ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced the formation of the Adequate Public Facilities Act Review Committee. This committee will review and recommend changes to the County’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO), including evaluation of the housing allocations chart and adequacy tests for schools and roads.
Howard County is known for its incredible public education system, safe street design, inclusive communities and thoughtful planning. Our growth management policies ensure that we remain a County in which people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can live, work, play, grow and thrive for generations to come. This Committee will help shape policies to ensure future development aligns with the vision adopted in our award-winning General Plan – HoCo By Design.
Intentional community planning uses growth management as a strategy to ensure that new population is targeted at the right time and with the right infrastructure. Growth management considers the needs of public roads, schools, and other facilities and is designed to give responsible parties the time and predictability to plan for changing demand. Howard County’s growth management process relies on several key elements, including the County’s General Plan, APFO, capital infrastructure planning and budgeting, and regular review and monitoring from the Department of Planning and Zoning.
HoCo By Design provides guidance on several areas the Committee should evaluate. This includes existing conditions and emerging trends for new student enrollment, as well as how student generation is managed by the APFO school capacity test and associated school capacity and utilization chart. HoCo By Design also recommends the Committee explore regulations that consider various development types, locations, and intensities, as well as incentives to expedite capacity improvements.
Other issues the Committee will consider include: alternate APFO models employed by other counties in Maryland, particularly where redevelopment and infill are the primary forms of new development; changes to APFO to support the growth required to improve housing affordability and opportunities; and how APFO may apply to detached accessory dwelling units.
The Committee includes 10 appointees from the County Council; three appointees from the County Executive; one appointee from the Howard County Board of Education; and one appointee from the Superintendent of the Howard County Public School System.
The Committee membership is as follows:
- Todd Arterburn
- Jonathan Browne
- Aaron Casagrande
- Pascal Crosley
- Jeremy Dommu
- Xavian Esson
- Paul Gleichauf
- Laura Jones
- Brent Loveless
- Dan Lubeley
- Jen Mallo
- Lisa Markovitz
- Vynessa Pantano
- Phil Scherer
- Antoine RJ Wright
The Committee will convene late this summer, conduct at least two public hearings, and develop a written report of its assessments and recommendations to be shared with the County Council and Office of the County Executive no later than one year from its first meeting. The Department of Planning and Zoning will provide staff support to the Committee.
This is one of the most important Committees for the future of Howard County. This group will recommend updates to our growth management policies that will impact the community and public infrastructure for years to come.
For more information about the Committee and its process, please visit: www.howardcountymd.gov/boards-commissions/adequate-public-facilities-ordinance-review-committee.