Columbia Association to benefit from boost in property values
While Howard County and the state government worry about flat revenues and the state's $1.7 billion projected deficit, the Columbia Association likely will be swimming in cash for the next several years - thanks to sharply higher property values and the association's unique system of assessing property taxlike fees.
State assessment officials for Howard say preliminary figures for new east Columbia assessments due in December show that home prices have soared by 20 to 25 percent. Because the association, unlike the county, does not phase in new assessments over three years and does not have the county's 5 percent assessment cap, residents will face sharply higher bills in July.
All that new cash - up to $164 more for the owner of a $180,000 house - could mean millions more dollars for the homeowners association.
Mistrial is declared in Sands murder case
The murder trial of Tavon Donya Sands ended abruptly in a mistrial Tuesday after a witness testified that an investigator showed him a series of photos that included the 21-year old Columbia man's picture - information that both prosecution and defense attorneys said caught them by surprise.
Howard Circuit Judge Raymond J. Kane Jr. halted the proceedings during the trial's first full day of testimony, saying a mistrial was the only "remedy" for a situation lawyers likened to "trial by ambush." No new trial date was set.
Sands is charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery and related offenses stemming from the fatal shooting of 23-year-old computer student DeShawn Anthony Wallace during a botched robbery Jan. 25 in the 5800 block Stevens Forest Road.
Revitalization sought for Oakland Mills center
Four empty sites, each with a different owner, make revitalizing the ailing Oakland Mills Village Center in Columbia difficult, although a citizens group is working with county government and the property owners to make that happen.
"There has been a lack of unified planning because each entity is responsible for their own space," said Barbara Russell, a Columbia councilwoman who represents Oakland Mills and is a member of the committee. With one proposal for an apartment house for seniors to replace the former Exxon gas station, boosters hope a new grocery store can be found to occupy the former Metro food market by year's end. That would leave an undeveloped site and a closed branch of Allfirst bank.
Gray, Lorsung honored at final council session
The final county council voting session for this term produced accolades and gifts as well as legislative action Wednesday evening, as the council marked the departures of C. Vernon Gray, an east Columbia Democrat completing 20 years on the council, and Mary C. Lorsung, a west Columbia Democrat retiring after her second four-year term.
The council honored Gray by naming its conference room after him, and exchanged compliments and gifts, including a few tongue-in cheek gifts from the two council Republicans. Gray received a pair of boxing gloves to symbolize his fights with the western county's Allan H. Kittleman and Christopher J. Merdon of Ellicott City, while Lorsung received a yellow microscope to mark her penchant for detailed examination of each bill she voted on.
The council postponed action on a bill giving animal-control officers more power to remove dangerous animals against an owner's will, and it approved condemnation of the final lot for a proposed 25-acre North Laurel park.
Adequate-facilities law again under scrutiny
Howard County's decade-old law that tries to slow development around crowded schools is likely to be modified again after the new county executive and County Council take office in December. Although the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance has not been a major topic in candidates' speeches this fall, almost all feel it is not doing what it was supposed to, and needs more changes.
"I call it IPFO - Inadequate Public Facilities Ordinance," quipped Lynne Bergling, a Democrat running for County Council in Ellicott City. Her opponent, incumbent Republican Christopher J. Merdon, has called for changing or replacing the law.
However, although County Executive James N. Robey said that if re-elected he would reconvene the committee that two years ago strengthened the law, he and most others say the law has brought positive change and should not be scrapped. The main problem, most say, is determining accurate school enrollment projections.
Agreement allows bike trail in Patapsco to proceed
A paved bicycle trail paralleling the Patapsco River on the Howard-Baltimore county border will be completed without appeal from environmental activists under an agreement reached Thursday between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and environmentalists.
The agency agreed not to build any paved projects within Patapsco Valley State Park during the next 10 years, and the trail's opponents agreed to drop all administrative appeals.
Since 1998, a dispute over the 1 1/4 -mile paved trail has pitted environmental activists against bicyclists and a local businessman, who want greater access to the park.
Cell phone subscribers mistakenly charged tax
A phantom telephone tax has been striking thousands of cell phone subscribers in Howard County since August, and two cell phone companies have admitted making the mistakes.
The extra charge - identified as a county tax - has appeared on the monthly bills of up to 15,000 Cingular customers, typically adding $4 to $5 to their bills. And several Verizon customers have been charged a new Prince George's County telephone tax - even though they don't live in that county. Howard County has no telephone tax.