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GOOD EVENING CHAIR CALLS THE ORDER PUBLIC HEARING FOR BILL 23 DASH
[1. CALL TO ORDER ]
0 25 MORATORIUM EXTENSION.UH, APOLOGIZE FOR THE LITTLE CONFUSION.
LATE START, UH, TRYING TO NAIL DOWN WHO, UH, WILL BE PARTICIPATING TONIGHT.
AL ALSO, I WANT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE IS NOT WITH US THIS EVENING, UH, DUE TO A MEDICAL ISSUE.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MS. FOLEY, THANK YOU, UM, FOR THE PUBLIC HEARING, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS REQUESTING ANOTHER 90 DAY EXTENSION TO THE WAREHOUSE MORATORIUM TO RETURN IT BACK TO THE SIX MONTHS.
UM, WE DID SEND A LETTER TO EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER GOING OVER ALL THE WORK THAT OUR ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE TO GET LEGISLATION READY FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS GOING ON WITH THE MORATORIUM.
UM, IT GOES OVER DETAILED MEETINGS AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT WE HAVE DONE SINCE DAY ONE, BASICALLY, UM, EVEN BEFORE THE ORIGINAL WAREHOUSE MORATORIUM WAS BROUGHT UP.
SO WE DO HAVE THAT IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN KNOWING, AND I'M SURE YOU GUYS HAVE ALL READ THE LETTER BY NOW.
UM, MR. BLOMQUIST, YOU WANT TO ADD ANYTHING? NO, NO.
IT'S JUST THE REQUEST FOR THE EXTENSION SO THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WELL, BOTH WITH INDUSTRY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AS WELL AS OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO TRY TO GET A LEGISLATIVE SOLUTION THAT THAT'S WORKABLE FOR.
ANYTHING? UH, NOTHING, YOUR HONOR.
UM, AND WITH THAT, UM, I'LL OPEN IT UP TO THE COUNCIL AND I'LL START IT OFF.
UM, UH, LIKE THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, I'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS WITH, UH, ALL OF OUR INTERESTED PARTIES AND TRYING TO SERVE ALL OF OUR MASTERS, THE RESIDENTS OF PERRYMAN.
UH, WE ALL AGREE THAT THERE'S MANY, MANY ISSUES THERE THAT NEED TO BE DEALT WITH.
UH, PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, TRAFFIC IS ISSUES, INFRASTRUCTURE ISSUES, UH, AND IN THE, UH, SPIRIT OF TRYING TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE TABLE SOONER THAN LATER, UH, I AM, UH, PROPOSING, UH, AN AMENDMENT THAT WE WILL BE TALKING ABOUT LATER ON.
AND, UM, I DUNNO IF ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS WANNA SPEAK AT ALL.
MR. BENNETT, UM, I WAS JUST HOPING FOR THE POINT OF PUBLIC RECORD, IF WE COULD STATE WHEN THE CURRENT 90 DAY MORATORIUM ENDS WHERE 45 DAYS WOULD GET US AND WHERE 90 DAYS WOULD GET US.
IS THAT POSSIBLE TO SHARE JUST FOR THE PUBLIC TO HEAR CALENDAR DATES? ABSOLUTELY.
UM, I CAN ANSWER THAT IF YOU LIKE.
SO IT IS AUGUST THE 28TH FOR THE ORIGINAL MORATORIUM TO END.
IF WE DO A 45 EXTENSION, IT WILL END AUGUST, OR EXCUSE ME, OCTOBER THE 11TH.
AND THAT GIVES US PLENTY OF TIME TO BRING MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION TO THIS COUNCIL BY THE END OF SUMMER FOR THIS COUNCIL TO TAKE ACTION ON BY OCTOBER 10TH.
IF WE, IF WE DO 90 DAYS, IT TAKES US INTO NOVEMBER, IF I'M CORRECT, ISN'T IT? I BELIEVE THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, UM, THE ORIGINAL INTENT OF THE MORATORIUM WAS TO GRANT A SIX MONTH MORATORIUM, AND WE DECIDED TO BREAK IT UP IN 90 DAYS.
WHEN THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE CAME TO, UH, THE STATE OF THE COUNTY ADDRESS, HE TALKED THEN TO ALL THE PUBLIC AND SAID THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHIN, UH, 90 DAYS BECAUSE THEY'D ALREADY BEEN WORKING ON IT AHEAD OF TIME.
SO WE GRANT THE 90 DAY, UH, MORATORIUM AND, UM, A LOT OF TIME HAS BEEN WASTED AND A LOT OF THINGS, EVEN THOUGH THERE'S BEEN SOME THINGS DONE, NO, NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
A LOT OF TIME HAS BEEN WASTED.
THE INTENT OF THIS AMENDMENT, UH, IF MOVED FORWARD, IS TO SPEED THIS PROCESS UP SO THAT WE CAN, UH, START MOVING FORWARD.
AND IN FACT, UH, IN REALITY, NO MORE TOURING NEEDS TO BE IN PLACE TO WORK ON ROAD IMPROVEMENTS, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND OTHER THINGS THAT THE CITIZENS NEED.
PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES, WE CAN ADDRESS THAT AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE ALL WILLING PARTNERS TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE COUNSEL? MR. PENMAN? THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, I KNOW WE HAVE THE LETTERS AND, UM, I DID RECEIVE THOSE LATE, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO PUT ON RECORD, UM, KIND OF WHAT HAS BEEN DONE.
UM, IF YOU LOOK AT, UH, THE ORIGINAL BILL 2305, THAT WAS PASSED ON APRIL 18TH, ON PAGE TWO, LINE 20 SAYS, UH, HARVARD COUNTY GOVERNMENT DESIRES TO COMPREHENSIVELY STUDY HOW THE DEVELOPMENT OF WAREHOUSING,
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WHOLESALING, PROCESS DISTRIBUTION OF LOCAL DELIVERY FACILITIES IMPACT EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENHANCE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.SO MY QUESTION IS KIND OF WHAT STAGE ARE THOSE COMPREHENSIVE STUDIES? AND THERE'S SOME MORE ELEMENTS WITHIN THAT ORIGINAL BILL, LIKE, UH, REFERENCING MODERN WAREHOUSE HAS, YOU KNOW, HAS ANYTHING TAKEN PLACE? SO IS THERE SOMEONE THAT CAN ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, MR. GRIM.
UM, SO AGAIN, THERE, I KIND OF HAVE LINE BY LINE, BUT I'LL JUST KIND OF GO OVER IT.
MAYBE YOU CAN SUMMARIZE IT FOR ME.
UM, THE STUDY ASKED FOR, UM, AN EVALUATION OF MODERN WAREHOUSES.
