Councilman David Marks has withdrawn a resolution that would have created a Commercial Revitalization District in the York Road business corridor of Stoneleigh, Anneslie, and Rodgers Forge. The communities said they needed more time to study the proposal before it went before the council. The Towson Times has the story.
I think it is a wise move to the withdraw the resolution. Sounds good at first, but considering the red tape involved in buying and opening a legally-acceptable business would likely turn off any investment, even from a local mom-and-pop shop. I don’t meddle in other’s business and the precedent of allowing others to fight against legal land use and eliminate anti-blight development is a major detriment to the economic and social stability of an area. Legitimizing the “not in my backyard” mentality is a major detriment to neighborhood and commercial investment in Towson. As a Towson homeowner, these actions are tough to watch and cast a not-so-good light on the future. As an owner of a small business elsewhere, I would not invest a dime in Towson’s business community given the anti-change, xenophobic climate and total lack of organized planning and development.
Sounds like things are only going to get worse in this part of Towson. I’m not the only one who sees the former bank building turning into a decayed, chain-off mess like the Towson Triangle, Towson Row, and the former fire station.
The broken window theory is alive and well in Towson.