Published: July 09, 2008 11:53 am      

Exam of Willowbrook-Messick corridor endorsed

CUMBERLAND - The Allegany County Planning and Zoning Commission has endorsed a joint planning initiative with the city of Cumberland for the Willowbrook Road-Messick Road corridor, an area the city has said could be its "21st-century neighborhood."

Cumberland has expressed a desire to annex east toward Messick Road. Some of the land is controlled by the county and has different zoning designations than what is inside city limits.

The lack of a uniform zoning effort could allow a hodgepodge of mixed, unplanned - and possibly undesirable - uses in the area featuring Allegany College of Maryland and the new Western Maryland Health System Regional Medical Center.

"There is definitely a need to conduct an analysis of the area," said Phil Hager, county planning coordinator, during Monday's meeting of the commission.

But, Hager emphasized, "support for this initiative is not a vote for annexation."

At a point to be determined, city officials will spearhead the annexation effort. They are in control only so much, as annexations can be subject to a referendum vote - which may not be successful. Also, the city's push to annex is limited by its ability to finance and expand supporting infrastructure. Hager said the city has offered to provide staff and financial assistance to the planning effort.

"Consequently, portions of the corridor may remain under the county's jurisdiction for some time to come," according to a report by David Umling, city planner for Cumberland.

That's precisely why a joint effort is needed, Umling told the commission last month. Commission member Bill Davis, who requested the issue be tabled at the June meeting, made the motion to endorse the effort Monday. He only tabled the issue because commission members did not have time to review the material before the meeting.

The city, Umling wrote in a report, will begin developing a land-use and design plan for the area to be annexed. Recommendations from the plan would be adopted by reference as part of both jurisdictions' comprehensive plans, Umling said. The plan would serve as the basis for subsequent changes in zoning and/or subdivision regulations, as appropriate, for both the city and the county to improve consistency between guiding ordinances for both governments.

Bob Paye, counsel for Western Maryland Health System, supported the commission's endorsement of the "critically important" effort.

"This will be the most actively developed area in our community," Paye said. "It's critical to address planning now before helter-skelter development takes place."

Paye said WMHS and college officials envision an expansion of the current education and health care campus. The campus would be supported by other medical offices and support services and reasonable residential development.

That vision could be disrupted by unplanned development, Paye said.

"We have a very awkward situation in the corridor right now," he said. "Several months ago, there were three applications for rezoning. We found that existing plans no longer govern the area."

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.