March 2023

Dear Community Member,

As the third issue of the DPZ Digest goes to print, I want to share news about some leadership changes at the department. This week, we announced the appointment of our new Deputy Director, Jessica Bellah. At the same time, I regret to announce that I will be leaving my position as Director at the end of March for a new career opportunity.

As I reflect on the past 8 years with the department, I am proud of all that DPZ has accomplished during that time.

We have advanced important legislation that protects the environment, establishing additional controls within the environmental waivers process, removing barriers to solar facility construction, and strengthening our forest conservation law. The latter also involved updating our Forest Conservation Manual, a project that had been put on hold for over a decade.

We also worked with stakeholders in the wake of the 2016 flood to develop the Ellicott City Watershed Master Plan, a document that guides the rebuilding effort for historic Ellicott City and the Tiber Branch Watershed while building on County Executive Ball’s “Ellicott City Safe and Sound” flood mitigation plan.

DPZ also played a key role in the implementation of the Downtown Columbia Plan, which seeks to revitalize Downtown, creating a diverse and distinctive mixed-use area with a rich variety of housing choices, business opportunities, and amenities.

Over my term at the department, we have made great strides in enhancing public access to the project review process and in broadening our community engagement. Our award-winning PlanHoward Academy planning course for residents commences next month for its spring session. In the coming months, we will be presenting the HoCo By Design General Plan, including a plan for the Route 1 Corridor, to the County Council. The Plan reflects an unprecedented amount community engagement that, in the spirit of its tagline—“Every Voice, One Vision”—targeted many groups and individuals who are historically under-represented in planning, ensuring that a diverse set of perspectives was considered in the process.

I want to take this opportunity to thank YOU, the community members and leaders who have participated in DPZ’s many outreach initiatives and engagement opportunities over the years. Howard County is a wonderful and welcoming community, and it has been a pleasure working together with you to plan the County’s future. I also want to acknowledge and thank the talented team of professionals I have had the privilege to work with at the department. All DPZ’s successes can be attributed to this dedicated group serving Howard County residents and businesses.

Looking ahead, I know the department will continue to advance land development policies and thoughtful community planning that sustain the high quality of life for which Howard County is known and respected.

DPZ Hosts HoCo By Design Equity Open House

On January 10, DPZ's HoCo By Design team hosted an Equity Open House, where community members could drop-in to learn more about the General Plan, speak with members of the project team who were chapter authors or content experts, and share thoughts about equity-focused policies in the Plan through a survey and interactive activity.

The event was geared toward residents, new to HoCo by Design and traditionally under-represented in planning processes, providing kids activities so that it could be welcoming to all. Over 50 people attended, most of whom shared their feedback in the survey. Many attendees reported being new to HoCo By Design and have since become more engaged in the project.

DPZ Releases HoCo By Design Draft for Planning Board

This February, following the release of the HoCo By Design public draft and the public comment window (December 2022-January 2023), DPZ refined the draft plan to prepare an updated version for Howard County's Planning Board. At the public hearing on March 9, the Planning Board unanimously endorsed the Plan, passing on their recommendation to the County Council.

“The presentation of the plan was very thorough and everything that was possible to be addressed, was,” said Planning Board Vice Chair Kevin McAliley. “Of particular importance is the people who work here and can’t live here—we need to be able to house them.” 

This month, the County Council began holding work sessions to review the Plan. The second work session takes place on March 29. For more information, click here.

To read HoCo By Design, watch the HoCo By Design presentation videos, or learn more information about the Plan, click here.

DPZ Presents HoCo By Design Fiscal Impact Analysis to Spending Affordability Advisory Committee

DPZ’s Research Division, in consultation with the County Budget Office, developed a fiscal impact model to analyze the impact of future growth as proposed in HoCo By Design. The fiscal results were presented to the Spending Affordability Advisory Committee (SAAC) for their review beginning in December 2022.

As part of this review, the SACC recommended adjustments to some of the financial assumptions in the fiscal model, which DPZ incorporated in the final scenario. While the fiscal impact analysis is not intended to provide accuracy, it does provide an estimate that shows new growth proposed in HoCo By Design produces net positive fiscal outcome to the County.

The SAAC’s report on this effort states: “The Committee performed due diligence and contributed carefully deliberated and thought-out feedback to County staff. We believe the final fiscal impact analysis is sound in methodology and presents reasonable conclusions. New development generates a significant positive net fiscal impact based on the existing revenue and service level structure.”

To read the Committee's report, click here. To read DPZ’s fiscal impact report conclusions, click here.

DPZ Publishes Updated HoCo By Design Engagement Summary 

DPZ's HoCo By Design team recently published an updated version of the HoCo By Design Engagement Summary, which was first published in 2021. The Engagement Summary is a snapshot of the project's engagement efforts from 2020-2023 and the vision and ideas for Howard County's future that were shared by various stakeholders across the community.

The Engagement Summary covers DPZ's approach to community engagement, the initiatives that they hosted and participated in, and a synopsis of the feedback we received at each program or event.

To read the updated Engagement Summary, click here.

DPZ Adds Cemetery Preservation Web Page

DPZ recently updated its website with a new page that features resources and information about cemetery preservation in Howard County. The County has more than 200 historic cemeteries, with burials dating back as far as 1668, including that of the Ellicott brothers in 1772. These cemeteries range from small family sites with just a handful of burials, to the walled or fenced enclosures around present-day and former rural churches, to large commercial operations.

The County seeks to protect and preserve these valuable historic assets by tracking their information in an ongoing cemetery inventory and by improving their condition with outside funding and support. For more information, visit the Cemetery Preservation web page.

