CHAPTER 2

GROWTH AND CONSERVATION FRAMEWORK

Introduction

This chapter presents several elements: an assessment of existing land use conditions and current land supply in the County; a strategy to meet demand for growth and conservation, given the limited amount of undeveloped land remaining in the County; an organizational framework for future growth and preservation; and a Future Land Use Map (FLUM) made up of 18 detailed, design-oriented character areas. These elements provide intent and direction for shaping preferred development and conservation initiatives in Howard County for the 20-year planning horizon, 2020-2040, including guidance for future development regulations. Information presented in the Supporting Infrastructure chapter of the Plan provides general guidance for future investments in the community to support the FLUM. The County and other partners will use more detailed plans and growth management tools to implement General Plan policies. These plans will address the type, timing, and magnitude of new infrastructure needed to keep pace with the preferred uses, locations, patterns, and intensities of development depicted in the FLUM.

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Trends In Growth And Conservation

Howard County became Maryland’s 21st county in 1851 and remained largely rural and agrarian until the Rouse Company broke ground on Columbia in 1966. In response to rapid development within and around Columbia in the 1980s, the County’s Agricultural Land Preservation Program (ALPP) was established in 1984. The effects of the ALPP are apparent by the rural-urban divide that developed by 1990, whereby the eastern region of the County experienced development while the western region remained predominantly farmland. This division was reinforced by the establishment of the Planned Service Area (PSA) in the 1987 Master Plan for Water & Sewerage, which was later incorporated into the 1990 General Plan. Over the following decades, growth has been concentrated in the eastern portion of the County. Today, Howard County is largely built out, with most land in the County now considered either developed or preserved via open space, parkland, or agricultural, environmental, or other easement.

Howard County has reached a critical inflection point. Efforts to meet the high demand for new housing and commercial growth, paired with a need to ensure affordable and attainable housing for all who want to live and work in the County, are challenged by a limited supply of undeveloped, greenfield land. Careful and proactive planning is therefore critical to meet this demand in Howard County, as the County’s economic success has historically been tied to its residential appeal, high quality of life, and convenient location. This relationship suggests that, to sustain the economic growth that Howard County has enjoyed in the past, the County must continue to invest in housing, infrastructure, placemaking, and preservation—elements that make the County a desirable place to live, work, and recreate.

Land Supply

In 2020, the HoCo By Design project team prepared a Land Use Assessment, which evaluated existing land use conditions within Howard County. Map 2-1 shows developed, undeveloped, and open space and preservation areas in the County, identified as part of the Land Use Assessment. The project team used the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ)’s land use database and CommunityViz modeling software to evaluate the potential for future growth and conservation. Development status for parcels was primarily based on DPZ’s land use database. Other topic-specific geographic information system (GIS) data sets, including zoning districts, preservation easements, environmental features, roads, and others, were used as part of the land use assessment.

The major land status categories include the following:

1. Developed land;
2. Land committed for future development;
3. Downtown Columbia;
4. Land with further resubdivision potential;
5. Undeveloped and unprotected land; and
6. Preserved land and open space.

A brief description of each category is provided starting on page 7.

MAP 2-1: DEVELOPMENT & PRESERVATION

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• Developed
• Open Space & Preservation
• Undeveloped

Source: Howard County Departments of Public Works, Technology and Communication Services, and Planning and Zoning, 2022

Developed Land

Developed land includes land with permanent buildings and structures, roads, surface parking lots, and small undeveloped parcels whose size, shape, or access limitations would generally keep them from developing in the future. It is important to note that development does not equal density. For instance, in the Rural West, the developed land shown on the map mostly consists of single-family homes on large lots.

Committed Land for Future Development

Committed land for future development are areas where development is proposed or recently approved, either by subdivision or site plan authorization. These are sometimes referred to as “pipeline development.” County service providers monitor committed development to prepare for near-term service requests and required infrastructure.

DPZ inventories and monitors new development in the County using a spatial and tabular tracking system. New development is tracked through four phases: 1) subdivision and site plan review; 2) recorded lots and approved site plans; 3) issued building permits; and 4) construction completion.

As of September 30, 2020, the DPZ tracking system for residential development reported 3,966 dwelling units under plan review; 2,377 dwelling units approved or platted with no building permit issued yet; and 737 dwelling units with building permits issued and under construction. For the same date, the DPZ tracking system for nonresidential development identified 1,409 employees—or workers who will be accommodated by planned future development—in plan review.

The HoCo By Design project team considered the total number of dwelling units and employees assumed in the development pipeline—7,080 new dwelling units and 1,409 employees—when developing recommendations for the General Plan.

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Planned Development in Downtown Columbia

The Downtown Columbia Plan (DCP) was adopted in 2010 and provides a 30-year framework to guide future development and conservation initiatives throughout the urban center. Topics covered in the DCP include land use, transportation, environment, community conservation, and housing. The 30-year planning horizon for the DCP aligns with the planning horizon for HoCo By Design, both of which end in 2040. The DCP is incorporated by reference in HoCo By Design.

The DCP calls for 6,244 new residential units, 4.3 million square feet of new office space, 1.25 million square feet of new retail space, and 640 new hotel rooms. The number of remaining dwelling units and employees envisioned for Downtown Columbia, less what has already been built since 2010, were considered when contemplating recommendations for HoCo By Design. This remaining total amounts to 4,596 new dwelling units and 20,782 new employees.

Resubdivision Potential

Many developed areas of Howard County are zoned for single-family detached homes. Some of these neighborhoods include homes on larger lots that could, under existing zoning regulations, be further subdivided into one or more additional lots to accommodate a separate home (or homes) of similar size alongside the existing residence. This process is referred to as resubdivision.

DPZ studied residential resubdivision potential in the County to identify lots or parcels in existing residential neighborhoods that are large enough to accommodate one or more home sites of similar size without a change (or variance) to the rules or requirements under the current zoning designation for the property. All single-family neighborhood zoning districts were included in the analysis.

It is estimated that the full residential resubdivision potential of the County in these zoning districts could accommodate 3,100 new dwelling units under the current zoning requirements for the properties. However, this potential depends on the interest of individual owners to subdivide in the future. For purposes of future projects, HoCo By Design assumed a moderate interest of residential property owners to resubdivide in the future—1,500 new dwelling units.

There is also limited opportunity to resubdivide large parcels for nonresidential development under the current zoning requirements for the properties. Approximately 1,600 new employees could be generated from nonresidential resubdivision without a change to current zoning, also depending on the interest of individual owners to subdivide their lots in the future. When contemplating recommendations for the General Plan, it was assumed that all 1,600 employees through nonresidential resubdivision would be accommodated.

Undeveloped, Unprotected Land

The wide distribution and relatively small size of undeveloped parcels in the County—approximately 2% of all land in the County—means there are limited opportunities to alter their intended impact on the landscape beyond what is planned under current zoning district assignments. Unless they are purchased or placed under easement for permanent preservation, it is likely that undeveloped land in the County will develop and look very similar to existing adjacent properties.

However, a significant amount of the undeveloped and unprotected land in the County remains undeveloped due to capacity constraints, including parcel shape and size, as well as environmental features, such as streams, wetlands, floodplains, and steep slopes. Given the higher proportion of environmental constraints on remaining undeveloped parcels, their potential for development will be limited.

If fully developed, these parcels could accommodate 2,024 new dwelling units and 4,210 new employees. The project team considered the limited capacity of this undeveloped, unprotected land in crafting recommendations for the General Plan.

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Undeveloped Land

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Open Space

Land Preservation: Parkland, Open Space, and Farmland

Howard County has proactively preserved open space and farmland for decades. Today, about 39% of all land in the County is protected. Over half of this land is permanently preserved through environmental and agricultural preservation easements. The Agricultural Land Preservation Program has preserved over 23,000 acres of farmland through a combination of preservation easements purchased by the County, the dedication of agricultural preservation parcels as provided by the County's Zoning Regulations, and preservation easements purchased by the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation. Over 9,000 acres of environmental preservation easements have been placed on land in the Rural West through the Zoning Regulations.

Additionally, about 25,000 acres of state, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC), and county parks and open space make up over a third of preserved land in the County. Columbia Association's 3,600 acres of open space comprises an additional 6% of preserved land in the County.

The General Plan retains all preserved parkland, open space, and easements in the County existing today, and presents opportunities for further conservation of environmental, agricultural, and open space land.

Demand For Land: Twenty Year Market Potential

Despite a limited supply of available undeveloped land, Howard County continues to see a high demand for residential and commercial growth. RCLCO Real Estate Advisors conducted a Market Research and Demand Forecast (the Forecast), published on October 1, 2020, to inform HoCo By Design. The Forecast found that the County has reached an inflection point, whereby land constraints and affordability challenges could impact the ability to accommodate future residential and commercial growth. It also found that the economic vitality of the County is directly tied to its desirability as a place to live and work, which must be maintained over time. Most high-paying and fast-growing industries are booming either in response to population and job bases (like healthcare, education, and publishing), or as a result of national economic and industry trends (like technology, professional services, and food services). To sustain the economic growth that has been historically enjoyed and to maintain a competitive edge over other markets, the County must continue to invest in housing, infrastructure, placemaking, job creation, and other activities that make it a desirable place for people and employers to call home.

Market Demand Projections

The Forecast projected market-driven demand for new retail, office, industrial, residential, and hotel room space in the absence of land, regulation, or other constraints. It concluded that there is a strong market in Howard County for commercial uses, with potential to add up to 59,000 jobs between 2020 and 2040. Additionally, there is a future demand for 31,000 new homes to accommodate the 28,000 new households associated with that job growth (allowing for a vacancy factor).

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Housing

Current Total 116,000 Homes

Projected Demand 31,000 New Homes

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Employment

Current Total 223,000 Jobs

Projected Demand 59,000 New Jobs

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Commercial

Current Total 12.2M Sq.Ft 4,000 Hotel Rooms

Projected Demand 16.5M Sq. Ft. 1,000 Hotel Rooms

Source: RCLCO Market Research and Demand Forecast (2020)

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Job Demand vs. Existing Capacity

There are 656 acres of undeveloped nonresidential land in Howard County (including land zoned for office, retail, flex, industrial, and warehouse uses) which could accommodate about 28,000 new jobs. Over 20 years, this equates to an average of 1,400 jobs per year. Over the 10 years, the County gained about 3,000 new jobs per year, with much of this growth attributable to the most recent Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) and the associated expansion of Fort Meade.

The 59,000 new jobs estimated in the Forecast represent an average annual addition of 2,950 new jobs per year over the next two decades. This growth is more than twice what could be accommodated within existing land use constraints. To meet this future demand, land use changes will need to occur in the County.