IT ASKED FOR, UH, IT MENTIONED LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR ON DEVELOPED PROPERTIES, AND WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, MAKES THE PROPERTY MORE VALUABLE.
IT MENTIONS IMPACT OF LARGE WAREHOUSE COMPLEXES ON PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY WAREHOUSE, UM, WELFARE TRAFFIC STUDIES, THE IMPERVIOUS SERVICES ON THE AQUIFERS.
SO, UM, IS THERE ANY, ARE YOU ABLE TO JUST KIND OF DISCUSS SOME OF THOSE STUDIES AND WHAT, WHAT THE RESULTS OF THOSE, OR ARE THEY IN THE PROCESS? UM, CUZ THE WAY I SEE IT, THE LEGISLATION THAT WAS INTRODUCED ORIGINALLY WAS EMERGENCY LEGISLATION.
SO I THINK WE'RE IN, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY SIX MONTHS OF THE ADMINISTRATION, OBVIOUSLY 90 DAYS OF, OF THIS, UH, THIS WAS A PRIORITY FROM DAY ONE.
AND SO I'D REALLY JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE WITH THE STATUS OF THAT.
IT HAS BEEN A PRIORITY SINCE DAY ONE.
AND AS FAR AS THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING AND THE REVIEW OF OTHER JURISDICTIONS THAT ARE DEALING WITH SIMILAR ISSUES RELATED TO WAREHOUSING, UH, I HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THAT RESEARCH, AND THAT HAS BEEN SINCE DAY ONE.
I CAN TELL YOU PERSONALLY THAT I'VE SPENT COUNTLESS HOURS LOOKING AT DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS AND HOW THEY'RE REGULATING IT.
ALSO, LOOKING AT, UH, PLANNING POLICY THAT'S OUT THERE THROUGH THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS, UH, SPECIFICALLY NEW JERSEY.
UH, NEW JERSEY HAS DONE A LOT OF RESEARCH AND IS DEALING WITH THIS PROBLEM.
AND THEY, THE STATE ACTUALLY PUT OUT SOME GUIDANCE TO THEIR JURISDICTIONS, THEIR MUNICIPALITIES, ON HOW THEY SHOULD LOOK AT THESE TYPES OF ISSUES AND REGULATE THEM.
SO A LOT OF WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON HAS BEEN INFORMED BY, LIKE I SAID, COUNTLESS HOURS OF RESEARCH.
AND THAT RESEARCH HAS LED ME TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS IN THE INTEREST OF TIME UTILIZING WHAT THEY HAVE, UH, PREPARED AND UTILIZED AS A BASE FOR PUTTING SOMETHING TOGETHER FOR REVIEW BY THE ADMINISTRATION AND THEN ULTIMATELY THE COUNCIL.
SO THAT BURDEN HAS FALLEN ON MY SHOULDERS MOSTLY TO DO THAT RESEARCH.
SO, UM, DO WE HAVE ANY RESULTS OF THAT RESEARCH? WELL, I HAVE DRAFT LEGISLATION THAT, UH, HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE ADMINISTRATION AND, UH, THAT MAY BE CONSIDERED IN THE FUTURE.
UM, I THINK THE INTENT FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS TO HAVE THIS TIME TO BE ABLE TO SAY, LOOK, LET'S GET ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE TABLE.
AND REALLY CRAFT LEGISLATION THAT MAKES SENSE IS MEANINGFUL AND SPEAKS TO ALL THE CONCERNS FROM ALL OF THE STAKEHOLDERS, WHETHER IT BE THE DEVELOPER OF THE PROPERTY, THE MITCHELL FAMILY, AND AS WELL AS THOSE FOLKS THAT LIVE IN PERRYMAN TO TRY TO ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES AND COME TO SOME TYPE OF REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION THROUGH LEGISLATION.
UH, NOT EVERYBODY WILL BE HAPPY, OBVIOUSLY, BUT HOPEFULLY THAT WE CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN RESOLVE THIS MATTER.
AND I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I, I RESPECT IT.
UH, BUT SO IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY, AND I, I'M SORRY TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, BEATING A DEAD HORSE HERE, UH, THERE SHOULD BE SOME DATA THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT STUDY.
I, I KNOW THERE'S CONVERSATIONS, I SEE A LOT OF MEMBERS OF THREE P YOU KNOW, THEY'RE A STRONG VOICE AND I KNOW THEY'RE A PART OF THAT CONVERSATION AS, AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENT.
AND THAT, THAT'S GREAT CUZ I KNOW THEY, I'VE SEEN WHERE THEY OUTLINED SOME OF THEIR CONCERNS, WHETHER IT'S ROAD, UH, THE AQUIFERS, THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAREHOUSES.
BUT DO WE HAVE ANY DATA THAT GOES ALONG WITH THE STUDY OR THE RESEARCH THAT YOU, THAT YOU'VE DONE? WELL, THERE'S NO REAL, REAL DATA ALONG WITH THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE.
IT'S JUST TEXT THAT, UH, HAS COME OUT OF DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS THAT I'VE GATHERED INFORMATION FROM AND PREPARED MY DRAFT ORDINANCE OR DRAFT BILL FROM AS FAR AS DATA GOES, CERTAINLY WE HAVE THE EXISTING TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WILL INFORM THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPERTY, POTENTIALLY, DEPENDING ON WHAT THAT MAY BE OR MAY LOOK LIKE.
SO WE HAVE AN EXISTING TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS PLANS CURRENTLY FOR IMPROVEMENTS REGARDLESS OF DEVELOPMENT IMPAIRMENT PLANS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK IN PERRYMAN SPECIFICALLY, UM, UH, SUHA ROAD.
NOW, WHAT WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH IS TO GO BACK AND TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE IMPROVEMENTS MORE FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS SIDE, NOT MY, MY SIDE, TO TAKE A LOOK AT ULTIMATELY WHAT IS THE APPROPRIATE IMPROVEMENT THERE.
AND WHILE MR. SEK IS NOT HERE, THE DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS,
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HE'S BEEN WORKING ON THAT DILIGENTLY WITH HIS STAFF.AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN DISCUSSING THE WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA AND LOOKING AT THAT ORIGINAL ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE, I BELIEVE, AROUND 1990 AND LOOKING AT UPDATING THAT.
SO AS FAR, FAR AS HARD DATA, I, I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO GIVE YOU THIS EVENING OTHER THAN MY WORD ON THE RESEARCH THAT I'VE DONE AND THE, AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE'VE PUT INTO CRAFTING THAT LEGISLATION, MR. GRAHAM, AND, AND I AGREE, I HAVE GREAT RESPECT FOR YOU AND THE WORK THAT, THAT YOU DO.
