Ellicott City, Md. - Following the devastating flash flood that hit Ellicott City, Maryland nearly two months ago, Main Street is reopening Friday.
Though, Howard County Executive Alan Kittleman said that he will support a proposed ban on new development in the watershed surrounding the flood-ravaged city which was savaged by repeat flash flooding on May 27.
The bill, set for a vote by the Howard County Council next Friday, would freeze development in the watershed surrounding Ellicott City for one year.
A similar bill passed after a similar catastrophic flood in 2016 was never enacted.
Many residents are urging leaders for a much longer development moratorium.
Kittleman spoke to reporters as the county is opening up flood-ravaged lower Main Street in Ellicott City to public traffic for the first time since the flooding in May that claimed the life of one man and did tens of millions in dollars of damage.
Many buildings remain boarded, under construction or abandoned.
But a significant number of signature shops and restaurants have reopened.
"There's a very strong sense of community and there always has been," said retro art dealer Cindi K Ryland of Retropolitan housed in Old Ellicott City's Taylors Collective.
