ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced the formation of a New Town Task Force, a collaborative effort bringing together community members, industry professionals, and planning experts to recommend zoning updates in Columbia New Town. The executive order signed today establishes a 20-member committee to craft recommendations for future zoning and development.

The initiative is a key step in implementing Howard County’s newly adopted General Plan, HoCo By Design, which was adopted by the County Council in October of 2023 and took effect in December of the same year, outlines a bold, 20-year vision for growth and development in response to shifting economic, environmental, and social dynamics. 

To date, the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) has already implemented several aspects of HoCo By Design. 

Beginning in July of 2024, DPZ convened a 13-member Affordable Housing Working Group to develop recommendations for zoning and Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO)-related incentives to increase the supply of affordable housing. The Department has managed a 15-member Adequate Public Facilities Act Review Committee to develop recommendations for revisions to APFO since August of 2024. The Committee’s final report is expected in the next few months. 

Additionally, since January of 2024, DPZ has advanced a comprehensive master planning effort for the future of the 1,100 acre Columbia Gateway office park, with work expected to be complete and delivered to the County Council for adoption in September of 2025. The Department is also progressing updates to the Howard County Landscape Manual to be completed in Fall of 2025 and will soon commence projects to update the Route 1 and Route 40 Design Manuals to be completed by December of 2026.

The New Town Task Force will focus on evaluating the New Town Zoning District, created in 1965, and its defining features, to ensure the County’s regulatory framework remains flexible, effective, and aligned with long-term community goals. 

The New Town Task Force is a vital component to ensuring the Columbia of tomorrow is informed by a community-first approach. By preserving Columbia’s unique character as we plan for thoughtful growth, we’re setting the foundation for a more sustainable and predictable future while preserving the things that make Columbia one of the best places in America to live, work, play, grow and thrive for all.

Calvin Ball
Howard County Executive

The Task Force will evaluate present New Town regulations, found in Section 125 of the Howard County Zoning Code, and develop recommendations for improving the New Town zoning model that governs land use in much of the master-planned community of Columbia. The Task Force will provide feedback on key elements of New Town zoning. Below are some examples of task force roles and responsibilities:  

  • participate in task force meetings, public meetings, and stakeholder meetings, 
  • serve as a sounding board on proposed ideas and planning options, 
  • develop recommendations for future zoning regulations and development processes, 
  • review and provide input at key intervals, and 
  • serve as a liaison to the rest of the community. 

The New Town Zoning District consists of 268 approved Final Development Plans (FDPs), a structure that was designed to provide significant flexibility to the master developer and majority landowner of this planned community when it was originally built. The zoning is governed by regulations that establish minimum and maximum proportions of open space, residential, commercial, industrial, and other land uses in addition to an overall density cap. 

The standards remained relatively unchanged until 2009 and 2010, when they were updated around village center redevelopment and encourage Downtown Columbia revitalization. More specifically, these changes resulted in establishing the 2009 Village Center Revitalization zoning process and the 2010 Downtown Columbia Master Plan, which added residential units above the density cap and established different land use percentages for Downtown.  

This is an opportunity to modernize a zoning structure that has shaped New Town for decades. By engaging the community and drawing from the bold vision of HoCo By Design, we’re setting the stage for a zoning system that supports smart growth, protects what makes Columbia special, and ensures we remain a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking county.

Lynda Eisenberg
Director, Department of Planning and Zoning

With guidance from JMT–an award-winning planning consulting firm known for strategic engagement–the New Town Task Force will hold meetings, conduct stakeholder interviews, and facilitate public engagement sessions. A final report with detailed recommendations is expected within the next 12 months. 

A complete list of the New Town Task Force members can be found in the Executive Order 2025-09 online.

Media Contacts
Safa Hira, Director of Communications
Lynda Eisenberg, Director, Department of Planning and Zoning
Audience
Businesses
Residents

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