Housing Demand vs. Existing Capacity

The current estimated land use capacity for new housing in Howard County, as outlined in the various land use categories above, is only 15,200 units. Land use changes will also need to occur in the County to accommodate this residential demand.

The findings in the Forecast establish what is possible—a ceiling—in terms of market demand. To determine the optimal growth targets HoCo By Design should assume, DPZ evaluated the findings against the General Plan’s vision, the FLUM, the timing and location of infrastructure, and budgetary factors.

Future Growth Potential By The Numbers

Source: Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning, 2022

An estimated 27,000 total units may be built between 2020 and 2040 if the envisioned Future Land Use Map (FLUM) is implemented through the comprehensive re-zoning process and if market conditions allow for development.

Source: Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning, 2020

Units in the development pipeline are a part of the County’s future development potential from 2020-2040. Many of these units have already been granted housing allocations under the PlanHoward 2030 Housing Allocation Chart and are therefore expected to be built in the early years of the HoCo By Design planning horizon.

Source: Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning, 2023

The APFO housing allocation chart is the legal tool that is used to cap and pace residential growth that can be built annually in character areas identified on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM). See Chapter 10 for additional information about the APFO chart.

Up to 24,294 units could be built using HoCo By Design Housing Allocations between 2026 and 2040. Out of the 24,294 units, 5,100 units are set-aside specifically for the proposed affordable housing incentive programs.

**Growth potential for Gateway Regional Activity Center not included.

WHAT INFLUENCES DEVELOPMENT

The General Plan is only one element among many that influences how and when development takes place and what it looks like. Development found in Howard County—both patterns and intensities—are generally driven by five growth factors: 1) market demand; 2) local economies and growth outlooks; 3) property owners' willingness to participate; 4) government regulations and policies; and 5) the availability and capacity of infrastructure. These ever-changing variables affect one another and impact the location and type of development that occurs. Therefore, actual growth may differ from what is planned, depending on fluctuations in these factors.

<u>Market Demand, Available Capital, and Developer Interests</u> The demand for different development types, patterns, and intensities is driven by the availability of buyers or renters in the area and their purchasing power. Developers and private parties decide where and when to pursue a project based upon several considerations, including their own interests, market demand, available financing, and the probability of success. Private land development is financed by banks and other institutions that establish the minimum lending criteria. To justify capital investment, these organizations must have reasonable confidence that a project will be accepted by the community and regulators.

<u>The Local Economy and Growth Outlook</u> Future development is directly influenced by the strength and resilience of the local and regional economies. The private sector takes into consideration projected employment rates, population forecasts, and the general demographics of an area before investing in new development projects.

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<u>Willing Property Owners</u> Property owners in Howard County decide whether land becomes available to develop or redevelop, or if land is proposed for permanent open space. New growth in the community is the result of property owners' willingness to sell real estate, whether for development or conservation purposes, or even to develop the land themselves.

<u>Government Regulations and Policies</u> To keep growth aligned with the community's overarching vision, development can be promoted or restricted through government policies, like zoning and land development controls; environmental policies, programs, and protections; and the application of regulations by local land use boards. Zoning and land development regulations control permitted uses in particular areas and allowances for height and density, and they may also include design standards or considerations. While the government has an important role to play in development, it is limited by the tools at its disposal—namely, applicable ordinances, regulations, and legal precedent. The County cannot restrict or promote a project beyond the powers provided in law.

<u>Available Infrastructure Capacity</u> The delivery and location of available infrastructure capacity is an important component for development. If the infrastructure cannot accommodate the impacts, some projects must wait until available capacity exists from either government or third-party service providers. There are opportunities, in some cases, for developers to fund certain on- or off-site infrastructure investments themselves to unlock available capacity and begin their projects on an accelerated timeline. Joint-funding agreements may be used by governments and third-party service providers to potentially expedite infrastructure projects where there is shared need and benefit.

HoCo By Design is responsive to the five growth factors, creating a guide for future growth and conservation initiatives to support and strengthen the qualities that make the County a desirable place to live, work, and play.

STRATEGY FOR GROWTH AND CONSERVATION

With continued strong demand for new housing and nonresidential growth, but a limited supply of undeveloped land, the County must optimize land use so that it can sustain a strong economy while maintaining the high quality of life to which county residents and businesses are accustomed.

Scenario Planning

To assess potential strategies for growth and conservation, and evaluate their effects, the HoCo By Design process included a scenario planning component that allowed stakeholders to evaluate several alternative futures for the County. Participants were asked to share their reactions to impacts and evaluate trade-offs for different themes and values voiced by the community. This scenario planning exercise generated future alternatives while considering emerging trends and the community’s desires for growth and conservation.

To create the growth scenarios, HoCo By Design used information and data from land use and other physical assessment documents on existing conditions in the County. This data was combined with thoughts, ideas, and opinions collected from community outreach events to prepare four distinct scenarios. Building upon the assessment of existing land supply in the Land Supply section on page 7, the project team used CommunityViz software to model potential future year growth and conservation patterns, and measure potential impacts of each scenario.

In addition to scenario development, the HoCo By Design CommunityViz model assessed specific impacts and issues that arose during the General Plan process. These included an evaluation of opportunities and constraints related to expanding the Planned Service Area, and potential impacts and opportunities to preserve environmental features, such as the Green Infrastructure Network.

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The HoCo By Design Scenario Planning Guide and a series of Growth Choices Workshop events held in March and April 2021 presented these four alternative futures for feedback.

The four scenarios contemplated various growth and land use choices and analyzed their potential impacts. Each scenario illustrated different land use patterns, such as, maintaining the status quo, scattered development throughout the County, and concentrating growth in targeted strategic locations. Specific to residential development, the scenarios included: Scenario A with 18,762 units, Scenario B 23,707 units, Scenario C 28,897 units, and Scenario D 36,585 units.

The HoCo By Design Future Land Use Map (FLUM) is most closely aligned with Scenarios B and C as it proposes to target

growth in strategic locations to generate a critical mass of residential and employment opportunities that may support various multimodal transportation options. HoCo by Design refers to these strategic locations as Activity Centers. The FLUM assumes approximately 27,000 new residential units. The 27,000 new units includes 7,080 units currently in the development pipeline which will be built under current regulations and land use policies. Gateway has been identified as a Regional Activity Center. Its development potential could yield thousands of new residential units, all of which is to be explored through a future master planning process (please see the Economic Prosperity chapter for more information).

A fiscal impact analysis was also conducted to determine the long-term impacts on the County’s budget for each of the growth scenarios and the FLUM. More information on these specific analyses can be found in the HoCo By Design Scenario Planning Guide.¹

The FLUM focuses new growth into redevelopment areas, which account for approximately 1.5% of the County's already-developed land. This approach addresses high demand for housing and commercial growth.

More information on growth management, including growth targets and potential infrastructure demands, can be found in the Supporting Infrastructure and Managing Growth chapters.

Planned Service Area and Tiers

The Sustainable Growth and Agricultural Preservation Act of 2012 (Senate Bill 236), adopted by the Maryland General Assembly, required local jurisdictions to adopt Growth Tiers by December 31, 2012. These Tiers designate certain areas for different types of development depending on specific characteristics such as sewerage service, agricultural use, forest and green space, and locally designated growth areas.

SB 236 required local jurisdictions to classify land into one of the following four Growth Tiers, as defined in the legislation.

• Tier I: designated growth area served by public sewer
• Tier II: designated for future extension of public sewer services
• Tier III: not planned for sewer service, not dominated by agricultural or forest, and planned for large lot development
• Tier IV: not planned for sewer service, dominated by agricultural and forest land planned for resource protection

The intent of the legislation was to protect the Chesapeake Bay and its associated rivers and streams by limiting the amount of development served by septic systems. Accordingly, major subdivisions in Tier IV areas (five or more lots in Howard County) are prohibited. While SB 236 established Tier definitions, the final land designations and the development of a local Growth Tiers map were left up to local jurisdictions. To meet SB 236 requirements, the Howard County Council adopted a Growth Tiers map in April 2013 as part of PlanHoward 2030. The County intends to maintain the Tiers map and used it as a basis for the FLUM.

In coordination with Growth Tiers, the Planned Service Area (PSA) outlines the areas of the County served by public water and sewer services. The PSA is also important because it serves as Howard County’s designated growth boundary, or Priority Funding Area, per the State’s Smart Growth Act.

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Expansions to the PSA for water and sewer service since 1990 have been very limited. In 1993, the County Council voted to extend water service to include the area around the Alpha Ridge Landfill. This extension was done solely out of concern for potential future groundwater contamination that might originate from the landfill; therefore, only water service is provided in this area. No sewer service is allowed and no change from rural land uses or zoning was authorized in this location.

Throughout the planning process, many community members expressed a desire to expand housing opportunities, especially for affordable housing, west of the PSA. The Housing Opportunities Master Plan recommends the County explore strategic locations in the Rural West (and other undeveloped, non-preserved areas of the County), where it may be feasible to accommodate increased development for more affordable housing opportunities while balancing other priorities such as water and sewer capacity, historical context, and agricultural preservation goals. HoCo By Design used CommunityViz to evaluate parcels outside the PSA that could accommodate higher-density residential development if zoning changes were made.¹ County agencies explored a wholesale expansion that moved the PSA to the western edge of the Rural Residential zone, since most of the land immediately adjacent to the PSA is already either preserved by easements or subdivided into smaller lots accommodating homes under separate ownership. Additionally, the scenario planning process looked at an expansion west of Maple Lawn, where there are fewer acres of permanently preserved land west of the PSA, so there is land that could accommodate residential development requiring water and sewer infrastructure.²

In both expansion cases, moving the PSA presented several challenges, including:

• Delivery of public services – Given that most of the available parcels are not adjacent to the PSA line, additional development at higher-densities would take on a scattered geographical pattern, which would not allow for efficient delivery of public services. Schools, fire, police, recreation and aging services, transportation, and public utilities would need to accommodate a larger and more dispersed population. This type of service delivery is counter to Smart Growth efforts where such services have been planned for in a more efficient and economical manner within the existing PSA.

• Environmental impacts – Significant development, especially that which would require new roadway construction, would have detrimental impacts to water quality and stream health in the Rocky Gorge Dam watershed in the southeastern portion of the County. This would run counter to the County’s participation in an interjurisdictional agreement designed to protect WSSC drinking water supply reservoirs. More information on the interjurisdictional agreement can be found in Technical Appendix A: Environment.

