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Residents urge council to preserve Parcel 357; amendment to keep it rural defeated
Summary
Residents urged the Anne Arundel County Council to retain rural (RLD) zoning for Parcel 357 at 679 Maryland Route 3 North, citing traffic safety, watershed protection and septic/water concerns; two council amendments to restore RLD were defeated and the council passed Region 6 planning and zoning bills as amended.
The Anne Arundel County Council on March 19 heard more than a dozen residents urging that Parcel 357 (679 Maryland Route 3 North) remain residential low density (RLD) rather than be upzoned for commercial use.
Speakers including Deborah Bresnack, John Bresnack, Deborah Weller, Marybeth Love and others said commercial development at the Millersville/Route 3 intersection would worsen an already failing intersection, threaten well‑and‑septic dependent households, and endanger the Jabez Branch watershed. Weller, representing the Old Milligan Neighborhood Association, said a proposed entrance farther south would not reduce local traffic impacts and could increase unsafe crossing maneuvers.
Councilmember Rodbien moved two related amendments — Amendment 5 (to Bill 1‑26, changing the planned land use for Parcel 357 from commercial to rural) and Amendment 9 (to Bill 2‑26, rezoning Parcel 357 from C2 commercial to RLD). Rodbien repeatedly cited community testimony and environmental concerns, and asked colleagues to preserve the parcel as a buffer to the agricultural corridor and to protect stream health and safety.
Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ) staff told the council they would not object to RLD but noted prior regional planning recommendations and technical analyses. After roll calls, Amendment 5 failed on a 2‑to‑5 vote and Amendment 9 likewise failed by the same margin.
Following the amendment votes the council moved to final action on the Region 6 bills. After consideration of multiple amendments, the council voted 7‑0 to adopt Bill 1‑26 (Region 6 general development plan as amended) and Bill 2‑26 (Region 6 comprehensive zoning as amended).
The passage of the bills means the council approved the Region 6 plan and the comprehensive zoning map changes that include the provisions opponents had sought to reverse. Sponsors and administration staff said the package had been developed through the regional planning process; opponents argued that specific parcels — and area infrastructure — still lack adequate protections.
The council left open future amendment or review opportunities tied to project‑level reviews and state agency approvals. For now, residents have a record of their opposition, and several asked the council to pursue additional traffic analyses and watershed protections for the Jabez Branch.
The Region 6 bills and defeated amendments will remain available for administrative and procedural review; any future development proposals will be subject to county and state permitting processes.
