HoCo By Design Public Draft Release

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The HoCo By Design public draft was released on December 1, 2022. The Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) appreciates all of the input submitted during the public comment window that closed on January 31, 2023. DPZ will use this input to refine the draft Plan.

The draft Plan provides a long-term vision for how Howard County will develop and grow as it adjusts to evolving economic, environmental, and social conditions over the next 20 years.

Read the chart below or download the HoCo By Design Graphic Plan Summary to get an overview of the plan. Then, check out the individual chapters to learn more about the topics of interest to you! The Graphic Summary is also available in Chinese, French, Hindi, Korean, and Spanish.




HoCo By Design Public Draft Chapters

Introduction

HoCo By Design Provides a Long-Term Vision for our Future:

  • Sets priorities and informs many of the County's future decisions for land use, transportation, agriculture, facilities, housing, and economic development
  • Incorporates an equity lens to facilitate a more equitable future for all
  • Advances policies that are more predictable, achievable, and sustainable


Read the Introduction chapter here.

Growth & Conservation

HoCo By Design Balances Growth and Conservation:

  • Outlines intended land use for areas throughout the County, depicting each area’s unique purpose, design, and feel
  • Focuses new growth into redevelopment areas, addressing housing and commercial demand while reducing potential impacts on infrastructure and the environment
  • Identifies activity centers, which have a mix of employment, residential, and commercial activity, as the greatest opportunity for transformation
  • Paces growth to allow for development of essential infrastructure, such as schools, roads, drinking water, and sewer


Read the Growth and Conservation chapter here.

Read the Character Areas appendix here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Ecological Health


HoCo By Design Protects Our Natural Environment:

  • Deepens our commitment to environmental stewardship
  • Expands our forest cover, forested stream buffers, and tree canopy
  • Protects sensitive environmental resources such as rivers, wetlands, and groundwater
  • Provides measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation


Read the Ecological Health chapter here.

Read the Environment appendix here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

County in Motion


HoCo By Design Expands Transportation Options:

  • Establishes a safe, equitable, and fiscally sustainable transportation system for all users
  • Enhances public transit service to facilitate better connections within Howard County and around the region
  • Expands safe and convenient walking, cycling, and transit options that reduce reliance on automobile trips and mitigate climate impact


Read the County in Motion chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Economic Prosperity

HoCo By Design Strengthens Economic Opportunities:

  • Supports jobs and workforce housing opportunities, particularly in future mixed-use, walkable activity centers
  • Seeks to attract and maintain a diverse employment base by investing in transportation, education, and other community resources
  • Supports local businesses so they can continue to be strong and prosperous in the future


Read the Economic Prosperity chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Dynamic Neighborhoods
HoCo By Design Promotes Diverse Housing Choices:

  • Supports diverse housing choices, such as missing middle housing and Accessory Dwelling Units, that are affordable and accessible for all
  • Creates opportunities for age-friendly and multi-generational communities
  • Supports housing opportunities for all income levels and age ranges
  • Preserves existing affordable housing stock and enhances community amenities in older neighborhoods


Read the Dynamic Neighborhoods chapter here.

To view the graphic of the chapter, click here.

Quality By Design

HoCo By Design Prioritizes Community Character:

  • Preserves existing neighborhood character and "vibe," recognizing variations in the County's unique areas
  • Creates more accessible, walkable, and connected public outdoors spaces and amenities
  • Seeks to better document our historic resources and preservation, especially those that tell the story of our diverse history
  • Defines the unique and varied character throughout the County and identifies specific elements to preserve or transform


Read the Quality By Design chapter here.

Read the Focus Areas appendix here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Supporting Infrastructure

HoCo By Design Promotes Strong Infrastructure:

  • Encourages collaborative and innovative approaches to locating, funding, and building facilities that meet the needs of our student population
  • Advocates for a strategic, comprehensive long-term approach to capital improvement planning
  • Calls for a diverse and inclusive outreach process when identifying capital needs and equity measures when prioritizing capital projects


Read the Supporting Infrastructure chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Managing Growth

HoCo By Design Paces Growth:

  • Sets a slower pace for future growth compared to the last 20 years, as most of the County has either been conserved or developed
  • Recommends a comprehensive reassessment of the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) growth management system to account for current and anticipated development patterns


Read the Managing Growth chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Implementation

HoCo By Design Tracks Progress:

  • Calls for annual reporting of growth and conservation metrics, and five-year monitoring of the implementation process
  • Supports presentation of annual and five-year monitoring reports in accessible and user-friendly format to increase transparency

Read the Implementation chapter here.


Route 1 Corridor: A Plan for Washington Blvd

The document serves as a long-range plan for the Route 1 Corridor:

  • Preserves Washington Boulevard as an industrial employment corridor and aims to grow the industrial and manufacturing base through redevelopment and reinvestment
  • Promotes safe and efficient travel in the Corridor with focused infrastructure investments
  • Targets redevelopment and placemaking within a variety of mixed-use, walkable districts while preserving its historic communities and protecting the environmental health of the Corridor


Read the Plan for Washington Boulevard here.

To view the graphic summary of the Route 1 Corridor Plan, click here.