• Limited multi-modal transportation options – Disbursed development patterns would be difficult to serve with transit, which generally requires housing developments to be clustered in nodes or hubs accessible to transit riders. Additionally, due to rights-of-way (ROW) acquisition challenges, there are limited opportunities for bike and pedestrian infrastructure.

• Fiscal impact – The cost of expanding the PSA is significant. The estimated cost of new water/sewer infrastructure is approximately $2 million per mile. This cost estimate does not include the cost of ROW acquisitions or the cost of new treatment plants and other water/sewer infrastructure that would be required to accommodate the significant new growth in this area.

• Land preservation in the Rural West – The County has a 50-year history of preserving agricultural and environmental land in the Rural West through the Agricultural Land Preservation Program (ALPP) and the Zoning Regulations. Much of the land west of the PSA is now permanently preserved or already developed in a low-density residential subdivision context. Throughout the Rural West, residential and agricultural land abut or are within proximity to each other. A wholesale expansion of the PSA could fundamentally change the rural character of the West and exacerbate land use conflicts between farms and nearby residences.

Given these implications, the County will maintain the public water/sewer boundary in its existing location and small incremental changes can be assessed on a case-by-case basis if supported by General Plan policies.

HoCo By Design proposes one minor expansion of the PSA—adjoining the Board of Education property on Route 108. Because of its location at the interface of the Rural Residential zone and the Planned Service Area, this property should be designed to establish a transition that is compatible with and enhances surrounding communities. Additionally, one property proposes an expansion to the water service only area of the PSA, located at the intersection of Frederick Road and Triadelphia Road.

Map 2-2 outlines HoCo By Design’s proposed Growth Tiers and PSA boundary, including a minor expansion for a future school site adjoining the Board of Education property along Route 108.

MAP 2-2: HOCO BY DESIGN GROWTH TIERS

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Planned Service Area

Water Only Expansion Site

Howard County Public Schools PSA Expansion Site

Water Service Only Area

Tier I

Tier III

Tier IV

NOT TO SCALE

Source: Howard County Departments of Technology and Communication Services and Planning and Zoning, 2022

In the future, there may be situations where minor PSA adjustments may be appropriate. A PSA revision requires a General Plan Amendment. Any requests for a General Plan Amendment for expansion of the PSA should be denied unless:

• The proposed expansion of the PSA is intended to provide for a public or institutional use such as a religious facility, philanthropic institution, academic school; or
• The proposed expansion of the PSA includes a zoning proposal that is consistent with the General Plan.

Public sewer and water infrastructure capacity and costs of the above must be analyzed to confirm the feasibility and availability of scheduled capacity.

Expansions of the PSA boundary are limited to the following:

1. Properties adjoining the existing PSA boundary without including an intervening privately owned parcel;
2. The minimum area necessary to serve the proposed use. Development of the parcel consistent with the PSA boundary amendment is required after approval of the General Plan Amendment and prior to the inclusion of the parcel into the Metropolitan District; and
3. The particular use proposed at the time of expansion with a deadline for the completion of the improvements for the proposed use and connection to the public water and/or sewerage system. If the proposed use is not actually constructed and connected to the public water and/or sewerage system by the deadline specified, the PSA expansion shall be null and void, and the PSA automatically shall revert to its pre-existing location.

GCF-1 Policy Statement

Provide limited and predictable Planned Service Area expansions.

Implementing Actions

1. Planned Service Area expansions should include a development proposal that is consistent with the General Plan.
2. Any Planned Service Area expansions shall establish a transition that is compatible with and enhances surrounding communities, and provides an environmental benefit.
3. Any Planned Service Area expansion shall meet the criteria above.

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Ecological Health Elevated as a Priority

Throughout the planning process, HoCo By Design elevated equitable and sustainable growth and conservation alongside a desire to meet market demand. The General Plan's policies and implementing actions seek to sustain and improve the County's ecological health by emphasizing climate change mitigation and adaptation in addition to preservation and conservation of natural resources.

More information on ecological health, climate change, water resources, and other natural resources can be found in the Ecological Health chapter.

Fiscal Impact Assessment

An analysis was conducted to measure the fiscal impacts of the potential growth scenarios and the FLUM. General Fund operating and capital costs and revenues were projected based on the residential and nonresidential growth for each land use scenario. Based on the current cost and revenue structure and service levels in the County, the fiscal study determined that new growth would generate more revenues than costs for services and infrastructure, partly due to the fact that in Maryland counties multiple key revenues are directly tied to new development. As the amount of residential and nonresidential growth increases, the net revenues to the County also increase. Thus, growth has a positive net fiscal impact to the County.

The largest revenue sources to the County are property and income taxes. Combined, they generate about 90% of total operating revenues. The Maryland tax structure allows counties to assess both property tax and local income tax by place of residence. This tax structure is unique, as most counties in the United States do not have a direct local income tax and instead rely on other sources such as a local retail sales tax to raise revenues. Howard County’s authority to assess both property and income tax locally is a leading reason new residential development is fiscally positive.

Different land uses require different levels of service and infrastructure needs. For example, single family homes, with greater numbers of students, require more in school service and facility needs compared to multifamily homes, while non-residential land uses require no school services at all. These differences have been accounted for in the fiscal analysis.

A significant reason why new growth is a net positive to the County budget is because of the multiple one-time revenues collected from new construction. These revenues include transfer, recordation, and road excise taxes, as well as the school surcharge, and are used to help pay for new capital facilities and operating costs. For example, the school surcharge is collected at the time of building permit issuance for each new home built in the County. The school surcharge rate was recently increased from $1.32 per square foot to $7.50 per square foot beginning in 2022. Road excise taxes are collected on both residential and nonresidential development.

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SAAC FY2023 RECOMMENDATIONS

In its Fiscal Year 2023 report, the Spending Affordability Advisory Committee (SAAC) urged the County to focus on promoting and developing the diversity of its long-term tax base. The report emphasized the importance of commercial-base development to rebalance expenditure needs and fiscal resources—and recommended that the General Plan encourage redevelopment and commercial growth in defined employment centers. The SAAC also described how redevelopment, and more dense and multi-family-driven housing development, would become more important over the long-term, as the supply of greenfield parcels dwindles. The Committee suggested the County allow for more commercial development, reexamine height restrictions, and reassess parking ratios.

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Besides the need to build new infrastructure capacity to accommodate more people and jobs moving to the County, including new schools, roads, parks, and public safety facilities, there is also an increasing need to maintain and rebuild existing infrastructure. Much of the County’s public infrastructure was built in the 1950s and the decades following as suburban growth patterns emerged. A significant portion of this early infrastructure was funded with the assistance of state and federal funds, which are no longer available to the same extent. The County uses a variety of sources (general obligation bonds, pay-as-you-go funding, school surcharge, transfer taxes, and road excise tax revenue) to support infrastructure on an annual basis. However, infrastructure needs are increasing as many roads, schools, and other capital facilities reach the end of their useful lives.

The fiscal analysis shows that new growth generates positive net revenues for the County. So as growth continues, these additional net revenues can help pay for the rebuilding and maintenance of existing infrastructure. As new growth slows, however, these surplus revenues will diminish, creating challenges in the years ahead. Furthermore, and independent of new growth, the cost to maintain and rebuild roads, sewers, schools, and the like will only increase into the future as this existing infrastructure continues to age.

Regardless of Howard County’s growth trajectory, government will face challenges in the years ahead in maintaining its existing infrastructure. It is clear from the fiscal analysis that new growth generates net positive revenues for the County, with more growth generating more in net revenues. However, more growth will also require more infrastructure that will eventually need to be replaced. The County will be best served in the future if it prioritizes maintenance of existing infrastructure in future budget decisions.

Organizational Framework

(Preserve-Strengthen-Enhance-Transform)

The following organizational framework guided the overall direction of the Future Land Use Map. Land uses in the County were organized into four high-level categories: areas to preserve, areas to strengthen, areas to enhance, and areas to transform (P-S-E-T). Each category is described below with a general objective, important considerations, and targeted treatments summarized for moving things forward in the General Plan. As shown below, following the P-S-E-T category order, expectations generally follow ‘less change’ to ‘more change’ and ‘lower-intensity growth’ to ‘higher-intensity growth’ expected over the 20-year planning horizon.

The icons associated with each of the P-S-E-T categories below reinforce how specific recommendations support one or more of the Plan’s organizational framework categories throughout the document, and whether concept drawings, maps, policies, and text in the General Plan refer to areas to preserve, strengthen, enhance, or transform.

Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) Process

The HoCo By Design Planning Advisory Committee (PAC) worked alongside the project team in May-August 2021 to establish the organizational framework (Preserve-Strengthen-Enhance-Transform, or P-S-E-T) and develop the preferred hybrid scenario—the Future Land Use Map (FLUM).

An initial organizational framework (P-S-E-T) map was created from community feedback on the four scenarios presented during the Growth Choices Workshop in March and April 2021. PAC members used an ESRI online mapping application to propose and respond to the organizational framework (P-S-E-T) designations and to develop a final organizational framework (P-S-E-T) map of places to preserve, strengthen, enhance, or transform.

Following the development of the organizational framework (P-S-E-T) map, PAC members helped identify activity center locations and transform areas on the Future Land Use Map and provided valuable input on the character area designations that make up the FLUM.

More information on character areas can be found below and in Technical Appendix B: Character Areas.

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Areas to Preserve

Areas to Preserve safeguard rural and environmentally sensitive lands and provide meaningful opportunities to link residents with parks, recreation facilities, and nature. Future development in these locations is designed to protect open space, natural areas, farmland, and rural viewsheds in the community. It is limited to homes on very large lots scattered throughout the countryside or smaller lots clustered to preserve surrounding open space, park-related activities, and cross-county trails or greenways.

Areas to Preserve also include historic communities—areas of particular historic or cultural significance—where protection of historic integrity is paramount, and new buildings are sensitively-designed for the area's context.

Areas to Strengthen

Areas to Strengthen represent places that may need support to overcome specific hurdles preventing them from reaching their full potential. They may include certain village centers in Columbia, or rural crossroads in the West, or places that reflect Howard County's character and aspects that make it special. Physical improvements in all Areas to Strengthen should build upon, and contribute to, the continued success of these unique locations.

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Areas to Enhance (Residential or Nonresidential)

Areas to Enhance include existing developed areas—established residential communities, employment hubs, or retail centers—that are now stable but should consider long-term improvements to keep up with changing economics, technologies, consumer preferences, or age-related wear and tear. These areas are not likely to witness wholesale redevelopment but could benefit from strategic infill development or precise, tactical improvements capable of meaningfully enhancing the quality of life for their inhabitants.

