Planned Owings Mills community shrinks to add school

The number of residences proposed to be built on the last large parcel of developable land in Owings Mills has decreased by more than 100 now that Baltimore County has requested an elementary school site on the property.

Plans for Plinlimmon Farms had included 330 townhouses, 430 condominiums and a retail and office complex on 104 acres along Lyons Mill Road near Lyonswood Drive in New Town. The same parcel had been zoned for 430 detached homes.

The County Council approved the project as a planned-unit development about 18 months ago, eliminating some zoning requirements. The townhouse project was set to go to the county Planning Board until officials determined that the additional residential units would require a new elementary school to ease already crowded classrooms in the surrounding schools.

Developer Steve Weinstein is amenable to the changes, said Robert Hoffman, Weinstein's attorney.


The number of townhouses and condos will likely be about 620 rather than the planned 760,


The townhouses will be 20 feet wide, many with garages and all with upgraded exteriors, alternating with brick, stone and sidingl.

In addition to the school, the development will include a recreation site, road connections and a pool and community center in a historic farmhouse on the property.