Howard County Blog

GGP Proposal and My Thoughts on One Aspect GGP's Presentation

2009-10-13T23:06:00.007-04:00

GGP presented their proposal for a Zoning Regulation Amendment and a General Plan Amendment to allow them to redevelop Downtown Columbia. You can watch their presentation here.

Tomorrow at 7pm the County Council will hear economic analysis from the county's Economic Development Authority and the Columbia Association will present its plans for Symphony Woods. The Presentations will be at the Board of Education Building on Route 108 across from Cedar Lane.

Over the next couple weeks we will delve into the details in the proposal, but for know I wanted to reflect one interesting aspect of the presentation:

It was nice to see that GGP has finally recognized the extension of mass transit rail as an important part of the transit solutions. It is something I have been pushing for during the past four years, both in conversations with the county executive before and after he got elected, with GGP officials, and on this blog. GGP several times put up the proposed map of the extensions of the Baltimore Light Rail. They should also take note of the proposals to extend the DC Green Line to Ft. Meade, which is roughly the same distance north as Columbia from Greenbelt. As I repeatedly have pointed out the key to mass transit is ridership density and to maximize ridership density you want to maximize connection of where people are with where they want to go. The proposals that currently are being looked at to extend the Baltimore Light Rail and the DC Metro don't do that, but a system like this would:

The DC Metro took 15 years from the start of construction to the completion of the number of new stops that are in the above extension with roughly the same numbers of above and below ground stations.

If GGP and the County Elected officials want walkable communities, then creating a system like this with a significant portion of eastern Howard County's population within a 10 minute walk of a station is the way to go.

The previous traffic studies on Downtown Columbia show that our biggest traffic problems if they approve the development will be our local roads which will have intersections that are worse than traffic on Rockville Pike. Park and ride mass transit alone will not solve our traffic problems or allow us to manage growth pressures. A walk and ride system with some park and ride stations would relieve pressure on local roads and allow the county to absorb growth in a managed smart growth way.

Health Care Rally Tomorrow

2009-10-13T22:29:00.002-04:00

Move On is organizing a rally to urge Senator Mikulski to keep fighting for the Public Option to be included in the Health Care bill.

WHAT: Rally in Support of Senator Mikulski
WHO: MoveOn members

WHERE: 60 West St, Annapolis, MD

WHEN: Noon, October 14^th, 2009

The rally is part of a national day of action, which will include over 100 rallies in 43 states.

CA Press Release: Columbia Archives Mini-Course on Columbia

2009-09-25T02:17:00.005-04:00

Columbia Archives to offer mini-course on Columbia

Sessions explore the four goals of Columbia and their effect on the history and future of the city

The Columbia Archives, a service of the Columbia Association (CA), is offering a course on Columbia every Wednesday in October from 7 to 9 p.m. Each session starts at Columbia Archives and then moves to the nearby Lakeside Café for a presentation and refreshments. The free sessions examine the goals of Columbia and how they guided development of--and continue to define--the city.

The series highlights the work of the Columbia Archives and celebrates American Archives Month. Attendance at all sessions is not mandatory. Registration is encouraged, but not necessary. To register for a session or to find out more information, please e-mail Columbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssociation.com or call 410-715-3103. Columbia Archives is located at 10227 Wincopin Circle in Columbia Town Center.

Columbia Archives is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments are encouraged. Among the materials available are articles aboutColumbia from the local and national media; home builders’ brochures; and Merriweather memorabilia; as well as a large document collection that is available for research. For additional information on the Columbia Archives, please visit www.ColumbiaArchives.org.

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10221 Wincopin Circle

Columbia, Maryland 21044

CA Press Release: Party's At Courtside Supreme Sports Club

2009-09-25T02:15:00.000-04:00

This fall, the party’s at Courtside at Supreme Sports Club

Newly renovated facility to host Healthy Happy Hours and Tailgating Parties through December

Courtside at Supreme Sports Club has re-opened and is now offering several new special events for members to enjoy. On Wednesdays, Courtside will host Healthy Happy Hour Parties featuring healthy food and non-alcoholic drinks, music and giveaways. Parties will be held September 30; October 14 and 28; November 11 and December 9. Also, Courtside is the new place to watch football games this season. Cheer on the local professional and college teams with fellow football fans at Courtside’s Tailgating Parties.

Date Time Game

Saturday, September 26 TBD Rutgers vs. Maryland

Monday, October 26 8 p.m. Philadelphia vs. Washington

Monday, November 16 8 p.m. Baltimore vs. Cleveland

Monday, December 7 8 p.m. Baltimore vs. Green Bay

Newly renovated, state-of-the-art Courtside at Supreme Sports Club is the latest rental space offered by the Columbia Association (CA). The location is perfect for birthday parties, meetings or any type of event or social gathering. Features include the theater-quality, surround sound audio system with 21 speakers that complement three 46” TVs with DVD capability. The space can accommodate up to 100 people. Guests can enjoy the wireless internet access and new furniture. Supreme Sports Club is located at 7080 Deepage Drive inColumbia. Please call 410-381-5355 for more information or join the Courtside at Supreme Sports Club group on Facebook.

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10221 Wincopin Circle

Columbia, Maryland 21044

Switchboard: 410-715-3000

Fax 410-715-0389

CA Press Release Dredging Lake Elkhorn

2009-09-25T02:10:00.001-04:00

CA selects Mobile Dredging and Pumping Co. for Lake Elkhorn Dredging

The Columbia Association (CA) has awarded a contract to Mobile Dredging and Pumping Co., of Chester, PA, for the dredging of Lake Elkhorn. The proposed dredging plan follows the permitted plan and requires no amendments to the permits obtained for this project.

The Lake Elkhorn dredging project has been in the planning and development stages for several years. CA solicited the input of residents, Board members and other stakeholders to develop a plan that responds to community, environmental and traffic concerns, and presents a responsible approach to accomplishing the dredging within budget.

After canceling the first request for proposal, re-issuance of the request for proposals for Lake Elkhorn dredging was released on July 22, 2009. Proposals were due on August 18, 2009 and CA received four proposals. A five-person, multidisciplinary evaluation team was established and the proposals were evaluated. Mobile Dredging and Pumping Co. had the highest rated proposal which was satisfactory in all terms of methodology, performance time and cost, and met all of the minimum requirements of the request for proposal.

Construction of the staging area, which is located at the parking area accessed by Broken Land Parkway and adjacent grassy area, is scheduled to begin early October 2009. Active dredging and material de-watering is scheduled to occur from November 2009 and continue into the fall of 2010. This includes the hydraulic dredging of approximately 52,000 cubic yards of accumulated sediment from the forebay pond, main lake and the tail water pond. At the staging area, the hydraulically dredged material will be de-watered and hauled by truck to off-site locations for disposal.

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10221 Wincopin Circle

Columbia, Maryland 21044

Switchboard: 410-715-3000

Fax 410-715-0389

Byron Macfarlane Files to Run For Register of Wills

2009-09-21T21:19:00.004-04:00

Byron Macfarlane has filed to run for Register of Wills. This sets up what might be one of the more competitive races in Howard County in the 2010 election cycle. Incumbent Kay Hartleb is one of the last Republicans elected countywide. She has served as Register of Wills for the past 23 years and we all know how hard it is to defeat an incumbent, much less one that has served for over 2 decades. Yet Byron Macfarlane brings to the table a specialty in wills, estates, and trusts and a vision to make the Register of Wills office more accessible:

From Byron's website:

Howard County residents deserve improved access to the Office of the Register. Whether it is in person, over the phone, or online, I am committed to Howard County residents having improved access to important information and more easily finding answers to their questions.

I will overhaul the Register of Wills website for Howard County to provide detailed explanations of the services of the office, the probate process, filing requirements, information on estate and inheritance taxes, announcements about where and when I and my staff will be in your community, and links to other resources that are helpful to residents. I have posted some of these links on this website. I will also work with other Registers of Wills around the state, and the Attorney General’s office, to explore implementing an e-filing system that would expedite estate administration, cut down on costs to families, and reduce environmental waste.

I have know Byron for a number of years and he is someone with a deep passion for service and making people's life easier. When you combine this with his vision and deep roots in Howard County and this shapes up to be a potentially very competitive election.

CA's Proposed Design Plan for Symphony Woods PARK

2009-09-17T15:40:00.010-04:00

The proposed concept plan begins the evolution of Symphony Woods into Symphony Woods Park. The goal for this plan is to develop the site into an attractive setting for public recreation and community events while protecting and enhancing the site's natural features. This proposed park will be a bold gateway to the woods and the Pavilion, and for the first time, a year round destination as a park.

The central focal point for the park will be a plaza to include an interactive water feature and a small café with restrooms. Green technologies will be used in the design of these structures. A place to play, relax and watch people, the park will become a destination that enhances the lives of those living and working in Columbia. Three other activity areas are proposed: a children's play area, sculptures, and future park related uses.

A bold circular walk tucked inside the woodland setting is designed to establish a 'sense of place' and provide for pedestrian circulation. This walk will define the natural topographic bowl and reinforce the visual axis connecting Town Center with the Pavilion. The center of the circle, with a modest amount of tree thinning, will be a special outdoor room for the community to gather.

More intensive activities will be located around the outside of the circle and its center will be left open for passive use. A boardwalk on the eastern side of the circle will allow natural storm water drainage and ensure that the walk will meet accessibility standards by not exceeding a 5% grade. The boardwalk will also minimize re-grading which is detrimental to tree roots.

Parking on the western edge of the park will ensure easy access for park users. The 120-space parking lot and some of the activity areas on the periphery of the circular walkway will support community events, minimizing compaction of existing tree roots. Many new trees will be planted for the park to replace those removed in park construction or due to decline. They will be located to provide shade and aesthetic appeal as well as to provide habitat and to absorb storm water.

A 'Woodland Garden' located in the eastern section of the park will showcase a variety of native and woodland plants. This special garden will be a destination by its own merits and will add to the experience of visitors to Symphony Woods Park. The Woodland Garden will link to the walkway system encircling the Pavilion grounds and to Columbia's pathways. Park visitors will be able to walk one mile by completing a loop around the pavilion.

A special gathering place for the people of Columbia and Howard County, Symphony Woods Park will add life and vitality to Columbia's Town Center. The concept for the proposed park establishes a definitive plan based upon a program of family-oriented recreation activities.

The measure of any great civilization is in its cities, and the measure of a city's greatness is to be found in the quality of its public spaces, its parks and squares. John Ruskin

Symphony Wood Park Presentation & Survey

2009-09-17T15:35:00.002-04:00

The Columbia Association's (CA) "Concept Plan for Symphony Woods" is available in a narrated slide show presentation at CA’s website:

http://www.columbiaassociation.org/SymphonyWoods/

There is also a short survey posted on the site and CA is encouraging the community to give them feedback on the plan.

Community input is very important to the planning of Symphony Woods Park. Please provide feedback on the features you feel would be of greatest benefit to the community. Your feedback is greatly appreciated and is essential in designing an amenity that is representative of our community.

Happy Constitution Day!!!

2009-09-17T00:33:00.003-04:00

222 years ago today the US Constitution was sent to the states for ratification.

You can read the Constitution on the National Archive's website.

Now who can name the two Maryland delegates to the Constitutional Convention that did not sign the Constitution?

Columbia Association's Position on Symphony Woods

2009-09-16T18:02:00.002-04:00

Late last year, CA reviewed plans for Symphony Woods presented by General Growth Properties (GGP) as part of their submittal for the General Plan Amendment. After review, the CA Board chose to work with independent landscape architects and land planners (Cy Paumier and John Slater) to study options for Symphony Woods. The goal for this plan is to develop the site into an attractive setting for public recreation and community events while protecting and enhancing the site’s natural features.

Columbia residents are encouraged to attend one or both of the following meetings:

Wed, Sep 16 • 7:30pm__Visual Presentation of Symphony Woods Concept Plan
* Slayton House • 10400 Cross Fox Ln • Col 21044 • 410-715-3118

Sat, Sep 26 • 10:30am-noon__Walking Tour of Symphony Woods Concept Plan
• Symphony Woods • 5950 Symphony Woods Rd • Col 21044 • 410-715-3118
Designers will then lead the walking tour through Symphony Woods to help residents visualize the possible future of the park.

For more information, please call 410-715-3118.
CA encourages residents to attend one or both presentations and provide feedback on these concept plans.

