Baltimore County Council Public Hearing and Legislative Day 17 — September 23, 2026

On September 23, 2026, the Baltimore County Council held a public hearing on two proposed county landmarks and then convened Legislative Day 17, the official six o'clock legislative meeting. The agenda and minutes were not included in the source; this summary is drawn from the transcript.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jade Alderman briefly said she was against data centers. The chair redirected her, noting the hearing was about landmarks, not data centers.
• Danielle Dean, a speaker at the landmarks hearing, expressed support for the Landmarks Preservation Commission's decision to include both parcels around the Upper Falls Oddfellows Hall, saying a historic rural building needs its rural setting protected from future incompatible development. He also supported the Eden Dairy designation and said preservation work is stronger when property owners are on board.
• Carolyn Adams, representing the Preservation Alliance of Baltimore County, expressed full support for the Oddfellows Lodge nomination. She noted that some Oddfellows buildings have already been demolished and said the lodge building is an irreplaceable Baltimore County landmark.
• Michael Malan, described in the transcript as the current Noble Grand of Upper Falls Lodge 175, thanked Councilman Marks and lodge volunteers for restoration work, including a new roof, paint, windows, and doors. He said the membership's consensus was to ask the council to postpone approval and to consider designating only the building, citing concerns about preservation costs and historic guidelines.
• At the close of the evening, the secretary reported that registered speakers Robin Campbell, Marvin Hayes, and Alice Williams were no longer present, and no one present offered additional remarks.

Discussion Items

Landmark designations

• Caitlin Merritt of the Department of Planning said the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted at its July 9, 2026 meeting to add both properties to the preliminary landmarks list.
• The Upper Falls Oddfellows Hall, located at 7801 Bradshaw Road in Upper Falls, Maryland, in Council District 5, has a setting of two parcels totaling 0.81 acres. Merritt said it began as a circa 1860s schoolhouse, was used by the Upper Falls Casino Company from 1896, and was acquired by the Oddfellows lodge in 1945. The commission found it eligible under Criterion 1 for its association with fraternal and mutual-aid history. The lodge had requested a smaller building-only setting, but the commission included both parcels to protect the rural streetscape.
• The Eden Dairy, also called the McCullough Johnson Farm, is located at 19241 Middletown Road in Parkton, Maryland, in Council District 3. Its setting includes 5.64 acres, the house, barn, corn crib, springhouse, machine shed, frame auxiliary building, and privy. Merritt said the dwelling and barn date to about 1858, and the commission found the property eligible under Criterion 1 for agriculture and Criterion 2 for architecture. The nomination was made by former owner William Johnson, and the new owners were informed of the landmark status with no reported pushback.
• Councilman Marks described the Oddfellows Hall as a prominent community landmark used for bingo, craft fairs, and charity events. He said many lodge members are concerned about the full-property designation and asked whether the council could shrink the protection to the building only. Merritt confirmed the council has that authority and said most improvement requests that follow historic preservation guidelines are approved quickly.
• Councilman Marks disclosed that he is a member of the lodge, said he had spoken to the ethics commission, and stated he would likely recuse himself from the final vote on the Oddfellows designation.
• The chair stated no vote would take place at the public hearing and that the council must make a decision within 90 days of the hearing.

