Howard County Fire Chief Louis Winston told the County Council at its April 19, 2023 Capital Budget Work Session that the current location of Banneker Station 7 is no longer the best location. Winston said that the HCDFRS is looking at the 6.8 acre undeveloped parcel on Cedar Lane at Freetown Road across from the Hickory Ridge Village Center.
Proposed Station 7 Location – Cedar Lane at Freetown Road
The Development Rights and Responsibilities Agreement (DRRA) with Howard Hughes Corporation had designated Banneker Station to be redeveloped with senior housing. However, with the Merriweather Station 14 in the parking garage and delays in constructing the North Columbia Station, the Fire Department is apparently rethinking its needs.
County Executive Calvin Ball’s introductory letter to the Capital Budget reflects these change in plans:
The removal of the existing underground fuel tanks at the Banneker Fire Station remains on hold until the future of the replacement Fire Station #7 project is determined.
Page 5 of Calvin Ball’s FY24 Capital Budget Letter
Site investigation for a replacement Fire Station #7 for Banneker is moving forward. Discussions with the Howard County Public School System are progressing for the North Columbia Fire Station site and design of this much-awaited project will start in 2023
Page 6 of Calvin Ball’s FY24 Capital Budget Letter
Chief Winston said that the parcel at Cedar and Freetown will give “perfect response times.” The design will be 3-bay 15,000 square foot prototype of Waterloo Station
The County is conducting feasibility study on the parcel and has contacted the property owners; the property is owned by a Mangione Family entity who also owns the neighboring Harmony Hall and Turf Valley.
The Banneker Station plans are related to those for the North Columbia Fire Station which was first proposed to built on property of the Harpers Choice Middle School next to the water tower. When community members opposed this plan, the county shifted to the soccer field at Cedar Lane Park East. This proposal also received strong opposition from the community and from Councilmember Deb Jung.
Then the plan shitted to the Howard County Public School System’s Administration and Homewood campus. However, Sharon Walsh , Chief, Bureau of Facilities told the County Council that there is “no update from the Board of Education” and has been “no movement in about a year.”
Councilmember David Yungmann said that the $5 M increase for the North Columbia Station which includes funding for HCPSS EMT programming makes the project unfeasible. He would like a fire station location to be in Homewood/Folly Quarter area.
The plans for the Banneker Station are also related to that of the library and affordable housing in the DRRA. The terms of the fire station are in Section 4.4.A. while the library and housing are in 4.4.C. It would appear that amendments to the DRRA are needed to reflect the new plans for the fire station, Lakefront Library and housing.
HoCo Common Sense 