Council Chairman Opposes Commercialization of Route 2

Chairman Dick Ladd took a stand against the spread of commercial zoning along the spine of his district, Route 2, by denying some rezoning requests.

Among the 76 applications for comprehensive rezoning in council Districts 2, 3 and 5, only 16 were tentatively approved on Monday night. The bill for these districts is set to be finalized next month, and more amendments are scheduled.

A property adjacent to a popular bakery on St. Margaret’s Road in Annapolis will retain its existing zoning, denying the owner's request to rezone it to C1 commercial. Ladd said the move was in agreement with the surrounding property owners, who were in fear of it being grouped and sold as a larger parcel.

Members of a Millersville community situated across from a proposed office complex silently cheered in the crowd as the council voted to retain the existing R2 residential zoning on the land, making an office complex an impossibility.

The Crain West community fought against the proposed Curtis property rezoning at 8657 Veterans Highway during the last council meeting. They said they were happy the chairman listened to their pleas.

“We’re very pleased the chairman worked with the community. We see this as a small victory for the Crain West community,” said Susan Obrien.

But there was a resounding theme among those that did appear on the amendment list, and those that did not. Commercial zoning along Route 2 is going to be a tough sell to Ladd, who is also the councilman for District 5, and his fellow councilmen.

“There is wholesale opposition to doing much to accelerate the commercialization of Route 2, notwithstanding the inevitability of that,” Ladd said.

Planning and Zoning Officer Larry Tom said his department tries to be vigilant against what they call “commercial creep,” where property rezonings grow and multiply along the entire route. But District 4 Councilman Jamie Benoit said Route 2 has now become inhospitable to residential development because of this creep.

“I don’t know who would want to go through the expense of building a house on Route 2 right now,” Benoit said.

Many homeowners that have lived there for years are looking for ways out, said Ladd, but commercial rezoning shouldn’t be the answer.

“A number of (homes) are for sale, and a number of which applied to have commercial designation placed on them, which were denied,” Ladd said.

Though the councilmen made 16 amendments on Monday, there will be more to come. The council next meets on Nov. 7, and they expect to finalize the comprehensive rezoning bill later that month.

The full list of amendments approved Monday:

• 7501 Brightwater Beach Rd. in Glen Burnie, Residential Low Density (RLD) to Light Commercial Marina District (MA2)
• 1130 Pasadena Yacht Yard Rd. in Pasadena, Heavy Commercial Marina District (MC) to Residential (R5)
• 7765 Freetown Rd. in Glen Burnie, Open Space District (OS) to R5
• 8515-8521 Fort Smallwood Rd. in Pasadena, General Commercial Districts (C3) to Highway Commercial District (C4)
• 1422 Old Fort Smallwood Rd. in Pasadena, Residential (R1) to Residential (R2)
• 712 Powhatan Beach Rd. in Pasadena, R1 to R5
• 1837 St. Margaret’s Rd. in Annapolis, Local Commercial  Districts (C1) to R1
• 8657 Veterans Highway in Millersville, Commercial Office Districts (C2) to R2
• 1500 Ritchie Highway in Arnold, C3 to R2
• 1656 Homewood Landing Rd. in Annapolis, MC to MA2
• 419 Alameda Parkway in Arnold, R5 to Yacht Club District (MA3)
• 621 Brightview Drive, 8301-8307 Veterans Highway in Millersville, R2 to R10
• 302 Ritchie Highway in Severna Park, R2 to Small Business District (SB)
• 718 Whitehall Beach Rd. in Annapolis, Rural Agricultural (RA) to R1
• 1610, 1598, & 1544 Whitehall Rd. in Annapolis, C3 to C4
• Cohansey Trail in Glen Burnie, Residential (R15) to Residential (R10)

Editor's note: For more information on zoning classifications, see the county's zoning and planning website.