A Preview of Important Milestones in 2013

Over the past two years, our office has worked to improve communities throughout the Fifth District, from Towson to Perry Hall.   Some of these projects are big, such as the additions at Stoneleigh and Hampton Elementary School or air conditioning at Seven Oaks Elementary School.  Other projects are small, but will have a measurable impact on our neighborhoods-- road improvements in Towson Manor Village and Loch Raven Village, for example, or new acreage at Honeygo Run Park in Perry Hall.   I would like to thank the County Executive and our state legislators for their help with a number of these initiatives.

My main focus in 2012 was preserving open space in our neighborhoods.  2012 was a rezoning year, and I used it as an opportunity to try to protect green space.  Acting on my recommendations, the County Council downzoned more than 417 acres, the most ambitious plan in two decades in this part of Baltimore County, and the most land ever downzoned in Towson, Carney, and Cromwell Valley.   The Fifth District now has more land zoned as open space than any other district in Baltimore County.  

It is impossible to predict exactly what 2013 may offer the Fifth District, but we do know there will be some important milestones.

In Towson, the newly-renovated Stoneleigh Elementary School will open in August.   More than $38 million has been invested in Towson's schools, but we need to work to make sure that all of our schools have adequate classroom space.   Redevelopment will accelerate in the Towson core, which means we need to address important needs such as security, maintenance, and traffic.   There will be a resolution of the Towson fire station issue and also changes to the magnet policy, which particularly impacts Cromwell Valley Elementary School.   I will continue to work with BGE to make sure electrical service becomes more reliable, particularly in places like western Towson, Campus Hills, and Hillendale Park.

In Loch Raven and Parkville, one of my biggest priorities will be the impact of the Hess settlement on the Yakona Road neighborhood.  Some road improvements will occur along the Joppa Road corridor, and we will hopefully have a new Baltimore NeighborSpace acquisition near the Harford/Joppa Road intersection, guaranteeing open space for the Carney community.

In Perry Hall, one of my main priorities will be the beautification of the commercial area at Belair, Ebenezer, and Joppa Roads.   Thanks to legislation passed by the County Council in 2011, this is now a revitalization district which offers special incentives to business owners.  The resurfacing of Chapel Road will be finished, and hopefully so will the trail along Indian Rock Park.   I expect progress on projects like the Perry Hall dog park and the renovation of the Perry Hall Mansion.   2013 is also the 50th anniversary for two local landmarks:  the Perry Hall library and Perry Hall High School. 

In closing, I want to wish you and your family a happy and healthy new year.    It is an honor to represent the citizens of the Fifth District.

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.