Planning Board Legislation
I co-sponsored a bill with Councilmember Walsh to require geographic diversity on the Planning Board, as this is one of the authorities that hears petitions for new development and zoning changes. The bill was approved last week. After the phase-in of new members through attrition, the board will be comprised of one person from each council district including at least one member residing in the rural west.
Development
The County Council is currently deliberating a bill to change development parameters in Turf Valley. I have filed an amendment to this bill that would allow the development of Adult Restricted Adult Housing (ARAH or 55+ community). This housing type continues to lag demand, leading to severe shortages and price increases in the past few years. It has also created a trickle-down effect on the inventory of homes that would otherwise be available for new residents if the current occupants had more options. We want seniors in connected, walkable communities with easy access to services and amenities, plus changing some unrestricted housing allocations to ARAH will reduce the student yield from the new units.
Other Topics
We also acted on multiple commercial solar projects, housing, and several other topics. For a full recap visit the Council website.