The Valleys Planning Council and the Greater Greenspring Association, along with numerous members of the community, are concerned about a proposed service road that would allow travelers from Painters Mill Road to use St. Thomas Lane, a narrow, rural-residential road, as a bypass to reach points to the east.

A developer who is planning to build a new business on Reisterstown Road is being required by the County to put in the service road, which will require the builder to receive a parking variance much larger than what would be needed without the road – 14 spaces with the road, just 1 space without it. An area that would otherwise provide parking for the new business as well as a second one would instead be the service road.

Councilman Patoka has weighed in and agrees there is no need for the road. In fact, during the development of Foundry Row, located across the street from where the service road is proposed, the State Highway Administration installed a concrete median along Reisterstown Road to prevent traffic coming from Painters Mill Road from using St. Thomas Lane as a cut-through.

The community does not want the service road. The developer doesn’t want the service road. A hearing was held April 26 at 10 AM to decide if the parking variance should be granted. Please consider making a donation to help fund legal representation.

    We oppose this variance because Baltimore County is insisting that the developer install a private road directly connecting Painters Mill Road with St. Thomas Lane. This connection to a small rural road will increase traffic problems and circumvent protections intended by the State for this rural road. Because the second business on the property is not identified, it is likely there will not be enough parking for both uses, which could create overflow issues onto Reisterstown Road.