The developers of the proposed Lutherville Station recently submitted an amended application to Baltimore County requesting a recommendation that the station be classified as a transit-oriented development.
The proposed development would include 560 apartments, 110 more than previously proposed, as well as a mix of retail and office space, restaurants and meeting rooms.
“Lutherville Station is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Baltimore County,” said Mark Renbaum, developer of Lutherville Station. “Due to its location, Lutherville Station is the most obvious TOD site in the county, promising new state and local tax revenues to fund key priorities and address the state’s housing shortage.”
A county spokesperson said the amended application is currently under review. While the developers do not currently have the proper zoning for the proposed project, a new state law could change that.
The Housing Expansion and Affordability Act, signed by Governor Wes Moore earlier this year, takes effect on January 1, 2025. With the goal of creating more affordable housing, it “removes, among other things, local governments’ barriers to building affordable housing and encourages higher densities where appropriate.” The law calls for some of these higher densities to be built near rail stations, which include Lutherville Station.
According to developers, the Housing Expansion and Affordability Act would allow the construction of more than 1,300 housing units at the site, hundreds more than currently proposed.
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While supporters of the project have stated that it would benefit the community and the economy and would be a positive opportunity to redevelop the space, others in the community disagree.
“We told him beforehand that the number in the original application was too high, so he increased it even further,” said Eric Rockel, vice president of the Greater Timonium Community Council. “It was very disappointing.”
Rockel and others in the community expressed concerns that the large housing project could impact schools, roads and the community. The project developer denies those concerns.
“We have had discussions with Mr. Renbaum, but ultimately in every discussion we make it clear to him that he needs to reduce the number of units,” Rockel said. “That was clearly evidence that he is not listening very carefully.”
This amended proposal is the first step in the process. There will be further meetings and discussions on this project in the future.
