Bill 44-21, Multi-Family Residential Uses in ML
Sponsor: Kach
Benefits: (presumed) Quality Inn Extended Stay 10710 Beaver Dam Rd
This Bill allows mulit-family residential uses in ML (by right) if:
- property was previously used as an extended stay hotel
- within Hunt Valley/Timonium Master Plan Focus area (apparently meaning as defined in the 1998 Master Plan - basically between I-83 and York Rd, north of Ridegely to include Hunt Valley Mall.)
- within 750 ft of a commuter light-rail station
- at least 1,000 ft from a residential zone
- number of residential units limited to number of existing suites
An online search comes up with the following as "extended stay":
- Extended Stay America, 9704 Beaver Dam Rd (1062 ft from DR3.5, not near Light-Rail)
- Residence Inn, 45 Shilling Rd (1320 ft from Light-rail Hunt Valley station)
- Embassy Suites, 213 International Cir (1780 ft from Hunt Valley station, 333ft from DR16)
- Delta Hotel, 245 Shawan Rd (2300 ft from Light-rail Hunt Valley station)
- Quality Inn Extended Stay 10710 Beaver Dam Rd (400 ft from Warren Rd station, 2300 ft from RC3)
Only the last one complies with the conditions.
Of course, this legislation is faulty for a number of reasons:
- The term "extended-stay" is not defined in the Code, so it is unknown which existing facilities would comply.
- It describes a "conditional use", but fails to define a process to adjudicate that "condition", such as would be provided by a Special Exception hearing.
- It has an additional technical mistake in that while it requires that the property was "previously" uses as extended-stay, the limit of number of residential units is stated as "existing suites".
Come to think of it, it's kind of bizarre to restrict a residential use based on being too close to another residential zone.
One can bet that, once this is approved, the developer will come forward with requests for variances (to size, parking, open space, setbacks, etc.) When that happens, details will be posted here.
It should also be noted that the Master Plan, which defines this "Focus Area" stated: "The supply of Manufacturing-zoned land is limited. In order to preserve this important resource for future employment growth, there should be no further rezoning of manufacturing-zoned land for other uses."
Introduced Apr 19, 2021; passed ?; affective June 9
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