With a wave of new high-rise housing and growth in retail, night life and entertainment offerings, Towson is becoming an urban area different than anything Baltimore County has ever seen.

The evolution is so dramatic that some boosters contend Towson needs its own rules governing development.

“Towson stands apart,” said Councilman David Marks, a Republican who represents the area. “In most counties, [Towson] would be its own city. We need to start treating it that way.”

Projects must comply with traditional zoning rules that critics say don’t jibe with what the county is trying to achieve in Towson: a bustling, walkable, urban community. As a result, developers get bogged down in seeking exceptions to requirements that dictate a certain number of parking spaces, for instance, or that limit housing density.

(Original article on Baltimore Sun website has been deleted): Boosters say growing Towson needs its own development rules – Baltimore Sun.