What’s the rush?
A 9.8-acre parcel of county-owned land in Dundalk isn’t going to pass into private hands until March, but that’s not stopping developer John Vontran from seeking County Council approval for a proposed Planned Unit Development plan for the property.
Councilman John Olszewski Sr. will introduce a resolution seeking preliminary approval for the plan at tonight’s council meeting. The resolution is a necessary step before such a plan could be considered by the county Planning Board.
Council Chairman Joseph Bartenfelder, responding to questions about Olszewski’s resolution, said he was not sure if such a plan could be considered before ownership of the property has changed hands.
“I’ve never heard of something like this before,” Bartenfelder said.
“I think we’ll have to get a legal opinion on it,” said Bartenfelder, adding that he 
would ask for such a review.
Vontran, a Perry Hall resident, hasn’t completed the purchase of the property yet. Settlement was originally expected to occur in January but was pushed back to sometime in mid to late March according to Shirley Murphy, chief of the county’s Bureau of Land Acquisition.
Vontran’s Yorkway LLC was the winning bidder for the property last year. He is expected to pay $1.65 million for a property that cost the county nearly $21 million to purchase and clear. The property was formerly the site of the blighted and crime ridden Yorkway Apartments.
Olszewski said he is just trying to help move along a project that his community wants.
“This is a project the community is excited about,” Olszewski said.
Final approval from the Planning Board could take up to six months. Introducing the resolution now gets the proposal to the Planning Board nearly two months sooner, Olszewski said.