The bills below are concerned with elements of land use planning. Learn about new Harford County and State legislative bills. Track their status; contact legislators; attend hearings. See how your legislators voted.
See all Harford County Bills here: Harford County Legislative Bills Index
Year 2010
| Bill 10-11. Storm Water Management. The bill, introduced on 16 Feb, will replace section 214-1 of the county code. Public hearing was held on 16 March. The Council amended the bill and adopted it on 13 April.
|
| FOH opinion:
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 10-10.Tax Increment Financing/Special Taxing District - Beechtree Estates. Introduced on 16 Feb 2010, a public hearing was held on 16 March. The Council amended and voted to approve the bill that day.
|
| FOH opinion: A Tax Increment Finance develops a special district to develop areas which will not normally be financially feasible to the developer or to redevelop areas which would benefit the County. FOH does not consider redeveloping a golf course to housing as one benefiting the County and believes the market should decide if housing is cost effective. This TIF bill deprives the County of the property taxes it would normally receive from the creation of new housing and gives that to the holders of the TIF bond instead. The County will continue to receive only the bare land taxes on those acres for the next 30 years.
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
N |
Y |
Y |
Year 2009
| Bill 09-46. 2010 Teansportation Element Plan. Introduced on 1 Dec 09 with public hearing on 5 Jan 2010. This is a required element of the Master Plan and was updated as part of the Master Plan update process. Council members submitted numerous amendments at the 2 Feb legislative session and the bill was approved.
|
| FOH opinion:
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 09-37. Amount of Impact Fee. Introduced on Nov 3, the bill reduces the new home impact fee, but does not eliminate it, as did Bill 09-29. Public hearing was held on Dec 1. The bill was also approved on that date.
|
| FOH opinion: Better than eliminating the revenue stream, as in Bill 09-29 (defeated), but it still creates a revenue shortfall that must be filled with other tax revenue or reduction in county services.
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
N |
N |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 09-36. Installment Purchase Agreement - Prologis Park, Edgewood. Introduced for the Executive on Nov 3, it is "an Intergovernmental Installment Purchase
Agreement with Maryland Environmental Service in substantially the form attached
hereto to purchase a parcel of real property known as Prologis Park Edgewood
Maryland 21040 containing approximately 121304acres more or less with all
improvements located thereon for the purchase price of09040500to be paid in
asnenmuali payments for aterm not to exceed 10 years". This property is next to the old Gap warehouse. It is intended for use in the waste incinerator expansion program in a manner yet defined. The bill was withdrawn at the 1 Dec session.
|
| FOH opinion: We cannot support this bill until the project is clearly defined. There is way too much uncertainty on purpose, ultimate cost of WTE project, customer support/need for the extra steam produced, and impact on the Edgewood neighborhood.
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Bill 09-33. Adequate Public Facilities. Introduced on October 20, the bill proposes to soften APF restrictions to allow building under certain conditions. It leaves the APF overcrowded definition at 110% of capacity while doing so. Public hearing was held on Nov 17. The bill passed.
|
| FOH opinion:
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 09-29. Public School Development Impact Fee. Introduced by Mr Guthrie and Mr Schrodes on 15 Sep 09. Public hearing was held on 20 Oct 09. The bill would repeal the public school development impact fee. It was voted down on Nov 3 with Bill 09-37 offerred instead.
|
FOH opinion: FOH is opposed to this bill before adequate additional revenue sources, at least equal to it, are in place.
Read our letter to the Council. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Abstain |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 09-24.Natural Resources Elements Plan. The bill is the beginning of the update to the Master Plan. (Link to the draft Natural Resources Element Plan.) Introduced on 11 Aug 09. Public hearing held on 8 Sep 09. The Council did take time to develop amendments before passing the bill on 6 Oct.
|
| FOH opinion: This bill needs considerable work to meet state recommendations. We are reviewing the amendments to see how many deficiencies were corrected. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 09-23.Comprehensive Zoning Review. Introduced on 16 Jun 09. Public hearing were held in July. The Council amended the bill on 4 Aug and passed it on 11 Aug.
|
| FOH opinion: We worked to get the Council to improve the original bill. The final bill has both good and bad amendments. See our assessment. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Woods |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
Y |
| Bill 09-16.Adequate Public Facilities - School Capacity Standards. Introduced on 21 Apr 09. Public hearing were held 19 May 09 at 6:45 pm. The bill extends the current 105% of capacity limit on school population for initiating the building moratorium. Without this bill the limit jumps back to 110%. The Council defeated this bill on 19 May.
|
| FOH opinion: This bill needs to pass to prevent returning to the old school overcrowding mess we had. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
(vacant) |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| N |
Y |
- |
N |
N |
N |
N |
| Bill 09-17.Adequate Public Facilities - Capital Projects. Introduced on 21 Apr 09. Public hearing was held 19 May 09 at 6:45 pm. Removes the moratorium if a school will be built within two years instead of the current one year. Mr Guthrie withdrew the bill after defeat of Bill 09-16.