The HoCo By Design public draft was released on December 1, 2022. The Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) appreciates all of the input submitted during the public comment window that closed on January 31, 2023. DPZ will use this input to refine the draft Plan.

The draft Plan provides a long-term vision for how Howard County will develop and grow as it adjusts to evolving economic, environmental, and social conditions over the next 20 years.

Read the chart below or download the HoCo By Design Graphic Plan Summary to get an overview of the plan. Then, check out the individual chapters to learn more about the topics of interest to you! The Graphic Summary is also available in Chinese, French, Hindi, Korean, and Spanish.




HoCo By Design Public Draft Chapters

Introduction

HoCo By Design Provides a Long-Term Vision for our Future:

  • Sets priorities and informs many of the County's future decisions for land use, transportation, agriculture, facilities, housing, and economic development
  • Incorporates an equity lens to facilitate a more equitable future for all
  • Advances policies that are more predictable, achievable, and sustainable


Read the Introduction chapter here.

Growth & Conservation

HoCo By Design Balances Growth and Conservation:

  • Outlines intended land use for areas throughout the County, depicting each area’s unique purpose, design, and feel
  • Focuses new growth into redevelopment areas, addressing housing and commercial demand while reducing potential impacts on infrastructure and the environment
  • Identifies activity centers, which have a mix of employment, residential, and commercial activity, as the greatest opportunity for transformation
  • Paces growth to allow for development of essential infrastructure, such as schools, roads, drinking water, and sewer


Read the Growth and Conservation chapter here.

Read the Character Areas appendix here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Ecological Health


HoCo By Design Protects Our Natural Environment:

  • Deepens our commitment to environmental stewardship
  • Expands our forest cover, forested stream buffers, and tree canopy
  • Protects sensitive environmental resources such as rivers, wetlands, and groundwater
  • Provides measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation


Read the Ecological Health chapter here.

Read the Environment appendix here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

County in Motion


HoCo By Design Expands Transportation Options:

  • Establishes a safe, equitable, and fiscally sustainable transportation system for all users
  • Enhances public transit service to facilitate better connections within Howard County and around the region
  • Expands safe and convenient walking, cycling, and transit options that reduce reliance on automobile trips and mitigate climate impact


Read the County in Motion chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Economic Prosperity

HoCo By Design Strengthens Economic Opportunities:

  • Supports jobs and workforce housing opportunities, particularly in future mixed-use, walkable activity centers
  • Seeks to attract and maintain a diverse employment base by investing in transportation, education, and other community resources
  • Supports local businesses so they can continue to be strong and prosperous in the future


Read the Economic Prosperity chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Dynamic Neighborhoods
HoCo By Design Promotes Diverse Housing Choices:

  • Supports diverse housing choices, such as missing middle housing and Accessory Dwelling Units, that are affordable and accessible for all
  • Creates opportunities for age-friendly and multi-generational communities
  • Supports housing opportunities for all income levels and age ranges
  • Preserves existing affordable housing stock and enhances community amenities in older neighborhoods


Read the Dynamic Neighborhoods chapter here.

To view the graphic of the chapter, click here.

Quality By Design

HoCo By Design Prioritizes Community Character:

  • Preserves existing neighborhood character and "vibe," recognizing variations in the County's unique areas
  • Creates more accessible, walkable, and connected public outdoors spaces and amenities
  • Seeks to better document our historic resources and preservation, especially those that tell the story of our diverse history
  • Defines the unique and varied character throughout the County and identifies specific elements to preserve or transform


Read the Quality By Design chapter here.

Read the Focus Areas appendix here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Supporting Infrastructure

HoCo By Design Promotes Strong Infrastructure:

  • Encourages collaborative and innovative approaches to locating, funding, and building facilities that meet the needs of our student population
  • Advocates for a strategic, comprehensive long-term approach to capital improvement planning
  • Calls for a diverse and inclusive outreach process when identifying capital needs and equity measures when prioritizing capital projects


Read the Supporting Infrastructure chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Managing Growth

HoCo By Design Paces Growth:

  • Sets a slower pace for future growth compared to the last 20 years, as most of the County has either been conserved or developed
  • Recommends a comprehensive reassessment of the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) growth management system to account for current and anticipated development patterns


Read the Managing Growth chapter here.

To view the graphic summary of the chapter, click here.

Implementation

HoCo By Design Tracks Progress:

  • Calls for annual reporting of growth and conservation metrics, and five-year monitoring of the implementation process
  • Supports presentation of annual and five-year monitoring reports in accessible and user-friendly format to increase transparency

Read the Implementation chapter here.


Route 1 Corridor: A Plan for Washington Blvd

The document serves as a long-range plan for the Route 1 Corridor:

  • Preserves Washington Boulevard as an industrial employment corridor and aims to grow the industrial and manufacturing base through redevelopment and reinvestment
  • Promotes safe and efficient travel in the Corridor with focused infrastructure investments
  • Targets redevelopment and placemaking within a variety of mixed-use, walkable districts while preserving its historic communities and protecting the environmental health of the Corridor


Read the Plan for Washington Boulevard here.

To view the graphic summary of the Route 1 Corridor Plan, click here.

Page last updated: 08 Feb 2023, 04:34 PM