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 Senior center
zoning postponed 1,500-unit facility in Odenton put on
hold Unable to make a final decision, the county Planning Advisory Board postponed voting on whether to approve zoning which could pave the way for a 1,500-unit senior living community on 1,000 acres bordering the Forks of the Patuxent community in Odenton. The zoning request was just one of more than 100 the PAB heard last Thursday during its final deliber ations before it passes on the Odenton Small Area Plan to the County Council. Odenton Small Area Planning Committee Chairman Katharina E. DeHaas testified before the PAB that her committee supported upzoning the property for a number of reasons, including support of the project from the Forks of the Patuxent community. There also would be no impact on schools because residents of the proposed development would have to be at least 55 years old. "The properties being discussed are now used just for mining purposes," said Ms. DeHaas, a resident of the Forks of the Patuxent who recused herself from any votes on the subject. "It was really the lesser of two evils because the only other options currently available for the land is an industrial park or a landfill." Ms. DeHaas added that the Forks of the Patuxent community has nearly worked out an agreement with the current property owners and the developer on a number of covenants that must be met for the project to gain their support, including environmental setbacks and only being allowed to build senior housing. While acknowledging the community's support of the project, PAB members voiced a number of concerns about such a large-scale project. Their top concerns included the lack of public water and sewer on the site and a fear that the covenants would not be enough to stop the developer from building a regular planned unit development if it chose to do so. "Once we grant the rezoning, there is
nothing stopping a developer from changing If the upzoning is approved John Stamato, a Crofton investor and owner of Two Rivers Investors LLL, will purchase the property and develop the community, which would include 1,500 single-family homes, a 30,000-square-foot community center and an 18-hole golf course. The 1,100- to 1,800-square-foot homes would cost between $175,000 and $250,000. Carrolls Creek rezoning While the PAB could not come up with a consensus on the senior living community, it did decide not to rezone the 16-acre Carrolls Creek property located adjacent to the Village of Waugh Chapel in Gambrills. The decision differed from the recommendation of both the Odenton SAP committee and the county. Originally, a group of Washington, D.C., investors wanted the property to be rezoned commercial so they could build a retail center. However, they recently changed their minds and testified last month they agree with the county's recommendation for high-density residential zoning. The Odenton SAP recommended low- to medium residential zoning. The PAB will officially vote on the senior
living community, along with the rest of the Odenton
Small Area Plan, which offers comprehensive rezoning and
growth recommendations for much of west county for the
next 20 years, at its next meeting Jan. 29. It will then
pass the draft to the County Council, which should
finalize the plan in late 2001 or early 2002. used with permission www.stopodentonlandfill.com |
