Chairman Ball and Members of the County Council:

Resolution 132 creates a 23 member Task Force to study Howard County land use and planning processes and recommend ways to make them more inclusive. The League of Women Voters of Howard County supports Resolution 132. The basis of our support is the League principle of " democratic government depends upon the informed and active participation of its citizens and requires that governmental bodies protect the citizens right to know."

There is no question land use planning and development approval processes are complex. The process to propose a change to existing zoning on a parcel of land is long and complex and the process to propose a change to the wording of a zoning regulation is also long and complex. Subdivision approval is an administrative decision taking many months and requires, if it is residential property a pre submission community meeting, and if variances are needed requires a Hearing Examiner meeting and decision. A proposed change of zoning to a parcel of land requires a technical staff report from the Department of Planning and Zoning, public notice including posting the land, a Planning Board hearing and decision and then a Zoning Board hearing and decision. A change to a zoning regulation requires a technical staff report from the Department of Planning and Zoning, a Planning Board hearing and decision and adoption of County Council legislation. The general public finds these processes and the rules of procedure of the Planning Board, the Zoning Board and the Hearing Examiner to be complex, time consuming and difficult to follow.

The League proposes an amendment to the membership of the Task Force. Given the advisory roll of the Planning Board in the Zoning Board process and the Zoning Regulation process, a member of the Planning Board needs to be added to the Task Force. The League suggests the five processes to be examined by the Task Force are too many for the limited time frame of 4 months. We suggest that the Comprehensive Zoning process should be eliminated from the Resolution but be addressed by a subsequent Task Force. A Comprehensive Zoning Task Force would have the benefit of the work and report of this Task Force. The County will not enter into a comprehensive zoning process until after the adoption of a 2010 General Plan and more time should be given to the study of the comprehensive zoning process.

The League of Women Voters of Howard County will if Resolution 132-2007 is adopted propose a member to serve on the Task Force. We do urge that the meetings of the Task Force start no earlier than 5:30pm so that employed members of our community can participate on a regular basis.

The League thanks Council members Sigaty and Terrasa for introducing the Resolution. We urge favorable consideration of the League's amendments and passage of Resolution 132.

Grace Kubofcik
Co-president