The message below appeared in the Columbia Flier on Sept 3, 2009 (Full-Page Ad)

Symphony Woods: Preserve, Enhance, Admire
A Message from CA
To Columbia Residents

The Columbia Association is aware that the Howard County Council will be considering ZRA-113 and the General Plan Amendment (GPA) presented by General Growth Properties (GGP). The purpose of this letter is to provide the Columbia Association position with regard to the area identified in the GPA as the Merriweather portion of the Town Center Redevelopment. We are aware that GGP was required by the County to create a comprehensive master plan for all of downtown, including property they did not own. To this end, GGP offered a concept for the use of Symphony Woods, and stated their understanding that it was not their property and that it would ultimately be up to CA to propose a plan.

In July 2008, the CA Board of Directors approved a resolution that protects and enhances Symphony Woods by creating a park-like environment. The resolution states: “Future plans for Symphony Woods should include the following: (1) Restoration and maintenance of a vibrant natural ecosystem, (2) Provision for a gathering place for individuals and community events, (3) Merriweather Post Pavilion will be an exciting and active destination, (4) Limited roadways or buildings of a park-related scale, and (5) Connectivity and accessibility to the rest of Downtown.”

Our intent is to make Symphony Woods more attractive to residents by improving the grounds, adding walking paths, and introducing an interactive water feature and other park-like amenities. CA Staff has been working with consultants to create an exciting design plan for Symphony Woods Park. The concept plans will be introduced to the community through a communications plan over the next few months and additional input will be sought from the
community. The funding for the proposed Symphony Woods Park plan will be included by Staff in the draft FY 11-12 Budget to be presented to the CA Board for approval. CA is committed to enhancing cultural activities and opportunities in Columbia; It is our belief that these can be best accommodated in the Lakefront district, as opposed to Symphony Woods. CA’s intent to preserve Symphony Woods is reinforced by the County’s Vision Plan for Downtown that calls for preserving Symphony Woods and enhancing it with park-related features.

We ask that any Master Plan recommended by the Planning Board acknowledge CA’s intentions as owner of Symphony Woods.

For the Board,

Phil Kirsch • Chair, Columbia Association Board of Directors

Obama speaking in College Park on Thursday

2009-09-14T22:16:00.001-04:00

What: Health Reform Rally with President Obama
Where: University of Maryland, Comcast Center
1 Terrapin Trail
College Park, MD 20742
When: Thursday, September 17th
Doors Open: 9am
Start Time: 11am

Admission is on a first-come, first-served basis, so please arrive as early as possible. There will be security and parking restrictions so plan accordingly.

All attendees will go through airport-like security and should bring as few personal items as possible. No bags, no sharp objects, no umbrellas, no liquids, no strollers, and no signs will be allowed into the venue.

Parking is extremely limited around the Comcast Center and the use of public transportation is stronly encouraged. The University will provide free shuttle buses from the University of Maryland-College Park Metro Station (Green Line) to and from the Comcast Center starting at 6am until two hours following the event.

Health Care Parady Video

2009-09-14T21:38:00.003-04:00

Here is an article on Billionaires for Wealth Care.

County Council Leadership

2009-09-01T23:10:00.003-04:00

The powers of a legislator are to propose bills, amend bills, vote on bills and amendments, and if they can rally the support of their colleagues pass bills.

Thus one important way a legislator can show leadership, particularly if they were not the original drafter of the legislation, if the bill that is before them has problems is to amend that bill.

Tonight we saw the County Council show this type of leadership. They took County Bill 29 (CB-29) that came to them without a comprehensive community driven master planning process and they amended it to create a comprehensive community driven master planning process that each of Columbia's villages can undertake.

You can find the bill language and amendments here at the bottom of the page.

The following amendments passed:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14(in revised form), 15, 16, and 18

Amendment 14 passed, but the amendment itself was amended to add "and not overwhelm" so that the version of 14 that passed read: "If appropriate, secondary residential uses to support and enhance and not overwhelm other uses in the village center."

The following amendments failed:
12 and 13

The following amendment was withdrawn:
17

Sometimes the community requests lots of changes and it takes lots of amendments to get the bill to reflect what the community has been asking for. As I have told a number of people more amendments can be very good, if the amendments are enacting the changes county residents are asking for and if it improves the bill.

County Council members Jen Terrasa, Mary Kay Sigaty, and Calvin Ball listened to there constituents and made sure that there was a comprehensive master planning process in this bill. This is the legislative process working as it should.

Soon we will have the Downtown Rezoning Bill to deal with. It is very important that we keep clearly communicating with our elected officials what we want. In the case of CB-29, the testimony of Kings Contrivance, which proposed specific amendments to the bill proved very effective and nearly all of the changes they requested were incorporated into the bill. I strongly suggest that the testimony on all bills focuses in on specific amendments.

A Cartoon on Health Care

2009-08-27T23:23:00.001-04:00

Columbia Association's Goals Assigned to New President (June 2009)

2009-08-20T22:29:00.002-04:00

Annual Strategic Issues	Describe strategic issues and include any and all expectations for the specific issue. Identify measurements or indicators for achieving the desired outcome.
Issue 1	Columbia plans and enhances the health and safe living environment of the community o Improve accessibility and affordability of programs for all age groups in Columbia. o Use existing and future results of surveys to better understand what Columbia’s residents want or need o Work with the County and other related agencies to recommend that new subdivisions in or within the watershed follow regulations that prohibit sediment flow or other agents that are harmful to the environment o Work with the State Legislature to initiate and place into effect a new law that would give Columbia jurisdiction over its own zoning and platting matters while giving village boards a prominent recommendation role in such matters. o Make CA a leader in implementing green initiatives by working with Howard County to develop high standards that promote green policies in land use planning, transportation projects and building construction.
Issue 2	Columbia Association provides programs and projects to promote community and environmental sustainability o Work to initiate and strategically implement the recommendations of the Watershed Management Plan using grants from outside sources to the maximum level possible. o Refine and develop the approved Symphony Woods Concept Plans and provide a timetable for design, financing and construction phasing of the plan. o Explore and recommend alternative energy sources for CA facilities such as solar, geothermal, etc. o Continue and enhance the existing recycling programs for all CA facilities, even those owned by outside firms o Initiate, with the condition of state and federal permitting approval, progress on dredging of community lakes.
Issue 3	Columbia utilizes available means and policies to foster financial stewardship that will require refocusing resource management o Develop a multi-year business plan that provides greater explanation and coordination of resources, the use of “best practices”, and equipment and priority needs o Develop a short-range capital improvements program based on the Board’s goals and objectives. The plan should include but not be limited to projects such as: Symphony Woods, the Lake Front development and CA infrastructure. o Initiate structural reorganization that coordinates resources with the highest priority needs of the community, both current and future. Make CA more cost-effective, productive, and responsive to changing demographics, and right-size CA in a competitive environment by focusing CA’s services on Columbia’s residents. Ensure balanced CA budgets with spending levels that are realistic, and show how CA can improve quality of services, minimize costs, practicing cost containment, and making services for Columbia’s residents more affordable. o Prepare a successor to CA’s long-range Financial Management Program. o Assist the Board in distinguishing between budget centers that should be subsidized versus unsubsidized by the annual charge. o Initiate for Board review and approval short and mid range fiscal policies document that will provide the Board with the realities of CA capabilities for financing programming.
Issue 4	Columbia Association encourages community engagement, satisfaction, connection and individual development o Implement the CSS software system no later than May 1, 2010, and show that actual progress has been made at several checkpoints between now and then. o Implementation of a Residents Solution Coordinator to provide a source of information and answers to residents/property owners and to supply answers and information within specified timeframes. o Implement the Communications Plan to provide general project and/or program information to the community at initiation of the program or project. o Develop various information pieces using available resources to let Columbians know what they get for the assessment dollars. o Implement a process that ensures transparency in all CA operations.
Issue 5	Columbia Association utilizes interagency partnerships to develop the best programs possible for the residents of our community o Work with Village managers and boards to help determine their needs to plan for the future. o Work with Columbia “stakeholders” to develop information conduits that will assist in project and program development. o Utilize community intelligence to develop pathways to the future through the development of focus groups and/or citizen roundtables. o Work with Howard County and the State of Maryland to share responsibility and funding for programs that are responsive to inevitable changes i.e. demographic, environmental, and advocacy that will directly impact the Columbia community. o Develop partnerships with the Columbia Foundation, the Chamber of Commerce and other agencies to provide input and resources into the second renaissance of Columbia.

The Columbia Association Planning & Strategy Committee (Aug 09)

2009-08-20T22:20:00.002-04:00

ü Working on the following:

o Approximately 17 trees need to be cut down in Symphony Woods (SW) because they are unsafe and/or dead or dying. Considering the implications of tree removal in SW, the PSC will host a meeting on August 20^th at 6:30pm to allow the public to see the trees that will be taken down. These trees were identified as dead or dying by a consulting arborist who provided CA with a report on which tree should be removed. The public will be able to see which trees have been identified as they be marked with ribbons until they are taken down in approximately 2-3 weeks depending on weather conditions. The committee will discuss the tree replacement plan with the CA President, consultants and staff.

o Budget Planning is being aligned to the strategic plan. The President is developing a operational plan & business plan that will be presented in October.

o If the Board approves, the Financial Advisory Committee will begin to develop a new Financial Management Program that will be benchmarked with best practices to help the organization create other tools beyond the current ratios that have been used exclusively to determine if CA is fiscally sound.

The Columbia Association Performance Oversight Committee (Aug 09)

2009-08-20T22:11:00.002-04:00

Working on the following:

o Customer Services System Update: The committee received an update from Steve Sattler on the Customer Services System (CSS) to ensure that the project remains on track for a May 1, 2010 go-live.

o Lake Kittamaqundi and Lake Elkhorn Dredging Projects: Chick Rhodehamel gave an update on the dredging projects for Lake Kittamaqundi and Lake Elkhorn, the permit for the latter has been issued on July 9, 2009. The RFP for Lake Elkhorn has been sent out and bids have been received.

o CA’s Monthly Financials: The POC monitored CA’s monthly financials as provided by Rafia Siddiqui to ensure that CA remains on track financially.

The Columbia Association External Relations Committee (Aug 09)

2009-08-20T22:04:00.003-04:00

ü Working on the following:

o Process for regular Village Roundtable Discussions

o Environmental Sustainability, including Transportation Improvement and discussion of the Berkeley initiative

o Village Revitalization, including Engaging the Business Community and Public Safety.

o Watershed Advisory Committee’s Watershed (WAC) Protection Framework document was reviewed. The document will come back to committee for another review in October. It was stated that the WAC members need to work with the Village Board’s to ensure that the Villages are beginning to move toward environmental sustainability.

Presentation of New Vision Plan for Symphony Woods

2009-08-20T17:55:00.000-04:00

CA will host two public meetings to present the vision plans for Symphony Woods.
First meeting is on September 16 at Slayton House at 7:30pm featuring Cy Paumier and John Slater who will present a visual on plans for Symphony Woods.
Second meeting on September 26 at 10:30am also featuring Cy Paumier and John Slater will include a walking tour of Symphony Woods permitting attendees to compare the plans to the actual landscape.
Residents are encouraged to attend both meetings, but will be encouraged to view the presentation and provide input via a survey on line if they’re unable to attend. The on-line presentation and survey will be available after both meetings.

MD moves ahead with the DC Purple Line and Baltimore Red Line

2009-08-05T00:16:00.002-04:00

Governor O'Malley sent out the following email Tuesday afternoon:

Three years ago we came together united by a statewide vision for transportation that includes mass transit and roads -- and today I've got some great progress to announce in our work to make Maryland smart, green, and growing.

This morning I announced our plans to move forward on the construction of the Purple Line, a light-rail line that will run between Bethesda in Montgomery County and New Carrollton in Prince George's County.

The Purple Line won't just help us reduce traffic congestion and the air pollution that comes with it. It'll also give Marylanders an inexpensive, reliable, and environmentally friendly way to reach the places where they work, play, and worship.

How will the Purple Line affect your daily life? I want to hear what you think -- please share your thoughts here:

http://www.martinomalley.com/PurpleLine

At 16 miles, the new line will connect major employment and activity centers to residential areas. It'll also link up three MARC commuter rail lines, Amtrak, and local bus services.

The Purple Line project will now be submitted to the Federal Transit Administration as we seek approvals to begin engineering work and secure $1.5 billion in federal funding to complete the project.

Along with the Purple Line, we're also moving forward this week on the Red Line -- a light-rail project in Baltimore that will better connect East and West Baltimore to each other and to regional transportation lines.

These investments mark the beginning of the next generation of Maryland's transit system, and it's a new era that will yield benefits for commuters and non-commuters alike.

Take a moment now to share your thoughts on how the Purple Line will affect you:

http://www.martinomalley.com/PurpleLine

I look forward to hearing your comments!

