Chairman Ball and Members of the Howard County Council:

The League of Women Voters of Howard County supports CB4 that amends the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations of Howard County. CB 4 allows pre-submission community meetings to be held within a public or institutional building located within approximately five miles of the property proposed for development. In addition, the bill allows that upon written approval the pre-submission meeting may be held at a location that does not satisfy the distance or public or institutional building requirement. The League bases our testimony on a League principle of informed active participation of citizens and that government bodies protect the citizen's right to know.

The League requests two amendments to the bill. Amend Section 16,128 (b)(2) to require that no pre-submission meeting be allowed to take place after dark on the property proposed for development. Given the weekday time frames for the pre-submission meetings of 6 to 8pm this prohibition is necessary,

Amend Section 16.128 (d) to include that a member of the Department of Planning and Zoning staff be present at pre-submission community meetings. The League makes this amendment based on the numerous public comments that the plans shown at the pre-submission meeting are not what are submitted for the property to the Department of Planning and Zoning. The League also believes that the Department should be aware, as early as possible, of community concerns and/or support. For community members unfamiliar with the County development review process, a contact person with the Department of Planning and Zoning would be beneficial.

The League thanks the sponsor and co-sponsors of this Legislation and asks for support for these amendments and a favorable vote.

Sincerely,

Grace Kubofcik,
Co-President
Howard County League of Women Voters