George Roberts, Our Fifth District Citizen of the Year

Source:  Patch.

In 2011, I started a new tradition by naming three individuals as Fifth District Citizens of the Year:  one from Towson, one from Parkville, and one from Perry Hall.   When I asked for nominations this year, many of the individuals who were recommended were somehow associated with what was probably the biggest event in the Fifth District this year:  the shooting at Perry Hall High School.

This year, based upon input from residents and community leaders, I am recognizing Perry Hall High School Principal George Roberts as the Fifth District Citizen of the Year. Since arriving at Perry Hall High School in 2008, Mr. Roberts has instilled a spirit of excellence, pride, and tradition at Baltimore County’s largest public school. He brought back the sense of history that had faded before his arrival. He improved the look of the school and focused on student achievement, positioning Perry Hall as one of Newsweek’s top American high schools. 

What particularly distinguished Mr. Roberts this year, however, was his calm but assertive presence during and after the August 27th shooting. During the most difficult day in the history of Perry Hall High School, he set an example of leadership that was truly exemplary.

There were many individuals who provided extraordinary assistance that day, from the heroic faculty who restrained the gunman to our public safety professionals, but Mr. Roberts set the tone of leadership that was needed on August 27th and days afterward.

Mr. Roberts and his family live in another part of the Fifth District, in Towson.  I am proud to recognize Mr. Roberts and thank the entire Perry Hall family for those who supported the school during such a difficult year.

2012 Was a Year for Preserving Green Space

Source:  Baltimore Sun.

During my second year on the Baltimore County Council, we passed several bills that will improve Baltimore County's neighborhoods and help our families, including major reforms of the development process. But I am particularly proud of the work we are doing to preserve open space and improve the environment in Baltimore County.

Bill 21-12, for example, prohibits panhandle building lots in the hilly Parkville and Carney areas. Bill 23-12 expands a property tax credit for energy-efficient homes. Bill 36-12 adds "Little Valley" off Rushley Road to the list of protected historic landmarks in Baltimore County. I was a principal sponsor of all three bills.

I am particularly proud, however, of Bill 7-12, which created the first-ever open space overlay in Baltimore County.  With this legislation, the County Council was able to designate 174 acres in the Fifth District as open space, more acreage than in any other County Council district.

Development is needed to provide more housing and commercial areas, create jobs, and expand our tax base, but I also want to see more land left green and pristine throughout our neighborhoods. This year, we made real progress in reaching that goal.

A New Opportunity for Baynesville?

As reported in Patch and the Baltimore Sun, a legal settlement has been reached in a dispute over possible contamination by the Hess gasoline station on Joppa Road. The settlement between Hess and nearby residents calls for the demolition of 16 homes along Yakona Road. The demolition of these structures will create a new, four-acre open space which may be owned by NeighborSpace of Baltimore County, a land preservation trust.

This issue predates my service on the Baltimore County Council. When I learned about the settlement a few weeks ago, I quietly turned to several longtime community leaders who knew about the history of this problem. My predecessor Wayne Skinner distinctly remembers walking the area with a resident more than ten years ago.

There are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, including the future of the open space. I have been a strong supporter of Baltimore County NeighborSpace and am urging that organization to seize the opportunity to acquire this property. I have already reached out to the state legislators from this area and will work with them to promote any public meetings.

My hope is that this settlement becomes the catalyst for improvements in this neighborhood. While the homes along Yakona Road were built about the same time as nearby homes along Doxbury Road and Pleasant Plains Road, the Yakona Road area doesn't have the same degree of neighborhood stability. It's been neglected, and it shows.

My friend Donna Spicer, a longtime community activist, tells me that this region was once part of Baynesville.  That name has largely disappeared from the maps, but maybe it's time to form a Baynesville Community Association.  When NeighborSpace acquired a property in western Baltimore County, it worked with residents to actually start a neighborhood association. I also want to look at improving the overall look of Joppa Road and possibly put this area under the approval of the Design Review Panel so there is better architectural design for new businesses.

Since my election to the County Council, I have wanted to help this long-neglected part of Baltimore County.  The Hess settlement may offer a new opportunity.

At Midterm, A Thank You to the Fifth District

Two years ago, the voters of the Fifth District entrusted me with the responsibility of representing them on the Baltimore County Council. I would like to thank my family, community leaders, business owners, and everyone who has contacted my office to offer their advice and support.

Election Night 2010.  Source:  Patch.

I promised to be an independent voice on the County Council, and I have differed with some of my colleagues and the administration on some issues. I joined with my Republican colleague Todd Huff to oppose an expansion of the speed camera program, for instance, and to support term limits for County Councilmembers. But I also promised to build coalitions across party lines to get things done for our communities.

Reforming Government.  One of my first bills required that an input meeting for a proposed development optimally be held near the affected neighborhood. That bill set the stage for several bills, many of which I cosponsored with Councilman Tom Quirk, that have made county government more accessible to the public. We reformed the Planned Unit Development process by requiring agency review and a Community Input Meeting before a County Councilmember initiates a PUD resolution. We passed a bill that expands a property tax credit for energy-efficient homes, and enacted legislation that requires on-line posting of proposed regulations.

Preserving open space. I am perhaps most proud of the bill I sponsored this year that created the first-ever open space zoning classification. During the rezoning process, we designated 173 acres in the Fifth District as "open space zoning," more than any other Council district. Altogether, at my request, the Council downzoned more than 417 acres to protect our communities from overdevelopment, including the most land ever downzoned in Towson, Carney, and the Cromwell Valley.

Strengthening Our Businesses and Communities.  Finally, I am happy that with limited resources, we have worked with the Kamenetz administration on some important local initiatives. New additions were funded at Stoneleigh and Hampton Elementary Schools; air conditioning isscheduled for Seven Oaks Elementary School. Acreage was added at Honeygo Park in Perry Hall, and a dog park is closer to becoming a reality. New sidewalks and trails are advancing throughout the district, routes like Chapel and Forge Roads are being resurfaced, and new businesses are anchoring Downtown Towson and Downtown Perry Hall thanks to a boost from county government.

In closing, I would like to express my deepest appreciation to the police, firefighters, and other public servants who have admirably served the Fifth District during four emergencies over the past two years. Three were natural--the two hurricanes and the Derecho--and one was the shooting at Perry Hall High School.

Thank you again for the opportunity to serve you. I always appreciate your input.