Thank you,

Gov. Martin O'Malley

This is a major step forward in improving our regional transportation infrastructure. The next step will be to connect the two metro systems. A couple years ago I laid out on this blog one example of how this could be done to maximize the ridership density needed to bring in revenue to the system, reduce congestion on local roads and enabling managed growth in already developed areas, and protect and improve the county property tax base for many years into the future, while staying committed to being a mixed income community.

Netroots Nation Panel on Local Blogging

2009-07-30T00:04:00.002-04:00

I will be moderating a panel on city and county blogging at this year's Netroots Nation. Though I took a hiatus from posting on this blog while I served on the Columbia Council and I have only slowly been getting back into posting since my term ended, I think I bring to the panel both an understanding of the pros and cons of posting while serving in elected office and the challenges of trying to build a group blog. All the longtime readers here have seen the waves of guest posters and know of my strong desire to try to build a sustained group blog. I also think Howard County has had an interesting mix of local blogs of varying styles and I hope to contribute that perspective.

The panelists that will join me in this discussion come from all over the country and have had a wide range of blogging experience at the local level and all have been more successful than I at establishing strong local blogs.

The other panelists are:
Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg of Philadelphia blog Young Philly Politics
Paul Hogarth of San Fransisco blog Beyond Chron
Josh Kalven who covers Chicago on Progress Illinois
Eli Ackerman of the New Orleans blog We Could Be Famous

It will be a great discussion and if you can make it to Pittsburgh on August 13-16th I encourage you to register for Netroots Nation and come join the discussion.

CB-29 Amendments Online

2009-07-16T07:16:00.004-04:00

One of the great things the County Council has done to promote good dialog with county residence is put the draft language of the amendments they are considering online, so residence can read them in advance to help them prepare testimony for the County Council hearing on Monday, July 20th at 7:30pm at the Board of Education Building on Route 108 (near Cedar Lane).

I hope to post my thoughts on the amendments in the next day or so.

Party Party Party is Closing

2009-07-13T21:57:00.003-04:00

Party Party Party a longtime Columbia establishment in Dobbin Center is closing. I have always appreciated having this high quality party supply store in our community and am very sorry to see them closing. The initial notice they sent to longtime customers was that their lease was not renewed. If anyone knows the full story, I would be interested in knowing more. When the lease in Dobbin Center was not going to happen, did they try to get a lease in other space?

Fourth of July Open Thread

2009-06-30T22:41:00.002-04:00

What are your favorite things to do in Howard County on the Fourth of July?

While we all enjoying time with friends and family, it is also a good time to reflect on both the courage of our Founding Fathers and the courage of other people who stand up for the right to select who governs them, such as the Iranian people have been doing for the last two weeks.

The National Archives has a transcription of the Declaration of Independence online.

Howard County is the home of some of the descendants of Charles Carrroll, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

Come meet the New CA President Tonight

2009-06-25T00:18:00.002-04:00

The Columbia Association is hosting a Meet and Greet with new CA President Phil Nelson.

Come by tonight from 6-7:30pm to Historic Oakland Manor at 5430 Vantage Point Road, Columbia, MD 21044.

Local Voices in the Health Care Debate

2009-06-24T21:40:00.006-04:00

As the nation dives into the health care debate a number of Howard County residents taking part as well.

First up, what you can do:

There is free event at Amherst House, in the Kings Contrivance Village Center this Saturday, June 27, 10:30 – 11:30 AM where you can whatever your health care problems/concerns, and regardless of your political affiliation stop by and write letter to your elected officials expressing your views on the critically important issue of affordable health care for all Americans.

A Kings Contrivance resident is organizing this event and will provide the tools: paper, pen, envelopes and stamps,, as well as, a list of addresses for U.S. Senators and Representatives elected to Congress by Howard County residents. And conveniently there is a mailbox right outside the door to Amherst House.

Second:

ABC News’ Charles Gibson and Diane Sawyer moderated a conversation this evening with President Obama about health care. A special edition of Primetime “Questions for the President: Prescription for America” will air on Wednesday, June 24th from 10:00-11:00 PM ET on the ABC Television Network. The conversation with the President will continue on “Nightline” at 11:35pm ET. President Obama will answer questions in the East Room of the White House from an audience made up of Americans selected by ABC News who have divergent opinions on the health care debate. One of those selected is local businessman Brian England, owner of British American Auto Care.

Third:

Two friends of mine, Adam Green and Stephanie Taylor (who are not Howard County residents, but I still thought there effort might interest Howard County residents), are organizing an effort to advocate for the inclusion of a Public Option within the Health Care Plan. If you also support the inclusion of a Public Option then you can sign up to have your name listed as a supporter in an ad they are putting together. Click here to go look at the ad and find out how to sign up.

I personally would like universal health care and think the current health care system is inefficient and a drag on our economy. The more our elected hear support for either universal health care or the public option, the more likely we will get a workable health care system that isn't just another bloated give away to insurance companies. As Adam and Stephanie's ad makes clear special interests are pouring huge amounts of money into trying to block meaningful health care reform.

County Council Work Session

2009-06-22T21:42:00.002-04:00

How did the County Council Work Session this afternoon go? Share your thoughts.

And please remember that in order to have a productive conversation it is important to use usernames. Posting as Anonymous means you do not want to have a constructive dialog on the important issues facing our county.

School Board Member Allen Dyer Speaking at DFH Tuesday

2009-06-22T21:32:00.002-04:00

School Board Member Allen Dyer is speaking at Democracy For Howard County (DFH), which is the local chapter of Democracy for America, this Tuesday, June 23rd at 7pm at the Locust Park Neighborhood Center in Long Reach just off of Route 175. Locust Park Neighborhood Center is at 8995 Lambskin Lane in Columbia.

This is Leadership

2009-06-18T22:50:00.004-04:00

Tonight County Councilwomen Jen Terrasa (D-3) and Mary Kay Sigaty (D-4) hosted a brainstorming session tonight with Village Board and Columbia Council members to brainstorm how a Master Planning process would work as part of village center redevelopment. After hearing two nights of testimony that included a lot of interest in the inclusion of a Master Plan, these two councilwomen took the lead to continue the discussion and to search for a solution on how the community imput they were recieving could be implemented. I have been very impressed by this constructive leadership and I look forward to seeing how the discussion continues and what actions they take to address the desire for a Master Plan process.

Here are so pictures of tonights meeting:

I spoke with Councilman Ball (D-2) earlier in the week and he is very engaged on this issue as well. It would have caused problems with the Open Meeting Act if three council people had attended this meeting, so his staff member attended.

Every village other than River Hill had representatives at the meeting and it was a very collaborative conversation.

CB-29 Testimony

2009-06-16T06:46:00.003-04:00

Testimony for CB-29 continues this evening at 6pm. There were a lot of people interested in testifying.

I have submitted the following testimony in writing:

Amendments to CB-29:

1) Add the mins and maxes proposed by CA
2) Removed the Minor Redevelopment process
3) Page 2 lines 19-22 amend to allow Village Associations be able to petition for to change PDPs, CSPs, FDPs, and SDPs
4) Page 3 lines 1-3 add comply with open space zoning requirements
5) Page 3 lines 19-21 make notifications to ALL villages and CA
6) Page 4 line 11 make DPZ staff report address the village community response statement
7) Page 5 paragraph (4) add lighting
8) Page 5 section A add “including its relationship with other village centers”
9) Page 5 line 26 take out word “center”
10) Page 5 section B add at end “and surrounding community”
11) Page 6 section E add “that will be open to public use” (I would like stronger language “open to public use, community events, free speech, and political discourse”)
12) Page 6 add section I “How redevelopment complies with definition of village center in Section 103, Part 168
13) Page 6 add section J “How redevelopment complies with Village Master Plan”
14) Page 7 section D part 1 change “approve the” to “Adopt a set of”
15) Page 8 section F line 1 add “including Concept Plan”
16) Page 8 section F at end add “and all property owners within the Village Center and the Community Association the Village Center is within”
17) Support OB testimony paragraph 2 (voting rights in CA/Village Elections) and amend to address those concerns

And I will happily talk about CB-29 with any Council member. The above is a rough sketch of how I think CB-29 can be revised to achieve a process that encourages Master Planning that takes a comprehensive look at redevelopment rather than piecemeal development that violates the very concept of Columbia as a Planned Community.

Planning Board Chair David Grabowski Let's County Council Know How He Would Have Voted on ZRA 102

2009-06-15T19:49:00.004-04:00

As you may recall the Planning Board split 2-2 on ZRA 102 (Village Center Revitalization Process Zoning Amendment that is now County Bill 29). Planning Board Chair David Grabowski was the fifth vote and was available to vote by phone at the time of the vote, but wasn't called. Until now I had not heard how he would have voted to break the 2-2 split. I am watching the County Council hearing at home, before going over to testify later this evening (I am towards the end of those signed up to testify) and David is up for reappointment to the Planning Board. When he was testifying on his reappointment, Courtney Watson (D-1) ask him how he would have voted. David said he would have voted with Tammy CitraManis and Linda Dombrowski.

County Council Meets Today to Hear Testimony on Village Center Revitalization Rezoning

2009-06-15T00:22:00.000-04:00

The County Council will hear testimony on CB-29 the County Bill that changes the zoning processes on Village Center Revitalization today at 7:30 at the Board of Education building’s Board Room, 10910 Route 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042.

You can sign up to testify on the County Council website.

Councilwoman Terrasa Reviews Village Center Revitalization Bill with the Kings Contrivance Village Board and Representatives of Owen Brown

2009-06-14T23:15:00.001-04:00

On Thursday night Councilwoman Terrasa met with the Kings Contrivance Village Board and went line by line through CB-29, the County Bill on Village Center Redevelopment.

Also joining the discussion were the Owen Brown Village Board Chair Andy Stack and Vice Chair Summer Romack.

Councilwoman Terrasa brought with her copies of all the sections of the Zoning Regulations referred to in CB-29, an important component of reviewing any piece of legislation. She also brought examples of Preliminary Development Plans, Comprehensive Sketch Plans, Final Development Plans, Site Development Plans, and Document Site Plans for the board to see which has the levels of detail that it would need to assess proposed Village Center revitalization plans. She also brought copies of the report produced by Barbara Kellner at the Columbia Archives on the history and purpose of Village Centers. (The Columbia Archives completed this report upon my request when I was chairing the Planning and Strategy Committee on the Columbia Council and I am very glad to see it being used as we move forward on this very important matter.)

As a result of how prepared Councilwoman Terrasa and members of the Kings Contrivance and Owen Brown Village Boards were and hard work and great note taking of Jen Terrasa's assistant Mary Clay and intern Alison and Kings Contrivance Village Manager Anne Brinker, this meeting was the most productive and constructive meeting of I have attended in a long time.

Councilwoman Terrasa brought with her a comprehensive understanding of issue, clearly showing that she had followed the issue closely and delved into every aspect of this important piece of legislation. Her clear dedication to the Rouse vision and the importance of the Village Center within that vision was apparent throughout the discussion. She was searching for constructive solutions to amend the current legislation to ensure the legislation would result in well-planned Village Centers that could evolve while staying true to the Rouse vision. As a voter I think I have never been prouder of one of my representatives. She is well on her way to upholding my faith and trust in her.

When the World Stands at a Pivotal Moment

2009-06-14T11:33:00.003-04:00

Though the broadcast media coverage of what is going on in Iran has been pretty poor it is important for us to watch what is going on in Iran this week. The developments in Iran are some of the most significant events the world has seen since the coup in the Soviet Union in August 1991. I don't think anyone knows how it will turn out, but things are clearly at a pivot point.

You can follow events on the following sites:

Mir Hossein Mousavi Campaign's Twitter Feed (Mousavi is the person who just beat Ahmedinejad in the Presidential Election)

DailyKos Liveblogging

Juan Cole's Blog (Juan Cole is a professor of Middle Eastern History at the University of Michigan)

National Iranian American Council's Blog

Yes, I know this isn't Howard County related, but what happens in Iran this week will have significant impact for the whole world.

Funeral Service for Holocaust Museum Guard

2009-06-13T09:50:00.004-04:00

The funeral service for Stephen Tyrone Johns, the Holocaust Museum guard, is today at 11am at the 7th Day Adventist Church at 727 West Montgomery Avenue, Rockville, MD. The service is open to the public.

A fund has also been set up by the Holocaust Museum to aid the Johns family.

My heart goes out to the Johns family. Stephen had a lot of courage to put himself into harms way day in and day out to make sure others would be safe and to fight hatred with knowledge.

CB-29

2009-06-04T00:11:00.003-04:00

Kings Contrivance Village Board yesterday discussed CB 29 (the village center zoning bill) and will meet again next week to discuss it more. Kimco representatives came to the meeting, but the real highlight of the meeting was County Councilwoman Jen Terrasa. Though Councilwoman Terrasa is a very frequent attendee of Kings Contrivance Village Board meeting and I have seen her passion for finding the right outcome for her constituents and our county many times before, I have rarely seen the level of engagement from an elected official as I saw from Councilwoman Terrasa on Wednesday night. She is being extremely thorough in examining the bill and how the process it creates would function in practice.

