Council backs revision of signage law for downtown Towson

The Baltimore County Council on Monday unanimously passed a bill allowing for rooftop signs and changeable copy — including flashing signs — in the new Towson City Center development.

The bill allows an exemption to the county's existing sign laws that would otherwise require the developers to apply for a variance.

Marks introduced the bill after the developers of Towson City Center – a commercial development in the former Investment Building at York and Dulaney Valley roads that is seen as a linchpin to redevelopment in downtown Towson — told him the signage is necessary to attract tenants to the new development.

"I will take a thriving, active, job-producing building with signage over an empty building in the heart of Towson any day," Marks said.

The bill was discussed at the council's work session on Oct. 11 and — after hearing concerns from the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations — Marks introduced an amendment that was made part of Monday's vote.

Initially, the bill only applied to buildings used by the county or state with 150,000 square feet of office and/or retail gross floor area in downtown Towson, which limited its reach to Towson City Center, Dulaney Center and Towson Town Center, Marks said.

But after Dick Parsons spoke for the GTCCA at the work session in opposition to the bill, Marks changed it to apply only to buildings used by the state — which would include Towson University or other state agencies as potential tenants.

With the new restrictions, Marks said the bill only currently applies to Towson City Center and — should the university or another state entity lease space in it — Towson Commons.

"In crafting the amendment, I am trying to deal with concerns about unnecessary signage," Marks said. "I was told by a longtime leader in the (GTCCA), who I greatly respect, to tighten this bill, and that's what I've tried to do."

Still, GTCCA President David Kosak said Monday his organization is upset not by the revitalization of Towson that the bill promotes, but by the process in which it was passed.

"[David Marks] is essentially writing legislation for a single building, which is what a variance is for," Kosak said. "It's not that we're against a sign — it's just a sign. What we're upset about is the process for which the sign can be obtained."

Marks, however, said variance requests could be a hindrance in filling Towson City Center.

"The problem with variances is when you request a variance, you can be tied up in legal action for one to two years," Marks said.

Marks said he needed to support the bill to advance the revitalization of downtown Towson.

"As far as their concerns go, I agree with the GTCCA 95 percent of the time," Marks said. "There's just going to be instances when I disagree with them.

Cynthia Bledsoe, executive director of the Greater Towson Committee, said at the work session that Towson City Center will be a "huge spur" to connecting mall patrons to the Towson core, and added that the new signage regulation could be effective in bringing foot traffic to the area.

Also at the work session, county Department of Planning Director Andrea Van Arsdale spoke in favor of the legislation, saying, "it will promote a lively mix of signs that brand large signature buildings with specific uses and will visually reinforce the identity of Towson as a corporate and university center."

Council passes PUD revision

In other business Monday, the County Council unanimously passed a bill that clarifies the public benefit portion of the planned unit development process in Baltimore County.

Baltimore County's PUD provision involves a special process whereby certain development projects — which would normally be outside of what zoning laws permit in certain areas — can be approved, provided there is a demonstrated need or value to the community.

Under the new legislation, development in one of the county's 13 commercial revitalization zones qualifies as a public benefit, while senior housing no longer does.

The bill also allows for donations to NeighborSpace, which preserves open space in highly developed areas, as a public benefit.

"(This bill) is continued reform," said 1st District Councilman Tom Quirk, who co-sponsored the bill with Marks. "We have a council that clearly recognizes that the PUD is a very good tool. It's a flexible tool, but we want to make sure that we're using it in the best way possible."

Reporter Brian Conlin contributed to this story