Redistricting Update: West Side Key to Other Map Changes

Residents of the 144-home community of Loch Hill aren't disconnected from Towson yet.

But any resolution that keeps Loch Hill politically connected to greater Towson is a long shot at best, according to freshman Baltimore County Council Republican David Marks.

The fate of the neighborhood of about 200 residents when it comes to redrawing the County Council redistricting maps could ultimately be affected by how the council resolves an issue on the west side of the county.

"Loch Hill is still in play," said Marks, a Perry Hall resident who currently represents the community in the 5th Council District.

Marks made his comments Wednesday afternoon during a brief interview following a seminar on redistricting held at the Maryland Association of Counties conference in Ocean City.

Under a the council is considering, Loch Hill and a large portion of Loch Raven Village would be shifted from Marks' district. The new maps place those neighborhoods in the 6th District, which is represented by Councilwoman Cathy Bevins, a freshman Democrat.

last month that they want to remain in the 5th District, where they more closely align with issues affecting greater Towson.

"Councilwoman Bevins and I are looking at a number of options," Marks said.

The most likely of those options is splitting precincts—a move that would place parts of an affected district in two different council districts.

It's not unusual to split precincts, though the county's first Redistricting Commission made a point of drawing the 2011 maps without doing so.

Marks said that if the council decides to settle a similar issue between Councilmen Tom Quirk and Ken Oliver by splitting the Woodlawn High School precinct between the two west side councilmen, then it opens the door to possibilities in Towson.

Ultimately, Marks said he's not hopeful such a resolution is possible.

"The reaction from a number of council members is that they don't want to split precincts," Marks said. "By and large, I think most on the council don't want to get in the business of splitting precincts.

"My sense is the current map is the one that passes," Marks said.