Summer Lakefront Movie and Concert Schedule

2009-06-03T00:16:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite summer activities is going to the free movies at the Columbia Lakefront that the Columbia Association sponsors. This summer's movies and concerts schedule is out. Which concerts and movies are you planning on going to?

Village Center Zoning Reaches Its Final Step Before Approval

2009-06-01T22:09:00.003-04:00

Zoning Regulation Amendment 102 (ZRA 102) that will change the process of approving changes to Columbia's Village Centers was filed with the County Council and becomes County Bill 29 (CB 29). The County Council will hear testimony on CB 29 on Monday, June 15th at 7:30pm and then will amend it (if they want to) and then vote on it. Go take a look and also review the Planning Boards report on ZRA 102. You may remember that the Planning Board ended up voting 2-2 on ZRA 102 and their report is a pretty interesting read.

So if you are interested in the process by which changes will be made to the Village Centers come out and testify on June 15th. The County Council is currently holding their hearings at the Board of Education in the Board Room at 10910 Route 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042.

One of the key questions is should Village Centers have Master Plans that guide the development of Village Centers? And without a Village Center Master Plan how do you move forward as a community that is planned as Columbia prides itself on being?

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T19:53:00.002-04:00

Today we take time to remember those who gave their life in defense of our country.

The Pools are Open

2009-05-23T11:05:00.003-04:00

Today is Opening Day for all of the Columbia Pools. Columbia has 23 outdoor pools and they are a great way to spend a warm summer day. I have always found that Columbia's pools are some of the best mixing places that Rouse created. They are a great place for kids and parents to play and socialize together.

The Columbia Association provides need based assistance through the Ann Scherr Fund for those in financial need who would like summer pool memberships.

Here is a picture of my dad, sister, and I at a Columbia pools when I was a kid:

Ice Cream and Snow Cones

2009-05-13T07:55:00.002-04:00

One of the great Howard County blogs is a HowChow, a local food blog. They had a great post yesterday about ice cream and snow cone stands in the county. Top on their list is my personal favorite: the soft serve ice cream stand on Route 40 next the Forest Diner. If you haven’t been, I highly recommend it as the perfect answer to a summer’s day.

They have a very good list, but two I would add to HowChow’s list are snow cone stands at the intersection of Oakland Mills Road and Montgomery Road in Columbia and I am told there is a good snow cone stand near Kendall’s Hardware Store in Clarkesville.

As for the true ice cream lover, I would recommend ordering Graeter’s Ice Cream from Cincinnati and eating it on your deck or taking it to a summer movie at the lakefront. Graeter’s was originally a confectioner and make great dark chocolate and put giant chunks of dark chocolate in their ice cream. You cannot go wrong with any of their flavors with a chip in it. My personal favorite is one of their seasonal flavors: Strawberry Chocolate Chip. Their signature flavor is Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip, but don’t overlook their Chocolate Chocolate Chip, which it my second favorite.

Consignment Shop Coming to Kings Contrivance

2009-05-11T22:07:00.006-04:00

Greenberries Company, a high-end consignment shop of women’s and children’s clothing will be opening soon in the Kings Contrivance Village Center. It is scheduled to open on or about May 16th. It will be taking over the space formerly home to State Farm Insurance.

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T09:27:00.005-04:00

I get my activism and my love for exploring nature's beauty from my mom. In honor of Mother's Day here is a picture of me and my mom that ran in the Columbia Flier when they did a story about the parent-child classes my mom taught when she ran Habitats of Columbia. We are looking at some of the animals that live in one of Columbia's many streams. My mom also taught similar courses for the National Audubon Society and the Smithsonian.

Mother's Day in and around Howard County

2009-05-09T00:04:00.002-04:00

What are you doing for Mother's Day tomorrow? Do you have any suggestions of good Mother's Day activities in or near Howard County?

I am going over to my mother's to make brunch (apple, cinnamon, whole wheat pancakes with a dash of nutmeg), then my mom has requested we go hiking up at Catoctin National Park (yeah it will be muddy fun), and then dinner at her favorite Mexican restaurant.

This Week's Funny Video

2009-05-08T23:56:00.004-04:00

Columbia Council Committee Assignments

2009-05-07T23:00:00.002-04:00

The Columbia Council/Columbia Association Board of Directors had their organizational meeting tonight. Here are the new chair, vice chair, and committee assignments:

Chair: Phil Kirsch (Wilde Lake)
Vice Chair: Cindy Coyle (Harpers Choice)

External Relations Committee
Michael Cornell (River Hill)
Suzanne Waller (Town Center)
Shari Zaret (Kings Contrivance)

Planning and Strategy Committee
Cindy Coyle (Harpers Choice)
Russ Swatek (Long Reach)
Gregg Schwind (Hickory Ridge)

Performance Oversight Committee
Alex Hekimian (Oakland Mills)
Pearl Atkinson-Stewart (Owen Brown)
Kathleen Dragovich (Dorsey Search)

Bagel Bin Listening Session

2009-02-06T20:50:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted since shortly after I started serving on the Columbia Council, but I wanted to draw people's attention to the Columbia Council testimony on the Downtown Zoning Amendment (ZRA 113) and particularly the detailed response the Columbia Council will be providing on each of the County's Department of Planning and Zoning's recommendations on the Zoning Amendment.

I also want to invite anyone who is interested to stop by my monthly Bagel Bin Listening Session that will be tomorrow (Saturday, February 7th) from 11am to 1pm at the Bagel Bin in Kings Contrivance village center.

H.L.Mencken

2008-07-06T09:21:00.002-04:00

I want to pass along something I read in a biography titled " MENCKEN - The American Iconoclast, The Life and Times of the Bad Boy of Baltimore "

Harry was not an avid reader, until late one summer afternoon, while looking through the magazine Chatterbox, he began reading "The Moosehunters."

No sooner had Harry finished "The Moosehunters" than his Dad bundled the family into his carriage for the bumpy ride to Ellicott City.

This ride, his visit to Ellicott City, by his own admission was to determine the whole course of his life.

" It was gaping into the window of the old Ellicott City Times office that I got my first itch for journalism, and into that sad but gaudy trade all my days have been devoted."

After I read this I wasn't sure how to summarize my thoughts, should we close our curtains or leave them open. Then I realized it's not our curtains but our minds we should be thinking about. As Mencken wrote in his own obituary " I have believed all my life in free thought and free speech."

Howard County Issues newspaper

2008-07-06T08:32:00.004-04:00

The latest issue of the Howard County Issues newspaper has hit the news stands.

I mention this paper for different reasons. This is a fairly new news paper, devoted to issues in Howard County, and it is my believe that promoting it will benefit the residents of Howard County. At this point it has some growing to do. It bills it's self as "A civic publication from the Independent Voter Group". One editor is an Independent, the second is a member of the Green party, but it seems to favor the Republican Club this month as it did last month with what amounts to a full page free ad. I mention this because free space in a news paper is a donation, even if not reportable. As I said it needs to grow a little, and I believe with growth there will be more independent dissemination of the news and opinions.

As a member of the Howard County Farm Bureau, I appreciate the front page coverage for our Farm Bureau President's comments.

I do wish the address of the Java Grande Coffee Cafe would have been included with the interesting article about this new business.

A very good sign is the news that Howard County Issues is planning to be at the Main Exhibition hall at the Howard County Fair. From my personal experience, the cost of renting and manning a location at the fair calls for honest commitment.

This free paper can be found at the local Howard County libraries.

Mt. Hebron School

2008-06-15T20:50:00.005-04:00

Mt. Hebron Update - June 2008

Renovation, Rodents, Plumbing, and Asbestos

Renovation Committee Established.
Howard County Public School System agreed to "Help Mt. Hebron's" request to establish a committee to ensure the productive dialogue and communication between the community and the school system will continue throughout the renovation.

Rodent Intruders
The rodent sighted in the Home Economics room in mid May was determined to be a deer mouse based upon examination of droppings. Traps were set, barriers constructed at possible entry points.

Plumbing Incident
fresh water plumbing leak was caused by cracked pipe. The pipe was replaced.

Asbestos Abatement Planned.
Asbestos abatement ( legal - to end, to abate the nuisance) work will begin on June 19th and last through August 1st. The process will follow government regulations and standards. The air quality will be monitored regularly.

my thanks to "Help Mt. Hebron" for this information.

Md. Dept of Transportation - Public Notice

2008-06-01T14:11:00.004-04:00

The Dept of Transportation sent out a public notice in reference to project planning that has been initiated, for I-70, from Md 32 (Sykesville Road) to US 29 (Columbia Pike)

Citizen involvement with the planning process is encouraged. The State Highway Administration is soliciting public comments, and a copy of the "Purpose and Needs Statement" can be obtained by contacting Mr. Oppenheimer as listed below.

To get involved send comments to Mr. Joel K. Oppenheimer, Project Manager, State Highway Administration, P.O. Box 717, Mail Stop C-301 Baltimore Md. 21203-0717, or telephone 1.800.548.5026, or email joel.oppenheimer@stvinc.com

Hope

2008-05-25T11:34:00.003-04:00

Hope you remember why we are celebrating this holiday.

Enjoy the day.

2008-05-16T10:37:00.001-04:00

The Columbia Triathlon will cause traffic delays between 7a.m. and 1 p.m. Sunday, according to the Howard County Police Department.

About 2,400 athletes are expected to participate in the event, which includes bicycling and running courses on county roads.

The bicycle route includes Route 108, Ten Mills Road, Harper's Farm Road, Homewood Road, Folly Quarter Road, Triadelphia Road, Triadelphia Mill Road, Green Bridge Road, Howard Road and Linthicum Road.

After the bicycle course, the athletes will run on Old Annapolis Road, Carillon Drive, Cross Country Drive, Century Drive and Colonial Drive.

Police urge residents to plan ahead and allow for extra time if they have to travel on these roads. Police officers will be directing traffic.
The Baltimore Sun

2008-05-15T18:05:00.001-04:00

Don't forget

THE SILVER ANNIVERSARY COLUMBIA TRIATHLON

Sunday, May 18, 2008Centennial Lake

Ellicott City, Maryland, USA

1.5k Swim - 41k Bike - 10k Run

Howard County Council Vote on 5/5/08

2008-04-27T07:24:00.005-04:00

The County Council is considering the creation of a design panel, five professionals, to review projects to ensure compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.

There is some concern that requiring development to be reviewed would further hamper a cumbersome planning process. A board member of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, Gregory Lowe is quoted as saying "We want to make sure the process is implemented in a way that it doesn't become more drawn out"

I agree with Mr Lowe, the process should not be drawn out, either at the front end or especially at the back end, when mistakes or differences are found to late. Mistakes do draw out the process. I am reminded of a book written be Norm Abram ( of T.V. Fame)
"Measure Twice, Cut Once: Lessons from a Master Carpenter.
Put another way, plan once, review the plans, then proceed.

I also agree that the planning director be assigned the responsibly to reject the panel's recommendations or require the developer to adopt the recommendations.
This gives the planning director the opportunity to leave a paper trail as to their conclusions, and the opportunity for the developer to sign off on their agreement to accept the recommendations.

One last thing, Mr Talkin, a lawyer who represents several county developers, said the original plan was for the panel to be voluntary, and he thought this concept should be revisited by the county. I agree with Mr. Talkin. It should be revisited by the county, so that it is rejected in a clear and objective manner. A panel of professionals, individuals who do their job well and get paid for doing their job, is the correct way to go with the design panel.

I think Mr Talkin would agree with this, since he is a paid professional, and would appreciate the value of employing , experienced, and well trained. individuals for the job.

Sometimes it takes a woman, or maybe four women.

2008-04-27T06:25:00.005-04:00

Something I noticed in the 4/25/08 edition of the Examiner.

“We urge you ... to ask the Department of Planning and Zoning before the end of the year to produce a design manual,” Grace Kubofcik, co-president of the League of Women Voters of Howard County, told the council council at a recent hearing.

The issue of a Route 40 design manual was raised as the council is considering a bill to create a design advisory panel, which would review developments in areas where an approved design manual exists.
Without a manual, planners can’t enforce certain design elements, such as reducing sign clutter or planting trees.

Angela Beltram, a member of the Route 40 task force, echoed the sentiment, saying it was her “wishful thinking” that a design manual would be released.

Council Chairwoman Courtney Watson, D-District 1, said the council would take up the issue during budget work sessions.

