And so it begins: the final showdown. 

The two rival sides—Cromwood-Coventry residents and developer Craftsmen Developers LLC—crowded into room 205 in Towson's Jefferson building along with county officials to present their cases to administrative law Judge Lawrence M. Stahl.

Stahl's ruling will determine whether the county approves or denies Craftsmen's plan to build 34 detached single-family homes on 14.6 acres at the end of Rushley Road in Parkville.

The surrounding community, which has been vocally opposed to the development, are arguing against approval. One neighborhood leader called it "the fight of our lives."

Thursday's hearing is the third step in Baltimore County's development review process. The plan will be either approved or denied pending administrative law Judge Lawrence M. Stahl's decision.

Stahl heard testimony from county employees in various departments, including the Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability, the Baltimore County Zoning Office, the Department of Planning, the Department of Permits, Approvals and Inspections and the Baltimore County Fire Marshall's Office.

By and large the employees were sworn in and stated that the development was in compliance with regulations, and that their department was recommending approval of the development plan.

John Gontrum, the Whiteford Taylor Preston attorney representing Craftsmen Developers LLC, then called his first and only witness: Stacy McArthur, a landscape architect with DS Thaler Associates, the engineering firm that prepared the development plan.

McArthur testified about the site details: the homes, retaining walls, and stormwater management systems to be constructed.

The hearing will reconvene Friday morning when J. Carroll Holzer, an attorney who specializes in representing communities in legal battles with developers, will cross-examine McArthur on behalf of the community.

"I expect to take a full two hours on the cross," Holzer said as the hearing drew to a close.

The hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Jefferson Building on Chesapeake Avenue in Towson.

Patch asked Craftsmen lawyer John Gontrum if it was unusual for a community to retain the services of an attorney.

"In this day and age, communities are usually represented by attorneys in development hearings — especially with something like this, which they call in-fill development," Gontrum said.

Mike Beegan, the president of the Cromwood Coventry Community Association, told Patch that the community had subpoenaed 12 witnesses — so it's likely that tomorrow's hearing, scheduled to last until 12 p.m., won't be the end of the case.

"This is definitely not going to be a 2-day trial," said Anne Collier, the Cromwood Coventry Community Association treasurer. "This is the fight of our lives."

This story has been edited to reflect the correct name of the site developer Craftsmen Developers LLC. Patch regrets the error.