I am writing in response to the article “Baltimore County Council sides with residents on key zoning decisions,” published on Aug. 28. While the title suggests a broad consensus among residents, I find it misleading, particularly when considering which “residents” the County Council is purportedly siding with on the issue of the Lutherville Station development. As a community organizer with experience in the Lutherville-Timonium area, I believe it is essential to recognize whose voices are being amplified and whose are left out.

North Baltimore County is seeing a growing population of immigrant residents, gradually influencing the cultural landscape of the broader community and bringing in new perspectives and needs that differ from the long-established, predominantly white population. They face significant challenges such as insecure housing, limited access to transportation and language barriers. Their needs and perspectives, along with the poverty they endure, are largely invisible in discussions about the future of Lutherville-Timonium.

The subsequent transit-oriented developmentdesignation, the resulting decision by Councilman Wade Kach, and county government’s school overcrowding legislative efforts all reflect how marginalized communities are often an afterthought in decision making and used as political pawns to justify self-serving purposes. While I understand the Greater Timonium Community Council’s desire to maintain the suburban character of the area, it too has overlooked the needs of its most vulnerable neighbors.

I urge them all to consider whether they are acting “in good faith” by genuinely engaging all residents in their discussions, especially those who are often excluded from the conversation. By doing so, they can ensure that the voices of those most affected by these zoning decisions — particularly marginalized families — are heard and that a common vision prioritizes their needs.

Jenny Torres

Baltimore