Council looks at stopping flooding
Bill would allocate millions to Ellicott City flood mitigation
Howard County officials discussed a sweeping proposal for flood mitigation efforts in historic Ellicott City this past week, a precursor to a County Council work session at which members will review legislation that would allocate about $16.8 million toward projects aimed at curbing flooding there.
The legislation before the council would send the money toward highpriority projects, including water retention facilities and expansion of culverts.
County budget officials said the money would come from reallocation from the current capital budget, plus another $2 million from the county’s contingency fund. Much of the reallocation comes from two capital projects — a fire station on U.S. 1 and athletic fields in Columbia — that officials said won’t be built until next year at the earliest due to negotiations to acquire land.
At a council meeting Tuesday, County Executive Allan Kittleman and council member Jon Weinstein, a Democrat who represents Ellicott City, discussed those plans as part of the larger proposal to raze buildings on the lower end of Main Street and elsewhere to accommodate a larger stream channel and create an open-space flood plain.
Speaking on the broad plan, which officials have said could cost $50 million, Kittleman said the county must consider that two fatal floods within a 22-month span — in 2016 and this past Memorial Day weekend — signal that such natural disasters are likely to happen again.
The county executive noted that the historic district will mark its 250th anniversary in four years, and he said the county is committed to making it viable and safe well into the future. Referencing the demolition plan, he said: “If it comes down to a choice of saving lives or saving buildings, we choose lives.”
Both he and Weinstein referenced studies that have been conducted over the years regarding Ellicott City’s propensity for flooding, and said recommendations as early as 2010 had called for removal of some buildings. Kittleman, a Republican, said talks are already underway with building owners about acquisitions.
He pledged that the flood mitigation process would focus on community input, safety, economics, the environment and retaining the district’s historic character. He said the plan — focused on retaining water at the top of the hill and increasing capacity at the bottom — is critical to instill confidence for residents, building owners and businesses.
“People are afraid to come to Ellicott City now,” he said. “Businesses are afraid to reopen.”
On Wednesday, the county will host a public information meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building to discuss the county’s See FLOODING, page 4
The legislation before the council would send the money toward highpriority projects, including water retention facilities and expansion of culverts.
County budget officials said the money would come from reallocation from the current capital budget, plus another $2 million from the county’s contingency fund. Much of the reallocation comes from two capital projects — a fire station on U.S. 1 and athletic fields in Columbia — that officials said won’t be built until next year at the earliest due to negotiations to acquire land.
At a council meeting Tuesday, County Executive Allan Kittleman and council member Jon Weinstein, a Democrat who represents Ellicott City, discussed those plans as part of the larger proposal to raze buildings on the lower end of Main Street and elsewhere to accommodate a larger stream channel and create an open-space flood plain.
Speaking on the broad plan, which officials have said could cost $50 million, Kittleman said the county must consider that two fatal floods within a 22-month span — in 2016 and this past Memorial Day weekend — signal that such natural disasters are likely to happen again.
The county executive noted that the historic district will mark its 250th anniversary in four years, and he said the county is committed to making it viable and safe well into the future. Referencing the demolition plan, he said: “If it comes down to a choice of saving lives or saving buildings, we choose lives.”
Both he and Weinstein referenced studies that have been conducted over the years regarding Ellicott City’s propensity for flooding, and said recommendations as early as 2010 had called for removal of some buildings. Kittleman, a Republican, said talks are already underway with building owners about acquisitions.
He pledged that the flood mitigation process would focus on community input, safety, economics, the environment and retaining the district’s historic character. He said the plan — focused on retaining water at the top of the hill and increasing capacity at the bottom — is critical to instill confidence for residents, building owners and businesses.
“People are afraid to come to Ellicott City now,” he said. “Businesses are afraid to reopen.”
On Wednesday, the county will host a public information meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Banneker Room of the George Howard Building to discuss the county’s See FLOODING, page 4
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