|
| FOH opinion: |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
(vacant) |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| - |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Bill 09-02.Priority Preservation Area Plan. Introduced on 6 Jan 09. Public hearing held 3 Feb 09. Approved on 3 Feb 09. It expanded the PPA Plan area from 8000 to 11000 acres and made it part of the Master Plan.
|
| FOH opinion: |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Year 2008
| Bill 08-045. Zoning Code - Subdivision Regulations. Introduced on 19 Aug 08. Public hearing held 16 and 23 Sep 08. Voted on 21 Oct 08.
|
| FOH opinion: See our Zoning Code Update page for details. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 08-044. Zoning Code update. Introduced on 19 Aug 08. Public hearing held 16 and 23 Sep 08. Voted on 21 Oct 08.
|
| FOH opinion: After over a year of study and input, we still have many issues with this bill. See our Zoning Code Update page for details. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 08-034. Concerning the Priority Preservation Area Plan. Introduced on 6 May 08. Public hearing was held on 3 Jun 08. The bill was held over for further amendment and finally approved on 8 July 08.
|
| FOH opinion: |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 08-029. Concerning the upcoming Comprehensive Rezoning Review. Introduced on 18 Mar 08. Public hearing was scheduled for 15 Apr 08. Bill allows acceptance of rezoning requests no sooner than 6 Nov 08. The bill was passed on 6 May with an ammendment requested by the County Executive to move the 6 Nov 08 date to 15 Oct 08.
|
| FOH opinion: |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 08-020. Concerning definitions of agricultural processed product and farm market, private and expand approved retail uses in Agricultural land. Introduced by Mr Boniface and Mr. Shrodes on 18 Mar 08. Public hearing was held on 15 Apr 08 and the bill passed on that date.
|
| FOH opinion: FOH endorses this bill. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Year 2007
| Bill 07-005. Concerning Agricultural Land Preservation and purchase of Development Rights. Introduced by Mr Boniface at request of County Executive on 20 Feb 07. Public hearing was held on 20 Mar 07. Vote postponed for further discussion. Vote held on 10 April 07 and bill passed after being amended.
|
| FOH opinion: No formal position |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 07-006. Homeowners Property Tax Credit. Introduced by Mr Boniface at request of County Executive on 20 Feb 07. Public hearing held on 20 Mar 07. Vote postponed for further discussion. Vote held on 17 April 07.
|
| FOH opinion: No formal position |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 07-007. Would add a new subsection to the Subdivision regulation to require community meetings prior to the submittal of certain development plans. Introduced by Mr Guthrie and Mr McMahan on 20 Feb 07. Public hearing held on 20 Mar 07. Bill with 17 amendments passed unanimously on 20 Mar.
|
| FOH opinion: We endorse Bill 07-007 |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 07-008. Determination of Properties Near Landfill. Introduced by Mr Shrodes on 06 Mar 07. Public hearing on 03 Apr 07.
|
| FOH opinion: No formal position |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 07-009. Billboards - Removal. Introduced by Mr Guthrie on 06 Mar 07. Public hearing on 03 Apr 07 at 6:00 pm.
|
| FOH opinion: No formal position |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 07-010. Adequate Public Facilities - Schools - Capacity. Introduced by Mr Guthrie and Mr McMahan on 06 Mar 07. Public hearing held on 03 Apr 07. Bill passed by vote of 4 to 3 on 3 Apr 07.
|
| FOH opinion: Support this Bill. |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
no |
yes |
no |
no |
yes |
| Bill 07-047. Repeal and Reissue a section of Zoning Code to establish certain buffer yard requirements for sanitary landfills. Introduced on 6 Nov 07. Public hearing was held on 20 Nov 07. The Bill was amended and voted on on 4 Dec 07.
|
| FOH opinion: No formal position |
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
| Bill 07-056. A bill to repeal and reenact with amendments the MO Mixed Office District provisions of the code. Introduced on 11 Dec 07. Public hearing was held on 15 Jan 08 at 6:30 pm. The bill was approved at that meeting.
|
FOH opinion: FOH supports the proposed MO bill. We thank the sponsors – Mr. Boniface and Ms. Lisanti – for preparing this bill in response to the concerns expressed by Harford County residents.
This bill contains important improvements and we appreciate their hard work. We also realize that MO is a new concept for Harford, and all issues can’t be solved at once. So we request that the following issues be addressed in a subsequent bill:
1. There is no time limit on when the developer must build offices, and no penalty if a developer never builds any offices on the site.
How can this be “Mixed Office” with “retail to support people employed on the MO property” when there aren’t any offices?
2. The bill says “Retail and service other than professional services and corporate office uses may be incorporated into the overall project for up to 25%.”
However, this 25% still needs to be defined, in writing. It is FOH’s position that it means 25% of all the ground space on the property that’s associated with a particular use, including parking lots, walkways, etc.
It should NOT mean 25% of total floor space, because then a huge 1-story mall plus its parking lot could cover half the site if the rest of the proposed office buildings were tall enough. Half the site footprint is not 25%.
|
| Boniface |
Guthrie |
Chenowith |
McMahan |
Schrodes |
Slutzky |
Lisanti |
| yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |
yes |