Howard County residents are ready for action, since little has been done to addressrecommendations for Route 40 made by a task force two years ago.
“Our goal here is to jump start this process,” said Bridget Mugane, president of the Howard County Citizens Association.
The association has invited Department of Planning and Zoning Planner Bill Mackey, task force members and residents to meet today to refine the recommendations, she said. Among the Route 40 Task Force?s initiatives are:
» Amend the sign code to reduce visual clutter
» Make pedestrian-friendly enhancements
» Beautify areas in front of business with plants and trees.
Since 2004, the State Highway Administration only has planted trees along the median of state-owned Route 40, Mugane said.
The plans have been overlooked in part because of a department staff change and priority shift to downtown Columbia, said Angela Beltram, a task force member.
The county hired Mackey last year to oversee the improvements, replacing another department staff member. However, she said county officials have used Comp Lite, the controversial rezoning bill that affected dozens of properties, as an excuse to move slowly. Officials said they need time to develop a manual on the new zoning changes under Comp Lite that affect the road before moving forward on changes.
However, many of the recommendations can be done without a zoning manual, Beltram said.
The county could start work on new regulations for signs to reduce the clutter along the road, or work with businesses to consolidate entrances into their lots, Beltram said. But Howard has made improvements in partnership with the state “behind the scenes,” such tree plantings, said Mina Hilsenrath, county chief of environmental and community planning.
“The Route 40 study was very general but to go to the next step we need to work with the community to find out what projects are priorities,” she said.
IF YOU GO
What: Route 40 Enhancements update
When: 7 p.m.
Where: Miller Branch Library, 9421 Frederick Road, Ellicott City
