Baltimore County Councilman David Marks announced on Tuesday that he would recommend downzoning more than 19 acres of undeveloped land along Joppa Road near Chapel Hill Elementary School to block future development.

The property is currently undeveloped, but zoned for single-family homes if ever sold. It is located between Peach Blossom Avenue and Interstate-95, near the Moores Orchard, Moores Meadows, and Orchard Crossing neighborhoods. The land is mostly publicly-owned.

The land will be zoned Neighborhood Commons, which prohibits any development whatsoever.

“Right now, a vote of the Baltimore County Council would allow for the public property to be sold for development,” Councilman Marks commented. “The downzoning effectively blocks this from occurring, since the land will be zoned as open space and have to be changed back in order for development to occur.”

Kim Bankard, president of the Moores Orchard homeowners association, praised the move.

“Everyone I have talked to in the Moores Orchard community wants this land to remain undeveloped,” Bankard said. “This will guarantee a wide, unbuilt area along Joppa Road near the entrance to three communities.”

The County Council will vote on the zoning maps on August 30th.