Infill development in neighborhood enhancement areas should be sensitive to the uses, densities, and character of surrounding homes and neighborhoods. Infill development in retail and employment enhancement areas should provide jobs and services for nearby residents and the larger community.

Areas to Transform

Areas to Transform provide opportunities to reimagine Howard County's future and introduce new, energized activity areas that provide key locations for new employment centers, regional shopping centers, entertainment areas, and upper-story or adjacent residential units in appropriate locations. These areas require more deliberate planning and phasing to keep them viable over longer periods of change and have the potential to serve as new and reinvigorated activity centers for the whole of Howard County.

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MAP 2-3: THE GENERAL PLAN MAP The General Plan map provides a simplified overview of our future growth and conservation strategy showing those areas targeted for transformational redevelopment compared to areas where existing character should be preserved, strengthened, or enhanced.

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• Planned Service Area
• Areas to Transform
• Areas to Enhance, Strengthen, Transform
• Areas to Strengthen, Enhance (Residential)
• Areas to Enhance (Nonresidential)
• Areas to Preserve, Open Space
• Areas to Preserve, Strengthen, Historic Community
• Other Areas to Preserve

NOT TO SCALE

Source: Howard County Departments of Technology and Communication Services and Planning and Zoning, 2023

Elements Of The Organizational Framework Throughout The General Plan

• Character Area Typologies (Growth and Conservation Framework chapter and Character Areas technical appendix)
  • Eighteen character areas identified in the General Plan are presented within the P-S-E-T organizational framework categories.
• Focus Area Studies technical appendix
  • Illustrative design concepts were developed for New Town Columbia, Gateway, and Rural Crossroads.

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Character Area Typologies

The General Plan uses the term "character areas" to describe unique and discernible areas of the community depicted in the FLUM. The categories describe important elements that work together to instill a sense of place (or visitor experience) for residents, customers, or employees in the character area. A character-based planning approach prioritizes site design, public realm, building form and massing, and architecture over general land use and density. More specific rules and standards for the character areas — including provisions for permitted land uses, densities, block sizes, setbacks, parking, or landscaping considerations — will be addressed in the County’s Zoning Regulations or Subdivision and Land Development Regulations using the guidance and recommendations from the General Plan character descriptions found in Technical Appendix B: Character Areas.

Character areas were assigned on the FLUM based on the amount of change or intensity expected for a particular area, as indicated within the P-S-E-T organizational framework. As shown below, character areas in the FLUM where the least amount of change is expected include Open Space, Rural Conservation, Rural Living, and Historic Communities; and character areas where the most amount of change is expected include Mixed-Use Activity Centers, Downtown Columbia, and Transit Activity Centers.

Each of the 18 character areas are described briefly below. Additional descriptions of the character areas and their typical lot size and building placement; open space and natural resources; building types and massing; transportation network; and street and block patterns are provided in Technical Appendix B: Character Areas.

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Character Area Typologies

Each of the 18 character areas are described briefly on the pages below. Additional descriptions of the character areas and their typical lot size and building placement; open space and natural resources; building types and massing; transportation network; and street and block patterns are provided in Technical Appendix B: Character Areas.

Character Area Descriptions

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SPECIAL USE

Land reserved for landfills, quarries, or other uses that are unique in the County and often guided by federal or state planning, permitting, and design guidelines, such as the Alpha Ridge Landfill & Recycling Center.

OPEN SPACE

Land dedicated for active or passive open space uses. For example, open space uses can include natural resource protection, parks, greenways, and combinations of trails and pathways for recreational use and for amenity spaces in multi-family housing areas.

RURAL CONSERVATION

Land corresponding to the County's Rural Conservation (RC) Zoning District and characterized by large lots and a high degree of separation between buildings. Homes, farms, and farmettes are scattered throughout the countryside and integrated into the landscape. Several areas are preserved under agricultural or environmental easements.

RURAL LIVING

Land corresponding to the County's Rural Residential (RR) Zoning District and characterized by large lots or cluster lots surrounding open space and a high degree of separation between buildings. Homes, farms, and farmettes are scattered throughout the countryside and integrated into the landscape. Some areas are preserved under agricultural or environmental easements.

HISTORIC COMMUNITIES

Historic Communities include the Ellicott City Local and National Register Historic District, the Lawyers Hill Local and National Register Historic District, and the Savage Mill Historic National Register District. Each of these designated Historic Communities has a different character based on its original founding, historic growth, and site constraints, and may include several different land uses within the Historic Community.

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SINGLE-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD

Land generally formed as subdivisions that currently includes a limited number of home choices (usually single-family detached or single-family attached homes).

MULTI-FAMILY NEIGHBORHOOD

Land generally formed as complexes or communities with a relatively uniform housing type and density throughout. They support residential development at varying densities in the suburban landscape and may contain one or more of the following housing types: apartments, townhomes, stacked townhomes, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, or cottage dwellings.

MIXED-USE NEIGHBORHOOD

Land offering the opportunity to live, work, shop, and play in a master-planned community that emphasizes a mix of uses; a small, but discernable, neighborhood activity center; and one or more neighborhoods connected to the small activity center by a network of pathways or walkable streets such as Maple Lawn and Turf Valley.

RURAL CROSSROADS

Small nodes of mixed-use areas focusing on commercial activity along rural highways at important intersections in older farming communities in the Rural West.

INDUSTRIAL

Land providing opportunities to concentrate employment clusters in the County. They support large-scale, single-tenant industrial, warehouse, and flex space buildings, as well as smaller, multi-tenant industrial buildings that are clustered and may support and serve one another.

CAMPUS

Land to support academic, medical, or office buildings; athletic facilities; event spaces; equipment; or other ancillary uses needed to support an educational, medical, or other large institution.

SUBURBAN COMMERCIAL

Land contributing to the County’s office employment base and serving the daily retail needs of office users and surrounding residential neighborhoods.

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DOWNTOWN COLUMBIA

Land comprising of Downtown Columbia. The Downtown Columbia Plan, adopted in 2010, creates a 30-year master plan for the revitalization and redevelopment of Downtown Columbia. For more information on the character of Downtown Columbia, refer to the Downtown Columbia Plan.

REGIONAL ACTIVITY CENTER

Land consisting of the Columbia Gateway business park, an existing employment center with large-format buildings and surface parking lots throughout that should redevelop as a large regional growth center in the future. A master plan established through a public process should re-envision the area as a major hub for entertainment, employment, and innovation in the County with access from one or more major transportation corridors.

TRANSIT ACTIVITY CENTER

Land creating opportunities for compact, mixed-use development that maximizes residential, commercial, and open spaces within walking distance of premium public transit.

INDUSTRIAL MIXED-USE ACTIVITY CENTER

Land contributing to the County’s economic viability by providing places where people live, work, create, build, store, and distribute goods and services throughout the County and region.

VILLAGE ACTIVITY CENTER

Land in Columbia that provides goods and services to surrounding neighborhoods. New or redeveloped Village Activity Centers offer the opportunity to serve broader economic, civic, community, entertainment, and housing needs in the community.

MIXED-USE ACTIVITY CENTER

Land offering the opportunity to serve broader economic, entertainment, and housing needs in the community.

Future Land Use Map

The FLUM depicts preferred development types, locations, patterns, and intensities throughout the County and is based on empirical land use data that assumes the carrying capacity in each character area. It provides a physical framework to more effectively realize the plan’s vision, including advancing the General Plan ‘themes’ of Ecological Health, County in Motion, Economic Prosperity, Dynamic Neighborhoods, and Quality By Design.

Some areas of the FLUM reflect what currently exists. Some are more aspirational in nature; others are a mix of what exists and what could be in the future. Some character areas depicted on the map and described later in the Character Areas technical appendix articulate how a given area should look and feel, even if that is not the case today. Others seek to retain and advance the current character.

Realization of the FLUM is a long-term endeavor: it could take several decades before all the land in the planning area is developed, redeveloped, or preserved. Realization of the FLUM is dependent on the factors that influence growth described above, including the inclinations of individual property owners. Revisions to the FLUM may be needed to reflect changing realities in the future. Modifications to the FLUM should be evaluated against the vision and policies in HoCo By Design to determine if the proposed changes are consistent or if a General Plan amendment is needed. County officials should also evaluate proposed changes to the FLUM using an “if-then-what-else” approach to decision making, whereby potential ripple effects or unintended consequences associated with a proposed change are evaluated to see what else might be impacted as a result. For example, a major economic development decision or if a regional or state transportation agency plans improvements for an area not previously anticipated in HoCo By Design.

Future Land Use Map Guidelines

The Future Land Use Map (FLUM) generally depicts the intended land use for an area. It is not a zoning map. A zoning map is parcel-specific and, combined with Zoning Regulations, establishes detailed requirements and development standards for setbacks, height, use, parking, and other attributes. By contrast, the FLUM is intended to provide generalized guidance for conservation and growth, and is considered in the context of other polices and recommendations in the General Plan. Even though specific parcel boundaries have been used in the FLUM to designate land uses, this map is not intended to be prescriptive at a parcel level. This map is to be interpreted broadly using land use categories to evaluate desired character area objectives around the County and is intended to provide guidance for future consideration.

A printed copy of the FLUM is available by request from the Department of Planning and Zoning. Several important considerations, defined below, accompany the FLUM:

1. The FLUM envisions intended development types, patterns, and intensities for build out of the County. It should be considered aspirational in nature. It is not an existing land use map, although in many cases future development intended for an area is the same as what exists there today.
2. Intended zoning for a specific area should be guided by the FLUM and interpreted with guidance from the text in the General Plan, including the Character Areas technical appendix.
3. Some zoning districts in the County’s Zoning Regulations may be compatible with more than one character area for the General Plan (or vice versa).
4. The FLUM can be amended. It is intended to be a dynamic map that is updated periodically in response to the evolving needs of or opportunities for the County. Requests to change the map are considered via General Plan Amendments (GPAs).

The Development Regulations Assessment and the FLUM

In 2016, DPZ retained Clarion Associates, a national land use firm, to assess the County’s current Zoning Regulations and Subdivision and Land Development Regulations. The Development Regulations Assessment engaged community members to explore strengths and weaknesses of existing land development regulations and recommendations for improvement. Through the process, nearly 500 community members participated in more than 40 meetings. This outreach and an online survey resulted in more than 700 comments.

From results of the evaluation and public engagement, the Development Regulations Assessment made recommendations on how to make these regulations more user-friendly, internally consistent, streamlined, and better aligned with County planning goals. The assessment proposed the creation of a Unified Development Ordinance that would provide all regulations within one easily accessible document, emphasizing user-friendly graphics and legibility. Additionally, the assessment included recommendations for new and existing uses and districts, district conversions or changes, and streamlined processes for the land development approval process.

