County Council
Councilman David Marks' Accomplishments and Initiatives
Since taking office, County Councilman David Marks has worked across party lines to reform Baltimore County, preserve open space, and strengthen our schools and neighborhoods.
Reforming Government
- Was a lead sponsor of legislation that creates the Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee (Bill 2-11);
- Was the lead sponsor of legislation that requires a Community Input Meeting for a new development to be closer to an affected neighborhood (Bill 3-11);
- Cosponsored legislation that extends the time frame for submission of a concept plan for certain Planned Unit Developments (Bill 10-11);
- Was a lead sponsor of Resolution 29-11, which directs the Planning Board to review whether zoning regulations can better stimulate Transit-Oriented Development;
- Was a lead sponsor of amendments to legislation that require community input and agency reviews before the formal start of a Planned Unit Development process (Bill 36-11);
- Cosponsored legislation that requires online posting of proposed regulations (Bill 46-11);
- Was a lead sponsor of an amendment to the county’s binding arbitration legislation (Bill 66-11) that requires an arbitrator to look at salaries in comparable jurisdictions in Maryland, not simply those adjacent to Baltimore County;
- Sponsored legislation that lightens license posting requirements for taxicab drivers (Bill 73-11);
- Cosponsored legislation that requires a Planned Unit Development proposal to be posted on-line (Bill 4-12);
- Was a lead sponsor of legislation that establishes the first-ever open space zoning designation in Baltimore County, “Neighborhood Commons” (Bill 7-12);
- Cosponsored legislation that extends the public notice period for a proposed variance or special exception, and sponsored an amendment that now requires proposed variances and special exceptions to be posted on-line (Bill 15-12);
- Sponsored the amendment that puts the county’s Basic Services Maps on-line (Bill 20-12);
- Was a lead sponsor of legislation that expands the type of homes that can qualify for a property tax credit if the homes meet certain environmental standards (Bill 23-12); and
- Joined with three other County Councilmembers in support of a partially-elected Board of Education;
Preserving Open Space
- Was a lead sponsor of Resolution 17-11, which designates the Northeast Trail;
- Sponsored Resolution 18-11, which redesignates the abandoned Gunview Road alignment in Perry Hall as the Gunpowder View Trail;
- Was a lead sponsor of legislation that gives the county greater authority to control wildlife on parkland (Bill 21-11);
- Was a lead sponsor of legislation that qualifies NeighborSpace of Baltimore County as a community benefit under Planned Unit Developments (Bill 64-11);
- Was a lead sponsor of Resolution 4-12, which encourages Baltimore City to work collaboratively with the mountain biking community and other partners to expand the trail network at Loch Raven Reservoir;
- Was a lead sponsor of the legislation that bans panhandle building lots in Carney, Cub Hill, and Parkville (Bill 21-12);
- Worked to protect the buffer between Southland Hills and the new Towson University Public Safety Building;
- Helped broker a tree planting agreement between the Gunpowder Valley Conservancy and residents near Deltom Court in Carney;
- Secured funding for more than 60 new trees at Kenilworth Drive and Bosley Avenue, replenishing the green buffer between the Morningside community and the Baltimore County Detention Center;
- Obtained $30,000 in funding to extend the trail at Indian Rock Park in Perry Hall; and
- Secured approval for a family dog park at Honeygo Run Regional Park in Perry Hall;
Strengthening our Schools and Neighborhoods
- Was a lead sponsor of Resolution 13-11, which adopts the Perry Hall Community Plan;
- Was a lead sponsor of Resolution 19-11, which adopts the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Plan;
- Sponsored legislation to create the Perry Hall commercial revitalization district, which provides incentives for businesses in the heart of Perry Hall (Resolution 47-11);
- Was a lead sponsor of legislation which increases the penalties for graffiti-related vandalism (Bill 4-11);
- Sponsored Resolution 52-11, which amends the Honeygo Plan to shrink the expansion of Forge Road by 20 feet;
- Sponsored Resolution 53-11, which extends the Towson commercial revitalization district to accommodate the Towson Green project;
- Sponsored legislation to adopt an alternative development review process in Downtown Towson (Bill 38-11 and Resolution 64-11;
- Sponsored an amendment to the accessory apartment legislation that deters the use of such apartments for student housing (Bill 49-11);
- Sponsored legislation that modifies the sign regulations in order to spur investment and development in Downtown Towson (Bill 74-11);
- Sponsored Resolution 93-11, which will lead to a memorial at the Baltimore County Courthouse in honor of those who served in the Middle East conflicts;
- Sponsored Resolution 106-11, which directs the Planning Board to develop lighting standards for outdoor athletic fields;
- Championed the construction of new classroom space at Hampton and Stoneleigh Elementary Schools;
- Worked with County Councilwoman Vicki Almond to get the electronic signs at West Towson Elementary School/Ridge Ruxton Elementary School removed in favor of more neighborhood-friendly signs;
- Facilitated the demolition of derelict properties at 100 York Road in Towson;
- Supported the construction of new sidewalks along Maryland Avenue in Towson; along Ebenezer Road and Honeygo Boulevard in Perry Hall; and on Darleigh Road near Dearborn Drive in Perry Hall;
- Facilitated meetings that led to new sidewalks, curbs and gutters in Towson’s Burkleigh Square neighborhood;
- Convinced Towson University to double the grant to Baltimore County for Tigerfest;
- Cosponsored, with the Towson Chamber of Commerce, the Towson logo contest;
- Worked with other elected officials from Perry Hall to preserve the traffic signal at Forge and Belair Roads;
- Worked with neighborhoods in East Towson to develop sidewalk and drainage improvements on Hillen Road;
- Secured a $4,080 grant to repair the roof at the historic Elks Lodge on Pennsylvania Avenue in East Towson;
- Brokered an arrangement in which Bozzuto Homes and The Shelter Group each donated $2,000 to plant trees and refurbish Burkleigh Square;
- Accelerated an investigation of the suspected at problem at the Rodgers Forge tot lot;
- Worked to get Verizon to allow Idlewylde residents to pick between Northwood and Towson as a selection for their local communications service;
- Successfully encouraged the Maryland State Highway Administration to replant trees uprooted by drivers in the Harford Road median strip near the Baltimore Beltway;
- Supported historic designation for the Anneslie community;
- Established a Perry Hall High School Neighbors Committee;
- Blocked a proposed Planned Unit Development that would have led to a multi-storied apartment complexes in Cub Hill;
- Brokered an agreement between Loch Raven Village and Calvert Hall College on lighting at the school’s baseball stadium;
- Modified the parking along Burke Avenue to give motorists exiting the interior of Burkleigh Square more sight distance as they leave the neighborhood;
- Got the county to place deed restrictions on the sale of a county property at 802 Overbrook Road in Idlewylde;
- Worked with the Aigburth Manor Association and Baltimore County Code Enforcement to get the outbuildings torn down at Aigburth Vale near Towson High School; and
- Got the Maryland State Highway Administration to erect new speed limit signage near West Towson Elementary School.
Revised May 9, 2012