County planners have their hands full with several other initiatives, such as infill legislation, downtown Columbia redevelopment and the Design Advisory Panel, said Kim Flowers, deputy director for the Department of Planning and Zoning.
“We really would like to bring some of those to completion so once we resume work on Route 40, we can give it the proper attention it deserves,” Flowers said.
Although she couldn’t give an exact date for release, she said Route 40 is “definitely still on our radar.”
“We would have loved to have been able to tackle this earlier, but currently we are in the situation we are with a number of endeavors we really want to bring to completion,” she said.

Don't want to wake up in Columbia County

2008-04-19T09:46:00.009-04:00

A few years ago there were plans to revitalize Route 40 in Ellicott city, the resources were pulled away from that project, to be used in Columbia. The Ellicott City area is still waiting, the resources are still being used in Columbia

More than 2 years ago a couple friends in Glenwood were telling me of their concern that Columbia would stop them from having the recreational fields they wanted. I was surprised that they would even think that.

A year ago a farmer friend of mine told me that the best thing that could happen to western Howard County, would be if it could separate itself, using route 32 as the dividing line, from the rest of the county. I ask why, and he said, " Because they just don't care about us, it's those Columbia people, it's all about Columbia".

Now Council member Fox, who represents western Howard County, seems to think the council was misled because funding that was approved to overhaul government headquarters in Ellicott City, may be used to renovate and purchase new office space in Oakland Mills, Columbia.

Now I hear there are plans to sell county owned property in Ellicott City, near Rogers Ave and Route 40 to finance the new office space in Columbia, although there are no plans to prevent traffic, school crowding and infrastructure problems, in Ellicott City, should this property be turned into residential development.

A few nights ago at a meeting in the George Howard Building, Diane Butler ( candidate for the Board of Education, you got my vote Diane) told me about the change in the master plan for the Miller Library, in Ellicott City. Amenities to the Miller Library were cut in favor of adding frills to the Central Library in Columbia. Read about it in the Howard County Times, if you don't believe me.

Has it become so important to win votes, in Columbia, that the county surrounding the city, has to feel and become sub servant to the city. Lets hope this is temporary, and wiser and more mature minds will bring balance in such a way that all county residents will feel better as well as live better lives no matter what part of the county they live in.

Go Dems

2008-04-17T05:27:00.004-04:00

A friend sent me some up lifting information for Howard County Democrats

January 1 thru March 31, there was a drastic change in political party affiliation.

GOP lost 480, gained 436, for a net loss of 44.

Unaffiliated lost 1335, gained 208, for a net loss of 1127.

Dems lost 292, gained 1484, for a net gain of 1192.

The miscellaneous missing numbers were for Greens, Libertarians, etc.

The Board of Elections was flooded with people who realized they had no
voice in the choice of candidates if they stayed away from the parties.

Help Mt. Hebron - Recent Events

2008-04-17T01:44:00.002-04:00

Help Mount Hebron Mission

HMH has stated repeatedly since February 2007 that our mission is to seek safe, code compliant building where the educational programs, as provided for in Howard CountyPublic Sschool System' 1999 educational specifications, can be delivered effectively without compromise in a positive building environment.

Board of Education Renovation Presentation was made on Thursday, April 10th, The Board of Education was presented the design schematic for the Mt. Hebron renovation project. Remedies to deficiencies referred to in our April Update were shown on the new drawings. (http://www.mhhsptsa.com/8.html for drawings).

The design now includes:
a new science room and a renovated science room to remedy the current condition of 2 undersized science rooms. Both rooms would meet Ed Specs.
an internal gathering area for the students in the front and access through the courtyard.
Under sized classrooms are being looked at to see if the principal wants to keep them or have them reconfigured to one ed spec sized classroom and a smaller space of 400 square feet. The principal has yet to make this decision.

The location of the two modulars was identified. They are to be placed near by the baseball fields and it appears on the small parking lot there. The lot will be closed to traffic and a student pedestrian "plaza" will exist to ensure their safety.

Dr. Cousin stated that the HCPSS is fully committed to implementing the plan and seeking the necessary funding. Funding will be sought on actual costs.

Video of the PELU 4/10/08 meeting

2008-04-13T07:21:00.005-04:00

With a special thanks to Bill Taylor,
To access the video, go to : www.nocondos.org/page10.html then left > click on the "PELU 4/10/08 Meeting..." to view the video. It is a large > file (580meg but easily viewable with a high speed connection). You can > right click on it to save it to your computer. (Right click on the link > then left click on "Save Link As.." option to download it and save it as > a file on your computer if desired.)

"Jim"

2008-04-10T11:18:00.001-04:00

Dear Jim ,
Join CUIP's National Conference Call
It's Spring...And Independents Are In Bloom! Updates And Inside Stories From The Independent Movement

This is the beginning of another political love note I receive about once a month. I want to tell you what my experience has been with this group. One evening during the month I will receive a call from a female with a young sweet innocent voice (they know their market). The conversation starts out very politically broad based for a minute or two, then I always ask"do you find it hard to build a unified independent party". The answer is always, "Jim, we are not building a party". I love it when she says "Jim", it almost makes me forget what CUIP stands for. CUIP - The Committee for a Unified Independent PARTY. Then she sweet talks a little more, and I know she is waiting for my answer to her question about a donation. My answer is always"No", and that quick she is gone, and they say men are always in a hurry.

The reason I am writing this, was not to bad mouth CUIP. I am just thinking about the world of politics. My Dad loved politics, and had great admiration for people who served in office, as naive as I know that sounds it was true. I admit I am my father's son, just as naive, still a political virgin. I tell you this because it doesn't matter whether it is CUIP, Republicans, or the Dems, there are times when I feel like I am sitting at a bar, and the woman next to me is not my wife, not my daughter, not my mother, and yet she expects me to gamble on the price of a drink when I know I will loss.

I think we need to get more for our money, not just our donations, more importantly the taxes we pay. As a democracy grows it becomes much more complex as a form of government and drifts away from serving those it should be representing. Our founding fathers didn't plan this to happen, it is a natural occurrence with growth. This is why we have to speak up, from the grass roots, speak loud and clear, but to do this we have to be informed and know what we want. In the last local election the buzz word was "accountability", it has been followed by "transparency", and if I could choose the next word, it would be "objectivity". But the words are not working, because we are saying that is what government should be. As my dear and wonderful chemistry teacher use to say "We got it Bass Acwards".

We should be more accountable, why was 4.million given to the Howard Co. Hospital fund raiser by our local government. I am sure that 4.million could have fixed something within our schools or somewhere in the county infrastructure, and the hospital would have still raised that money.
Why is Mt Hebron Senior High School happy about a "promise' that 27million might go into a contingency fund this year towards the work that needs to be do. They have been fighting for this for years. Will our property taxes go down, because house values are decreasing, don't bet on it. It would not cross any ones mind to reduce government spending.

Another thing, that house bill in Annapolis hb246, I heard it was pulled off the floor by a Senator who was not from Howard County. I hope this isn't true, I wouldn't want to think this was done so any of our Senators wouldn't look bad having to vote against a large private effort by citizens.

That reminds me I should stop here, I need to send an e-mail to Annapolis. I have some time next week maybe I will ride down to Annapolis, have a couple beers and chat with friends about this last session.

2008 Silver Anniversary Columbia Triathlon

2008-04-10T02:27:00.005-04:00

THE SILVER ANNIVERSARY COLUMBIA TRIATHLON
Sunday, May 18, 2008Centennial Lake - Ellicott City, Maryland, USA1.5k Swim - 41k Bike - 10k Run
Presented by Under Armour
All entrants will receive an Under Armour Tech Shirt!
There are 37 days left until race day.

The 2008 Silver Anniversary Columbia Triathlon is a qualifying race for Best Of The U.S.
The Men's Pro entrants for the Silver Anniversary Columbia Triathlon is going to be the most competitive field in the history of the race!Course Record holder, Matt Reed, has committed to coming back to defend (and hopefully break) his own course record. Matt is also vying for a spot on the 2008 US Men's Olympic Triathlon Team. To challenge Matt will be Chris McCormack, 2007's Ironman Hawaii World Champion. And last but certainly not least, Greg Remaly, the 2007 Columbia Triathlon Winner, will be back to defend his title.This is going to be one for the record books!
The Columbia Triathlon is produced in cooperation with the Howard County Department of Parks and Recreation and will once again be held at beautiful Centennial Lake/Park, located in Ellicott City, Maryland which borders our planned community of Columbia.

Annapolis - 2008 Enviromental Legislative Wrap-up

2008-04-08T17:09:00.009-04:00

Maryland's 2008 General Assembly session finished last night, and I have a few highlights on the environmental bills that failed or passed

Global warming: Strongest, most comprehensive global warming legislation in the nation, was weekend by a "poison pill"' amendment on the Senate floor, and than killed in the House Economic Matters committee

Energy Efficiency: Four bills passed that will save Marylanders $4.1 billion

Cleaning up the Bay: Legislation passed to achieve nutrient pollution reduction and water quality improvements, but the General Assembly cut 25 million from Bay Trust Fund

Critical area Reform : Passed a bill to limit development in critical bay areas.

Intercounty Connector (ICC): Bills to halt the ICC, eliminate funding, and require global warming impact study died in committee

Smart Growth; Two bills passed to make use of transit investment, promote walkable communities, and steer growth to locations convenient to mass transit.

If you have read this far your either a Legislative junkie, enviromental nut, or you have been drinking too much coffee. In any case may I suggest www.mdlcv.org

Potential Recommendations by PELU task force.

2008-04-07T17:53:00.003-04:00

There is a list of potential recommendations, which are being considered by the PELU task force. They will be posted on http://howardcountypelu.blogspot.com/ . Feel free to give the task force feedback on these recommendations either at the public hearing scheduled on 4/10/08 or on the blog.

The county is having technical difficulties with the post, but they should be on the blog as soon as possible.

Final recommendations will be made after the 4/10/08 hearing when the task force has had a chance to review each recommendation

Allan, Jim, and Ed know you will be in touch.

2008-04-06T13:33:00.015-04:00

There are two out spoken groups who are speaking out, and they want YOU to join them.

This Monday, April 7, 2008 is the last day of the General Assembly session for 2008, and so the last day in this session for the Senate to vote on HB246. Enabling legislation for standing on land use issues.

The first group, League of Women Voters, provides e-mail address and thoughts for your e-mail.

The second group, Howard County Land Use Coalition, provides e-mail address, thoughts, and phone numbers.

With all this information, you can call and e-mail.

League of Women Voters,

HB246
We ask you to take action either a phone call or an email :
Monday is the last day of the general Assembly session for 2008. The enabling legislation for standing on land use issues HB246 will come to a vote on Monday having passed successfully out of the Senate Committee on Saturday 4/5. Please contact your state Senator (Allan.Kittleman@senate.state.md.us, western Howard County and Ellicott City; James.Robey@senate.state.md.us, Columbia east; or Edward.Kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us, Columbia west) and urge him to use his influence to ensure that this important bill gets a vote on the Senate floor.

This message needs to go out today or tomorrow so that they will have time to act. HB 246 simply enables our Howard County Council to decide what rights of standing they want to give to their citizens. It requires nothing and, in and of itself, grants nothing except the right of local government to make its own decision. This right is already enjoyed by all but seven counties in Maryland. It is simply a matter of leveling the playing field to allow Howard County the rights that almost all other counties and municipalities already have.

Howard County Land Use Coalition

Timing is critical, here's why:

o HB246 was released from committee with a favorable vote
o HB246 has not shown up on the Senate agenda for vote
o Annual session ends Monday (tomorrow) at midnight

Our representatives need to hear from all of us - again - this afternoon (Sunday) in order to provide them with the time and basis to put this bill on the agenda for Monday (tomorrow).

Please contact Senators:

Allan.Kittleman@senate.state.md.us

James.Robey@senate.state.md.us,

Edward.Kkasemeyer@senate.state.md.us

to urge them to use influence to ensure that this important bill gets a vote on the Senate floor. Use any method of contact and number of contacts you prefer.

Phone number for Senator Kasemeyer: (410) 841-3653, Senator Kittleman: (410) 841-3671, Senator Robey: (410) 841-3572.

Pls forward to your email lists - make it as easy as possible for these Senators to know without question the importance and numbers of us who support this bill.

Suggested email text is below.