The FLUM establishes greater predictability for the creation of a Unified Development Ordinance in line with the recommendations proposed in the Development Regulations Assessment. To provide greater specificity and guidance to the development of future regulations, HoCo By Design combines character areas, targeted focus area concepts, and a set of flexible policies developed through a design lens.

MAP 2-4: DETAILED FUTURE LAND USE MAP

The Future Land Use Map does not dictate zoning district boundaries but will be a guiding factor in the Comprehensive Rezoning and Map Amendment processes.

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• Planned Service Area
• Preservation Easement
• Open Space
• Historic Communities
• Rural Crossroads
• Rural Living
• Rural Conservation
• Single-Family Neighborhood
• Multi-Family Neighborhood
• Mixed-Use Neighborhood
• Suburban Commercial
• Campus
• Industrial
• Special Use
• Downtown Columbia
• Regional Activity Center
• Transit Activity Center
• Industrial Mixed-Use Activity Center
• Village Activity Center
• Mixed-Use Activity Center

Source: Howard County Departments of Technology and Communication Services and Planning and Zoning, 2023

Planning Themes Overview

The next five chapters, respectively covering five planning themes, present the land use and planning issues that were identified through the HoCo By Design process. These chapters explain how the County can strategically transform while preserving, strengthening, and enhancing the variety of places and assets that make Howard County so special.

The five planning themes, each described more fully in the next five chapters of the plan, include the following:

1. Ecological Health: Protecting and Preserving our Natural Resources
2. County in Motion: Fostering Modern Mobility Choices
3. Economic Prosperity: Creating Opportunities for Business to Innovate and Thrive
4. Dynamic Neighborhoods: Maintaining and Supporting Vibrant Living for a More Equitable Future
5. Quality By Design: Respecting and Prioritizing Community Character

Each theme chapter contains an introduction, summary of community input, and a series of topics with associated policies and implementing actions.

While themes describe cross-cutting issues, the policies and implementing actions within each chapter are grouped by topic. However, the policies and implementing actions will require a multi-faceted approach to their implementation.

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Ecological Health

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County in Motion

The themes were initially identified following public engagement activities in 2020, which include the following: On the Table events; Community Ideas Exchange Workshop; Better Communities Online Game; Physical Assessment focus groups and public meetings; and the Bring Your Own Question/BYOQ series. The physical assessment reports prepared in 2020, which covered a series of topics, also contributed to initial theme development.

In 2021, a combination of public input, data evaluation, and best practice research was used to further identify topics and develop policies and implementing actions. Scenario planning, the Growth Choices Workshops, New Town Columbia Design Sessions, Strategic Advisory Group meetings, Planning Advisory Committee meetings, Technical Advisory Group meetings, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Focus Groups all contributed to the topics, policies, and actions explored in the planning theme chapters.

In 2022, a series of public meetings and online input opportunities allowed the community to comment on the planning theme chapters. In 2023, additional feedback was collected on the public draft. As a result of this public engagement, policies and implementing actions were further refined, as presented in the next five chapters.

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Economic Prosperity

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Dynamic Neighborhoods

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Quality By Design

CHAPTER 4

COUNTY IN MOTION

County in Motion : Fostering Modern Mobility Choices

This chapter highlights policies, initiatives, and actions to manage and provide a safe, equitable, and fiscally sustainable transportation system for all users that is responsive to changing local, regional, and national transportation trends. The chapter builds upon a comprehensive Transportation Assessment completed for HoCo By Design and HoCo By Design’s public engagement process. The assessment described travel trends, travel forecasts, and county transportation investments since the last General Plan, PlanHoward 2030. These investments included efforts to reduce congestion, improve connectivity, and reduce environmental impacts, among other achievements. Several recent efforts also influenced the chapter, such as the Bicycle Master Plan (BikeHoward), the Pedestrian Master Plan (WalkHoward), and the Complete Streets Policy, which together guide the County’s commitment to safety, accessibility, and equitable transportation choices.

This chapter is organized around six key topics: 1) maintaining the transportation system, which addresses the importance of investing in the ongoing maintenance and upkeep of the system; 2) safety and the transportation system, which details the actions the County is taking to ensure the transportation system is safe for all users; 3) transportation mobility and access, which addresses the wide range of topics, factors, and actions the County considers in managing the transportation system; 4) delivering transportation projects, which outlines the challenges in delivering transportation projects and options to accelerate projects; 5) future of the transportation system, including the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, which outlines the pending and expected changes facing the transportation system in the County and region; and 6) transportation investment priorities, which details a range of transportation investments to support the goals in HoCo By Design.

Finally, the chapter should be read with the understanding that there are many current and future challenges to which the County will need to react, such as connected and autonomous vehicles, and post Covid-19 travel patterns. The impacts of these and other challenges are uncertain, so the chapter recommends a flexible and nimble policy approach.

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WHAT WE HEARD

Throughout the HoCo By Design public engagement and planning process, community members and stakeholders discussed the importance of transportation to local and regional economies, housing, youth, people with disabilities, and carless community members.

There was general acknowledgement that travel in Howard County is currently dominated by automobiles and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future. However, some stakeholders strongly emphasized the need for enhancements to the public transit system to ensure equitable access to jobs, services, and amenities. They said the existing system does not adequately meet current or future needs. Business owners and managers also expressed their frustration with the current public transit system and the challenges their staff face getting to work, with limited bus stops and infrequent service. These challenges were echoed by riders who use the system every day to get to work, school, and shopping. Some participants requested more creative, flexible, and efficient transportation choices, such as on-demand micro-transit, e-bikes, and e-scooters.

Some community members worried that redevelopment areas would not provide enough parking spaces and that parking garages may not meet the needs of seniors and disabled drivers. Other participants said that many current parking spaces are unused and parking studies would help "right size" parking lots for redevelopment. These participants suggested smaller parking lots could allow for more green space to meet environmental goals. Others cited challenges related to accommodating connected and automated vehicles.

Participants recognized the strong link between new housing and transportation, acknowledging that the County's current land use pattern does not encourage non-automobile travel or public transit investment. Some participants supported targeted residential density to facilitate meaningful transit connections between employment centers, key activity areas, and Columbia's village centers. Comments also suggested that affordable housing should be accommodated in areas with existing or planned transit, bicycle, and pedestrian infrastructure. Some participants suggested accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and missing middle housing locate in these areas as well.

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The County's and Columbia's pathway system was regarded as a treasured amenity that serves as a travel mode for everyone. Similar sentiment was expressed in participants' comments about sidewalks and bike lanes, where they exist throughout the County. Some participants embraced the use of complete streets to enable multi-modal access to school, shopping, and work. They noted that complete streets could reduce car dependency and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and improve air quality and safety. Other participants expressed concern that the County would move too far in the direction of alternate modes of transportation and not address existing road safety needs.

In a larger context, many respondents identified Howard County's strategic position between Baltimore and Washington, DC as a key asset. There was general agreement that better regional transit connections, including links to MARC and the Purple Line, would strengthen Howard County's attractiveness—a position emphasized by younger respondents seeking increased access to regional jobs and attractions. Finally, there was interest in a strong multi-faceted transportation system that would create opportunity for all community members, employers, and workers.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Focus Groups Findings

• Expand the sidewalk network and bicycle infrastructure, emphasizing safety and ensuring it is well-connected.
• Improve the bus system by addressing headways/wait times, creating direct travel routes to county amenities, providing more bus rider amenities (such as shelters and technology that indicates wait/travel times), and ensuring local transit connects to regional systems.
• Create an affordable and reliable rideshare program.

Equity in Action

The following equity best practices helped identify policies and implementing actions in this chapter that could help advance equity in the County. Each policy or implementing action that contributes to the advancement of equitable outcomes will be noted with a "🔥" symbol.

• Support planning, funding, and process improvements that enhance or expand multi-modal infrastructure, facilities, and dependable transit options that provide access to jobs and amenities, particularly for low-income and transit-dependent community members.
• Plan for improvements that support residents' health outcomes and transportation safety, especially those that target communities with higher percentages of transit-dependent community members.
• Plan for physical activity and healthy lifestyles.

County in Motion Terms

Bicycle Level of Traffic Stress (LTS): A quantitative rating given to a road segment or crossing that indicates the traffic stress it imposes on the users of scooters or bicycles. There are four rating levels, from one (tolerated by cyclists of all ages and abilities) to four (only tolerated by riders who are characterized as ‘strong and fearless.’)

Connected and Automated Vehicle (CAV): A term used to describe vehicles that can either communicate with other vehicles, infrastructure, and devices through wireless network technology, such as Wi-Fi and radio frequencies, or are equipped with technology that enables them to operate with little to no human assistance.

Delivery as a Service (DaaS): On-demand deliveries of goods arranged through digital platforms. Examples of DaaS include grocery, restaurant takeout, and retail deliveries to consumers via third-party delivery drivers.

Fiscally Unconstrained: A term used in transportation planning that communicates the gap in funding available versus funding to fully address infrastructure needs, including a pipeline of unfunded projects for consideration if/when new funding becomes available.

Level of Service (LOS): Quantitative and qualitative measures of how well traffic flows through an intersection. LOS relates to such factors as number of lanes, percentage of trucks, total traffic volume, turning movements, signal timing, and other factors that affect intersection congestion.

Micro-mobility: A category of transportation modes that includes electric scooters and bicycles, suited for trips over short distances.

Mobility as a Service (MaaS): On-demand transportation arranged through digital platforms. Examples of MaaS include ride-, car-, and bike-sharing services that offer alternatives to using private vehicles for trips.

Multi-modal Transportation: Refers to the many ways people travel, whether by personal vehicle, public transit, or bicycle, or on foot.

County in Motion Terms (Cont.)

Transportation Demand Management (TDM): TDM strategies encourage people to take transit, rideshare, walk, bike, and telework, thereby reducing the number of motor vehicles using the road network.

Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO): A set of strategies focused on operational improvements to maintain and restore the performance of the existing transportation system before extra capacity is needed.

Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT): A measure used extensively in transportation planning that measures the amount of travel for all vehicles in an area over a set time period.

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Maintaining The Transportation System

Howard County's transportation system is comprised of facilities and operations that provide transportation services and maintain the existing transportation infrastructure. The system reflects public and private investments that are critical to Howard County community members and businesses. Maintaining this investment requires continuous assessment of—as well as repairs and upgrades to—bridges, roadway pavement, bike lanes, sidewalks, signals, and transit buses, to name just a few key items. Each new facility installed or new vehicle purchased adds to the inventory of assets that require regular maintenance to ensure their safety, accessibility, and operability.

