes that the County is reaching build out under its current framework and embraces the County’s role and responsibilities as a regional employment and housing leader. The Plan must also be nimble enough to adjust to the land use implications of changing post-COVID 19 employment, retail, transportation, and housing trends.
Based on the review of land use practitioners and development professionals, NAIOP does not believe the Plan as currently drafted provides an adequate framework to guide and accommodate future growth.