Dear Senators,
HB246, sponsored by Delegate Liz Bobo and Delegate Virginia Clagett of Anne Arundel County has passed all of the way through the House of Delegate and yesterday afternoon received a favorable vote in the Senate Committee. The full Senate met in session today and voted out many bills, but HB246 has not yet shown up on the agenda for the Senate floor.
This bill simply ENABLES the Howard County Council and the local legislative bodies of six other Maryland counties to adopt local legislation that would give its residents the right to challenge a land use decision made by its government. It would be up to the local county council to determine how broad or narrow this right would be.
All other counties (17) and ALL municipalities in Maryland already have this right. IT IS UNEQUITABLE AND SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR HOWARD COUNTY RESIDENTS TO BE IN THIS DISADVANTAGED POSITION.
The people of Howard County are counting on you to see that this bill is brought up for a vote and passed out of the Senate.
I know that you are in the extremely busy last day of the legislative session. I do request a response informing me of how you voted.

% of Commerical to Residual property use in Howard County

2008-04-01T20:33:00.003-04:00

Does any one know the percentage of commercial to residual property use in Howard County.

I don't.

Does anyone care what the percentage is.

I do.

I heard that 35% (commercial), 65% (residual), would have a very positive impact on the property taxes we would pay.

What you think???

2008-03-31T21:36:00.001-04:00

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Meagan Braganca
Mt Hebron Nursery School
2330 Mt. Hebron Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21042
Home Telephone: (443) 546-3879

The Mt. Hebron Nursery School Parents’ Group invites you to its 24th Annual Spring Fair on Saturday April 19, 2008 from 11:00 AM until 3:00 PM, rain or shine at the Mt. Hebron Presbyterian Church on Mt. Hebron Drive in Ellicott City. Children’s activities include pony rides, moon bounces, face painting, crafts, games with prizes, and a Mother’s Day Secret Shoppe. Great food and cotton candy will be available for sale. Performances by Kinetics Dance Studio, Kangaroo Kids, US Tae Kwon Do and the Teelin School of Irish Dance. Baked goods and books will be offered for sale. We’ll also have a special visit from the Orioles mascot. Tickets for games and activities may be purchased at the Fair. Admission and parking are free.

2008-03-31T20:08:00.000-04:00

Western Howard County Democratic Club
Information Line

Two important Dates – Circle your calendars!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Monthly WHCDC monthly meeting, 7 p.m. County Conservancy
Report on the 2008 Legislative Session – Robey, Guzzone, et.al.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 Howard County Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, 6:30 p.m.
Hon. Elijah Cummings, U.S. Congress, MD 7th District
10 Oaks Ball Room, Clarksville.
See below for details!!!!!

WHCDC Monthly Meeting, Tuesday, April 15, 2008
MD. Senator Jim Robey and Assemblyman Guy Guzzone will be sharing their perspectives of the 2008 Maryland Legislative Session which will end on April 7. Other Howard County state elected officials from Howard County have been invited to attend as schedules permit. The panel will discuss the overall impact of the 2008 session, including the impact of current economic problems on the state budget; tax measurers such as changing the tax structure on the information technology industry; and changes in social legislation. They will also look forward to the probable issues which will shape the 2010 state level election.

The April meeting of the Western Howard County Democratic Club will be held on Tuesday, April 15 at the Howard County Conservancy, 10520 Old Frederick Rd. (Rte. 99), Woodstock, just east of Woodstock Road. Refreshments and socialization begin at 7 p.m. and the program start at 7:30 p.m. Specific meeting location within the Gudelsky Environmental Center will be posted at the front door.
__________________

Howard County Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Hon. Elijah Cummings, who represents Howard County in MD Congressional District 7, will be the keynote speaker at the 2008 Jefferson-Jackson Dinner scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 2008 at the 10 Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville near the intersection of MD 32 and MD 108. Socialization will begin at the reception at 6:30 p.m. followed by the dinner at 7:30 p.m. The Dinner is the principal fund-raising event of the year for the Howard County Democratic Party

Last year’s event was a huge success, built around the theme of Democratic Party Building – making Howard County all blue in 2010. The greatest challenge is in Western Howard where all four offices (State Senate, Assembly (2) and County Council) are presently held by Republicans. WHCDC made a strong showing last year selling five of the 33 tables, a total of 50 seats including 19 high school students or sponsors.

Party-building, especially in Western Howard, remains a central theme this year. WHCDC has reserved six tables with 10 seats each. The initial plan is to set aside 30 seats for high school students and 30 seats for regular club members. Our goal is to conclude ticket sales by May 1 so we can secure additional tables if necessary. Regular membership seating will be $87 and high school/sponsor seats will be $75. Students will pay $20 and the club will seek sponsors for the remaining $55. The six tables will be together and will feature reserved seating.

Seven of the 12 county high schools service Western Howard. Two (Mt. Hebron and Centennial) have established clubs, another (Marriotts Ridge) established a Club this year; one (Atholton) is in the process of organizing, and three (Glenelg, River Hill and Reservoir) need organizational effort. Our goal is to have at least potential organizer students from each of the seven high schools present at the dinner. Rich Corkran, State Senate candidate in 2006 and a recently retired teacher, is playing a leadership role in helping to organize these student clubs.

These tickets will go fast Club members who purchased tickets or supported student tickets last year will be given priority consideration this year. All club members will be contacted individually this week to determine their interest in tickets for themselves or supporting student tickets ($55 each). Those Interested in attending should contact Mearl Grabill, Club Secretary, at 410-800-8984 or grabill@bnin.net ASAP. Thanks in advance for your enthusiastic support of this important program.

E-Mail from LWVHC

2008-03-30T21:21:00.003-04:00

E-Mail received from The League of Women Voters of Howard County

Subject:
General Assembly Standing Bill and Draft Public Process
Date:
Sunday, March 30, 2008 8:49:46 PM
[View Source]
Board Members: HB246
As individual members please contact Howard County's three Senators Kasemeyer, Kittleman and Robey either phone or email regarding HB246. Here is the State League testimony.
(Attachments successfully scanned for viruses.)
Attachment 1: HB 246 - Charter Counties - Land Use Appeals - Standing.doc (application/msword)
Senator Kasemeyer phone is 410 841 3653, Kittleman 410 841-3671 and Senator Robey 410 841-3572.
This Bill was amended and passed the House of Delegates 131-7. The hearing is April 1 in the Senate Education, Health and Environment Committee.
AS amended HB 246 is enabling legislation which would allow the 7 charter counties to adopt local legislation providing the level of standing for their citizen in land use cases. The Howard County Chamber of Commerce in a written statement to its members has asked the bill be amended to delete Howard County.
As State Legislation, the State League has the responsibility for testimony.
Task Force on Public Engagement in Land Use : Draft testimony public meeting 4/ 10 at 7pm
League representative on the Task Force is Ada Bohorfoush. Please consider and add to at the Board meeting the following draft testimony.
The League of Women Voters of Howard County supports:
>Consistent availability of Department of Planning and Zoning technical staff reports for Planning Board, Hearing Examiner and Board of Appeals cases. At a minimum the staff report should be available to the public two weeks prior to the date of the hearing.
> Posting of property. All properties under consideration for a proposed land use change in comprehensive zoning should be posted.
> Mail notification should be made to adjacent property owners as well as to known community or homeowners associations for all properties proposed for a land use change during comprehensive zoning.
> The comprehensive zoning process should have defined limits and deadlines
for submittal of changes to both land use and regulation changes. Deadlines should be identified for property owners and the Department of Planning and Zoning as well as for County Council members.
> Information regarding a proposed change of land use should be clear, map identified and readily available at least two weeks prior to the Planning Board's consideration of any comprehensive issue.
> The County Council should amend its operating rules to provide a minimum 120 day time period for comprehensive zoning adoption or master plan adoption.
> The public's right to be heard should be protected and encouraged. Rules of procedure
should allow clear and consistent opportunities for the public to be recognized.

2nd e-mail from HCLUC

2008-03-30T10:15:00.000-04:00

Howard County Land Use Coaliton participants:

The bill on Howard County citizens having legal standing to enforce law: Will know more about the Maryland Senate votes on Tuesday. Very successful email campaign is occurring – citizens who lead civic and community groups are contacting their lists with this important info. Individuals are emailing the State Senators listed. People have been added to our list. I did follow up with a phone call to each of you for this initial email campaign, excellent feedback, people are engaged. The citizen standing bill and Howard Chamber of Commerce campaign to exclude our county is a poignant example of the very reason why we need email addresses to influence elected leaders.
Our Land Use committees are set up and functioning. If you would like to contact community organizations to expand our email campaign ability, pls let me know.
If you want to help but nothing has been appealing, consider writing a letter to the editor: hcletters@patuxent.com.
Calendar of upcoming events (pls support by attending or sending something to be read into the record):
April 8 – Public Works hearing – Eminent Domain (happening to our Howard County residents, they need our support) County offices, 7pm
April 10 – Public Engagement in Land Use Task Force – County Offices, 7pm (many in our group believe it’s important for us to attend as a large unified group). We will supply our list of solutions at this meeting.
June – targeting County Council invitation to Howard Land Use Coalition meeting (ours)
Website showing political campaign contributions: (businesses that contribute large dollars find it’s a good investment – if politicians are to work for citizens, legalized bribery must end – for details see : SENATE BILL 593 ) Contributions site:
http://mdelections.umbc.edu/campaign_finance/contributions1.php
Request data on all contributions from a particular donor
Request data on all contributions to a particular candidate/politician
Request contributions by date
Naming names:
County Exec Ken Ulman and Council member Jen Terrasa say they will not support the citizen standing bill, but publicly they say they have no position. This position will not work in their favor.
State Senator Kasemeyer will not reply to requests on support for the campaign finance reform bill and Progressive Maryland relays that he will vote against it.
In the Maryland House of Delegates, Gail Bates voted for the citizen standing bill, but Warren Miller voted against allowing citizens this right.
Please see the name at the bottom of the Howard Chamber of Commerce email below – these are the people (no obscurity behind the organization name) who would strip Howard Citizens from rights that all other Marylanders will have.
Legal Committee is setting up meetings with individual council members, pls let me know if you’d like to attend the meeting for your district.

Stay engaged and we’ll meet our goal to gain influence with elected people.

Mona

Here’s the email from Heidi Gaasch at our Howard Chamber of Commerce attempting to remove Howard as the only county from citizen legal standing rights:
From: Legislative@HowardChamber.com [mailto:Legislative@HowardChamber.com]Sent: Friday, March 28, 2008 11:38 AMTo: Legislative@HowardChamber.comSubject: URGENT - Action needed on Bill in AnnapolisImportance: High
Advocacy Alert
Your Action Needed!
The Howard County Chamber of Commerce is concerned about a bill in Annapolis and we need your assistance. The language in House Bill 246 would allow anyone to appeal a land use decision. The version that passed the house was tweaked earlier this month to be “enabling” legislation, essentially calling for the counties to adopt such a change to their local laws. This could be very damaging to Howard County, as well as many others; the legislation affects seven counties, including Anne Arundel, Howard, and Baltimore.
Please take the time today or Monday to reach out to your Senators and make sure they understand the wide reaching and damaging effects of this legislation.
Attached is more information on the issue, a recent press article, and the MD Chamber’s original position.
Talking Points to use in Communications with Howard County Senators:
--I am writing to you today to express my concern over HB 246, the Land Use Appeal and Legal Standing bill that is in the Senate.
--I am very opposed to this legislation and wanted to make sure you are aware of my position and if you would let me know where you stand on it.
--I believe that this bill would allow people with little or no justified grievance to appeal a zoning decision.
--There is already an effective and expansive land use decision making process in Howard County.
--I understand that this bill was amended to be enabling legislation, but in my opinion this remains a serious and dangerous piece of legislation.
--I request that you do everything in your power to see that the Senate Committee that is charged with reviewing this legislation next week tables the bill.
--I would like to see Howard County exempted from the language.
--I urge you to make the committee members aware of the vast concerns over this language and that they proved an unfavorable report on it.
--If the bill reaches the Senate floor, I respectfully request you vote against it.

Howard County Senators
Senator Allan H. Kittleman (R, District 9)
James Senate Office Building , Rm 420 < /SPAN>
11 Bladen St .
Annapolis , MD 21401
(410) 841-3671
allan.kittleman@senate.state.md.us

Senator Edward J. Kasemeyer (D, District 12)
James Senate Office Building , Rm 301 < /SPAN>
11 Bladen St .
Annapolis , MD 21401
(410) 841-3653
edward.kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us

Senator James N. Robey (D, District 13)
James Senate Office Building , Rm 120 < /SPAN>
11 Bladen St .
Annapolis , MD 21401
(410) 841-3572
james.robey@senate.state.md.us

________________________________________
Heidi Gaasch
Director, Government Affairs
Howard County Chamber of Commerce
410-730-4111 x109
legislative@howardchamber.com

And here is the article Heidi refers to:

Some raise concerns over land use appeals bill
Sara Michael, The ExaminerMarch 28, 2008
Annapolis - When Dels. Elizabeth Bobo, D- Howard, and Virginia Clagget, D-Anne Arundel, introduced a bill that would have allowed anyone to appeal a land use decision, it did not sit well with the business community.

