The project’s goal is to build an interactive website in the form of a Content Management System (CMS) that would engage the interest of the public and stakeholders in Ellicott City. The architecture students of UMD, under the umbrella of the Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS), came up with design proposals and illustrations […]
Academic Year Project Started: 2015-2016
Emergency Notification System Analysis
The emergency notification system enables one-way or two-way communication between emergency communication staff, first responders, and impacted individuals. Counties have suffered from various severe weather conditions from time to time, including flooding, thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, freezing conditions, fire, blizzards, and other climatic emergencies. There are also other human-caused emergencies such as hazardous conditions caused […]
Data Driven Model of Evidence Based Practices for Corrections Programs
The Howard County Department of Corrections (HCDC) protects the public and its employees by providing safe, secure and humane conditions for persons legally under its authority. To achieve this goal, the department offers many programs and provides multiple opportunities for offenders to become law abiding and productive members of society. The aim of this capstone […]
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Promoting Online Public Engagement & Increasing Civic Engagement
To increase public engagement in Howard County and the Columbia Association, this report provides strategies for online and in-person engagement activities and programs. It suggests that both organizations continue to develop strong technology infrastructure, such as optimizing Wi-Fi services, maximizing the OpenHoward Data Portal’s effectiveness, and investing in mobile website design. Both groups can use […]
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Database Plan Development
Howard County would like to develop and populate a single holistic database that includes all the information on commercial buildings and occupancies for use by County agencies in various initiatives like inspections, licensing, and billing. Currently, there are many different County agencies that use information regarding commercial businesses, their occupancy and structure characteristics. For example, […]
SOWEBO Village
Aging in Place in Howard County: A Survey of Older Adults
This report is a compilation of original research conducted by students in the course SPGL498G, Pubic Health in the City, during the spring 2016 semester at the University of Maryland College Park. (See Appendix A) Students interviewed older adults in Howard County to determine factors that could impact their ability to age in place. We […]
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Columbia Gateway Innovation District: Alternative Future Visions
The Columbia Gateway Project is a comprehensive report on future development for the Columbia Gateway site in Columbia, MD. This report charts the next steps to enhance the viability and explore the economic possibilities of the area. This report lays out key issues and goals for impending planning efforts. It is a framework that establishes […]
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Invasive Vine Management
Whether it is Japanese honeysuckle, Oriental bittersweet, Mile-a-minute weed, or any of the other invasive vines present in northeastern U.S. urban forest systems, vines present a continuous burden on urban forest edges. The effects of invasive vines range from mere nuisances to ecological damage, often by smothering native vegetation. In most cases, given their rapid […]