Statement On Infill Development

After 18 months of effort, on December 9, 2008, the County Council has passed the first comprehensive measure to reform infill development, commonly referred to as the McMansionization phenomenon. The goal of my legislation, which was co-sponsored by Council President Andrews and Councilmembers Elrich and Trachtenberg, is to allow for the graceful transformation of our older neighborhoods. Under the rules that existed previously, the size of new homes particularly on small lots, all too often destroyed the integrity of a neighborhood and overwhelmed neighbors. The result of these large homes deprived neighbors of sunlight, privacy, and home values.

The Infill Development Reform Act modestly, but meaningfully, reduces the size of new homes on small lots in our County. For example, new homes on lots that are 6,000 square feet will be 14% smaller. Yet, even with this change, homes on these lots can be 4,500 square feet. Clearly, we have not sacrificed the American Dream in providing greater protection for our older neighborhoods. The impact of the bill will be most pronounced in District 1, where approximately three-fourths of infill development takes place.

From the very beginning, I formed an Infill Development Task Force that brought together neighborhood leaders and builders, real estate agents, and architects, as well as the Executive’s people and Park & Planning representatives in a public, consensus-building exercise. As a Search for Common Ground advocate, I was particularly pleased that the final product achieved consensus among those who worked so hard to get this right. In part, consensus was achieved and strengthened by not over-reaching. If a home by definition did not raise McMansion concerns, such as one-floor plans, it was exempted from the bill. By keeping our focus, we were able to neutralize concerns in the business community while maintaining the support of the neighborhood activists who served on the Task Force. I am proud of the final result, and I hope you are too.

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