The small sample below shows the scale of the County's investment in the transportation system:

• More than 1,065 miles of sidewalks
• 72 transit buses and support vehicles used to provide transit service
• 8 Regional Transportation Agency (RTA) bus transit lines running service 15 hours a day
• Over 65 miles of bike lanes and pathways
• 1,200 miles of roads, of which 30-40 miles are repaved every year
• Over 100 traffic signals
• 363 bridges
• More than 75 county-owned trucks and heavy equipment used to clear snow, mow roadsides, sweep roads, and repair sidewalks, ramps, roads, and signals

Deferring maintenance and repairs of the transportation system can lead to larger and more frequent repairs, or replacement costs in the future as facilities age or fail. For the public transit system, buses and support vehicles that have exceeded their useful lives become more expensive to maintain and break down more often, which often results in delays and canceled service. In 2021, of the 72 vehicles in the Howard County public transit fleet, 40 vehicles have exceeded their useful life. For the county's road system, despite an anticipated reduction in the number of road miles rated in good condition over the next few years, the County has been able to ensure roads, bridges, and other transportation assets are well-maintained.

Historically, the County has been able to align and adjust transportation budgets to meet most transportation maintenance and replacement needs by annual funding infusions, either from the County or Maryland Department of Transportation. However, these funding infusions can vary widely based on national, state, and local economic conditions. In Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023, the County received an unprecedented level of state and federal funding to replace vehicles, allowing the County to place 28 new vehicles into service, about 39% of the total fleet. However, replacing this many vehicles at one time also means they will exceed their useful lives at the same time. Maintaining a reliable transportation system requires a regular and defined investment program.

The County's challenge over the next two decades will be to prioritize a limited budget for system maintenance to meet a variety of needs across the community, meet climate goals by building a zero-emission fleet, respond to changing maintenance obligations from new engineering and environmental practices, and also communicate how these needs are prioritized. This will require regular evaluation of the maintenance needs of the transportation system and matching these needs to available funding.

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❝ Infrastructure items are critical to maintain. ❞

• HoCo By Design process participant

To ensure the long-term viability of the transportation system, policies and actions should advance national best practices. In 2021, Howard County participated in the Capital Improvement Program Development and Promoting Healthy Communities Study (CIP Study) with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. The study’s recommendations were developed by comparing the state of the practice across the Baltimore region’s jurisdictions with the best practices found nationwide. The recommendations include specific actions that can be taken, barriers to implementation, and metrics to determine success. For example, the study recommends incorporating an equity lens in the capital planning process. Howard County has begun to adopt this approach for transportation with the inclusion of an Equity Emphasis Area index in the Complete Streets Policy (detailed in the next section of this chapter). The CIP Study’s recommendations have been used to guide this chapter’s implementing actions. The Supporting Infrastructure chapter also references the CIP Study; please refer to the “Equity in Capital Planning” section of the Supporting Infrastructure chapter for details.

CIM-1 Policy Statement

Maintain transportation system assets to ensure the viability of the system and safety of users.

Implementing Actions

1. Develop and regularly update a risk-based asset inventory and management program for all transportation assets and ensure adequate maintenance funding.
2. Closely coordinate system maintenance activities with utilities and private development to minimize future roadway damage.
3. Develop fiscally unconstrained plans for each asset class to communicate the deferred maintenance needs and a pipeline of unfunded projects for consideration.
4. Consider equity emphasis areas in the prioritization of maintenance needs.
5. Encourage the proliferation of non-polluting vehicles by upgrading county fleets and requiring appropriate infrastructure.

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SAFETY AND THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Howard County is recognized as one of the best places to live in the United States and is one of the safest jurisdictions in the state to drive, take the bus, walk, and bike. However, crashes continue to be one of the leading causes of death and injuries for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists. Improving the county transportation system’s safety is critical to ensuring Howard County remains an attractive and desirable location to live. Consideration should also be given to improving walking routes to school.

In 2020, Howard County completed its Strategic Road Safety Plan with the goal “to prevent all traffic crash-related fatalities and serious injuries, and to reduce the number and severity of crashes” by articulating realistic, achievable, and data-driven goals and actions. Between 2014 and 2018—the five-year period of data that informed the Strategic Road Safety Plan—Howard County averaged more than 3,900 reported crashes per year for an average of 1,499 people injured per year. During this same time period, 95 community members and visitors died in crashes on roads in the County. As detailed in the plan, of the approximately 19,500 crashes during that time period, the most prevalent factor was distracted driving (involved in 8,800 crashes, or 45%). Another 3,100 crashes involved improper driving behaviors, such as speeding and aggressive driving, and 1,200 crashes involved impaired driving. Finally, 280 crashes involved cyclists or pedestrians. Notably, while two-thirds of all bicycle and pedestrian crashes occurred on local roadways, 85% of all bicycle and pedestrian fatalities occurred on state roadways, which typically have greater traffic volume and higher speeds.

In 2019, the County Council adopted a Complete Streets Policy to ensure that community members using any transportation mode can travel freely, safely, and comfortably throughout the County. The Complete Streets Policy uses an Equity Emphasis Area index to track implementation, prioritize projects, and evaluate designs. The index uses methodology developed by the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC), which assigns scores to census tracts in Howard County based on multiple factors, including the percent of households in poverty, transit dependent households, non-Hispanic minority individuals, low English-proficiency individuals, Hispanic or Latino individuals, individuals 75 years and older, and disabled individuals. Map 4-1 shows the Equity Emphasis Areas and index scores.

Building on the Complete Streets Policy, the Howard County Design Manual Volumes III and IV (Design Manual) were updated in 2022 to incorporate best practices in street design to accommodate all modes of transportation. The next step in complete streets implementation is to update the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations to ensure that the development process supports the County’s vision for complete streets. In early 2020, Howard County also adopted a new pedestrian master plan, WalkHoward, which identifies and prioritizes pedestrian infrastructure needs. A fundamental organizing principle of WalkHoward includes last-mile access, and the plan recommends a series of projects and connections to ensure walking is a safe, effective, and viable recreational and transportation choice. BikeHoward, further described under the “Mobility and Access” section of this chapter, envisions safe bicycling on roads and paths as a means of daily transportation and healthy recreation. BikeHoward calls for the creation of a safe and seamless network of bikeways that connect people to schools, shops, parks, and work, with facilities that serve all skill and comfort levels.

The Strategic Road Safety Plan recommended a safe system approach for the County that identifies the link between priority crash types and the roadway contexts in which they most frequently occur. The system then prioritizes countermeasures that provide a solution to those crash types at the identified location types. This approach is innovative because it can prioritize locations that have a high propensity for crashes to occur even if crashes have not occurred there in recent years. Overall, the system proactively targets road safety improvements in high-risk locations where the most frequent and severe crashes could occur. This effort should also coordinate with and support the Complete Streets Policy and the WalkHoward and BikeHoward capital programs.

Finally, HoCo By Design’s Economic Prosperity chapter describes the transportation needs of the agricultural community and conditions that impact safety. Refer to the section “Sustaining our Agricultural Economy” within the Economic Prosperity chapter for details.

CIM-2 Policy Statement

Design and operate an equitable transportation system that prevents and mitigates the most severe types of crashes for motorists, transit riders, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

Implementing Actions

1. Prioritize and fund measures outlined in the Strategic Road Safety Plan using a safe system approach to focus education, enforcement, and engineering efforts and investments.
2. Advance the Complete Streets Policy by updating the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations to provide accommodations and favor land use and development that improves safety, particularly for pedestrians and bicyclists who are the most vulnerable roadway users.
3. Execute the priorities of WalkHoward and BikeHoward through dedicated funding in the capital budget and efficient project delivery.
4. Ensure that all transportation capital projects include review of potential safety improvements during the project scoping process.
5. Pursue state-enabling legislation to allow well-signed, stationary speed cameras and other road safety mechanisms in school walk zones.

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MAP 4-1: COMPLETE STREETS POLICY EQUITY EMPHASIS AREAS

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Equity Emphasis Area Score

• 0 - 1 (12 Tracts)
• 1 - 2 (9 Tracts)
• 3 (12 Tracts)
• 4 - 5 (9 Tracts)
• 6 - 11 (13 Tracts)

NOT TO SCALE

Source: Howard County Office of Transportation and Howard County Departments of Technology and Communication Services and Planning and Zoning, 2022

Mobility and Access

Transportation systems are based on two transportation concepts: mobility and access. Mobility is generally defined as the ability to use the transportation system to move from place to place, such as on a highway or on a regional train system. Access is generally defined as how many places one can get to safely and easily. The planning and development of transportation systems balance these two concepts to reflect and advance community goals. Traditionally, Howard County's transportation system was more focused on mobility but is evolving to focus on ensuring and improving access for walkers, cyclists, drivers, and transit riders, a process that is guided by some of the highlighted topics below. Increased multi-modal access is important to serve the County's growing senior community, youth, people with disabilities, and carless community members.

Transportation Trends, Patterns, and Facts

Vehicle Miles Traveled

Annual daily vehicle miles traveled in Howard County is in flux as the County and the country emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic. On average, each resident drove approximately 500 more miles per year in 2018 compared to 2013, while the same measure shows that each resident drove approximately 1,300 fewer miles in 2021 compared to 2018. On a per-resident basis, the County's vehicle miles traveled was approximately 37% and 33% higher than the region for those two time periods. This increase is likely a function of longer commute distances between home and work, higher per-resident automobile ownership, and limited transit, bicycle, or pedestrian facilities that support viable non-automobile trips for local travel.

Congestion, Roads, and Highway Infrastructure

The Maryland State Highway Administration monitors road conditions in the region and reports conditions using a Travel Time Index. The Travel Time Index measures travel time during congested periods of the day and compares it to the same trip made during less congested periods. The regional transportation system in Howard County performs well, with just three exceptions: Route 32, Route 29, and Interstate 95. Projects and studies to address travel time reliability on these roads are underway or complete, and conditions continue to be monitored on other roads, including Route 103, Route 108, Route 144, Broken Land Parkway, and Little Patuxent Parkway. In addition to congestion and delay that occur during peak hours on both local and state roads, many users are impacted by non-recurring delay, which is delay caused by crashes, weather, and other events that cannot be forecasted. These non-recurring events can considerably impact travel time and how users plan their trips.

