Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Facilities Zoning topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council adds C2 zoning option for school-bus facilities; bill scheduled for Feb. 3 hearing
Summary
The council adopted an amendment to Bill 9,724 to make school‑bus facilities a conditional use in the C2 zoning district as well as C1, and scheduled further consideration of the bill for Feb. 3, 2025.
On Jan. 21 the Anne Arundel County Council adopted an amendment to Bill 9,724 that adds school‑bus facilities as a conditional use in C2 zoning districts, matching the requirements proposed for C1 districts. The amendment passed on a unanimous roll call and the bill was scheduled for continued consideration on Feb. 3, 2025.
Council members heard a mix of administration concerns and proponent testimony during the public hearing. The administration (Ethan Hunt and Lynn Miller, Office of Planning and Zoning) expressed concern that allowing school‑bus facilities in lower‑intensity commercial zones (C1/C2) could put that use near residential neighborhoods. Miller noted that certain repair activities allowed in existing code “don’t align well with our C1 zoning district.”
Proponents, including Logan and Randall Jubb of Jubb’s Bus Service and land‑use attorney Phil Hager, said a conditional‑use allowance — combined with the bill’s size and arterial‑access requirements — would limit where facilities could locate and help bus companies park buses closer to the communities they serve. Hager pointed out the bill’s minimum lot requirement (5 acres) and arterial access condition, saying the provisions will constrain where the use could appear.
Council discussion referenced the existing code requirements for school‑bus facilities (site size minimums, screening, distance from residential lots, and operational limits). Several council members signaled they preferred retaining robust review (special‑exception vs. conditional‑use) in cases where neighbors might be affected but ultimately supported the amendment and moving the bill forward for another meeting.
Roll call on Amendment No. 1 to Bill 9,724: Miss Fiedler — Aye; Miss Radvian — Aye; Miss Ledbetter — Aye; Mr Smith — Aye; Miss Pickard — Aye; Mr Volkke — Aye; Miss Hummer — Aye. The clerk announced “7 in the affirmative, none in the negative.”
Ending: With the amendment adopted, Bill 9,724 (zoning requirements for school‑bus facilities) will return to the council docket for a Feb. 3 hearing and further action.