Bills and legislative actions

• The council approved the journal for September 8, 2026, and enrolled Bills 68-26, 69-26, 70-26, and 71-26. Bills 89-26 through 97-26 were read for introduction only.
• Bill 72-26, the waterway improvement program budget, passed after a technical administration amendment correcting the name of the receiving fund.
• Bill 73-26, the fire prevention code, passed as amended; an amendment by Councilman Jones and Councilman Marks restored language on sprinklers in commercial buildings previously approved in Bill 43-23.
• Bill 74-26, procedures for tenant notice when a court has issued a warrant of restitution, passed as amended. The administration amendment repealed the abandonment clause and required the Office of Law and the County Housing Department to engage external stakeholders and provide legislative recommendations by December 31, 2026. The secretary said the Office of Law considered the repeal necessary for constitutional compliance.
• Bill 75-26, rental housing licenses advertising, passed.
• Bill 76-26, electricians licensing and registration, passed as amended; the technical amendment concerned external electrical disconnects for multi-unit residential buildings.
• Bill 77-26 was withdrawn before the meeting.
• Bill 78-26, Office of the Inspector General technical definition, passed. Councilman Urtell said it clarifies that the office can continue issuing reports and doing its work even when there is no Inspector General in place.
• Bill 79-26, extending temporary controls on data centers, was the subject of substantial debate. Councilman Marks offered an amendment to extend the controls to battery and energy-storage devices in state-defined critical areas, with the controls expiring if the county adopted landscaping and environmental regulations. Councilman Jones, Councilman Crandall, and others objected that battery storage is a separate issue from data centers and had not been vetted in work sessions. Jones also said BGE did not support the amendment. After a vote to suspend the rules and further discussion, Councilman Marks withdrew the amendment and said he would introduce a separate bill. The data center bill then passed unanimously, and all council members were added as co-sponsors. Councilmembers Patoka and Mangioni said there was broad-based community support for pausing data center development while impacts are studied.
• Bill 80-26, zoning regulations for uses permitted in the MLR zone, passed.
• Bill 81-26, zoning regulations allowing beauty and wellness services in the residential office zone, passed after Councilman Jones noted there was no opposition at the work session.
• Bill 82-26, surplus commodities alternative disposition methods, passed. Councilman Marks said it would make it easier for the county to donate or transfer surplus equipment to volunteer fire companies and other public or nonprofit entities.
• Bill 83-26, a property tax credit for the Fraternal Order of Police, passed. Councilman Patoka asked whether the local FOP lodge on Harford Road could receive the credit, and staff did not have an answer at the meeting.

Fiscal matters

• The council approved fiscal matters 1 through 4 together: contracts with Mission Critical Partners LLC, KC Lands Industries LLC, Mobile Bredging and Video Pipe Inc., and Atlantic Lining Company Inc.
• Councilman Patoka asked to separate fiscal matter 5, the contract with Wheelabrator Baltimore LP. He opposed the contract, saying Wheelabrator's stack emissions are harmful, that Wheelabrator was the ninth largest incinerator polluter on the East Coast when the 2022 contract was considered, and that the county needs a broader waste-reduction strategy including composting and a bottle bill.
• Councilman Urtell said the incinerator is a difficult but necessary option while the county works on long-term waste solutions. He cited a county recycling rate of about 25 percent, a recycling facility nearing the end of its useful life, and a landfill that could be full around 2041.
• Councilman Jones said he shared roughly 100 percent of Urtell's concerns, noted record high diesel prices would make trucking trash to other states very expensive, and said the steam from Wheelabrator is used to heat and power buildings in downtown Baltimore.
• Councilman Crandall said he voted for the initial Wheelabrator contract but would vote against this one, stating it was time to make a stand and urging the next council and administration to take a serious look at the county's waste strategy.
• The chair announced fiscal matter 5 passed with four votes in favor and three against. Councilman Crandall's no vote was recorded in the roll call.

Resolutions

• Resolution 27-26, amending the Growth Tier Map for the property at 4122 Sweet Air Road, passed.
• Resolution 28-26, extending the sanitary sewer system in the Middle River area, passed.
• Resolution 29-26, amending a PILOT for Turner Station Preservation LLC, passed.
• Resolution 30-26, endorsing the Luther Hill Station Transit Oriented Development designation, passed. Councilman Mangioni said the resolution only lets the project pursue state financing and incentives, does not approve construction, and project reviews and public processes are still required.
• Resolution 31-26, rural traffic calming policies and procedures, passed as amended. Amendments by Councilman Marks and Councilman Mangioni added requirements to review specific roads and intersections, incorporate recently completed studies, and make recommendations for Cuba Road and Hess Road.
• Resolutions 32-26, 33-26, and 34-26 were read for introduction only for a future meeting. Resolution 34-26 concerns the dedication of Campbell Boulevard honoring Robert Joseph Ramatka Sr.

Key Outcomes

• The landmarks public hearing was informational; no vote was taken, and the council must act within 90 days of September 23, 2026. Councilman Marks said he would likely recuse from the final Oddfellows vote.
• Crystal Mercer was confirmed to the Advisory Committee on Public School Capacity. The motion passed, with Councilman Crandall late and not recorded on that vote.
• Bills 72-26, 73-26, 74-26, 75-26, 76-26, 78-26, and 80-26 through 83-26 passed. Bill 77-26 was withdrawn. Bill 79-26 passed unanimously after Councilman Marks withdrew his battery-storage amendment.
• Fiscal matters 1 through 4 passed. The Wheelabrator Baltimore LP contract passed 4 to 3.
• Resolutions 27-26 through 31-26 passed. Resolutions 32-26 through 34-26 were introduced for future action.
• The meeting adjourned after the council completed its no-further-business motion.