Howard County's authority for transportation planning and investment is limited based on jurisdictional responsibility associated with different roads in the community. In 2022, the County maintained over 1,000 miles of roads; however, these roads supported only 19% of the average daily vehicle miles traveled in the County. The remaining average daily vehicle miles traveled in the County were on state roads or federal interstates, which the County does not have the authority to maintain or expand to meet future year needs. These systems experience the greatest delay in aggregate, which is primarily attributed to regional traffic. However, many users of the transportation system also experience periodic congestion and delay on the local road system.

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❝ Great places require access by multiple modes. Keeping children active from a young age is an essential public health imperative. ❞

• HoCo By Design process participant

Best practices that support a balanced and fiscally-driven approach to managing congestion include the following:

• Prioritizing and advocating for road improvements funded by the State, with a focus on Transportation Systems Management and Operations (TSMO) solutions. TSMO is an integrated approach to planning, engineering, operating, and maintaining the transportation network. TSMO looks at improving the performance of the existing system for all modes and can deliver more cost-effective congestion relief than adding new capacity along county roads.
• Advocating for federal, state, and regional partners regional transit solutions that improve Howard County’s access to regional job centers.
• Coordinating with state, regional, and local partners to efficiently deploy resources to address recurring and non-recurring congestion.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Access

The Howard County Bicycle Master Plan, BikeHoward, provides a framework to improve conditions for bicyclists and promote bicycling as a safe and convenient travel option for people of all ages and abilities. BikeHoward offers guidance in the following general categories: 1) policy updates; 2) programs providing education, encouragement, and enforcement; and 3) infrastructure improvements to create a connected bicycle network. BikeHoward has been implemented and funded through aggressive efforts to secure grants, in-kind contributions, county investments, and coordination with the County’s road resurfacing program and schedule. Since 2016, 35 of 95 miles in BikeHoward’s recommended short-term network plan have been completed. New projects that implement BikeHoward’s infrastructure recommendations and policy improvements—such as the introduction of a bikeshare pilot, bicycle parking improvements, and a police bicycle pathway patrol unit—have advanced into final design and construction.

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WalkHoward sets forth a plan for implementing a connected, comfortable, and safe pedestrian network that accommodates all users and provides a framework to rethink walking as more than a recreational trip in the County. It especially emphasizes improving and expanding pedestrian infrastructure to serve the daily needs of community members, businesses, and visitors. Like BikeHoward, WalkHoward recommends the following: 1) updating policies; 2) providing programs that would allow more residents to walk, support safety goals, and track walking rates; 3) continuing to allocate resources to maintain the existing pedestrian network; and 4) constructing 60 structured projects and high priority connections. As part of the implementation of WalkHoward, county staff also partner with the Howard County Public School System to coordinate WalkHoward projects with efforts to expand and improve the safety of school walking routes.

The Howard County Design Manual, Complete Streets and Bridges, provides guidance on the design of pedestrian and cycling infrastructure by requiring sidewalks on all streets where there is demand for walking and bicycle facilities that operate at a Level of Traffic Stress (LTS) of two or better.

Local and Regional Public Transit

Howard County provides local and some regional public transit service through the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland (RTA). After the adoption of PlanHoward 2030, the County created RTA by joining with Anne Arundel County, the City of Laurel, and Prince George’s County to operate shared bus service throughout the four jurisdictions. RTA operates 15 routes, 12 of which serve Columbia, Ellicott City, Elridge, Jessup, Savage, and North Laurel. The highest ridership stop in the RTA system is the Columbia Mall transit center, which accounts for 500 trips daily—two-thirds of all trip origins and destinations. This location is the pulse point or hub of nearly all services in Howard County. A significant investment to construct a Downtown Columbia Transit Center to replace the existing center is listed at the end of this chapter as part of Table 4-1. Of the remaining highest-ridership stops in the County, six are at apartment complexes, five are at commercial or retail centers, and four are at village centers in Columbia. The RTA service mostly provides access to jobs for those with few mobility options. More than 65% of all trips on RTA are for work-related purposes, and 85% of RTA riders do not own a vehicle. Seventy-six percent of all riders have an average annual income of $40,000 or less. In addition to providing fixed-route service, RTA also provides ADA-complementary paratransit and demand-response service for seniors and persons with disabilities. This ridership market is expected to grow significantly as the County’s population ages.

Howard County’s Age-Friendly Action Plan

The County’s Age-Friendly Action Plan (2021) envisions a varied, efficient, and sustainable multi-modal transportation system that provides safe and affordable transportation for users of all ages and abilities. The system is further described as facilitating active transportation, such as walking, bicycling, and using scooters and similar devices. The plan promotes alternative transportation options and supports implementation of the Complete Streets Policy, WalkHoward, BikeHoward, and the Strategic Road Safety Plan.

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Local public transit is also supplemented by a network of local and regional social service nonprofit organizations, such as Neighbor Ride and the Arc of Howard County, that provide transportation services to specific populations in the County, including seniors and people with disabilities. These organizations have the capacity to provide highly specialized services to ensure community residents can continue to go to school, shop, and go to work. These organizations provide a critical service to the community and are a strong complement to RTA service.

The development of local transit service is guided by a series of planning activities and projects. The Howard County Transit Development Plan (TDP) is a five-year plan to guide the management of existing transit service, organizational improvements, customer service, and service expansion. The 2018 TDP focused on service and frequency expansions, supported by a transit budget of $16 million in FY 2022, of which Howard County funded 75%. While expansion is important, leveraging new technology to deliver service efficiently, frequently, and reliably is also critical to continue to equitably serve and better address the needs of underserved populations and meet the county's equity goals. The County also has a bus stop improvement program supported by local and state funds.

Public transit planning is also guided by larger regional planning efforts. The Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan (RTP) identified 30 regional transit corridors, including Route 1, Route 29, and Route 40. The RTP's US 1 Corridor Small Area Plan identified opportunities to improve transit service from Route 175 to Baltimore and recommended advancing an app-based, demand-response service known as micro-transit to expand local transit coverage and complement the regional transit network through first- and last-mile connections. The RTP also supported the County's continuing efforts to implement new service on Route 29, along with a new east-west regional connection on the Route 40 Corridor.

While Howard County is located between Washington, DC and Baltimore, regional transit connections to the east and south are not robust and don’t reflect the County’s current economic and geographic position in the region. Connections to Washington, DC and Baltimore are provided by nine commuter bus routes and one express bus route operated by the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). Five of the routes serve commuters from Clarksville, Columbia, and Ellicott City to Washington, DC, and two routes serve commuters from Columbia to Baltimore. One route each serves commuters from Columbia to Bethesda, Dorsey to Gaithersburg, and Baltimore to Columbia. The MARC Camden Line follows the Howard County and Anne Arundel County border, connecting Washington, DC and Baltimore with stations in Jessup, Savage, Dorsey, and North Laurel.

While the MARC and the commuter bus system are used by some community members, their effectiveness as both a strong transportation service and a tool to manage congestion on the regional system is limited by the following factors:

• Service that is limited to peak AM and PM periods, a service pattern that has not been changed to reflect changing work patterns and times.
• Camden Line frequency and reliability is limited by track capacity and freight prioritization by the track owner, CSX.
• Camden Line stations are not conveniently located.
• Lower-density land uses around MARC stations in Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and the City of Laurel.
• Commuter bus service routes that use Interstate 95 rather than Route 29 into Washington, DC.

When the Montgomery County Flash Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line is fully implemented on Route 29, transit travel time will improve and enhance access to job centers in the corridor. The Purple Line light rail will also provide another opportunity for enhanced regional connections to job centers in Bethesda, College Park, and New Carrollton that are currently bypassed by commuter bus services using Interstates 95 and 495.

Howard County is uniquely positioned to foster multi-region transportation solutions. Sitting halfway between Washington, DC and Baltimore, and adjacent to major employment centers at Fort Meade and in Montgomery County, Howard County must view transportation policy and planning issues from the greater regional perspective. The County should leverage its current role in the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) and Transportation Planning Board (TPB) while also actively enhancing its relationship with the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board to advance and promote both short- and long-term transportation initiatives and progress. The County has already used this approach to form the RTA, illustrating how the County can convene resources to improve transportation services in a multi-jurisdictional area. This bi-regional approach will be critical in advancing short-term initiatives, such as the expansion of the Montgomery County Flash service to Columbia and the projects highlighted in the Central Maryland Regional Transit Plan, as well as longer-term initiatives to provide separated guideways on the most congested sections of Route 29 for bus rapid transit.

Freight and Goods Movement

The regional and local economies rely on an efficient transportation system to allow people to get to jobs and shopping, move goods to stores, and transport freight throughout the region. The County has an extensive road and highway network linked to one of the nation’s largest port facilities, rail terminals, food and retail distribution centers, and major airports. Due to changing distribution and warehousing business practices, freight and goods movement nationally and in the region is expected to grow at an increasing rate. These projections do not account for the impact of Covid-19 on the local and regional freight movement and the warehousing and distribution sectors. Covid-19 accelerated and compressed changes that were expected to take place over a decade into two years.

• From 2012 to 2020, freight pick-ups, drop-offs, and transfers in the County grew from 195,000 to 243,000 tons a day and are projected to grow to just over 292,000 tons a day by 2045.
• In 2012, the freight industry in the Baltimore region moved over 800,000 tons of freight a day. In 2020, this figure rose to over 1 million tons and is expected to rise to 1.3 million tons a day by 2045.

Howard County partners with the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) as part of the Maryland Freight Plan. The Maryland Freight Plan, which is updated on a five-year cycle, assesses state and local freight movements, evaluates multi-modal networks, and details the actions and programs MDOT will employ to meet the goals of plan. These actions and programs can include addressing truck parking needs, congestion on Interstate 95, and the impacts of the freight transportation system on communities.

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Transportation Demand Management Transportation demand management (TDM) is a group of strategies used to manage demand for travel on the local and regional transportation system. These strategies encourage people to take transit, rideshare, walk, bike, and telework, thereby reducing the number of vehicles using the road network.

TDM strategies can involve providing information on the range of transportation options in a community, promoting travel options to community members and businesses, and developing incentives to support using non-automotive travel options, along with disincentives. Strategies will also include parking management and reducing automobile parking requirements to influence which transportation options people choose when they travel and reduce search times for parking. TDM programs can be implemented in specific locations or throughout a region and have been used in many communities to support efforts to reduce vehicle emissions, reduce the need for new road capacity and also support the County’s focus on ensuring and improving access for walkers, cyclists, drivers, and transit riders. The County should expand and support TDM.

