FAQ
Your questions answered
What was the original vision for Maple Lawn?
Local real estate developer and philanthropist Stewart Greenebaum had seen the success of Columbia and was interested in building a similar community, adhering to the New Urbanism style. His vision for Maple Lawn was that it would be a walkable neighborhood where people could live, work, and play in a diverse community. Maple Lawn was conceived as a part of the 1990 plan for Howard County and its current mixed usage zoning designation was approved in 1993. The current Maple Lawn neighborhoods are the living embodiment of that vision. (https://maplelawnmd.com/about/vision/)
I like my Maple Lawn neighborhood. What kind of neighborhood can we expect in Maple Lawn West?
Maple Lawn West will be very similar to the rest of Maple Lawn. As we have planned this neighborhood just as we planned the original Maple Lawn neighborhoods, it will be built with the same style, look and feel as the rest of the community. It will have a variety of different housing options, to make it easier for people just starting out on their own, as well as for growing families with a need for larger spaces. (https://maplelawnmd.com/live/neighborhoods/)
Maple Lawn is a great-looking neighborhood. What will the new homes to be built look like?
The homes we build will look much like the homes in Midtown, Westside, Hillside, Garden, and Midtown West. The designs will be similar because we believe a cohesive neighborhood design delivers the best kind of neighborhood. (https://maplelawnmd.com/live/the-builders/)
I’m worried about my home values.
We understand your concern. Every homeowner will worry about this, but home values are unlikely to go down in Howard County as long as the county remains a desirable place to live and a top choice in our region. You enjoy the Maple Lawn experience as a resident, and we expect that it is one that many others are also excited to become a part of, once complete.
What is the timeline?
Typically, it takes between 6-7 years to get the approvals necessary to move forward from the zoning board and then another 3 years or so to complete the project. The prior approvals that have already been granted allow for the initial 32 lots to be built as soon as 2023.
I love the schools my kids attend. How are you working with the school system to make sure our schools aren’t crowded?
The Howard County Public School System should have ample time to make sure that our schools are not crowded with the timeline that we are providing to them. In addition, a new high school is slated to be built in 2023 in Jessup, which will alleviate some of the overcrowding pressures in the county. We are happy to work in cooperation as a community partner with the school system to ensure that the addition of Maple Lawn West will not have a negative outcome on the schools in the neighborhood.
I think there are a lot of cars on Route 216. Are you studying the impact on traffic?
Yes. We are in the process of commissioning an independent traffic study to determine what impact Maple Lawn West will have on traffic. We are happy to share that information to residents as soon as the study is completed in the coming weeks.
I’m worried about the damage to our environment. What are you doing to ensure this an environmentally friendly project?
This project will comply with all Maryland Department of Environment regulations. In addition, we are exploring a number of environmental mitigation practices that we will implement to ensure that we do not damage the beautiful environment that surrounds Maple Lawn.
I love the vibrancy of downtown Maple Lawn. Will that change?
The vibrancy of downtown Maple Lawn will not change with this expansion, but rather, these additional units will help build a larger customer base for the businesses in downtown Maple Lawn. Our business community is happy to welcome the new residents that will move into Maple Lawn West to support our community.
Why the change from 32 units to 505?
When the Maple Lawn community was planned in the 1990s, the Iager family expected to allow us to develop this portion eventually, but the family was not ready to do so until now. In the past few years, we have also been asked by a number of community members and local businesses when we would add more middle-income mixed housing styles, like apartments, to our neighborhood. We had always planned to diversify the housing styles we offered. In fact, there are many businesses that hire people who want to live and work in the same area but want to rent before they buy. They will finally have the ability to do so and when those families choose to buy a home, there will be plenty of ways to create a home for each of them.
As a current Maple Lawn resident, I would like to be able to use the new facilities being built.
We are exploring a few different possible options. During the first community meeting we hosted about the Maple Lawn West neighborhood, we heard from residents who wanted to be able to use the newer facilities. We like the idea of keeping Maple Lawn a cohesive neighborhood and shared facilities might be another way we can build those connections. If you have any suggestions about what facilities you might want to see in the new neighborhood, please email us: gpagani@talkin-oh.com.
My family and I enjoy our pathways and sidewalks. Will the new Maple Lawn neighborhood be walkable?
Yes! We are planning a number of connecting walkways and paths to join the different sections of the community together. We are definitely looking to create safe, all-weather pathways from our new community to the schools, but if you have ideas where we should put other pathways, please let us know. You can email gpagani@talkin-oh.com.
I love Maple Lawn, but I want to rent an apartment before I buy. What kind of housing choices will I have?
With the completion of Maple Lawn West, new residents have the ability to rent before they buy in the neighborhood. While Maple Lawn West will have townhomes and single-family homes, there will also be an apartment building with rentable units. We are excited to offer this mixed diversity of housing options to our neighbors.
I’m excited about this new neighborhood. How can I contact your team to find out more?
We have set up an email account where you can send us any questions you might have: gpagani@talkin-oh.com.