Village Redevelopment Rules OK'd

At long last, the HoCo Council adopts new rules for village center redevelopment. Read the Sun's take here.

The new law allows property owners at the centers to ask the county for zoning changes that would allow new uses such as large-scale housing without going through General Growth Properties, Columbia's master developer. Currently, GGP must submit any village center alterations to the county planning board, which has final approval.

The law adds more protections for residents, requiring early notification of any redevelopment plan and two community information meetings at least 30 days apart before any plan is submitted to the county. It also requires developers to provide more detail on their plans earlier in the process, a community impact statement, plus time for a community response. Final decisions on each case would come from the county zoning board, which is composed of county council members.

Now if only the economy would cooperate.