UM, BUT THE BILL, THIS RECENT BILL FOR THE EXTENSION 20 3025 REFERENCES GOOD CAUSE SAYS THAT WE'VE SHOWN GOOD CAUSE AND THAT'S THE BURDEN OF PROOF THAT, YOU KNOW, I EVALUATE WHETHER IT SHOULD BE EXTENDED OR NOT.
AND, AND THE DATA THAT YOU REFERENCED, I, I HAVEN'T NEC HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SEEN.
SO HOW ARE WE, AND I'M NOT SAYING, YOU KNOW, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO EVALUATE WHAT GOOD CAUSE IS IF WE'RE NOT PRIVY TO THE ACTUAL DATA FROM THE STUDY? WELL, I, I THINK THE GOOD CAUSE IS THE, THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THE ISSUES IN THE PYRAMID PENINSULA, UH, THAT THERE ARE TRAFFIC TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND THE DATA BEARS THAT OUT IN THE TRAFFIC STUDY.
THE DATA BEARS IT OUT IN THE, JUST THE SHEER FACT OF GOING OUT THERE AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT, THAT THERE ARE ISSUES WITH TRUCK TRAFFIC AND GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE PENINSULA.
SO, YOU KNOW, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED REGARDLESS.
AND WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT SOLUTIONS THAT WILL BE BENEFICIAL TO, UH, THE COMMUNITY AND EVERYONE INVOLVED.
AND I CAN GLADLY GET THAT TRAFFIC STUDY TO YOU.
UM, AND I CAN ALSO GET YOU INFORMATION ON THE WELLHEAD PROTECTION AREA THAT IS OLDER DATA, UM, BUT STILL RELEVANT.
AND AGAIN, WE, WE WILL BE WORKING TO TRY TO UPDATE THAT WHERE IT'S NOT SOMETHING, UH, SPECIFICALLY WITH THE WELLHEAD, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN SAY, OKAY, WE CAN GET THIS DONE IN, IN A MONTH.
I MEAN, THAT REALLY REQUIRES, UH, QUITE A LONG TIME TO GET ALL THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER, GET A CONSULTANT ON BOARD THAT HAS, UH, THAT EXPERTISE TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT DATA.
HAS THE CONSULTANT BEEN CONTACTED, HIRED? NOT, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE THAT WOULD'VE BECOME DIRECT BECOMING DIRECTLY OUT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.
UM, IN, IN THE CONVERSATIONS OR COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE, UM, LANDOWNERS, THE DEVELOPERS, THE COMMUNITY INTEREST GROUPS, UM, DURING THOSE CONVERSATIONS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION, YOU SAID YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, A DRAFTED, UH, LEGISLATION.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ON WHAT PERMITTED USES YOU OR THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND WHETHER THOSE ARE GONNA BE EXPANDED OR RETRACTED IN ANY WAY? YES, THERE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSIONS ON WHAT DISTRICTS AND, UH, HOW THEY WILL BE PERMITTED AND IF THEY'LL BE PERMITTED AS SPECIAL EXCEPTIONS.
AND ALSO EXPANDING UPON THE DEFINITIONS AND TYPES OF WAREHOUSING USES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
UH, IN THE MODERN WORLD, AS YOU ALL KNOW, THERE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WAREHOUSING, WHETHER IT BE SORT NONS, SORTT, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, HIGH CUBE, UH, THOSE TYPES OF FULFILLMENT CENTERS.
UM, SO WE'VE LOOKED AT THOSE TYPES OF DEFINITIONS AND HOW WE WOULD REGULATE THOSE.
UM, MR. GRIM, I DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, UH, IN MY, UH, COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TODAY, HE DID FOLLOW THROUGH WITH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE TO HEAR ABOUT AS WELL.
I'D LIKE MR. BENNETT TO SPEAK TO THAT BECAUSE MR. BENNETT DID, UM, ABSOLUTELY BRING THAT TO MY ATTENTION.
UM, YOU KNOW, IN 2022, UM, SENATOR CALEY THE, UH, SPONSORED AND HELPED PASS, UM, A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR US TO LOOK AT GETTING, UH, HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
UM, BUT PART OF THAT WAS YOU NEED, UM, LEGISLATION OR ACTION TO START THAT PROCESS.
AND SO, UM, TODAY AFTER MARCH CONVERSATION, WE WERE ABLE TO GET AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SENT OVER TO START THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING A WORK GROUP FOR VEHICLE, UM, HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
I WAS WONDERING IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOUR OFFICE AND DEPARTMENT WILL BE A PART OF THAT WORK GROUP TO SUPPORT THAT.
AND IF YOU COULD SPEAK TO, UH, WHAT THAT WORK GROUP'S GONNA LOOK LIKE, UH, WHEN WE CAN EXPECT IT TO START, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE AN EXPECTED END DATE.
I KNOW THAT FOR THE CITY OF HAV GREECE, THEIR WORK GROUP WENT FOR ROUGHLY A YEAR.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY WE CAN USE SOME OF THEIR WORK TO GUIDE US SO IT'S NOT A YEAR FROM NOW THAT WE'RE STARTING THE IDEA, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT WHERE TO PUT THESE SYSTEMS IN PLACE.
UM, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME DISCUSSIONS, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T SEE, UH, MUCH OF THAT TODAY CUZ I WAS OFF DOING OTHER THINGS.
BUT, UM, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THAT SYNOPSIS ON THAT.
AS FAR AS THAT WORK GROUP, UH, YES, THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING WOULD BE A PART OF THAT WORK GROUP.
OUR TRANSPORTATION PLANNER CERTAINLY WOULD BE A PART OF THAT.
BUT SINCE THAT, SINCE THAT IS REALLY PURELY A TRANSPORTATION PLANNING EXERCISE, I EXPECT THE BULK
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OF THAT TO BE, UH, DONE, UH, THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS.AND THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE OVER THERE IN THEIR, UH, BUREAU OF TRAFFIC ENGINEERING.
SO I WOULD EXPECT THOSE FOLKS TO REALLY TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.
AND I APOLOGIZE, I I COULDN'T GIVE YOU A TIMEFRAMES OR, OR WHAT THE CONSTITUTION OF THAT WORK GROUP WOULD LOOK LIKE AT THIS TIME.
ALSO, JUST WITH RESPECT, WITH RESPECT TO THE WORK GROUP ISSUE, YES, THERE'S BEEN CONSIDERATION GIVEN THAT WE'VE REACHED OUT TO BALTIMORE COUNTY, WE'VE GOTTEN THEIR INFORMATION IN TERMS OF THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY BECAUSE THEY HAVE SIMILAR, UH, LEGISLATION THAT THEY'VE IMPLEMENTED.
THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE WORKER HAS TO DO.
IT HAS TO REACH OUT TO THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY.
WE'RE NOT GONNA REINVENT THE WHEEL, BUT, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN THE CONTACTS, THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAD ON THEIR COMMITTEE WERE, LOOK, WERE IN THE PROCESS OF REACHING OUT TO THOSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY SO THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, INVITE THEM TO ATTEND OUR PROCESS AND, AND GIVE THE INPUT IN TERMS OF WHAT, WHAT WAS WORKED OUT THERE, WHY IT WORKED, HOW IT WORKED.
SO
AND, AND, AND, AND SO AGAIN, JUST LIKE HAVING GRACE HAS SOME INPUT, BALTIMORE COUNTY HAS PROVIDED SOME VALUABLE INPUT AND GOTTEN US OFF AND RUNNING ALREADY, UH, ON THAT, THAT PROJECT.
SO WE, YOU KNOW, WE WOULD EXPECT TO KEEP THE COUNCIL MEMBERS INFORMED DURING THE SUMMER AS TO WHO, WHO'S BEEN PULLED TOGETHER INTO THE WORK GROUP AND, AND, AND TO REQUEST YOUR INPUT IF, IF YOU HAVE OTHER PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK COULD ADD VALUE TO THAT WORK GROUP.
MY INTENTION, AND I'M SURE, UH, COUNCILMAN BENNETTS IS TO BE WORKING WITH YOU THROUGH THE SUMMER TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS ALL CONTINUES TO MOVE FORWARD.
UM, AND WE, AND WE WOULD WELCOME THAT.
YES, MS. FULLER, YOU WERE GONNA SAY SOMETHING? UM, I'D LET COUNCILMAN BENNETT FINISH FIRST BECAUSE WHAT I HAD RELATED TO WHAT COUNCILMAN PENMAN WAS ASKING, SO OKAY.
I THINK HE STILL HAS MORE TO TALK ABOUT.
THAT'S, UM, I JUST WANTED TO STATE ON THE RECORD THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT WHEN I COME TO THE SEPTEMBER 5TH COUNCIL MEETING, I'M ABLE TO SHARE THAT THE WORK GROUP HAS FORMED.
I CAN SHARE ABOUT WHAT HAS BEEN DISCUSSED AT MEETINGS, UM, AND THAT I HAVE SOME MATERIAL PROGRESS TO SHARE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY SPECIFIC TO HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEMS WHO FEEL LIKE THE CAN HAS BEEN KICKED FAR ENOUGH AND NOW IT'S TIME FOR US TO PICK IT UP AND OPEN IT.
AND, UM, SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME THAT I'M ABLE TO SHARE THAT WE'VE MADE SOME REAL PROGRESS BEFORE WE COME BACK FROM OUR SUMMER RECESS.
WELL, YOU CAN LET HER ANSWER AND THEN I'LL TALK MR. BENNETT.
UM, WELL FIRST, AS FAR AS THE LETTER IS CONCERNED THAT WE SENT TO THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT'S ENTERED INTO THE RECORD.
UM, AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE COUNCILMAN PENMAN BROUGHT UP THAT WE HAD TO SHOW GOOD CAUSE.
UM, I'VE BEEN THROUGH ALL THE LAW AND I KNOW IT'S DIFFICULT TO DO BURDEN OF PROOF AND EVERYTHING, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THAT LETTER WE GO OVER EVERY SINGLE TYPE OF MEETING WE HAD, WHETHER IT BE INTERNAL, EXTERNAL WITH PROPERTY OWNERS LANDOWNER, THE RESIDENCE OF THREE P.
UM, WE HAD MEETINGS ABOUT THE PERRY WELLHEAD PROTECTION PLANS, WOODLEY ROAD EXTENSION, THE ROAD B EXTENSION, WORKING WITH A P G ON WOODLEY ROAD, AND, UM, BG AND E FOR COSTS FOR EXTENDING THAT ROAD, UM, P AND Z WITH WORKING ON LEGISLATION.
WE ALREADY GAVE YOU DRAFT LEGISLATION THAT NO ONE DECIDED TO SUBMIT, UM, THAT HAS MOST OF HIS RESEARCH FROM THE OTHER STATES IN IT.
UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN WORKING FOR, WITH LANDOWNER DEVELOPERS, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO BETTER DEVELOP PERMAN, UM, INSTEAD OF WAREHOUSES, YOU KNOW, BRINGING APG BUSINESS CONTRACTORS, FEDERAL CONTRACTORS, UH, AND WE'VE, THERE'S JUST BEEN SO MUCH HAS BEEN DONE.
AND IF THAT DOESN'T SHOW GOOD CAUSE THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOES.
WELL, IT'LL DEFINITELY BE PART OF THE RECORD FOR SURE.
AND THEN, UM, WHEN YOU SPEAK TO WOODLEY ROAD, WOODLEY ROAD IS SO IMPORTANT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THE FUTURE DEPARTMENT, WHETHER THERE'S ANY DEVELOPMENT AT ALL, THAT EXTENSION NEEDS TO BE DONE, IT NEEDS TO BENEFIT THE CITIZENS SO THAT THEY HAVE MORE THAN ONE ACCESS IN AND OUT OF THAT PENINSULA.
MR. JANNO, UM, THANK YOU, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
UM, SO I KNOW WE, WE LOOKED AT THIS LEGISLATION LAST YEAR AND IT GOT, UH, IT GOT VETOED BY THE
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PRIOR ADMINISTRATION.UM, NEW ADMINISTRATION BROUGHT IT BACK, AND I KNOW EVERYBODY'S BEEN WORKING DILIGENTLY ON THIS.
UM, JACOB, UH, I'VE MET WITH JACOB TODAY, TALKED ABOUT THIS.
SO, UM, DEFINITELY WANT TO GET THIS GOING.
UH, LOOK, RITE AID IN NOVEMBER 19TH, 2020, SOLD FOR 65 MILLION FOR 890,000 SQUARE FEET IN MAY OF THIS MAY OF 2022.
BOB'S WAREHOUSE SOLD FOR 93 MILLION DOWN IN PERRYMAN.
SO, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY BUILD THESE WAREHOUSES, THEY KEEP 'EM, THEY SELL 'EM, IT, IT'S, IT'S ABOUT THE MONEY.
WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LAND LEFT.
UM, SOMETHING IS GOING TO GO DOWN THERE EVENTUALLY.
WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT, IT, IT WORKS FIT.
I KNOW EVERYBODY'S BEEN TRYING TO WORK WITH, UH, UH, PERRYMAN, UM, UH, COUNTY EXECUTIVE, COUNTY COUNCIL, UM, UH, PRESIDENT VINCENTI AND JACOB.
