The Bipartisan 4-2 Votes Against Effective Flood Mitigation
Hiruy Hadgu
Typically after the kind of flood Ellicott City experienced, people ask what kinds of actions should our political leaders take to prevent future flooding. In our case these solutions are not hypothetical. In fact, just last year the county council had a chance to vote on at least three pieces of legislation.
CB38-2019 (failed 3-2):
AN ACT to prohibit certain waivers in the Patapsco Lower North Branch Watershed; to prohibit certain disturbance of land in the Ellicott City Floodplain; to prohibit specified activities in certain buffers; to provide certain open space requirements in the Patapsco Lower North Branch Watershed; to eliminate certain fees-in-lieu; to prohibit residential infill under specified circumstances; to prohibit the issuance of certain variances in the Patapsco Lower North Branch Watershed; adding certain requirements related to forest conservation plans; to limit forest cover clearing in the Patapsco Lower North Branch Watershed; to specify the afforestation level in certain cases; to alter requirements and procedures to control the adverse impacts associated with stormwater; and generally relating to subdivision and land development regulations.
CB40-2019 (failed 3-2):
AN ACT extending the Effective Period of the temporary prohibition on the issuance of certain permits and certain approvals of development plans and zoning changes for property that drains wholly or partly to the Tiber Branch Watershed or the Plumtree Branch Watershed in Howard County that was imposed by Council Bill 56-2018; and declaring this to be an emergency bill.
CR122 (passed 3-2):
A RESOLUTION amending a fee-in-lieu for constructing storm water management facilities.
The majority in all three votes were Councilpersons Jones (D2), Rigby (D3), and Yungmann (D5). The fourth vote is approval by County Executive Calvin Ball.