Process and Events Through January 2020

Below is a reverse narrative of events, hearings, information from the beginnings of the Village Center rezoning process through the completion of the Petitioner’s Case before the Zoning Board on January 29, 2020.

The Howard County Zoning Board continued the hearing on the Village Center Redevelopment proposal on September 4, November 13, 2019, January 15 and January 29, 2020 .

The Howard County Zoning Board held its first hearing on the Village Center Redevelopment Proposal for Wednesday, July 24, 2019 at 6:30pm at the George Howard Building in Ellicott City.

On March 1, 2019, the Village Board formally sent a copy of the addendum to the Howard County Zoning Board.

Kimco’s Redevelopment Plan for the Hickory Ridge Village Center may be heard by the Howard County Zoning Board as soon as April 2019. To prepare for the next step in the process, at several meetings throughout the fall and winter, the Village Board discussed the current health of the Village Center and the Board’s position on the redevelopment. On January 22, 2019, the Board approved an addendum to the Community Response Statement that outlines aspects of the plan it supports and parts of the plan the Board would like to see revised.

The Zoning Board hearing scheduled for February 28, 2018 was postponed.  Due to timing related to the upcoming Primary Election, case will not be rescheduled until after a new County Council/Zoning Board is seated after the November election.

Kimco presented changes to the Redevelopment Plan at the February 19, 2018 Board Meeting.

Kimco’s Redevelopment Plan is scheduled to be heard before the Zoning Board on Wednesday, February 28, 2018, 6 pm at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City. At the January 22, 2018 Board Meeting, the Board passed a motion to have the Association’s attorney send a letter to the Zoning Board requesting additional time to prepare testimony. The Zoning Board denied the request. The Village Board is preparing its testimony. The Board strongly encourages residents to testify as well. Testimony must be given in person. No written testimony can be accepted.

stimony held at the January 4 meeting.  After discussion, the Planning Board voted 5-0 to recommend approval of the project to the Zoning Board.  The Zoning Board will hold a hearing on the proposal on Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 6pm at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City.  The public is welcome to attend the hearing and present sworn testimony on the proposal.  No testimony can be accepted in advance of the hearing and the Zoning Board may not have communication on the case prior to the hearing.

Kimco Realty presented its request for redevelopment to the Howard County Planning Board on January 4.  About 40 residents also testified on the proposal.  Additional residents submitted written testimony.  The meeting was concluded.  A work session will be held on Thursday, January 18, 2018 to craft the Planning Board recommendation to the Zoning Board.  The public is welcome to attend.  No additional testimony will be taken.

Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning has released their Technical Staff Report which is a review of the request by Kimco Realty to redevelop the village center.  The Village Board will develop a response to the TSR to present at the Planning Board meeting on January 4.

The Howard County Planning Board will review the request by Kimco Realty to redevelop the village center at their meeting on Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 7pm at the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive in Ellicott City.

The Village Board submitted its Community Response Statement (CRS) to Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning on November 22, 2017.  The CRS will be reviewed by DPZ and included in the packet of information that moves forward through the zoning process.

On October 12, 2017, Hickory Ridge Community Association received a letter from Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning requesting that the Village Board prepare and submit a Community Response Statement (CRS). The CRS must be submitted to the county within 45 days.  The Village Board will continue to work on the CRS at the upcoming Board Meetings.

Kimco submitted its proposed plan to Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning on August 17, 2017.  Once the county determines that the submission is technically complete, DPZ will send a letter to Hickory Ridge Community Association to request a Community Response Statement.  As of October 4, 2017, the village has not received the request.  However, the Village Board has been working on a draft CRS in order to be ready to respond within 45 days once the request is received.  The Board will complete the CRS and take a formal position on the proposed plans at that time.

Kimco attended the village board meeting on August 7, 2017 to announce that they will be submitting its proposed plan for redevelopment of the village center to Howard County in mid-August.  A copy of the submission will be provided to the village office for review by interested residents.  The plans will also be available for review at Howard County Planning and Zoning in the George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City.  Once the submission has been received, DPZ will notify the village and request a Community Response Statement regarding the plans.  The village board will work on a draft of the CRS at its meetings on Monday, August 21 and Tuesday, September 5. 

