[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6523134,"mediaKeyId","5065643-5431afb0e287365e7597d33873de4363","parentId",5065643,"title","Council criticism grows over Howard County housing allocation map and 'activity center' designations","audioSeconds",5119,"startMs",5326000,"endMs",10445000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065643-5431afb0e287365e7597d33873de4363&start=5326&end=10445","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065643-5431afb0e287365e7597d33873de4363/thumbnail_5326000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6523134/Howard-County/Maryland/Council-criticism-grows-over-Howard-County-housing-allocation-map-and-activity-center-designations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523134-a74e94938d1ddc1278603545156535a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770429802&Signature=KhKFuB77XCnLBSNd9ohJWcUsJvmeMWYz8lGSQz450IunvXzVmVhPZtONIqUIyg~b5vTxukg7Heyjdvr0zIpbYthno876cZjg39VXCopHJY~Hwc5YQY55kLVUTNptTLH~1BzyrLZhzxVg4GBVc61-zwFoLF3t3RyrDawve8s8p~mWcZNs7ccUfNV5SzJO3Vs7tfo7xZMiyIC0nmb72Yg9vDdXjtH7FygSRRBlmzTrN6q0pGGqghdnZHj9foEq7ayvIqINdazxBlPTnGNGYOHyAVc6fScQMVy7SfGZadzOtcp2ktLt3KCNLLLAr8OIFCSos4yJirV9ybvuFZnDl9t4LA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard","date","2025-06-23T00:00:00Z","article","Department of Planning and Zoning staff presented the county’s updated housing allocation chart and an interactive map at a Howard County Council work session; the presentation prompted heated questions from several councilmembers who said the chart’s activity‑center designations are being used to channel large allocations without accompanying regulatory definitions or promised amenities.

Director Eisenberg and staff explained that the housing allocation chart is the mechanism by which the general‑plan growth target (PlanHoward/Hoco by Design) is translated into a yearly distribution of new residential units across five columns: Downtown Columbia, activity centers (constrained geographic areas), established communities/other character areas, rural West and a designated affordable housing column that functions as a bonus. Eisenberg said the chart and its interactive map are intended to provide “orderly and predictable planning environment for schools and other public facilities” and that the activity‑center boundaries are derived from the future‑land‑use mapping adopted with Hoco by Design.

Several councilmembers disputed that presentation. Multiple speakers said activity‑center allocations have effectively become an easier path for large apartment projects—particularly along Route 1 in the county—without guaranteed delivery of mixed‑use design, pedestrian connectivity, or affordable‑for‑sale housing the general plan listed as goals. One councilmember argued, “These are not activity centers. These are apartment buildings,” and several members said the county has not produced zoning or text‑amendment language that would define and enforce the activity‑center elements the plan lists.

DPZ staff said activity‑center boundaries in the allocation map are not the same as a new zoning district; they are geographic designations used to place units on the chart, and they do not by themselves change property zoning. Staff reiterated the chart’s purpose: to channel annual unit allocations by policy area so school and infrastructure planning can anticipate where residential completions are likely to appear. The department also noted that since adoption of Hoco by Design several applications in activity‑center areas have sought allocations; a small number of projects have completed school‑adequacy tests and received allocations.

The discussion moved to school capacity and pre‑K. Howard County Public Schools officials explained that projection methodology for enrollment uses the most recent official September 30 enrollment as a baseline and incorporates cohort survival rates, births five years earlier and resales yield from existing housing. Tim Rogers (HCPS) said projections can change year to year because actual enrollments and local housing activity shift the starting point. School operations and capital staff described how some capacity changes reflect repurposing rooms for full‑day pre‑K or special‑education programming; Cornell Brown and Dan Lubley told council members the system will conduct a facilities audit and space sufficiency evaluation, with consultant work and a multi‑year timeline.

Councilmembers raised two practical concerns: (1) if activity‑center allocations are producing mostly apartments along key corridors, will the county get the mixed‑use design and local retail the plan intended; and (2) how will allocations that increase housing density affect school capacity and the APFO (Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance) calculations when pre‑K and special‑education spaces reduce flexible classroom capacity. DPZ said the APFO task force will present recommendations in August and DPZ will continue to refine mapping and allocation practices.

Why this matters: the housing allocation chart determines where the county expects new residential completions and therefore influences developer plans, school‑capacity forecasts and infrastructure planning. Councilmembers said an allocation system that channels hundreds of units to limited corridors without binding design or community‑benefit requirements risks producing housing without the amenities and school‑capacity planning that the general plan promised.