SO I'M VERY INTERESTED IN GETTING SOMETHING DONE LOOKING AT THIS, WHETHER, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S DONE, HOW WE LOOK AT THIS, UM, IT, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT.
UM, I THINK IT'S SHOWN CAUSE I I KNOW BACK AND FORTH, UH, ON THIS.
SO IT, BUT IT, IT CERTAINLY IS THAT THAT LAND IS VALUABLE.
I MEAN, THAT THO THOSE TWO PROPERTIES SHOW THAT IT'S, IT'S VALUABLE LAND.
WHOEVER BUILDS SOMETHING DOWN THERE, LIKELIHOOD OF THEM KEEPING IT IS SLIM TO NONE.
THEY'RE GONNA TURN AROUND AND SELL IT IN A COUPLE YEARS AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY SELL IT FOR.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING IS DONE RIGHT.
SO THANK YOU COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
VINCENTE, IF I, IF I COULD ADD JUST ON THE ROAD ISSUES, AND, AND, AND I KNOW YOU'RE MAYBE MORE FAMILIAR THAN SOME OF THE OTHERS, BUT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING NOT ONLY ON WOODLEY ROAD, BUT ALSO ON ROAD B.
WE'VE LOOKED AT LAND ACQUISITION ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
WE'VE LOOKED AT, AND, AND I, I KNOW THIS MORE THAN SHANE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UH, JOE CMACK AND STEVE WALSH AND, AND THEIR CREW ON THESE ROAD ISSUES.
WE'VE BEEN, SO WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT LAND ACQUISITION, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT DESIGN.
ARE WE, ARE WE LOOKING AT SUSPENSION? ARE WE LOOKING AT PEERS, P PEERS AND ANCHORS? WHAT KIND OF SPANS ARE WE LOOKING AT? SO, SO, AND AND THEREFORE THAT LEADS TO THE PRICING.
AND SO WE'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT THE PRICING, BUT WE HAVE TO RESOLVE SOME OF THOSE ISSUES.
WHAT DO WE THINK WE'RE GONNA REQUIRE FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL STANDPOINT? WHAT KIND OF HELP CAN WE GET FROM THE STATE OR FROM OTHER, UH, STATE FEDERAL DELEGATES WITH RESPECT TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES? BECAUSE THE ARMY COURT HAS A, HAS A PIECE OF THAT ACTION AS WELL AS THE STATE HAVE A PIECE OF THAT ACTION FOR THE DIFFERENT PERMITS THAT WERE REQUIRED.
IT'S NOT THE KIND OF THING WE LIKE TO GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT, BUT, BUT, BUT CERTAINLY WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON ALL THOSE FRONTS.
SO IT'S, IT'S NOT, WHEN YOU SAY ACQUIRING DATA, THAT'S GIVES YOU AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT ARE INVOLVED.
THERE'S A LOT OF MOVING PIECES WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT KIND OF PROJECT, AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO HONE IN ON ALL THOSE MOVING PIECES.
SO MR. BLOMQUIST, FOR THOSE THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND OR KNOW WHAT ROAD B IS, R R ROAD B IS IS THE ROAD THAT RUNS UP THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE PENINSULA AND, AND WOULD COME OUT DIRECTLY ONTO ROUTE REPORTING MITCHELL LANE.
WELL, IT RUN, WE'RE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IT, IT IT CROSS IT, IT ACTUALLY, IT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A ROAD THAT WOULD RUN UP THE WESTERN, THE WESTERN SIDE OF, ALONG THE BUSH RIVER.
MAY, MAY I ADD SOME CON JUST SOME CONTEXT TO THAT AS IT RELATES TO THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS? SO IT'S KIND OF UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT, UH, THE WAY OUR SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS ARE STRUCTURED IS THAT THERE ARE, AS A SECTION THAT TALKS ABOUT WITHIN THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT PLAN AND THE MASTER PLAN, CERTAIN ROADS THAT ARE DESIGNATED TO BE CONSTRUCTED.
AND IN THIS CASE IT'S PER, AND THERE WAS ROAD A AND ROAD B.
AND SO THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS, I'M KIND OF PARAPHRASING WITHOUT HAVING IN FRONT OF ME, SAYS THAT A DEVELOPER OF THESE PROPERTIES IS REQUIRED TO CONSTRUCT THAT PORTION OF THE ROAD THAT IS ON THEIR PROPERTY.
SO ROAD A, WE ALL KNOW DEAD ENDS.
AND THAT WILL HOPEFULLY IN THE NEAR, VERY NEAR FUTURE BE CONSTRUCTED SO THAT IT, IT MEETS SEVEN 15 ROAD B IS THAT SECONDARY ROAD.
SINCE THE 1960S, IT'S ALWAYS BEEN ENVISIONED THAT THERE WOULD BE, UH, ANOTHER ROAD ACCESS TO THE PERMAN PENINSULA.
AND IN THE SIXTIES IT WAS ENVISIONED THAT 5 43 WOULD COME THROUGH WHERE WATER'S EDGE IS RIGHT NOW.
AND, AND THERE'D BE A BRIDGE OVER THE BUSH RIVER AND INTO THE BERRYMAN PENINSULA.
AND THEN IN THE NINETIES, THERE WAS A STUDY DONE, AND THAT STUDY LOOKED AT ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS FOR GETTING IN AND OFF THE PENINSULA.
AND THAT'S WHERE ROAD A AND ROAD B WERE I IDENTIFIED ALONG WITH OTHER SCENARIOS.
AND THEN THE ONES THAT WERE SELECTED ARE WHAT IS SHOWN
[00:25:01]
IN THE TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT PLAN AND THE SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS REFER BACK TO, TO SAY, WHEN THESE PROPERTIES ARE DEVELOPED, THE DEVELOPER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT PORTION OF THE PROPERTY, UH, OR THAT PORTION OF THE ROAD CONSTRUCTION THAT IS ON THEIR PROPERTY.THE COUNTY WOULD BE ON THE HOOK FOR ANY PORTIONS.
AND THAT SPECIFICALLY IS THE PORTION THAT MR. BLOMQUIST IS SPEAKING TO.
AFTER YOU GET PAST THE MITCHELL PROPERTY, IT SORT OF MAKES AN ARC TO THE, UM, TO THE NORTH AND THEN MEETS UP WITH MITCHELL LANE, AND THEN THERE WOULD BE AN INTERSECTION ON ROUTE 40.
AND CERTAINLY THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ISSUES TO OVERCOME TO BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT A BRIDGE LIKE THAT.
