Baltimore County Council Members Can Now Revoke Previously Granted Approval For Planning Projects

BALTIMORE COUNTY - Baltimore County Council members can now retroactively revoke approval for planning projects, according to legislation passed on Monday night.

Bill 23-23, introduced by Councilman David Marks, allows council members to revoke prior approval for planning projects, known as planned unit developments (PUDs). The council passed the bill unanimously, with Marks touting the legislation as a way to ensure only the best projects are built in Baltimore County.

“[PUDs] should reflect the highest standards of architectural design and thoughtful planning,” Marks said before the vote on Monday. “It should also command significant community support.”

For Marks, the bill aimed to cancel plans to build an industrial park on the former LaFarge sand-and-gravel quarry site. Marks inherited the project when the Lafarge site was added to his district after new maps took effect in January.

With the passage of Bill 23-23, Marks now has the authority to revoke the PUD approval for the development within 90 days of a community input meeting.

At the meeting on Monday, Marks also introduced legislation to do exactly that. Resolution 12-23 would cancel the approval for the LaFarge development.

Community members and activist groups have long criticized the LaFarge quarry project, raising concerns such as environmental degradation, increased traffic, and lack of area infrastructure.

The quarry project is currently undergoing environmental remediation to remove toxic pollutants left in the soil from years of mining. According to the Maryland Department of the Environment, there is yet to be a timeline for when the work will be completed.