Kristin OConnor
Chief, Community Planning
About
The Division of Comprehensive and Community Planning (DCCP) partners with communities to shape innovative plans for great places. By developing community plans, DCCP partners with other DPZ staff, with other County and State agencies, and with residents and their elected officials. These plans create a comprehensive overview of targeted areas and provide opportunities for sustainable, vibrant, healthy, and active communities across Howard County.
Start of Dedicated Archived Web Content Area
This page contains Archived Web Content of the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning. The web content stored on this page was created before April 24, 2026, reproduces paper documents created before April 24, 2026, or reproduces the content of other physical media created before April 24, 2026; is retained exclusively for reference, research, or recordkeeping; is not altered or updated after the date of archiving; and is organized and stored in this dedicated area and identified as archived web content. If you need an accessible version of any web content, paper documents, or reproductions of the content of other physical media stored on this page, please contact the Department of Planning and Zoning by emailing planning@howardcountymd.gov
Archived Community and Master Plans
The Gateway area encompasses roughly 1,000 acres of business and industrial uses. In January 2024, Howard County launched the Gateway Master Plan effort, which provides a comprehensive, actionable roadmap to guide Columbia Gateway’s long-term transformation as the new innovation district – a regional destination for new research and ideas within an area that is dynamic, mixed-use, connected, and creative. The plan addresses multiple elements, in addition to innovation: economic development, housing, development phasing, environment and sustainability, urban design and architecture, and land use and public facilities.
The watershed master plan is a comprehensive, long-range document that creates a community-driven vision for historic Ellicott City and the Tiber Branch Watershed. The plan represents the culmination of a multi-year public outreach process that began in response to the 2016 flooding and builds upon County Executive Ball’s “Ellicott City Safe and Sound” flood mitigation plan.
The Downtown Columbia Plan Amended is an amendment to PlanHoward 2030, the County's previous General Plan, and creates a 30-year master plan for the revitalization and redevelopment of Downtown Columbia. Specific land use, transportation, environmental, community conversation and housing policies are presented.
Downtown Columbia Monitoring Report
This report, completed at the end of 2023, provides the second update on the implementation of the 2010 Downtown Columbia Plan. Focused on development, transit and transportation, arts and culture, and the environment, this report provides a status update regarding the implementation of the goals and vision laid out for Columbia's downtown in the 2010 master plan.
2023 Downtown Columbia Monitoring Report
2023 Downtown Columbia Monitoring Report StoryMap
The first report, which was issued prior to the above update, was published in the fall of 2018. It can be found here: 2018 Downtown Columbia Monitoring Report.
Design Guidelines
- Downtown-Wide Design Guidelines
- Crescent Neighborhood Design Guidelines
- Lakefront Core Design Guidelines | Lakefront Core Implementation Plan
- Merriweather-Symphony Woods Neighborhood Design Guidelines
- The Mall Neighborhood Design Guidelines
- Warfield Neighborhood Design Guidelines
Environmental Studies
- Best Management Practices for Symphony Stream and Lake Kittamaqundi Watersheds
- Merriweather and Crescent Environmental Study
Transportation Studies
- Part 1: Downtown Transit Center and Circulator Shuttle
- Part 2: Downtown Columbia to Oakland Mills Multimodal Connection
- Broken Land Parkway/US Route 29 North-South Connector Road
- Little Patuxent Parkway/US 29 Interchange
Other Downtown Documents
Eight of the nine village community associations have prepared Village Center Community Plans (excluding Dorsey's Search), which are focused community plans for each village center.
Resources by Village Center
Harper's Choice
Hickory Ridge
- Hickory Ridge Village Center Community Plan (2011, Addendum 2016)
Kings Contrivance
Long Reach
- Long Reach Village Center Master Plan (2012)
- Reimagine Long Reach Village Center (2016)
- Long Reach Rising
Owen Brown
Oakland Mills
- Oakland Mills Village Center Community Plan (2015)
- Oakland Mills Village Center Master Plan (2007)
- Oakland Mills Feasibility Study (2017)
River Hill
Wilde Lake