AND, AND, AND SO AGAIN, TOO, AS YOU LOOK AT THE LEGISLATION THAT YOU JUST SAID, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT JUST, WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT ZONING LEGISLATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS, WE'RE LOOKING AT DEVELOPER WILLINGNESS TO, UH, CO-FUND, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AGREEMENTS, THINGS THAT WE MENTIONED TO SEVERAL OF YOU.
BUT THERE'S A LOT OF, THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT PIECES THAT CAN WORK INTO A SOLUTION.
UH, BUT IT TAKES TIME TO EXPLORE THOSE WITH EVERYONE KEEPING CARDS ON THE TABLE SO THAT EVERYONE, SO THAT WE GET AS, UH, AS BROAD A BUY-IN AS POSSIBLE.
UH, MR. PENMAN, AND I THINK IT'S JUST RHETORICAL, UM, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT I KNOW WE'RE JUST, UH, REALLY FOCUSING ON PERMAN PENINSULA, BUT THIS MORATORIUM IS CROSSED THE WHOLE COUNTY.
SO WHILE THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE DATA AND THE STUDY IS, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE THE MOST OF THE INFORMATION IS DIRECTED THROUGH COMMUNICATIONS AND DIFFERENT WORK GROUPS, BUT YOU KNOW, IT SHOULD, IT SHOULD BE BROUGHT THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTY KIND OF INVENTORY AND WHAT, WHAT'S OUT THERE ON THE LI AND, AND WHAT, YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH OF AN EFFECT IT COULD BE IF WE LIMIT IT MANUFACTURER, UH, WAREHOUSING.
SO I'LL JUST SAY THAT, UH, I BROUGHT THIS POINT UP DURING THE INITIAL HEARING FOR THE MORATORIUM, THAT TO BE CLEAR THAT THIS WAS COUNTYWIDE, THE COUNCIL TOOK ACTION ON THE FIRST MORATORIUM, BUT PUT GRANDFATHERING PROVISIONS INTO THAT MORATORIUM TO ALLOW PROJECTS THAT HAD ALREADY RECEIVED SITE PLAN APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, THE FOCUS IS NOT SPECIFICALLY ON MITCHELL, BUT JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THOSE OTHER PROJECTS BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE OF THAT GRANDFATHERING PROVISION, IT APPEARS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE FOCUSING ON MITCHELL, BUT IN FACT, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE CORRECT, THIS AFFECTS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
WHEREVER THOSE TYPES OF WAREHOUSES ARE, ARE PERMITTED.
AND CERTAINLY THE LEGISLATION THAT WOULD BE FORTHCOMING WOULD LOOK AT THE COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
IT'S NOT LOOKING AT A SUBSET OF THE COUNTY OR JUST PERMAN OR JUST THE DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE IT LOOKS AT, AT EVERYTHING.
AND, AND IT AFFECTS REDEVELOPMENT.
SO, AND THERE'S ALWAYS THE POSSIBILITY FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT, THAT'S ALSO SOMETHING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AND, AND, AND WE'VE BEEN ANALYZING.
SO JUST, JUST TO BRING IT DOWN, WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, IT'S EITHER 45 DAYS OR 90 DAYS WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT 'EM MORATORIUM TONIGHT.
AND SO, UM, JUST TO REITERATE, REITERATE WHAT HAPPENED, UH, FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
HE DID OFFER SOME LEGISLATION.
WE'RE THE ONE, HE FIRST WENT IN 180 DAYS WHERE HE DECIDED IT WAS GONNA BE 90, AND NOW HE'S ASKING AGAIN FOR THOSE 90 DAYS BACK SO THAT IT WILL GO TO 180 DAYS.
UM, I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T DO 90 OPPOSED TO 45.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT, WHAT THE, UH, THE DETRIMENT OF DOING 90 DAYS.
ALSO FOR AS FAR AS DATA HAS BEEN GIVEN, UM, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS BEND TO A COUNCIL MEETING AND SEE ALL THE BLUE HATS HERE.
THEY HAVE THAT NAUSEAM, AND I DON'T MEAN THAT IN A NEGATIVE WAY, IN A POSITIVE WAY, HAVE GIVEN US DATA THAT WE ALL, AND, AND THOSE ARE THE FOLKS THAT WE REPRESENT.
SO I, I THINK DATA HAS BEEN GIVEN, UM, NOT ONLY FROM THE EXECUTIVE, BUT ALSO FROM THE CITIZENS HERE IN HARFORD COUNTY.
SO I THINK EVERYBODY, THIS, THIS, THIS ISSUE WITH WAREHOUSING AND, AND LOOKING AT IS, IS NOT JUST, UH, HARTFORD COUNTY, IT'S ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST COAST.
UM, THE, THE LAND, THESE WAREHOUSES.
AND WHAT I DIDN'T MENTION WAS THAT, THAT RITE AID FACILITY THAT SOLD FOR 60 MILLION THE SAME YEAR, SOLD AGAIN FOR 93 MILLION WAS A 33 MILLION PROFIT IN THE ONE YEAR.
SO UP AND DOWN THE EAST COAST, UM, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT THESE WAREHOUSES AND, AND WHAT'S GOING ON AND, AND TRYING TO SLOW THAT DOWN.
THE, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THE MASSIVE, UM, SHIPS THAT ARE COMING THROUGH THAT BOTH CANALS NOW, EVERYTHING'S COMING INTO THE EAST COAST.
THEY WANT THE ABILITY TO HAVE THESE WAREHOUSES.
IT'S CHEAPER TO PUT 'EM ON A SHIP, PUT IT THROUGH THE CANALS THAN IT IS TO DROP IT OFF IN CALIFORNIA AND TRUCK IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS.
[00:30:01]
JUST WAS DOWN IN NORTH CAROLINA, YOU DOWN THERE THROUGH VIRGINIA, AND YOU, YOU SEE THE WAREHOUSES DOWN THERE TOO.SO IT'S NOT JUST A, AN ISSUE THAT'S JUST HARTFORD COUNTY.
IT, IT'S AN ISSUE, YOU KNOW, EAST COAST WIDE AND, YOU KNOW, GONNA RUN OUTTA LAND.
WELL, AND FROM AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDPOINT TOO, YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE AMAZON DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN BALTIMORE 300, AS SOON AS THEY MET THEIR ECONOMIC INCENTIVE REQUIREMENTS, BOOM.
SO IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT? GOTTA LOOK AT THAT.
UH, UM, SEEING NO OTHER COMMENTS HERE FROM THE COUNCIL, MS. DIXON? UM, DO WE HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP?
SO, UM, WITH 25 SPEAKERS, MY WATER MIGHT, MEL, WE ARE GOING TO SETTLE IN FOR A LONG EVENING.
