To the relief of Elkridge resident Gail Sigel, the County Council this week tabled a bill that would accelerate the rate of development along Howard County's Route 1 corridor.

Council members said they delayed the bill in part to consider amendments to it, including one that seeks to levy a fee on developers who build in the corridor and another that would exclude most of Elkridge from the bill.

Sigel said the measure and the amendments need further consideration by the council and by residents.

She added that her community's schools, roads and other public facilities are not equipped to tolerate an influx of new residents.

"I'm glad they tabled it," she said. "I feel like the bill is off-base."

Under the bill, which was introduced by County Executive Kenneth Ulman, the council would amend the county's Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance to allow officials to grant qualifying developers permission to build twice as many housing units along Route 1 than the county normally permits in a given year.

County officials would achieve this by the earlier distribution of housing allotments that are set aside for future years. The facilities ordinance regulates development in areas of the county in which schools and roads have become overcrowded.

Currently, the county grants developers permission to build 250 housing units in the Route 1 corridor each year. The bill would allow officials to grant permission for up to 500 units annually.

The bill would not increase the number of units allowed in the corridor, but would speed up their construction, said Marsha McLaughlin, director of the county Department of Planning and Zoning.

The bill is intended to support the county's efforts to revitalize the aging Route 1 corridor through construction of upscale mixed-use projects, she said, adding that allowing developers a chance to build certain projects sooner would make it easier for them to gain financing for the projects.

At its June 2 meeting the council voted to delay action on the bill, with several members saying they wanted to allow more public testimony on the bill and two proposed amendments.

Council member Jennifer Terrasa has drafted an amendment to require developers who are granted advance allocations under the bill to pay a fee dedicated to the construction of public facilities along Route 1.

The yet-to-be-determined fee, which could come in the form of money or land, would be devoted to building schools, libraries, fire stations and community centers, said Terrasa, a Democrat who represents parts of Columbia and North Laurel.

"If they want to move those allocations forward, we want them to pay more," she said of developers. "This is not an onerous burden on them."

Terrasa does not believe the fee would result in higher housing prices or rents as developers pass the fee along to consumers, she said. Instead, developers would save money, even with the fee, if they are allowed to begin their project sooner, she added.

"We want the revitalization of Route 1 to occur, but there are some legitimate concerns," she said.

Residents want big picture

Under an amendment proposed by Council member Courtney Watson, a Democrat who represents Ellicott City and Elkridge, most of Elkridge would be excluded from the bill.

The amendment aims to protect an area that cannot handle accelerated growth, Watson said.

"Along the Route 1 corridor, Elkridge has been the most intensely developed section, especially in the past five to seven years," she said. "They haven't had the amenities to catch up with the growth."

Elkridge resident Elizabeth Eggleston said the proposed changes show promise, but need further review.

"We think (developers) should bear some of the burden they put on the community," she said. "But we also want to see the county's long-term plan for our community. We want to see the bigger picture."

The council is slated to take further public testimony on the bill and the amendments on June 16.

The bill and amendments are posted on the council's Web site at www.co.ho.md.us/CountyCouncil/Legislative_Pending.htm.

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