“It would allow people with little or no justified grievance to appeal a zoning decision,” said Heidi Gaasch, director of government affairs for the Howard County Chamber of Commerce.
The Maryland Chamber of Commerce says under current law not just anyone can appeal a land use decision and charter counties outline who can file a zoning appeal. The bill widens the door on who can file.
The Maryland Association of Counties also took issue with the language.
“Requiring that a party appealing be aggrieved makes sense,” MACO director David Bliden told the House in a written statement. “It assures there is a true adversarial, rather than academic, interest in the matter at issue.”
The legislation affects seven counties, including Howard and Anne Arundel. It was amended recently to allow charter counties to include “a person who is not aggrieved by the decision or action” among those who can appeal a land decision. The House passed the amendment and the Senate will take up the bill on Monday.
The bill calls for the counties to adopt the change.
“It enables them to adopt the same rights all the other counties have,” Bobo said.
The issue of standing is a familiar one in Howard where four residents have been fighting plans to build a high-rise tower in downtown Columbia, but the bill has no bearing on the tower debate, Bobo said.
smichael@baltimoreexaminer.com
Examiner

Very Important E-Mail

2008-03-29T13:23:00.005-04:00

Before you get to the e-mail a little discussion of the subject may be of interest.

Standing Law and Definition

Standing is the ability of a party to bring a lawsuit in court based upon their stake in the outcome. A party seeking to demonstrate standing must be able to show the court sufficient connection to and harm from the law or action challenged. Otherwise, the court will rule that you "lack standing" to bring the suit and dismiss your case.

The above information is not the complete law nor definition. I provide it with the hope it will bring clarity and understanding of the e-mail that follows for "Howard Issues". I am not a lawyer and do not provide any legal advice on this blog. My reference for the above was from "USLegal".

The following e-mail was sent from "Howard Issues" mona@howardcountyissues.org

Howard Land Use Group,

Howard County would be the only county in the state of Maryland
that excludes citizens from legal standing which enforces our land use and other laws, if our
State Senators do not hear from citizens who want this option know as "standing". Pls forward
this message to everyone in your group - help stop this exclusion of Howard County.

To support this bill, please send an e-mail addressed to:
Allan.Kittleman@senate.state.md.us, James.Robey@senate.state.md.us, Edward.Kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us

Please forward to Senators:

Howard County Maryland State Senators:

I'm emailing to demonstrate strong support for the HB246 which would allow Howard County citizens legal standing to appeal land use decisions, Further, I believe that passing this bill including Howard County is a show of your support for citizen residents.

Thank you.

HOUSE BILL 246

File Code: Local Government - Generally

Sponsored By:
Delegates Bobo and V. Clagett
Entitled:
Charter Counties - Land Use Appeals - Standing

Synopsis:

Authorizing a charter county to enact a local law to include among those persons authorized to appeal a decision of a board of appeals or a zoning action of a local legislative body or quasi - legislative body a person who is not aggrieved by the decision or action; providing that the local law establish terms and conditions under which the person may appeal, and the procedures for taking an appeal; etc.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Of course you are free to leave comments on this blog " Howard County Blog",
Or you could e-mail "Howard Issues" mona@owardcountyissues.org. and you can stay current by reading the local newspaper "Howard County Issues" which comes out each quarter. Even better attend the meetings.

2008-03-24T20:24:00.002-04:00

Since 4 is my lucky number I thought you may be interested in
4 interesting items that may put a little enjoyment in your life
in the 4Th month of the Year.

4/1 - 11/2 Clark Elioak Farm. Open Tuesday through Sunday
from 10am to 4pm. The farm offers a petting farm,
hay rides, and play areas for children.
For information call 410.730.4049

4/5 DVC Hope Bowl. The Domestic Violence Center of Howard County
holds it's annual Bowl-a-Thon at Brunswick Lanes
in Columbia, Md. Proceeds benefit the DVC of
Howard County. Visit www.dvcenter.org for information
and registration, or call 410.997.0304

4/5 Howard County Green fest. A free family event to celebrate Earth Month.
They feature informational displays, children's
activities, live animal displays, and a free shredding
event. The theme this year is "Green Buildings -
Inside and Out" Sponsored by Howard County's
Department of Planning and Zoning, Recreation &
Parks and Public Works. For more information go
to www.howardcountymd. gov/dpz Glenwood
community Center, 2400 Rt. 97 Cooksville
The event is from 9am to 1pm. Call 410.313.6444

4.5 Live Jazz at Coco's Butter Cafe Every Saturday 7pm - 10pm. $15 cover, proper
attire required. Enjoy smooth jazz and world class
wines, cheeses and chocolates. Located at Asseteague
Dr. Jessup, Md. www.cocobuttercafe.com 240.449.9362

9409 I miss you

2008-03-21T23:58:00.002-04:00

You stood tall and straight, day and night, for more than 30 years.
On the best of days, and the worst of nights, I counted on you, and you were always there.
You held some of what was most precious to me, and some of what I discarded with delight.
You flew your flag upon my request, and contained what was mine with the tightest of lids.
Not the strike of a baseball bat, or the force of a snowplow, would keep you from your purpose.

But that has come to pass, for some odd and strange reason you are no longer mine, your no longer there to greet my first time quest, or to identify were we both resided.

To that person or persons who separated us, I have this to say. I forgive you for your act.Your
adolescence, I hope will someday be replaced with maturity. I forgive you. You must have needed my mailbox more, than you thought I did, and so it is yours.

The Real Cost Of Growth

2008-03-17T22:15:00.002-04:00

Sorry I am late with this notice, but the Howard County Citizens Association is hosting an expert panel, who well provide their thoughts, and answers to such questions as - Is growth desirable, and Does it pay for itself? Should be an interesting evening.

The panel includes: Jeff Bronow, Chief, Division of Research, Howard County, Dept. of
Planning and Zoning.
: Roselle George, Research Manager, Montgomery County Planning Dept.
: Douglas Porter, President, The Growth Management Institute
: Richard Klien, President, Community and Environment Defense Services
: Robert Fireovid, Citizens for a Steady State Economy.

Tuesday, March 18,2008. 7:30 p.m., Hawthorn Community Center, 6175 Sunny Spring Rd.
Columbia, MD. 21044.

For more information contact Joel Yesley, 410.730.0428

Happy St. Patty's Day

2008-03-17T22:13:00.001-04:00

Any one who knows me knows I did not misspell.

Cong. Elijah Cummings

2008-03-16T10:11:00.004-04:00

Western Howard County Democratic Club will host Cong. Elijah Cummings
at the club's March Meeting on March 18.

He will be sharing his perspectives of the 2008 Presidential Primary Election,
the current legislative priorities in the U.S. House and Senate and his views
on what leadership role WHCDC can play in the 2008 and 2010 General Elections
in Howard County. Cong. Cummings is an incumbent candidate in this election, and
WHCDC plans to support him in generating a record turnout in Howard County.

The March meeting of the Western Howard County Democratic Club will be
held on Tuesday, March 18 at the Howard County Conservancy, located at
10520 Old Frederick Rd.(Rt. 99), Woodstock, just east of Woodstock Road.

Refreshments and socialization begin at 7 p.m. and the program starts at 7:30 p.m.
in the upstairs meeting room.

Land Use Summit Meeting, Part 3

2008-03-15T15:13:00.004-04:00

As promised, here is additional information in reference to the items discussed at the First Annual Land Use Summit. I will present the items in the same format as I received them.

Remedy to allow citizen standing in legal matters.

Halt using problematic development/building methods until permanently solved (Group Septic plans, immediately)

Abolish Planning Board.

Separate Zoning Board from Council.

Developers follow same laws as other businesses (signage)

Persistent rezoning under citizen opposition curtailed.

Overhaul Comprehensive rezoning process.

Stop changes to zoning regulations that modify countywide zoning.

Stop economic eminent domain.

Any change in zoning to be transparent, visable to residents.

Low income density transfer not allowed.

Zoning changes subject to referendum

Enforce Charter Section 202.g

Any County representative with zoning power takes zero developer/ builder

funds. Applicable for campaigns and any other money or land or asset transaction.

Developer attorneys not allowed to represent other county agencies - eliminate
conflict of interest.

Revise current methods to include mix of affordable housing within other
types of housing.

Enforce laws to prevent developers from polluting waterways, charge for immediate cleanup of resulting pollution.

Stop changes in forest conservation location.

Fix problems with conservation where in trees are planted and die.

Howard Community College should implement covenants.

County to comply with their own regulations. They own 1/3 of County.

Enforce existing laws/regulations, regarding development (N.Laurel situation)

Adequate infrastructure in place or fully funded prior to development initiation.

New County position for paid resident representative on land use matters.

County to enforce regulations against developer with equal vigor as that against citizens.

Our group insists on full participation in the 2010 General Plan.

Over 55 housing no longer requires credits - remove county incentives.

Abolish Council manic districts.

Revise current Planning Board members and functions to redirect toward
citizens by district and add at large member.

Rotate Director of Planing and Zoning.

ZR95 withdrawn in the current form which includes ability to transfer adequate
infrastructure and transfer of sensible development constraints to other areas.

Political Internships

2008-03-13T20:31:00.004-04:00

Spend some time in a private wilderness park.
Do a little hiking, fishing, boating, or horse back riding, while also spending
your time with students and volunteers working to defend one of our most
important rights.

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Land Use Summit Meeting Follow Up

2008-03-12T22:07:00.003-04:00

If attendance is a measure of success,
this meeting was successful

If topics of discussion are a measure of success
this meeting redefined success.

Now we wait to see if the hopes
and future out comes of this gathering
measure up to the spirit of those who organized
and those who attended.

I think there is a real good chance, but
we will know for sure in the next few months.

I promise to offer more on this first meeting,
and the events that fellow.

1st Annual Howard County Land Use Summit

2008-03-07T18:12:00.009-05:00

It is not who we are, it is what we do, that makes a difference.

This is especially true for residents of Howard County. We live in one of the finest parts of our country, if not the world, but nothing stays the same. There are constant changes and challenges, and if we are to maintain our life style, and even hope to improve it, we need to stay informed.

March 12, 2008 ( Wed.) at the Miller Library, beginning at 7P.M.

There will be an opportunity for both citizens and citizen groups to do just that, stay informed.

As stated in the newspaper, Howard County Issues, the purpose will be to "gain agreement, support, and build influence among Howard County citizens and groups", in matters of zoning, development, and other land use matters.

This event is open to the public, and I would advice anyone and everyone to find the time to attend.

Don't be that someone who says
I wish I had a voice in what is going on,
be that someone, who has a voice, in what is going on

Martin Luther King Day

2008-01-21T20:41:00.000-05:00

Two years ago on Martin Luther King Day I posted the following post and I think it is good to reflect on how different community planning decisions can either advance or undermine Dr. King's Dream:

In honor of Martin Luther King Day it might be worth noting how far we have come and how the planning of Columbia moved King’s dream forward. The hardest thing for me to comprehend growing up was that my parents had lived during a time when there was segregation. I grew up in what my peers and I call the “Columbumble”. It is that little utopia of Rouse’s creation that among its features encourages people to interact with people of all backgrounds and by getting to know each other as individuals breakdowns stereotypes. Through all the housing being mixed income and using community design concepts that bring people together Rouse encouraged people to interact with each other. Now we may complain and joke about some of these community design concept, such as not allowing private swimming pools, but how many friendships grew as kids played together at the community pools. And yes, the cluster mailboxes only brought people together when people’s mail ends up in each other boxes and neighbors have to bring the misdirected mail to each other. But other concepts like the fenceless yards encouraged some great neighborhood football games and movement and interaction of people. And of course one of the most successful of concepts of the Interfaith Meeting Houses, that welcomed and encouraged the interaction of people of different faiths. These are all small items, but together Rouse used them to build an experience that encouraged kids to interact and growing up knowing people as individuals and weakening stereotypes.

Yet, how will future development plans affect the further progress of the breaking down of stereotypes? The proposed 22 story condo building for the Lakefront is proposed to have half million to a million dollar condos and a private pool on the top level. Not only is this not mixed income, but by including a private pool it further breaks down one of the traditional mixing devises Rouse used to breakdown stereotypes and build community.

Let us continue to plan our community to reach Martin Luther King’s dream:

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Upcoming Entertainment in Howard County

2008-01-21T20:38:00.000-05:00

For those who like political folk music, Howard County’s very own Yikes McGee will be performing on Saturday, January 26th, 2008 at 8pm at Mad City Coffee in Columbia.

