Support of Long Reach Village Redevelopment

I support the Long Reach Village Center Redevelopment project which will help the Long Reach Village center. Whenever I drive into or pass by that village center, I feel that village needs a redevelopment. Last week, we had a candidate forum there, my feeling got stronger.

The county zoning board made a decision to delay this project for a year until this year’s election. One year delay will dramatically change the project perspective, for example, the developer may pull out and everything will start over. The current plan has been supported by almost all parties involved and there is no reason for delaying it at all.
Each successful village is a part of Columbia spirit. I wish Long Reach Village Center will join this.
If you feel the same, please consider writing to council members Ms. Jen Terrasa and Dr. Calvin Ball.  The email is listed below and cc your email to other council members. I know other council members are supporting this project and they want to have a vote on this redevelopment project.

 

 
cbball@howardcountymd.gov,
jterrasa@howardcountymd.gov		 councilmail@howardcountymd.gov,
akittleman@howardcountymd.gov

A letter from Oakland Mills Community Association( they asked me to share it publicly).

The Honorable Jen Terrasa
Chairperson, Howard County Zoning Board
3430 Court House Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043

The Honorable Calvin Ball
Vice Chairperson, Howard County Zoning Board
3430 Court House Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043

Dear Zoning Board Chairperson Terrasa and Vice Chairperson Ball:

The Oakland Mills Community Association (OMCA), requests that you immediately reconsider your refusal to schedule a Zoning Board hearing in April 2018 regarding the redevelopment of the Long Reach Village Center. A Zoning Board delay will bring the project to a screeching halt for almost a year, time which the older Columbia villages, like ours, simply cannot afford to lose.

The thousands of residents who live in the older villages are deeply concerned about our village centers, whose retail merchants are severely challenged by drastic changes in the retail scene and in the economic circumstances of the properties surrounding them. We have been closely following the plans to redevelop Long Reach in the hope that it will point a way forward for other villages with similar challenges.

The County must move this project forward for several important reasons. The costs to the County in delaying the sale of the center would be substantial and have a negative impact on the County’s FY19 budget and on the County’s annual tax base. Equally as important as the financial implication of a delay is the forward momentum that the residents of Long Reach deserve and are in desperate need of. Village centers were and should remain the heart and soul of each village. The redevelopment of Long Reach is a critical step in finding the way forward for Long Reach and all older villages. OMCA wants to ensure that developers see revitalization of older village centers as opportunities to invest in Howard County’s established communities, and we request quick reconsideration to hold the Long Reach Village Center hearing with the Zoning Board in April.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Edelson
Chairman, Oakland Mills Community Association