Kimco will present its revised plan to the Design Advisory Panel on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at 7:00pm.  Greg Reed from Kimco will preview the revisions before the village board on Monday, February 6 at 7:30pm.

On February 7, 2017, the Village Board sent a letter requesting the DAP to consider a few questions during its re-review of the plan.

The village board presented the results of the community survey on the village center redevelopment at the board meeting on Monday, January 9, 2017.

At the Design Advisory Panel meeting held December 7, 2016, Kimco Realty was instructed to make significant changes to their design and come back before the DAP with a new plan before proceeding through the redevelopment process. The DAP had issues with the scale of the residential building, the lack of cohesiveness of the buildings within their plan, the setbacks, and the need to come up with a design that better blended with the surrounding neighborhood.

Kimco Realty presented its plan to the Howard County Design Advisory Panel (DAP) on Wednesday, December 7, 2016.

On November 22, the Village Board sent a letter requesting the DAP to consider a few questions during its review of the plan.

Hickory Ridge Community Association mailed a postcard to each residence of the village in early October to survey residents regarding the proposed plan for the village center. The board requested that all responses be received by November 6.

On September 27, Kimco Realty presented a newly revised plan for redevelopment of the Hickory Ridge Village Center.  Kimco will take the plan to the Howard County Design Advisory Panel later this month before submitting the plan to the Department of Planning and Zoning for review and continuing the required redevelopment process. The Village Board will be conducting a survey in the next few weeks to get resident input on the proposal. Watch for a postcard in your mail.

Kimco Realty hosted a community meeting on August 3 where they presented a revised plan for redevelopment of the Hickory Ridge Village Center.  The plan is available for review on this website.  See below.  Additional information including the full PowerPoint presentation can be found on a new  Kimco website.  An additional Pre-Submission meeting will be scheduled for late September. The Village Board will conduct a survey to gather community input before taking a position on the redevelopment plan.

Kimco Realty will host a community meeting on Wednesday, August 3, from 7-9pm at Howard Community College, Duncan Hall, Room 100.  At the meeting, Kimco will present a revised plan for the redevelopment of the Hickory Ridge Village Center.

On June 15, Kimco provided the village with all the comments they received at the small group meetings regarding the redevelopment of the Hickory Ridge Village Center.

Kimco completed its small group meetings on May 10.  Based on the many community comments, Kimco is going back to the drawing board to come up with a new plan.  Kimco estimates that it will be late July or early August before they are ready to present an updated plan to the community in a large group meeting.  Everyone who attended a previous large or small group meeting and provided an email address will be notified by Kimco of future meetings.  The village will also notify our email lists.

During the month of April, Kimco will hold multiple small group meetings with groups of up to 10 residents to discuss the future of the Hickory Ridge Village Center. Meetings are currently scheduled through April 28, and more will be held if necessary to accommodate all interested residents.

On March 23, 2016, Kimco Realty hosted the first pre-submission community meeting regarding the redevelopment of the Hickory Ridge Village Center This meeting was a required step in the Major Village Center Redevelopment process.

This meeting is open to the public and Hickory Ridge residents are encouraged to attend. No RSVP is required.

On February 18, 2016, Kimco Realty hosted a Village Center Concept Planning Workshop at Atholton High School. This meeting was a required step in the Major Village Center Redevelopment process. Scroll down to read a brief recap of what occurred at this meeting.

On December 21, 2015, Greg Reed from Kimco Realty attended the Village Board meeting to discuss potential dates for the next two steps in the redevelopment process. Kimco must initiate a Village Center Concept Planning Workshop, the purpose of which is to facilitate a collaborative planning discussion with the community.  The date for that meeting has not been set, but will not be held until at least mid-February.  After the Planning Workshop, two pre-submission meetings with the community must be held.  The first Pre-Submission Meeting must be held after the Village Center Concept Planning Workshop, and will likely be scheduled in mid to late March. The dates and locations of these meetings will be posted on this page once they have been set.

On December 7, 2015, Kimco Realty presented their Notice of Intent to Develop the Hickory Ridge Village Center. This officially begins the process for a Major Village Center Redevelopment.