Law would bolster national security industry

A piece of legislation passed by the County Council is written to intentionally benefit only one of the largest developments in the county, allowing it to construct more expensive commercial properties.

Supporters of the amendment passed Monday said it will bolster the emerging national-defense-contracting industry here and help transform the county into a breeding ground for defense contractors.

The legislation, an amendment to a 2005 law, would give the county planning and zoning officer the authority to fine-tune the balance of retail, commercial and residential space in mixed-use developments.

But the way it is...