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NEWS RELEASE

August 29, 2008

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Howard County Releases Green Neighborhood Guidance Document for Sites

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County’s Department of Planning and Zoning announced the release of its Green Neighborhood Guidance Document for Sites, in support of Howard County’s innovative Green Neighborhood Program. The Green Neighborhood Program is a pilot program under County Executive Ken Ulman’s “Live Green Howard County” initiative that strives to make Howard County a model green community.

“We are excited to offer this incentive-based program and look forward to seeing Green Neighborhoods as exemplary models of sustainable building and development,” said Ulman.

The Program is divided into two components – both of which must be fulfilled for a community to be recognized as a Green Neighborhood. The “Sites” portion of the Program is overseen by the Department of Planning and Zoning and awards points in the following categories:

• Innovative / Integrated Design Process
• Location, Linkages and Community Context
• Compact, Complete and Connected Development
• Environmental Preservation
• Site Landscape Improvements
• Water Conservation / Efficiency / Management
• Energy Efficiency
• Materials Beneficial to the Environment / Waste Management
• Operations and Maintenance Education

The “Homes” portion of the Green Neighborhood Program is managed by the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits and a draft guidance document for homes is expected to be available for public comment this fall. The Green Neighborhood Guidance Documents contain detailed descriptions of each available credit, including the intent, the criteria to be met, any required submittals and frequently asked questions.

“The Green Neighborhood Program is intended to help make Howard County’s communities more environmentally sustainable, setting new standards for resource conservation and energy efficiency,” said Marsha McLaughlin, Director of the Department of Planning and Zoning.

As both an incentive to promote Green Neighborhoods and to accelerate more sustainable development patterns, Green Neighborhood projects will be granted Green Neighborhood housing allocations and “fast track” plan processing. In honor of their accomplishments, these communities will be officially recognized as Green Neighborhoods - a strong selling point when promoting and marketing these communities that encourage citizens to “Live Green in Howard County.”

The Green Neighborhood Guidance Document for Sites is available on the County’s website. From the County’s homepage at www.howardcountymd.gov, look under “What’s New” for the link that will take you directly to the document.