Bun Penny Closing

2007-12-26T22:44:00.000-05:00

A friend just forwarded me this email from the daughter of the owner on Bun Penny:

Hello, my name is McKenzie Ditter. My father owns Bun Penny in the Columbia Mall and I regret to tell you that we will be closing down at some point in the next three weeks. Bun Penny stopped being profitable quite a long time ago, but my father now cannot even break even thanks to the mall's skyrocketing rent. I'm not sure how often you update your blog, but I'd appreciate it if you could mention this as soon as possible. The sooner I can get the word out, the better.

The Bun Penny market and cafe has been a part of the Columbia Mall for nearly forty years, and my family has owned it for the past eighteen. We have always struggled to survive in the mall, but after General Growth Properties' acquisition of the Rouse Company, it has become impossible. The day before this Thanksgiving, my father was notified that Bun Penny must leave the mall by January 15th. Just as they decided that Columbia no longer needed the Poinsettia Tree, they have decided that Bun Penny no longer has a place in the Columbia Mall.

Until now, my family has kept news of our closure a secret from customers and employees for fear of jeopardizing the final shipments from our food distributors. Now, with Christmas passed, I think it is safe to spread the word. I'd like Columbia to recognize the plight of small businesses in the profit-before-people culture fostered by companies like GGP. I want people to see how far the new owners of Columbia are straying from James Rouse's initial vision. My family has been struggling to pay an ever-increasing rent of $38,000 a month to a company based in Chicago that shows little to no regard for the traditions and institutions of Columbia .

I don't know what the future holds for Bun Penny, but knowing that it will no longer be a part of the mall is sad. As much as I dislike the superficiality of what the mall has become, it's hard to forget that it has been a second home to my father, mother, brother and me for as long as I can remember. As a little girl, I played in the straw barrels that we used for gift baskets. I threw temper-tantrums in front of customers, had countless crushes on cute deli boys twice my age, and broke more bottles of wine than I can remember. I collected coffee beans from the ground, made sandwich signs and window murals, sewed tablecloths, and catered the beautiful weddings of some of Columbia 's most powerful residents. I can make a gift basket with my eyes closed and recite the prices of hundreds of cracker boxes and jellies and teas in my sleep. For better or worse, Bun Penny has been an extremely important part of my life, and I know I am not alone.

Bun Penny is a family business - not just my immediate family, but the extended family of employees, customers, and even old Harry the produce man. There are men and women working at this store who have known me since before I was born. The Bun Penny family has seen births, teenage romances, graduations, marriage s, divorces, and deaths. Through it all, there has always been love and support for anyone in need. This family deserves to know how much they are worth and how much they have meant to us. This is not the first time that a family business has been driven out of the Columbia Mall and it does not bode well for the few that remain. Considering the Poinsettia Tree debacle, tradition appears to be a tender topic during the holidays and GGP's continued efforts to undermine such traditions should not go unnoticed. If Columbia wants to preserve its other institutions, it must continue to make its voice heard.

As I spent time downtown for CA meeting, Bun Penny represented to me the potential of downtowns future: a park once, walkable downtown that was alive with people and things to do. Situated at the exit of the mall that the county wanted to make the connecting link between the Lakefront and the mall if traffic from work allowed I could park once and run up across the walking bridge to Bun Penny, get the best deli sandwich I have ever had (and if I was feeling particularly down about how things were going at CA a slice of chocolate cake), and then run down to the CA meeting. During the summer when I went to see a movie at the Lakefront I could walk across the walking bridge pick up a picnic meal from Bun Penny and then go eat at the grass amphitheater with friends or a date before the movie.

Now not only is GGP supportive of the county's idea of extending Wincopin Street over the top edge of the grass amphitheater they are also pushing the very businesses that they say downtown is lacking out of property they own downtown. If GGP has a good financial reason for significantly raising the rent of Bun Penny and then finally telling the owners of Bun Penny they need to get out of the mall, then I would like to hear it. As it stands now this becomes yet another example of GGP talking one game about wanting a vibrant downtown and pushing for a plan that thus far as been little more than window dressing to grant them the zoning to allow 5500 new residential that will allow them to sell off their land for significantly more than they currently can sell it for.

When I have looked at all the plans that have been presented so far, I keep saying to myself, "Well, that is interesting, but it really won't achieve what its advocates claim." I strongly desire to see downtown redeveloped and I do think downtown is a good place for the county to absorb population growth, but when we redevelop downtown we first need a plan that addresses how the grand statements from the county and GGP will we achieve, and we need a plan that stays true to the values Columbia was founded on: 1) mixed income housing, 2) preserve greenspace, 3) plan before you build so that you have infrastructure that meets the community's needs.

If You Are Missing Late Night Comedy Shows During the Writers Strike

2007-11-17T14:45:00.000-05:00

November Bagel Bin Listening Session

2007-11-03T17:28:00.000-04:00

I will hold my next Bagel Bin Listening Session on Sunday, November 4th from 12noon to 2pm. Please come by and share your thoughts on any issues effecting our community.

Remember Day Light Savings Time ends and we move our clocks back an hour on Sunday.

County Puts Out Downtown Redevelopment Plan

2007-09-29T00:56:00.000-04:00

The County has put out its revised Downtown Columbia Redevelopment Plan.

Go read it and let me know what you think. Together as a community we can create a redeveloped downtown that advances the quality of life in our community.

The Focus Group will meet again on Wednesday, October 10th from 4pm to 6pm. The location and the agenda haven't been announced yet, but I will link to them as soon as I find out.

September Bagel Bin Listening Session

2007-09-20T23:33:00.000-04:00

I will hold my next Bagel Bin Listening Session on Sunday, September 23rd from 12noon to 2pm. Please come by and share your thoughts on any issues effecting our community.

Responsible Development

2007-09-06T02:05:00.000-04:00

Wednesday night at the Kings Contrivance Village Board meeting I saw a presentation by Wegman's. The Wegman's proposal includes Wegman's paying for significant road improvements in that area where they are planning on building at the corner of Snowden River Parkway and McGaw Road. If more developers demonstrated this willingness to mitigate the traffic problems they create we would not be having such a problem with downtown Columbia redevelopment.

Though I have significant concerns about the impact Wegman's will have on the Village Centers I gained a lot of respect for Wegman's handling of the traffic situation. I suggest that to prepare for Wegman's arrival villages need to quickly develop a plan to evolve their Village Centers to survive Wegman's arrival. I have written on my suggestion on how Village Centers can evolve to meet the modern economy here.

August Bagel Bin Listening Session

2007-08-08T01:51:00.000-04:00

I will hold my next Bagel Bin Listening Session on Saturday, August 11th from 12noon to 2pm. Please come by and share your thoughts on any issues effecting our community.

Bagel Bin Listening Session

2007-07-26T01:01:00.000-04:00

I will hold my next Bagel Bin Listening Session on Saturday, July 28th from 9:30am to 11:30am. Please come by and share your thoughts on any issues effecting our community.

YouTube Democratic Primary Debate

2007-07-24T01:28:00.000-04:00

What did you think of the YouTube/CNN Democratic Primary Debate?

Which candidate impressed you the most? Which candidate had the best YouTube clip? (Each candidate sumbitted their own YouTube clip to show.) What did you think of the format? Which question was the best? Which question was the weirdest?

I thought this was the best candidate YouTube clip:

City Fair

2007-06-29T06:07:00.000-04:00

When I was at the Lakefront last night you could see the rides for the City Fair had arrived. It looks like a blast. See you at the City Fair and let's have a great celebration of Columbia's 40th Birthday!

City Fair:

Friday, June 29th 6-10pm
Saturday, June 30th 11am-10pm
Sunday, July 1st 12noon-6pm

Also on Saturday from 9am to 11am is my Bagel Bin Listening Session at the Kings Contrivance Bagel Bin. Stop by on your way to the fair.

I Am Back

2007-06-28T00:43:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have not been posting much recently. I have actually had lots of thoughts for posts when I am nowhere near my computer, but I have been so busy recenty that I never seem to get the time to write the blog post. My appologies. I will try to be better and I continue to look for guestbloggers who are able to post more often.

In the meantime, Thursday is the CA Board meeting. You can find the agenda here. Let me know what you think.

My next Bagel Bin Listening Session is this Saturday, June 30th from 9am to 11am at the Kings Contrivance Bagel Bin.

Also a reminder that this weekend it the Columbia City Fair at the Columbia Downtown Lakefront. It looks to be a great time. I will be there all weekend so feel free to stop by and say hi.

Communal Mailboxes

2007-06-19T00:11:00.000-04:00

David Wissing has a post about communal mailboxes that is worth a read. The communal mailbox was one of the design features used by Jim Rouse to bring people together and get them to know their neighbors. (I personally think communal mailboxes were the least effective of Rouse’s design features because as I have said before they mainly brought people together when mail got mis-sorted and you had to go give your neighbor their mail that you accidentally got.) In this case maybe I am being to pessimistic about how little the mailboxes worked to change how people think about the world, because as a regular reader of David’s blog I am actually very surprised by his support for communal mailboxes. I would guess that if he didn’t have a personal experience with them growing up in Columbia he would have a very different gut reaction. It is amazing how personal experience can impact ones approach to various issues.

Proud Brother

2007-06-15T02:36:00.000-04:00

Though sadly the Columbia Flier does not put their pictures on their website for me to link to, on page 46 of this weeks Flier is a picture of my little sister when she was working on her chalk art at the Columbia Festival of the Arts last weekend. As the caption to the picture says my sister is off to grad school next year. She will be studying scientific illustrating. She has been getting private lessons at the Smithsonian for the last year. I am very proud of her. Her art is amazing.

Oh, and here is a picture of my sister and I when we were growing up since I cannot link to the picture in this weeks Flier:

Columbia's 40th Birthday Celebration

2007-06-08T00:07:00.000-04:00

Use this as an open thread to share information and discuss upcoming events.

Columbia 40th Birthday Website

Free Summer Movies at the Lakefront

2007-06-05T23:59:00.000-04:00

The schedule of Columbia Association’s Summer Free Lakefront Movie Series is out. I love this film series and look forward to it every year. It is a great way to spend a summer evening under the stars. As always the selection does not disappoint by providing both recent releases and classics.

All movies start about 8:30pm or when it is dark enough and are preceded by old time movie shorts.

Friday, June 22nd Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Monday, June 25th Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Monday, July 2nd Shrek 1

Friday, July 6th Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Monday, July 9nd Shrek 2

Friday, July 13th Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Monday, July 16th Free Willy

Friday, July 20th Alford Hitchcock’s Classic: North By Northwest

Monday, July 23rd Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course

Friday, July 27th The Devil Wears Prada

Monday, July 30th Hoot

Friday, August 3rd International Film: The King of Masks

Monday, August 6th The Secret Garden (1949 version)

Friday, August 10th Worst Movie Ever Made: Plan 9 from Outer Space

Monday, August 13th The Wizard of Oz

Friday, August 10th The Sound of Music

Monday, August 20th Charlotte’s Web

Friday, August 24th Night at the Museum

Friday, August 31st The Goonies

Saturday, September 1st The Princess Bride

Friday, September 7th Jumanji

Saturday, September 8th Jumanji 2: Zathura

Friday, September 14th International Film: Life is Beautiful

Saturday, September 15th International Film: Cinema Paradiso

So bring a blanket and a picnic dinner and enjoy the Lakefront before the county tries to build a road on the top edge of the grass amphitheater.

Blood Drive

2007-06-05T00:10:00.000-04:00

The Western Howard County Democratic Club is joining the American Red Cross in sponsoring a Blood Drive on Saturday, June 16 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Howard County Conservancy Gudelsky Environmental Education Center. The center is located at 10520 Old Frederick Road (Rt. 99), Woodstock, Md.

Red Cross T-shirts will be given to all Donors and first-time ever WHCDC T-shirts will be given to all volunteers and high school students who volunteer or donate. Local blogging regular Jim Adams is coordinating the drive for the WHCDC.

Prospective donors are asked to schedule donation times at any 15 minute interval starting at 9:30 a.m. through 1:15 p.m. Plan to be involved for approximately one hour from the time of your appointment.

To schedule your appointment, please contact Jim Adams at 443-520-8800 with your preferred time ASAP and no later than Wednesday, June 13. Be prepared to provide your name, telephone number and e-mail address and preferred time.

Democratic Debate Open Thread

2007-06-03T23:37:00.000-04:00

Did you watch tonight? What did you think of the candidates? Even if you didn't watch do you have a particular leaning at this point?

A Window Into Life on the CA Board

2007-05-31T01:46:00.000-04:00

I hope to have a longer post on my CA experience thus far up in the next couple days, but I saw this article by Sara Michael in the Examiner and thought I would link to it so here is a quick taste since I haven't yet had time to draft my longer post.