WE'RE GONNA STAY TO THE THREE MINUTE MINIMUM PER SPEAKER.
UM, SO MS. DIXON, MONICA MIKEL, FOLLOWED BY CHUCK ANNE.
CAN, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? OKAY, GOOD.
MONICA MCHALE 21 0 3 WINDHAM COURT, BE AIR, MARYLAND 21 0 15.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
UM, YOU'VE SEEN ME UP HERE I THINK TWICE BEFORE, BOTH TIMES REGARDING THE WAREHOUSE MORATORIUM.
UM, I JUST HAVE SOME CONCERNS.
UM, THE PERMITS THAT ARE BEING ISSUED, I KNOW I HEARD THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IMPERVIOUS, IMPERVIOUS SERVICES AND ALL OF THESE OTHER FACTORS, BUT I WOULD LIKE THE COUNTY TO, TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM.
I'M IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING IT FOR THREE MORE MONTHS, UM, IN ORDER TO REVIEW CURRENT PROJECTS.
I KNOW IT WAS AMENDMENT AMENDED TO SAY FUTURE PROJECTS, BUT PERMITS THAT WERE ALREADY, UM, ISSUED HAVE TECHNICAL ISSUES ON THEM.
IT'S A MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD.
IF YOU LOOK ON CURRENT CASES THAT ARE BEING, UM, ACTIVELY LITIGATED, TO WHICH I, I REALLY DON'T WANNA COMMENT,
[4. PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS ]
BUT THERE ARE ABOUT SEVEN DEFICIENCIES ON THESE PLANS.AND IT'S NOT JUST ON THE WAREHOUSE MORATORIUMS, IT'S ON OTHER PROJECTS.
AND I'M, I, I KNOW SOMEONE HAD ASKED FOR A DATA STUDY CUZ I WAS HEARING THE CONVERSATION, UM, ON MY WAY HERE.
UM, BUT IF YOU COULD REVIEW THOSE, THE, THE PUBLIC RECORDS FROM THESE CASES THAT ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE, YOU WILL FIND OUT WHAT THE SPECIFIC DEFICIENCIES ARE.
AND THEY'RE REALLY RELATE TO THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN WHERE WE'RE GRANTING WAIVERS TO PROTECTING THESE TREES.
AND WHEN WE'RE GRANTING THE WAIVERS, THE DEPARTMENT OF ZONING AND PLANTING, THEY'RE REALLY MAKING AN EXEMPTION TO THE RULE.
THEY'RE NOT TREATING IT AS A VARIANCE.
SO BASICALLY WE'RE CUTTING DOWN TREES THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTED LARGER SPECIMEN TREES, AND IT'S BEING DONE WITHOUT ANY REVIEW OR OVERSIGHT.
AND MY CONCERN, AND I, I DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING WRITTEN UP THIS TIME, UM, BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT YOU REALLY LOOK AT IT, IF WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP THESE PROPERTIES, I'M ASKING US TO FOLLOW OUR COUNTY CODE AND ENSURE THAT IT'S BEING DONE PROPERLY.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA STOP ALL DEVELOPMENT, AND IT WOULD REALLY BE TO MY HEART THAT IF WE'RE GONNA KICK OUT ALL THESE ANIMALS AND WILDLIFE AND TREES, WHICH I KNOW DON'T PAY PROPERTY TAXES OR ISN'T REALLY THE CONCERN OF THE COUNCIL, AT LEAST WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT LIKE TONY G SAID, THIS LAND IS VALUABLE AND WE ONLY GET ONE SHOT AT IT, AND WHEN WE DESTROY IT, WE'RE NOT GONNA GET IT BACK.
AND TO PUT WAREHOUSES ON IT OVER SOMETHING.
UNFORTUNATELY, IF IT'S GONNA GET DEVELOPED AND WE'RE GONNA KICK OUT ALL THESE ANIMALS, I'D RATHER IT BE FOR SOMETHING MORE SUBSTANTIAL, THEN AT LEAST LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE DOING IT ACCORDING TO OUR CODE.
AND IF WE'RE NOT, WE NEED TO REVOKE THESE PERMITS.
I'M ASKING FOR THREE MONTHS SO THAT WE CAN REVIEW CURRENT PROJECTS.
IT'S NOT JUST FUTURE PROJECTS.
AND I, I'D LIKE YOU TO AMENDMENT, AMEND IT.
I KNOW YOU'RE LOOKING AT AMENDING IT TONIGHT ON THE AGENDA.
UM, OR IF IT'S, EVEN IF IT'S AS IS TO AT LEAST REALLY REVIEW ALL THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN PERMITS GOING FORWARD AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING IT ACCORDING TO OUR COUNTY CODE, WHICH IS HOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING IT, AND AT LEAST REVIEW IT.
AND IF NOT, IF WE FIND THAT WE'RE NOT, THEN REVOKE IT.
SO I KNOW IT'S HARD TO READ THE CODE, IT TAKES
[00:35:01]
A LOT OF TIME.I'M TRYING TO GO THROUGH IT AND UNDERSTAND IT.
I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT I REALLY, IF YOU FIND THIS STUFF THAT'S ON PUBLIC RECORD, YOU CAN FIND WHAT THOSE DEFICIENCIES ARE AND YOU CAN HONE IN ON WHAT THOSE THINGS ARE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT LEGALLY.
UH, GOOD EVENING COUNSEL, CHUCK, ME AS IN 1812 PARK BEACH DRIVE, ABERDEEN.
UM, GONNA CHANGE MY SPEECH SHOP AFTER LISTENING TO THE CONVERSATION EARLIER, WHICH PROBABLY NOT A GOOD IDEA, BUT, UH,
I MEAN, REALLY, I'VE BEEN IN PERRYMAN MY WHOLE LIFE 50 YEARS.
UH, WE STARTED HAVING AND COMPLAINING TO THE COUNTY, UM, BACK AFTER RITE AID CAME IN 97, GOT WORSE AND WORSE AND WORSE THROUGH THE YEARS.
SO OVER 25 YEARS WE'VE BEEN ASKING FOR HELP.
AND, UH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 45 DAYS HERE.
OKAY, WE'RE DEBATING 90 OR 45 DAYS.
I UNDERSTAND THE DESIRE TO SPEED THIS UP, BUT FOR 25 YEARS WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS.
WE JUST WANT LIKE TO HAVE THE FULL 90 DAYS.
SOUNDS LIKE THE PUSH IS THERE FOR THE COUNTY TO WORK, UM, DILIGENTLY.
AND I THINK THE 90 DAYS WOULD BE PRUDENT TO GO, GO TO THE SIX MONTHS THAT THE COUNTY, UH, EXECUTIVE HAD REQUESTED.
