Doesn't Look Promising for Proposed Senior Condos in Severna Park

Dozens of Severna Park senior citizens lined the halls of the Anne Arundel County Council chambers Monday night to ask for a housing complex to call their own.

But the window of opportunity is closing for a proposed senior housing development in Severna Park. A rezoning is required for the property on Jumper’s Hole Road where the is currently located, and the county council’s once-per-decade comprehensive rezoning process ends in a few weeks.

Seniors wearing stickers that said “Can’t Wait, Senior Condos Now” each took turns in front of the council to testify their need for more senior housing in the area.

Linda Zahn, CEO of the Greater , said the population of seniors is growing, and the time has come to dedicate space for their future.

“We have an aging population in Severna Park,” she said. “The greatest gift that we can give to our older residents is to provide options so that they can stay in the community they love.” 

There is a 103-unit senior apartment complex, , operated by the Baltimore-based Shelter Group, located on Ritchie Highway South, near the Earleigh Heights Fire Station, that opened last winter and was anticipating seniors from Severna Park as residents.

As of November 2010 and reported on , the complex had a waiting list of more than 300 people, not all potential residents were from Severna Park, according to the Shelter Group.

The same company is building an assisted living facility on Jumpers Hole Road, across the street from Meadows Farms Nurseries.

Bob Blanchfield, the developer of the proposed Grandfields condos, wants to build 68 units on his family-owned 5.7-acre property on Jumper’s Hole Road. To get that density, he needs an R-15 rezoning. But the county’s Planning and Zoning office has only recommended R-5. Blanchfield said anything less than R-15 would increase the cost of each unit to the point where it just wouldn’t be affordable to the average senior.

So far, the cards have been against him. But he’s not giving up.

Blanchfield gave the councilmen copies of a petition with more than 200 signatures of residents interested in purchasing one of his condos, if they are built. His representative John Pantelides told the council that without their support, the hope for senior housing in the region would die.

“I can guarantee you that your decision will be the last chance to have some senior condos in Severna Park in the next 10 years,” Pantelides said.

No rezoning amendment has yet come from the council. And at Monday’s meeting District 5 councilman and Chairman Dick Ladd put his foot down, saying that time may be up for the development’s supporters.

“They ran out of time several days ago, and they know that,” Ladd said.

After the meeting, Ladd clarified his statement. He said the developer seemed to have come up with this plan at the last minute. And with more than 80 applications for comprehensive rezonings, some last-minute ones are going to be left by the wayside. They need time to be reviewed by planning and zoning and by the council members, and that time is shrinking fast, he said.

“We’re running out of time to get everyone addressed administratively,” Ladd said.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Nov. 21. Blanchfield and his supporters will be there again, asking for the council’s help in making Grandfields a reality in Severna Park.

*Leslie Hunt, Severna Park Patch editor contributed to this story.