Proposed mixed-use development could be BRAC zone

By Derek Simmonsen, Howard County Times

Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown Thursday toured the site of a proposed mixed-use development in Savage that Howard County officials hope will be designated a “BRAC Zone” next month.

The BRAC Revitalization and Community Enhancement program sets aside up to $5 million a year for local governments to build infrastructure that will support businesses and residents who are coming to the area because of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The state can only name up to six BRAC zones per year and will announce the awards for 2009 on June 15.

Howard County could receive up to $500,000 through the program and could reapply for more money in future years, said Kevin Enright, a county spokesman. The county would put the money toward construction of a parking garage that is planned for the Savage site, located at the intersection of Route 32 and Dorsey Run Road.

The garage would replace a 13-acre parking lot currently at the train station, allowing developer Petrie Ross Joint Ventures to build Savage Towne Centre, a collection of new homes, retail shops, restaurants and a hotel on the rest of the property.

The County Council earlier this month approved a financing plan that would allow the county to sell bonds to build the parking garage, with the debt paid back by using new tax revenue generated by the project. In addition, a special taxing district would be established on the land that could raise additional revenue to cover the bond debt if the property taxes alone do not cover it.

The program allows for the money to be used to pay back bonds, according to the state Department of Business and Economic Development. No county money is planned for the project, officials have said.

Construction on the garage, which must be completed before the rest of the development can be built, could start as soon as next summer and be complete in 2011. County officials have cited the Savage Town Centre area as being ideal for BRAC-related housing and businesses, as it is a short commute to Fort Meade and the National Security Agency headquarters.

The BRAC Zones are designed to be in areas that are designated for growth and priority is given to areas that are served by public transportation and have the capacity for economic growth, according to the state Department of Business and Economic Development.