Howard County Blog

A Blog on what is going on in Howard County

Monday, May 22, 2006

Bad Planning

So this weekend I was running errands at the Columbia Crossings big box strip off Route 175. You know the one with the Target and Borders. It has struck me every time I have had to navigate that parking lot that it is one of the worst designed parking lots I have ever been in. Any construction, including parking lots, in the last couple of decades don’t just happen, but are designed by people. I was wondering if anyone has any insights into why this parking lot was designed as it was and what kind of approval process it had to go through?

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Why was it designed the way it was? Most likely to maximize the land owner/developer's profit.

What approval process did it have to go through? No short answer here, but basically, it had to comply with federal, state, and county regulations, with most of the detail being at the county level. Much of the county development regulations you can review online, but (last time I checked) not the entirety since the county code that covers planning, zoning, and development refers considerably to the "Design Manual". Last time I checked only a portion of the design manual was available online, that being the stormwater management portion. And, it's in the Design Manual where a lot of details about what designs and exceptions are allowed and what aren't is discussed.

1:01 AM  
Blogger hocoblog said...

Try the big box at Montgomery and 29

10:20 PM  
Blogger Mike Milligan said...

I agree that it is a terrible design for the driver. I'm guessing it was designed to maximize the spaces in front of each big store (based on expected customer load?) so that people wouldn't have to cross the street on foot.

9:30 PM  
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