At the January 3rd meeting of the Baltimore County Council, I will introduce a resolution that requires new construction in the commercial area of Rodgers Forge and Anneslie to be evaluated by the Design Review Panel. The area will extend along York Road from Dumbarton to Windwood Roads.
This designation means that a panel of architects and design professionals will review the layout and aesthetics of new construction. Projects in Downtown Towson and Loch Raven are already subject to evaluation by the Design Review Panel.
The legislation is prompted, in part, by concerns that the Starbucks at York Road and Regester Avenue was approved with little community input or attention to design. I will continue to meet with the developer of the Starbucks and concerned residents to see how that project can be modified.
The commercial area of Anneslie and Rodgers Forge is one of the most pedestrian-friendly and attractive in Greater Towson. Should the legislation be approved, I would like to work with residents and business owners to come up with metrics on how the Design Review Panel should evaluate new construction.