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Transportation Demand Management

in Howard County

Howard County’s Office of Transportation promotes transportation demand management (TDM) solutions countywide through its Go Howard initiative, part of the regional TDM program. Go Howard provides information to community members and businesses on travel options including ridesharing, transit, bicycling, and other alternatives to driving alone.

While Go Howard promotes TDM solutions countywide, there are also required TDM programs in two Howard County communities: Downtown Columbia and Maple Lawn. Those programs are enabled by Transportation Demand Management Plans (TDMPs) that guide the types of strategies used in each community to manage demand on the transportation system. The Downtown Columbia Master Plan called for the development of a TDMP to ensure Downtown will be multi-modal as it grows. In Maple Lawn, the TDMP was incorporated as part of the Zoning Board’s 2000 decision and order pertaining to the development.

CIM-3 Policy Statement

Make the transportation system equitable, close mobility gaps, and improve access to jobs, housing, health care, education, and social services.

Implementing Actions

1. Continue to monitor system performance, gather input from current riders, and allocate existing resources to maximize ridership and enhance service for current public transit riders.
2. Ensure investments in the Regional Transportation Agency system accomplish increased service frequencies, improved reliability, and additional routes to unserved areas by considering transit-supportive land uses.
3. Provide support and enhance community-based mobility programs for seniors and people with disabilities.
4. Explore flexible transit routing, mobility as a service, and other micro-mobility concepts to provide efficient and economic transit service in lower-density areas of the County. Consider subsidies for income-qualified residents to use existing rideshare programs.

CIM-4 Policy Statement

Leverage Howard County’s position in the Baltimore and Washington regions to advance transportation projects and policies with regional and local impacts, including focusing efforts on governance, accountability, funding policies, and strategies to address unmet transportation service needs.

Implementing Actions

1. Continue to engage in regional discussions regarding state and federal investment in regional transit systems to ensure funding and support for Howard County projects, meet the County’s goals to enhance and improve access to regional job centers, and maintain the County’s position as an attractive location to live and work.
2. Continue to support the collaborative efforts to improve the Regional Transportation Agency of Central Maryland.
3. Continue to partner with Montgomery County and the Maryland Department of Transportation to extend the Flash Bus Rapid Transit Service to Howard County.
4. Support and partner with Maryland Department of Transportation and other regional organizations to expand service and improve reliability on the Camden Commuter Rail Line and improve transit connections from Howard County to existing Penn Commuter Rail Line Stations.
5. Continue to engage and participate in regional and state planning and coordination activities to ensure the needs of freight and goods movements are considered and supported.
6. Continue to engage with neighboring, regional, and state partners to support and advance regional high-quality connections articulated in local and regional functional plans.

CIM-5 Policy Statement

Deliver transportation system improvements that support efforts to reduce reliance on automobile trips, improve air quality, and give people cost-effective and sustainable choices on how they get to work, home, school, and play.

Implementing Actions

1. Construct and enhance transportation facilities to increase connections across Howard County and support the goals of WalkHoward, BikeHoward, and the Complete Streets Policy, with a focus on the equity goals outlined in the Complete Streets Policy.
2. Continue to plan and implement projects that enhance transportation connections to regional job centers and high-quality transit.
3. Review and expand efforts to develop and implement Transportation Demand Management programs (such as car share, bikeshare, and shared e-scooter systems; telecommute policies; and vanpools) and expand Park and Ride lots, where appropriate. Improve the reporting process for outcomes and goals.
4. Continue to plan and coordinate investments with the Howard County Public School System to increase safe routes to schools, enhance access to the local transit system, reduce demand for hazard-based school bus service, and decrease driving to school. Assess walking routes for safety and equity.
5. Partner with the Maryland Department of Transportation to align commuter bus routes and funding priorities with current and expected travel patterns and complementary regional public transit initiatives.
6. Continue to work with federal, state, and regional partners on preliminary studies for high-quality connections.
7. Implement Development Regulations that require site plans that allow access to buildings by transit, bicycle, walking, and micromobility services.
8. Work with state and regional agencies to develop reliable and sustainable methods to measure bike and pedestrian activity.
9. Require safe, non-automobile pathways that connect buildings within commercial and office complexes as well as activity centers to support “park once” behavior.
10. Consider more funding for electric school buses.

CIM-6 Policy Statement

Focus on improvements to the transportation system that improve travel reliability.

Implementing Actions

1. Evaluate the use of Transportation Systems Management and Operations concepts to manage the County’s road system.
2. Develop real-time traffic monitoring and coordinate transportation and emergency resources to address non-recurring congestion due to weather and crashes on the local and regional transportation system.
3. Focus on operations at key intersections while ensuring improved safety for bicycle and pedestrian movements.
4. Optimize signal timing and phasing at key intersections in coordination with efforts to improve pedestrian and bicycle movements and safety, and coordinate signals in major commute corridors during peak time periods.
5. Increase street connections in key locations that provide more route choices to system users.
6. Develop access management approaches through updates to the Zoning Regulations and the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations, design approvals, and coordination with the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration.

“ Walkability in commercial corridors is a big issue in HoCo, so I appreciate solutions to make pedestrian areas a priority. The entire Route 1 Corridor, Route 216, Route 40, and Route 108 come to mind as highly unwalkable and unsafe. ”

• HoCo By Design process participant

DELIVERING PROJECTS

Howard County’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) details how the County is funding transportation projects, either as part of a single project or a program of projects. Funding, planning, designing, and constructing transportation projects is a challenging and lengthy process. Some of these challenges are engineering-based, while others are process and communication focused.

In 2021, Howard County participated in the CIP Development and Promoting Healthy Communities study with the Baltimore Metropolitan Council. This study identified common barriers to communicating how the CIP works, how challenges impact project delivery times and costs, and how the risks of these challenges are incorporated into the CIP process. The study developed a series of best practice recommendations related to the CIP and project delivery:

• Develop a clear internal process to define, identify, and screen capital projects.
• View asset management and State of Good Repair through a resiliency lens. State of Good Repair means a transportation asset is maintained to operate at its full level of performance. Consider the condition of each asset in the prioritization process and the impact that asset’s failure could have on transportation services and finances. Maintain a detailed and up-to-date inventory of all assets that includes asset condition. Develop formal processes to monitor the state of assets on a continuous basis.
• Incorporate an equity lens throughout the capital planning process, from start to finish. Equity questions should be considered as needs are identified, measures are prioritized, and impacts are assessed.
• Use digital tools to help the public engage with traditionally lengthy budget documents that may not be easily accessible or understood. Jurisdictions have found ways to improve the flow of information related to capital planning and increase transparency by creating online interfaces that translate the budget.

HoCo By Design’s Supporting Infrastructure chapter builds upon the CIP study’s recommendations for capital planning.

In 2022, the County initiated a study to develop recommendations for priority sidewalk and safety projects in the Route 1 Corridor and their delivery. It found that a significant amount of local and state funding has been allocated to design and construct projects, but progress has been slow due to challenges with securing rights-of-way for the project, permitting, and contracting. Based on these findings, the County should consider the recommendations from the CIP study. To achieve benefits more quickly while respecting its Equal Business Opportunity Program goals, the County should also adopt programmatic approaches in which the process of design, right-of-way acquisition, permitting, and construction are based on performance-driven design-build contracts.

CIM-7 Policy Statement

Refine processes and policies to deliver transportation improvements strategically, efficiently, and equitably.

Implementing Actions

1. Review existing rules, policies, processes, and procurement procedures to identify opportunities to accelerate the planning, design, permitting, or construction of new and equitable transportation projects, including the recommendations from the Capital Improvement Program study.
2. Identify opportunities to minimize the time needed to acquire right-of-way for planning road, sidewalk, or bicycle projects while respecting the rights of private property owners. Alternatively, reevaluate the scope of projects earlier in the planning process if it is determined that there is strong opposition to land acquisition.
3. Implement contracting methods that shorten construction activities for a project, including, but not limited to, design-build provisions for small projects like sidewalks or intersection improvements, contracts that share risk with contractors and support flexible project phasing for larger projects, and incentives for early project completion.

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Future of the Transportation System

Technological and Economic Change

Rapidly evolving transportation technologies and changes to commuting and work patterns accelerated by Covid-19, will likely lead to shifting demands on the transportation system. As a result of this shift in demand, the County might modify its approach to planning its transportation system. In the short-term, it might focus more on integrating technology solutions to address the main effects of connected vehicle (CV) technology and automated vehicles (AV) on safety, mobility, and the environment. In the long-term, the County might focus more on the relationship between evolving transportation developments and shifting employment and housing patterns.

The first waves of change in the transportation industry have been focused on Mobility as a Service (MaaS), such as Lyft, Uber, and ever-evolving micro-mobility technologies deploying e-scooters and bike sharing. MaaS supports living and working in suburban downtowns, as it provides a convenient transportation alternative and can reduce transportation costs for users. The industry is still in its infancy, and the long-term viability of the current business models are not certain.

On the more immediate horizon, connected and automated electric vehicles (CAV) may be prevalent by the early 2030s, and the County should expect them to alter both demand on parking infrastructure and the road system. However, these impacts are very uncertain. Some forecasts claim CAVs will self-park more efficiently than humans can, leading to more efficient use of parking facilities. Changes in parking space needs could have several positive effects. New development in activity centers could share parking with existing projects. Infill and redevelopment could take place without the prerequisite of additional parking facilities, reducing costs. On the other hand, CAVs could also increase vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and cause more congestion as a result of multiple trips when a CAV drops its passenger in front of a destination, parks in a remote lot, and then later returns to pick up its passenger.

In the longer-term, if CAVs mature and are cycled into the vehicle fleet in significant ways, they may alter commuting patterns in the County. CAVs could offer more efficient commutes by reducing travel times, providing community members a greater choice of locations to live in, and shifting demand to areas in the County, or outside, that are further away from job centers or less connected to the highway system. However, like the potential impact on parking demand, the adoption of CAVs may increase VMT as a result of this shift.

The automotive industry is years away from fully leveraging CAV technology and impacts are not yet clear or understood. Further, most regulatory policy will be established at the state and federal levels. The County should monitor the progression of CAV technology and associated regulations, and respond to changes as they occur. The County’s response to future changes may include updated road design standards, expanded electric vehicle charging policies, a robust fiber optic communications network, and revised parking requirements. The County may also need to ensure the safety of cyclists and pedestrians if it is not adequately addressed in state and federal regulatory changes.

"The increase in 'work from home' needs to be evaluated seriously in relation to the transportation network. Feels like the demand for road and public transportation will be somewhat different over the next 20 years than the previous 20 years. We tend to make projections based upon the past usage and growth and that will probably misstate the need."

• HoCo By Design process participant

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