Next steps: DPZ will continue to administer the allocation chart; the APFO task force will deliver recommendations to the council in August; councilmembers indicated they will pursue zoning‑text amendments or other legislative fixes to define activity centers and attach implementation requirements if DPZ does not supply definitional guidance and regulatory tools.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard - Legislative Work Session - Jun 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","During a Howard County Council work session, Department of Planning & Zoning presented the housing allocation chart tied to Hoco by Design; councilmembers pressed DPZ for a clear definition and implementation plan for 'activity centers' and raised school‑capacity and pre‑K concerns tied to allocations.","taxTitle","Howard County, Maryland","taxId",13634,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6523139,"Howard County council advances drafting of electrification, readiness amendments to building code",5986,48000,6034000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5065643-5431afb0e287365e7597d33873de4363&start=48&end=6034","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5065643-5431afb0e287365e7597d33873de4363/thumbnail_48000.jpg","/articles/6523139/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-council-advances-drafting-of-electrification-readiness-amendments-to-building-code","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6523139-c7134f0fcbd293be71fa7cc997cddbc4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770429802&Signature=ko1JPYHoR3TVZahIi0oA8WCYJ~djtVcFwM4VklpAwy8yM9QNJPbnKujcY5J2Re6s4twHRaAzU-JgONfl~r3X1-Tc5Ewt76kRSZeWoYcPAWIr9aMoABjABLRrcbaUNtOh2iMzM~22VdLOwWBtTb4U5wXHH6PSDDl4DOp-Oo2mXltGSqq6iJs3AjEeBqmnzp8IO6xuiXIO0u5Hl8JFeOT6CarMdGX58UcgD3owKl-IYziwhrKQlHtjHABwiZP194os3KwukB2h8~DbwTKUbFinT7Rt7OGetQSpQhFBKJ1q4SuvKQvoOpAFc9VRnMQyk42IYpvv97-yyXzvT5UFmVI1Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County Council members spent the bulk of a hybrid work session debating how far to push building-code changes that would accelerate electrification and other “readiness” measures for new construction.

Erin Sherman of the Rocky Mountain Institute summarized a memo presenting 10 options ranging from mandatory all‑electric new buildings to narrower measures such as electric‑vehicle and solar readiness, conduit for future wiring, demand‑response capability and heat‑pump readiness. Sherman told the council the memo aimed to give a menu of approaches jurisdictions have used elsewhere and to show tradeoffs among them.

The discussion focused on legal risk, cost and implementability. Councilmembers Christiana Rigby (District 3) and Deb Young (District 4) told colleagues they had identified four items they considered “low‑hanging fruit”: electric readiness for thermal equipment (conduit or wiring to simplify future electrification), enhanced conservation measures in the energy code, policy language to remove a fuel‑type bias in efficiency accounting (called a “level playing field” or debiasing), and a requirement that air‑conditioning equipment capable of being sold as one‑way units be installed as reversible heat pumps when space cooling is provided.

Sherman described the differences jurisdictions have adopted for electric readiness. She said some places, including Montgomery County, require conduit but not wiring to a future equipment location; the model code appendix requires wiring in some cases. “Montgomery County requires conduit for many circumstances. In other words, they require a clear pathway that is safe for electric purposes between the location of the combustion equipment and the electrical panel. They do not require wiring,” Sherman said. She added that wiring raises panel‑sizing and upfront cost implications but can reduce retrofit expense later; she cited studies that show it is substantially cheaper to install full infrastructure during initial construction than retrofit later.

Council members pressed on legal vulnerability. Rigby said jurisdictions that took aggressive approaches have faced legal challenges and urged creating separate legislative vehicles or clear severability language so a successful legal challenge to one part of a package would not block unrelated energy‑efficiency updates. Director Francis (county staff) responded that severability can be written into bills, but the council should consult Office of Law to confirm protections.

Councilmembers and staff discussed costs. Sherman said New Buildings Institute and related studies indicate incremental wiring costs per end use can be on the order of “$100 or $200” in some residential circumstances when installed during construction, and she noted that electric‑vehicle readiness is generally more expensive than other forms of readiness. On heat‑pump‑ready air conditioners she estimated equipment markup for a reversible unit versus a one‑way air conditioner at roughly $1,000 plus variable installation differences depending on installer familiarity; she said many new Maryland homes already use heat pumps.

The council asked staff to convert the conversation into legislative language. Members said they wanted four separate amendment vehicles drafted to reflect the four near‑term items (electric readiness, enhanced conservation, level playing field/debiasing, and heat‑pump primary/reversible requirement), and legislative analysts were asked to prepare draft amendments for pre‑filing. Council members and staff agreed to work with the county director of inspections/permits and Office of Law on implementation and legal protections; Director Francis and legislative staff were named to be involved in drafting. A filing deadline referenced in the session materials was the coming Friday.

Why this matters: the changes under discussion would affect how new housing and commercial buildings are constructed in Howard County, with implications for household energy costs, future retrofit expenses, and greenhouse‑gas emissions. Council members repeatedly emphasized that choices about conduit vs. wiring, and whether to count electric equipment equitably in efficiency tables, carry both practical and legal consequences.

Next steps: legislative analysts will prepare amendment draft language for the four approaches discussed and share drafts with staff (including Director Francis and Office of Law) for review prior to a planned pre‑file. The work session did not record a final vote; councilmembers framed the action as direction to staff to produce draft legislation for the upcoming legislative cycle.","At a Howard County Council work session, Rocky Mountain Institute staff outlined 10 code strategies for building electrification and related readiness; councilmembers signaled support for four near-term approaches and directed staff to draft amendment language for pre-filing.","actionData","errors"]

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Council criticism grows over Howard County housing allocation map and 'activity center' designations

Howard County council advances drafting of electrification, readiness amendments to building code