Office of Transportation Conducts Multimodal Transportation Study

The Office of Transportation (OOT) is currently working with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council and Baltimore County to conduct a multimodal transportation study for Ellicott City and Oella in Baltimore County that addresses parking, wayfinding, and multimodal access.

Phase 1 of the study included developing an existing conditions report that details parking utilization for on-street parking, analyzing existing pedestrian and vehicular signage within the study area, and analyzing multimodal access, including sidewalks, pedestrian crossings, shared-use paths, trails, and bicycle facilities.

During Phase 1, the study utilized data analysis and public input to develop an extensive list of recommended improvements that could be made in downtown Ellicott City. Now in Phase 2, your feedback is requested.

To share your comments via a survey or visit the Share Your Thoughts tab on the project page to find out alternative ways to share comments, click here.

The public comment period runs from March 6 through April 5, 2023. For more information on the project, the phases, and the public meeting, click here.

New Deputy Director Joins DPZ

DPZ is excited to announce that Jessica Bellah will be joining the department as Deputy Director!

Jessica joins us from the Columbia Association, where she served as Manager of the Community Development and Real Estate Services Division, working to enhance the community’s knowledge of and participation in local planning processes. She has spent her academic and professional career exploring the history and culture that shape people, places, and values, but most enjoys working with communities to develop solutions that meet their current and future needs.

With over 14 years of experience working in government and not-for-profit organizations, Jessica has served as a member of Americorps working on a remote island in Maine, worked as a Community Planner for the City of Greenbelt, and spent the past five years working and living in Columbia. She is a member of the American Planning Association and the American Institute of Certified Planners. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Mary Washington, with dual degrees in Geography and Historic Preservation, followed by a Master’s in Community Planning from the University of Maryland.

Jessica is excited to join the DPZ team and continue serving the people of Howard County!

DPZNotify

DPZ recently launched a new "one-stop" notification platform to keep you informed about pre-submission meetings, capital budget hearings, and all other planning-related initiatives.

Sign up here to receive all relevant DPZ updates through DPZNotify. If you are already registered in DPZ's prior Community Notification system, you will be automatically transferred to the new system but are still encouraged to log in and verify that you are signed up for all your preferred notifications.

Q&A with DPZ's DIG Team

Eric Buschman and Justin Schelicher

Eric Buschman (left) and Justin Schleicher (right) are DPZ’s DIG Team (Development Inspection Group). The DIG Team was formed in 2016 in response to concerns about on-site verification of environmental features. Now, when a subdivision or development plan is submitted to the department, the DIG Team visits the site to review the property, ensure the submitted plan is accurate, and verify that the site’s natural resources are correctly identified on the plan.

How does the DIG Team work?

Eric: When a plan is submitted to the County for a development or subdivision, we visit the property to verify that existing site conditions and natural resources are shown accurately on the plan, including forests, wetlands, streams, and large or significant trees. 

I’ll use a special GIS-based map on my Tablet to pull up the plan while I’m at the site. The technology allows me to see exactly where my location appears on the plan and to be as accurate as possible in reporting what is on the property.

Why is this important?

Eric: By verifying what’s out there, DPZ can make the most accurate planning decisions. Site visits help ensure that all the natural resources are classified and surveyed accurately, so they can be protected during the design and construction process.

Justin: There’s also a level of trust that we build. Because our main job is to certify that the natural resources are shown correctly, we can help identify these resources early in the process so that they are known and labeled accordingly. Having accurate information early on makes it easier to plan around them and avoid unnecessary disturbances.

What are some of the things you check for out in the field?

Eric: Streams are assigned different buffers based on their location and duration of flow. Development is prohibited within the buffer area adjacent to the stream in accordance with the County’s Subdivision & Land Development Regulations. I evaluate streams to ensure they are classified correctly and that the buffer is the correct size. The location of a stream is also important, so I will check that it is indicated correctly in the plan.

I also evaluate wetland boundaries and buffers. To qualify as a wetland, the area needs to contain hydric soil, hydrophytic vegetation (wetland plants), and hydrology (movement of water). I identify the existing vegetation and dig holes on both sides of the wetland boundary and evaluate the soil profile to see if there is evidence of hydrology. I also ensure that the boundary is consistent with the criteria for a regulated wetland.

We inspect for specimen trees and make sure their location, species, and size are noted correctly in the plan. We evaluate the onsite forest and take note of any non-native invasive species. We also ensure that there are no sheds, fences, or other structures or utilities within the forest retention areas.

In addition to making sure the plan is accurate, we check for things that aren’t shown on the plan. These might be power lines, well and septic systems, and even grave markers and headstones.

All of this information is very important in protecting the highest quality resources on site during development. 

What’s the most important part of the DIG Team effort?

Justin: The most important part of the DIG Team effort is ensuring that natural resources are shown correctly on plans submitted for review. The ultimate goal is ensuring the protection of natural resources to the greatest extent possible.

What is your educational background?

Eric: I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Geo-Environmental Studies and an undergrad certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS). I am also a Forest Conservation Act qualified professional and have received certified training in wetland delineation.

Justin: My Bachelor of Science degree is in environmental sustainability with a focus in water quality. The main focus of study was on the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. I am also a Forest Conservation Act qualified professional.

Favorite part of your job?

Justin: Putting the paper to the dirt. A plan seems like just a piece of paper, but actually getting out in the field changes your perspective. On a plan, a wetland is just a little hatching or unique symbol. But when you’re in it, it’s overgrown with weeds and rushes. You don’t know what you’re in for until you’re actually at the site.

Favorite place to inspect?

Justin: The most intricate site inspection we did was at Wellington Farms (former Milk Producers site). We went from multiple large farm fields, to dense woods, to flowing streams, to drainage channels, to wetlands—it had everything. And that was a really good example of how you can have a major development and still protect natural resources on the property.

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