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Council advances rezoning for Cromwell Station transit-oriented development after amendments and public discussion
Summary
The county council considered bills to update Region 1 zoning and adopted targeted MXDU (urban mixed-use) rezoning amendments for parcels near Cromwell Station; one amendment removing additional parcels failed, two parcel-specific MXDU amendments passed 6-0 and a separate vote on the broader General Development Plan was held to a future date.
The Anne Arundel County Council on Monday advanced zoning changes in Region 1 with a series of votes that approved targeted urban mixed-use rezonings for parcels near Cromwell Station while removing an earlier, broader amendment that had included additional landowners.
During a joint public hearing on bills 9-25 (General Development Plan, Region 1) and 10-25 (Comprehensive Zoning, Region 1), administration staff and planning officials described the changes and answered council questions. Ethan Hunt introduced county planning staff to the record, and Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Jansen Eason and senior planner Mark Wildonger explained parcel-level details and the state’s interest in transit-oriented development at Cromwell Station.
Councilmember Demarcus (last name not altered in record) Smith sponsored amendments to reclassify several parcels adjacent to the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and corporate-center areas from industrial or open-space zoning to MXDU (urban mixed use). The council first reconsidered and voted down Amendment 13, which previously had expanded MXDU to a larger cluster of BWI-area parcels after landowner objections. Amendment 13 failed on a 0-6 roll call vote.
The council then approved Amendment 21, which re-designated specific properties at Corporate Center Drive and Ridge Road from W1 Industrial Park and OS Open Space to MXDU. The roll call on Amendment 21 was 6-0 in favor, with one member absent. Amendment 22, which rezoned portions of parcels on Baltimore-Annapolis Boulevard and the tract between I-97 and Dorsey Road to MXDU (also citing parcel and tax-map identifiers), passed 6-0 as well.
Sponsor Smith said Cromwell Station is a suitable site for transit-oriented development and that the parcels initially in question were smaller than earlier public descriptions had suggested. "Cromwell Station is a perfect spot for transit oriented development," he said, and added that state and county officials had committed to community engagement on design and amenities.
Deputy CAO Jansen Eason said the administration strongly supports the targeted rezoning as consistent with Plan 2040 and prior GDP recommendations and noted that the state is pursuing transit-oriented development that would bring housing, jobs and economic activity to the area.
Council members from multiple districts voiced support for the targeted approach and said they expected additional public engagement as state-led design work proceeds. Several members also noted public concerns about security and said the administration had discussed potential safety and monitoring measures with neighborhood leaders.
Following the parcel-specific votes, the council moved to hold the vote on Bill 9-25 (the General Development Plan amendment) until May 5, 2025, giving members more time to align amendments across bills; that motion carried on a 6-0 roll call. The transcript shows no final adoption of the bills on the day of the presentation; amendments were adopted and the council scheduled further action.
Ending note: Councilmembers urged continued community engagement as state and county planning teams move from zoning to design and implementation for transit-oriented projects around Cromwell Station.
