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Dick Ladd addresses the March 20, 2014 BCC roundtable event.
Concerns of Broadneck Communities were discussed.
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A meeting of various Broadneck Peninsula community associations and citizens took place at 7:30pm on March 20, 2014 in the community meeting house offered for use by Cape St. Claire for this meeting. The meeting was organized and moderated by the Broadneck Council of Communities (BCC) which is an umbrella organization of citizen groups representing 9000 voters in this County Council District. This organization serves as a watchdog and advocate for the citizens by attending AAC Council meetings, lobbying at the State Legislature, etc.
The meeting was conducted in a “roundtable” fashion which was arranged by the BCC. There were about a dozen presenters. They were representatives or Presidents of various neighborhood areas or associations, and they presented various concerns, issues, problems, and complaints that were specific to their community or of a general County-wide nature. All of this was intended to provide feedback and to quantify or explain issues for the benefit and understanding of County Councilman Dick Ladd who was the ‘host’. Hopefully he heard the concerns and can take them back to the Anne Arundel County leadership, because the problems outlined were widespread and troubling.
During the evening virtually all of the issues and concerns mentioned and what is causing them could be summarized as one thing —- A strong pro-growth, business friendly policy in the AA County is often combined with either a lack of proper zoning enforcement or a lack of zoning policy for a specific growth issue or out-of-date zoning codes.
There were numerous ‘presenters’, and a few of them are outlined briefly below:
Mr. Beau Breedon, President of Cape St. Claire Community Assoc. outlined issues related to beach erosion, utilities, road construction, stormwater management, especially lack of code enforcement, well water, etc within his community, He included comments on lack of County support for CSC CA despite the population size (6,500 voters) and financial input of the community. He urged Mr. Ladd to sponsor legislation to rewrite the zoning/housing code enforcement.
Councilman Ladd spoke about several current matters within the County. He mentioned the imminent opening of the new Police Station near junction of Route 2 and the East-West Highway. He noted the decision to build a new Arnold Elementary School, because water and drainage problems make refurbishment of the existing building ineffective. He noted that the new Child Care Center going in off College Parkway near Raintree Community will have turn lanes. Regina Zwolinski from the Raintree Community explained that this site has become a source of deep concern for all of the local communities along College Parkway due to accident and congestion concerns. It will be a large operation with 142 children and 15 staff members, resulting in a major traffic safety concern along that narrow stretch of College Parkway. Much of the planning and zoning was done without full consideration of the issues, resulting in a business establishment that will bring real safety issues to all College Parkway users. Ineffective design was done for matters of emergency escape and evacuation, and that will present real problems for the infants and toddlers as well as all others. Ladd mentioned that the code has been changed as a result of this case, but unfortunately this will not help the Raintree and other College Parkway communities.
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Bill Nevel describes the condition of
County Transportation and plans being developed by the County Transportation Commission
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Bill Nevel, Co-Chair of the transportation commission (and Broadneck resident) established by the County Executive, explained the mission of the commission— determine long and short range needs, roads and bridges issues, bicycle and pedestrian issues, and transportation program administration. Discussion included projections of road traffic usage today and in the decades ahead throughout the County and what it means in terms of cost and development. One key point noted, not part of the Commission’s report, was the decision on plans for a seventh lane on the Route 50 Severn River bridge, since other alternatives have been found inadequate and the relationship to future plans for the Bay Bridge.. Mr. Nevel indicated the community must remain vigilant to see that these issues as well as plans for Route 2 and College Parkway remain at the top of the county’s to-do list.
Paul Cain, Bay Hills President, outlined the major concerns for what he feels is an out of control development plan for the Bay Hills Plaza. The plans call for a 14,000+ square foot Rite Aid on the east side of the plaza and for the new M&T Bank to be located about where the pharmacy is today. Modifications and expansions will occur related to O’Loughlins, and inadequate parking spaces are a concern within the “mall” that would cause spill over parking onto the local community streets, etc. There appeared to be deep concern in the Bay Hills community on this matter.
Ms. Stapleton of Arnold outlined the serious road safety issues related to the 72 townhouses being built off Joyce Lane in Arnold. It is a narrow, non-standard roadway, that is forced to serve an AAC Elementary School, numerous homes, a church, etc. With the addition of the 72 residences and the resulting population, safety now becomes an even greater concern. No plans to properly upgrade the road’s use, ingress, or egress were ever developed prior to the development’s construction. Construction problems and noise occur day and night during the work in violation of the codes.
Several residents of Saint Margarets area explained the problems occurring where the Browns Woods Road and Saint Margarets Road intersect. The “bakery store” at that V-intersection is now closed. Egress from that intersection going either East or West is an accident waiting to occur. Traffic coming out of Browns Woods Road includes the considerable population off that street plus all of the Cantler’s Restaurant patrons. There appears to be no community consensus or any agency willingness to take ownership to find a solution. Mr. Ladd recommended that he would sponsor a fix-it plan once the community agreed to a solution.
Another Saint Margaret’s Road community representative explained the violation of their residential community by an improperly zoned, conditional use commercial establishment placed directly among their residences. A gardening and nursery company set itself up in business, and heavy trucks with pre-dawn and post-sunset noise are a routine. Heavy trucks interrupt the traffic while entering and exiting the commercial establishment. They explained that there appears to be no willingness on the part of government to take any real action to correct or reverse the problem.
Frank Curran Director o College Manor HOA portrayed the problem of out of control placement of small, and large illegal signs all over College Parkway, Ritchie Highway, and other areas of the peninsula. They are stuck in the ground, or nailed to utility poles, or mounted on wooden beams, etc., and are an eyesore, causing distraction to moving vehicles, and litter the highways and road ways throughout the Anne Arundel County. He explained that there are inadequate zoning controls on such signs and we need to advocate changes in the sign ordinance and its enforcement. One of his suggestions that received a resounding consensus is that each sign should contain a permit number and sponsor or contact number. Phil Ferrara also spoke to this issue and detailed violations throughout the Peninsula.
Elizabeth Rosborg, President of Arnold Preservation Council, spoke to the developments that are on-going in that community. APC is not thrilled with having 3 pharmacy’s on 4 corners, but is working with CVS. APC does believe in working with the owner/builder of College Parkway Shopping Center the redesign has addressed the parking concerns and flow.
Britt Griswold, from the Broadneck Council, spoke about stormwater remediation and the environmental monitoring the BCC is engaged in. Their major concern is sewer and septic waste and runoff into the Bay. He also mentioned the concern of development along Route 50 east of Exit 29, especially on the south side of Route 50.
Broadneck Council of Communities president, Pat Lynch, indicated she would sponsor a follow-up meeting late spring or summer to review action steps that hopefully are in place to correct some of these problems.
