Baltimore County holds virtual visioning for Small Area Plan 1; residents prioritize pedestrian safety, open space and housing

Abigail Rogers, the District 1 community planner leading Small Area Plan 1, opened a virtual community visioning session and walked attendees through how the county’s Master Plan 2030 and small area plans will guide future redevelopment and public-service priorities.

Rogers said the Master Plan 2030 establishes countywide policies for development, services and resource management and that small area plans are place-based, nonbinding guides to refine those policies at the neighborhood level. "This is our sharing part of the process where we're sharing what we have to you and we're hoping that you'll share your input and opinions back to us," Rogers said.

The virtual meeting used live Slido polls and a Mural-style map exercise to gather resident priorities. Early survey and poll snapshots presented during the meeting showed land use and community facilities as top built-environment priorities; workforce development and commercial investment as economic priorities; and forest preservation and green-network improvements under the "harmony with nature" element. In the live Slido poll, respondents most often selected "better maintenance and reduced dumping" as the top green-space priority and identified "aging homes in poor condition" as the leading housing concern.

Participants also emphasized mobility and pedestrian safety across the SAP 1 area. When asked which transportation priorities mattered most, voters favored increased pedestrian connectivity and expanded transit access and reliability. Respondents identified a need for improved links to employment and education destinations, including UMBC, which attendees noted functions as both an educational and employment hub.

During node-specific exercises, attendees suggested multifamily housing, transit-oriented development and improved crosswalks around Lansdowne Station and the Baltimore Highlands light-rail stop; Halethorpe/St. Denis drew suggestions for pedestrian infrastructure and context-sensitive reuse of rail-adjacent historic areas; and the UMBC node elicited ideas for student housing, protected bike lanes and research-park growth.

A separate cultural-resources mapping activity produced a range of local landmarks and assets, including Mount Zion Cemetery, the Relay historic area, East Drive movie theater, Hillcrest Pond and UMBC/CCBC cultural events. Attendees also flagged a closed portion of the Guinness plant and several commercial corridors as redevelopment opportunities.

Rogers said the Arbutus Sustainable Community designation — a statewide status that opens grant opportunities — was last renewed in 2021 and comes up for renewal every five years; feedback from the SAP process will inform the next renewal cycle and action plan. She also encouraged participants to complete the open online survey (QR code shared) and to join an in-person public meeting planned for 2026.

David, a participant who contributed during the placemaking discussion, urged that affordability be part of placemaking: "Affordable housing is an important aspect of vibrant communities," he said.

The session closed with organizers thanking participants for their input and reminding residents to sign up for project updates by email. Rogers said she would remain on the call briefly for follow-up questions.

Next steps include continued data synthesis, follow-up community meetings and staff coordination with county and state agencies to identify early-action projects and longer-term policy recommendations.