Howard County Planning Board Meeting – August 20, 2026

The Howard County Planning Board convened on August 20, 2026, at an unspecified evening time, with a quorum of members present. The meeting included approval of the agenda, a deferred vote on the previous meeting's minutes, a schedule change for an upcoming meeting, and two development plan items: a site development plan for a new car wash and a final development plan amendment for a school parking lot expansion. Public comments were heard on both items. The board approved both applications unanimously.

Agenda and Minutes Approval

• The board approved the agenda for the August 20, 2026 meeting by a unanimous voice vote.
• A motion to approve the minutes of the July 23, 2026 meeting was made and seconded, but it failed because only two members present at this meeting had attended that prior meeting. The minutes were deferred to the next meeting.

Meeting Schedule Change

• The executive secretary requested to move the regularly scheduled October 15, 2026 planning board meeting to October 22, 2026. The change accommodates the Howard County Board of Education, which needs to present its annual state- and locally-funded project updates for concurrence with HoCo by Design before a county council work session on October 26, 2026. The board agreed to the change, with some members expressing concerns about the compressed timeline and past process difficulties.

Site Development Plan 26-033 – Auto Spa Express

• Staff Presentation: Catherine Bolton from DPZ presented SDP 26-033 for a 4,145-square-foot car wash facility at 8121 Robinson Jefferson Drive in the Gateway Overlook Shopping Center. The proposal conforms to the FDP’s permitted uses, setback, parking, stormwater management, and landscaping requirements. The site is 1.2 acres and zoned for commercial use, which permits car washes.
• Petitioner Presentation: The petitioner showed site plans, landscaping, signage, and queuing capacity (approximately 15 cars). The design was approved by Howard Hughes architectural review.
• Public Comment: Victor Larka, owner of Exodia Motors next door, expressed concern that the required 19 shade trees would block his business’s visibility from Lark Brown Road. He also noted that school children frequently cut across the property to reach bus stops, and that construction could force them into unsafe roadways. He offered to share photographs showing the current view.
• Board Discussion: Board members noted that the landscaping meets minimum requirements and that the trees are small (2.5-inch caliper), allowing visibility initially. A fence along the property line may redirect pedestrians to sidewalks. The board encouraged continued cooperation between the petitioner and adjacent business.
• Vote: The board voted unanimously to approve SDP 26-033.

Final Development Plan 45-A-4 – Wild Lake Middle and High School Parking Lot Expansion

• Staff Presentation: Catherine Bolton presented an amendment to FDP 45-A-4 to convert 0.099 acres of credited open space to non-credited open space for a parking lot expansion on the Wild Lake school campus. The expansion supports the adjoining redevelopment of the “Source” (STP 26-001). The current credited open space is 44.771 acres; after conversion, it would be 44.672 acres, still exceeding the 36% minimum required for the new town.
• Petitioner Presentation: Eric McWilliams of Bowler Engineering explained that the parking lot expansion adds nine spaces plus some additional spaces on a lower level. The expansion includes landscaping, with more trees than currently exist. The sidewalk connection from Wild Lake to the multi-use pathway has been installed, and further connections to Little Patuxent will be built.
• Public Comment: Joan Lankos, a resident, supported the amendment but raised concerns that the SDP for the Source was approved before this FDP amendment, creating a backwards process. She also suggested that the Newtown Task Force report, which finalized recommendations for Section 125 of the zoning regulations, should address streamlining small open-space changes while ensuring cumulative impacts are tracked. She asked the board to consider these issues in future regulatory reviews.
• Board Discussion: Board members acknowledged the process concerns and thanked the speaker for her work on the task force. The sidewalk connection was noted as an improvement.
• Vote: The board voted unanimously to approve FDP 45-A-4 for the Howard County Board of Education.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda: Approved (unanimous).n- Previous Minutes: Deferred to next meeting (motion failed).n- Meeting Schedule: October 15, 2026 meeting moved to October 22, 2026 (board agreed).n- SDP 26-033 (Auto Spa Express): Approved (unanimous).n- FDP 45-A-4 (Wild Lake Parking Expansion): Approved (unanimous).n- Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned after the final vote.