APC NEWSLETTER May 2010
Vol. 10, No. 8,
THE MISSION OF THE ARNOLD PRESERVATION COUNCIL IS TO UNITE THE PEOPLE OF ARNOLD TO ENHANCE ARNOLD'S IDENTITY AS A DESIRABLE COMMUNITY THAT PRESERVES ITS RURAL HERITAGE AND ENVIRONMENT BY ADVOCATING RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, LINKED NEIGHBORHOODS, LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES, AND EXCELLENT SCHOOLS.
The next APC meeting will be on Monday, July 12, 2010 at 7:30 PM
Chesapeake Academy Conference Room, 1185 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Arnold
Inclement weather notice: If schools are closed or close early, APC’s meeting will be cancelled.
Write to info@preservearnold.org to ask to receive newsletter by email.
MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING, May 10, 2010
President Sue Freeman called the meeting to order at 7:30. There were 12 people in attendance.
Financial Report: There is no treasurer, so Sue Freeman reported the TDBank checking account balance is $6,656.42, CD $4,835.00
Membership: 28 memberships
History of ownership of Glen Oban
Michael Calabrese narrated a power point presentation tracing the ownership of the land from the Lords Calvert through the final development of the community of Glen Oban.
MAUAREEN CARR-YORK
Candidate for County Council was a guest at the meeting. The Board had agreed that the same questions would be asked of any candidate who chose to speak to us.
1. What would you do as a way to pay for all of the unfunded storm water and school maintenance projects that cannot likely be done?
Response: There is no "magic answer" as to how to fund these projects. Our best hope is a matter of setting priorities and enlisting the cooperation of community associations. The community associations could help in doing some of the improvements.
2. What do you see as the biggest issue facing Arnold? How would you resolve it?
Response: uncontrolled growth - traffic - maintaining a quality of life -- As far as resolving the issues, County Council must look at the overall picture and try to make a decision best for all.
3. What is your position regarding this statement of the Growth Action Network, especially in regard to the Broadneck Small Area Plan? "The GDPP should include an explicit statement of the continuing validity of the goals, objectives, policies, and land use designations of the Small Area Plans wherever they have not been modified by the GDP"
Response: It is my hope that all candidates will look at Small Area Plans thoughtfully before making any promises as to what they will do. Several specific instances were cited concerning the "over 55" properties.
4. Will you back us and help us in getting the County to help buy the Jordan Property for a park?
Response: "I cannot say I will back any specific project. I support all ideas for parklands and preserves. Where the money to fund these projects will come from? I do not know."
COMMITTEE REPORTS
REPORT FROM GROWTH ACTION NETWORK (GAN) 4/10/10
IMPACT FEES- I am very happy to report that the “rollback” of impact fees proposed by 4 County Council members (Bill 12-10) was defeated by a 4 to 3 vote on May 3, 2010. This was the result of great citizen involvement: messages to Council members, testimony at 3 different Council hearings, and letters to the editor.
Citizens made the difference and saved an estimated $14-$17 million that the County would have lost and now will be used for new schools, roads and public safety. This was not an easy vote as the process began with 4 sponsors who could have passed the bill had they not heard from their constituents. We thank Cathy Vitale, Jamie Benoit, Tricia Johnson and Chuck Ferrar for their votes.
COMPREHENSIVE RE-ZONING- Hundreds of applications for re-zoning (which is usually a request for a more dense residential or from residential to commercial zoning) have been filed with the County Office of Planning and Zoning. All the applications are listed by the County are listed in 2 formats—by Councilmanic District or by Application Number. There is also a useful map to use as a guide that shows locations of potential rezoning and gives information on the application. The only thing I have found missing is the size of the parcel.
To access these lists and mapping tool go to AA County website-then to Planning and Zoning, then to Long Range Planning and then choose a button on the left side of the page called Comprehensive Zoning. There are links on this page to the 2 lists and to the “CZ Application Review Tool”.
The County staff is reviewing all of these applications and will submit a list to the County Council of their recommendations for re-zoning. Members of the County Council will be able to add properties for re-zoning even if the P&Z Office does not recommend it.
How do you begin your evaluation as a citizen of the request?
- Go to the map to your neighborhood, using the lists of applications for rezoning to identify re-zoning applications in your area.
- Review the Small Area Plan (SAP) for the Broadneck area. It is posted on the County website on the Planning and Zoning home page. Arnold is in the 5th Councilmanic District, represented by Cathy Vitale and is in the Broadneck SAP.
- Any rezoning should only be made if consistent with the criteria adopted as part of the recently adopted General Development Plan (GDP). The GDP is also posted on the Planning and Zoning website.
- Some of the requests for re-zoning were made at the time the Broadneck GDP was adopted and were rejected. This may indicate that the re-zoning is not in keeping with the Small Area Plan that is more detailed than the GDP.
CITIZENS MEETING WITH LARRY TOM, Planning and Zoning Officer
We have been holding regular meetings with Larry Tom to learn more about the planning and zoning process. The next meeting will be held on May 18, 2010 from 3PM to 4:30 May in the Chesapeake Room of 2664 Riva Road. The applications for rezoning and the review process will be discussed along with the proposed changes to Articles 16, 17 and 18 that will revise requirements for subdivisions and storm water management. All are welcome to attend this meeting.
ST. MARGARET’ S LANDNG, PHASE III
A public meeting will be held at The Mariners’ Church, 1592 Whitehall Road, Annapolis, MD 21409 on May 25, 2010 at 6PM to discuss a proposal of the St. Margaret’s Landing Homeowners Association to remove the 55 and over age restriction from all “lots/dwellings in Phase 3”. This is apparently in response to the offer of Koch Homes to build 8 new classrooms at Broadneck HS, opening that school.
Ann M. Fligsten, Coordinator of Growth Action Network, and Vice President of APC. Join Growth Action by signing up on our website: http://growthaction.net/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SEVERN RIVER ASSOCIATION DINNER
June 15 at 6 PM $10 RSVP before June 1
The band is ready (Nautical Wheelers), boats are being prepped, schedules booked, and Magothy River Day 2010 is almost here. On Saturday, June 12th, everyone that loves the Magothy River and loves to have a good time is invited for a raft-up in the Dobbins Island anchorage. Check out our web page for more details.
CANDIDATE GUEST for JULY 12 MEETING
Judd Legum, Candidate for Dist 30 Delegate
The meeting was adjourned at 9 PM.
Respectfully submitted, Alberta Stornetta, Recording Secretary
Arnold Preservation Council
P.O Box 852, Arnold, Maryland 21012
info@preservearnold.org