Howard County News

Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning met Aug. 2.

Here is the agenda provided by the Board:

								TECHNICAL STAFF REPORT
								River Hill Square
							Planning Board Meeting of August 2, 2018
File No./Petitioner:							Stephen Klein and Associates
Project Name:							River Hill Square, (SDP-18-044): Cemetery Boundary Documentation and
							Accommodation Plan
DPZ Planner:							Nicholas Haines, (410) 313-4333, nhaines@howardcountymd.gov
Request:							The request is for Planning Board consideration and recommendations to the
							Department of Planning and Zoning regarding a cemetery accommodation plan on
							Parcel 1 in accordance with Section 16.1304 of the Howard County Code. The
							applicant is proposing a renewed commercial development containing 4 separate
							buildings and associated parking areas and infrastructure, associated with SDP-
							18-044. The grave sites are proposed to be accommodated along the southern
							boundary of the property.”
Location:							The property (Tax Map 35, Grid 1, Parcel 1, in the Fifth Election District of Howard
							County, Maryland) is accessed via MD Route 108.
DPZ Recommendation:							Approval, subject to complying with remaining technical comments from the
							Subdivision Review Committee (SRC).

Vicinal Properties:				Surrounding  properties to  the north,  and northwest  are  zoned RC-DEO  and
				designated Tier IV. They include single family detached residences, farmland, and
				associated farm buildings
				Surrounding properties to the south, are developed with single family detached
				homes, and are zoned NT.
				The adjacent property to the southwest contains the Linden-Linthicum United
				Methodist Church, and is zoned R-20.
				The property to the northeast is the Linthicum Chapel Cemetery of Clarksville, and
				is zoned R-20.
Regulatory Compliance:				The Amended Fifth Edition of the Subdivision and Land Development Regulations,
				and the Zoning Regulations (effective October 6, 2013).
History:
				SDP-91-002, Site Development Plan - Submitted on September 19, 1990 for
				the River Hill Garden Center. The SDP originals were given signature approval
				on February 25, 1991.
				SDP-18-044, Site Development Plan - Submitted on June 15, 2018 for the
				River Hill Square commercial re-development. The SDP is still under review.
Analysis:				This is a request for recommendation by the Planning Board concerning the
				“Cemetery Boundary Documentation and Accommodation Plan” for 4 gravesites
				for the “Inglehart Family” (James T.: Died March 16, 1856, Nelson P.: Died Oct 1,
				1863; Aged 10 Months, Thomas W.: Died Nov 16, 1863; Aged 4 years and 7
				months, and Rachel: Died Nov 14, 1861; Aged 1 year and 2 days) located at
				12171 MD Route 108, Tax Map 35, Grid 1, Parcel 1 as shown on SDP-18-044
				“River Hill Square”, which consists of commercial redevelopment of the property.
				The existing graves are proposed to remain in their current location along the
				southern property boundary adjacent to the Linden-Linthicum United Methodist
				Church.
				The property owners wish to keep the existing graves on the property and
				improve their overall condition. As mentioned in the Cemetery Report, the exact
				location and dimensions of the burial site could not be determined. River Hill
				Square LLC proposed to reserve the portion of the property that is believed to be
				the burial location, reinstall the headstones, and surround them with a fence and
				landscaping. The graves would be accessed from the public parking lot as part of
				the proposed commercial development.
				Attached for your review and consideration are the following documents.
				1.  A copy of the applicable Section from the Howard County Subdivision and
				Land Development Regulations; Section 16.1304, “Development or
				Subdivision in a Cemetery” which explains the Planning Board’s
				recommendation authority for the property owner’s cemetery plan.
				2.  The applicant’s proposed Cemetery Accommodation Plan.
				3.  River Hill Square Cemetery Report Dated May 2018, which contains the
				Cemetery investigation documentation, photographs of the gravestones,
				photographs of the investigative processes, and Deed history.
Planning Board Criteria:				In accordance with Section 16.1304(e) of the Howard County Code, the Planning
				Board shall consider the design proposal for the cemetery accommodation at a
				public meeting and make a recommendation to the Department of Planning and
				Zoning on the property owners plan.

Recommendation:                     The Department of Planning and Zoning recommends approval of the “Cemetery Boundary Documentation and Accommodation Plan”, subject to the following conditions:

1. The four headstones shall be re-installed over the existing gravesites.

2. The applicant shall enclose the grave sites with open fencing which will contain an access gate, and adequate landscaping will be provided as shown on the exhibit.

3. The property will be developed and the grave site will be protected in accordance with the Regulations.

4. The proposed grave site improvements will be shown and noted on the Site Development Plan (SDP-18-044).

5. Compliance with remaining technical comments from the Subdivision Review Committee for Site Development Plan (SDP-18-044).

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