SO TONIGHT, I KNOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER BILL AS WELL.
I THINK TOGETHER WITH BOTH OF THESE BILLS, YOU GUYS, UH, HAVE A IMPACTFUL OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE THE HARTFORD COUNTY WAITING FOR AWAITING.
THESE TWO VOTES ARE IMPORTANT BILLS BEING REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND SUPPORTED BY A MAJOR MAJORITY OF CONSTI CONSTITUENTS WHO DESPERATE, DESPERATELY ARE SEEKING TO HELP KEEP HARTFORD RURAL AND OUT OF THE HANDS OF DENTS OVER DEVELOPMENT.
UM, THREE P HAS RECEIVED AT LEAST 160 LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THIS IN THE LAST COUPLE WEEKS THAT YOU GUYS HAVE RECEIVED.
THESE HAVE BEEN COMING THROUGH ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTY, ALL ZIP CODES IN THE COUNTY.
IT'S NOT JUST A PERRYMAN PROBLEM, IT'S A HARFORD COUNTY PROBLEM, AND WE HAVE TO CURTAIL THIS HEAVY, HEAVY DEVELOPMENT.
WE NEED DEVELOPMENT, BUT NOT THIS DENSE DEVELOPMENT.
ELIZABETH CHAMBERLAIN, FOLLOWED BY BRENDAN PATTON, MS. CHAMBERLAIN.
ELIZABETH CHAMBERLAIN, 1 73 GLENVIEW TERRACE.
UM, SO I AM HERE TO ASK THAT YOU, UM, THAT WE EXTEND THE NINE TO 90 DAY MORATORIUM.
UH, I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS ON SATURDAY, THREE DAYS AGO, SO I'M JUST HERE TO TELL YOU THAT THERE, THIS ISN'T EVEN THE FULL EXTENT OF THE PEOPLE OPPOSED TO THIS PLAN.
UM, IT'S JUST THE EARLY FORCE.
UM, AND SO SOME OF THE THINGS I'LL SKIP JUST FOR THE SAKE OF, UM, TIME, I'LL SKIP TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD ASK THAT THE STUDY INCLUDE.
UM, AND THE REASON I BRING THESE IS THAT I JUST SAW, UM, THIS HAPPEN IN KENTUCKY WHERE THEY BUILT A WAREHOUSE AND I SAW THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THAT, THAT IT WAS PRETTY MUCH INSTANTANEOUS AND, UM, IT WAS PRETTY CATASTROPHIC TO THE SURROUNDING AREA, UH, THAT YOU'VE SEEN IT TOO.
UM, SO I'LL JUST LIST QUICKLY, UH, FIRST THE CULTURAL IMPACT.
GROWTH IS HEALTHY, BUT SHOULD BE MANAGED FOR THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND I WONDER, DO WE HAVE GOALS AND POLICIES WHICH REFLECT THE CONCERN ABOUT THE PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT? UM, AND AGAIN, I'M NEW TO THIS, SO NOTHING AGAINST THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING THIS FOR, UM, FOR A WHILE NOW.
UM, AND I WONDER IF WE HAVE A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR PLANNING, UM, WHAT THIS PLACE WILL BE LIKE IN THE FUTURE.
UM, WILL IT MAINTAIN THE COMMUNITY CHARACTER OR WILL IT DEGRADE IT? UM, IF WE DON'T HAVE A CRITERIA FOR THOSE TO MEASURE THOSE THINGS, I ASK THAT WE DO.
UM, AND WHAT, WHAT CITY PLANNING HAS GONE INTO THIS? I KNOW A LOT, BUT I, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW, AND I HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO LEARN MYSELF AND MANY OF US HAVEN'T, UM, OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM.
UM, ARE WE MEASURING THE IMPACT ON THINGS LIKE WATER, SEWERS, SCHOOLS, TRANSPORTATION, EMERGENCY SERVICES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, BUT ALSO PARKS? AND LET ME PAUSE HERE TO SAY THAT DEVELOPERS WILL INSTALL SERVICES SUCH AS STREET NETWORKS AND SEWERS, AND THEN TURN THEM OVER TO THE COUNTY TO BE MANAGED FOREVER.
WHAT IS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN? TO DEVELOP INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, BUT ALSO WILD WILDLIFE HABITAT REPLACEMENT,
[00:40:01]
BIKE WAYS, PEDESTRIAN WAYS, UM, AND OF COURSE, THE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH.WILL THIS LAND PRESERVE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD? WHAT ABOUT FLOODING? SHOULD A WATER STUDY STORMWATER, WHICH IS CURRENTLY MANAGED BY TREES TO, TO MANAGE THE RUNOFF, UM, WHERE, WHERE WILL THAT RUNOFF GO? WILL IT, WHO WILL IT FLOOD? UM, AND OF COURSE THE GROUND, THE HEALTH OF THE GROUNDWATER, WHICH IS OUR DRINKING WATER, THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF, UM, OF THE BAY QUALITY DRINKING WATER, UM, THE HEAT ISLAND, UH, ESPECIALLY WHEN LOOKED AT OTHER, UM, THINGS LIKE BEAR LEGACY TRAIL, THE NEW WALMART, AND, UM, AND THE AUTO AUCTION PLACE THAT ALL PRETTY MUCH JUST MEANT FOREST DEFORESTATION, UM, LIGHT AND NOISE POLLUTION, AIR QUALITY THAT WE NOW NEED MORE FILTERING BECAUSE OF THE NEW BURDEN OF FOREST.
UM, THE CARBON FOOTPRINT AND OF COURSE, OXYGEN, UH, IMPACT ON WILDLIFE HABITAT, UNDERSTANDING OF CASCADING WAY OUR ECOSYSTEM COLLAPSES AND, AND RESULTS IN PESTS WHICH ACTUALLY IMPACT OUR HEALTH, UH, TRAFFIC, UH, ECONOMIC IMPACTS SUCH AS HOW WILL THIS LOWER THE SURROUNDING PROPERTY VALUE JOBS? OF COURSE, HOW MUCH WILL THEY PAY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN THIS AREA? IF NOT, THEN DOES, AND PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSE.
JUST DOES THE TRAFFIC STUDY INCLUDE? THANK YOU, MA'AM.
BRENDAN PATTON, 2054 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
UM, IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOME DATA, I, I THINK THIS WOMAN RIGHT HERE CAN PROVIDE IT TO YOU.
SHE JUST GAVE YOU ALL KINDS OF REASONS WHY, WHY WAREHOUSES ARE A BAD IDEA.
UM, I'M HERE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF, UH, OF THE MORATORIUM, THE FULL 90 DAYS.
UM, OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, MANY OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE SPOKEN IN THESE CHAMBERS.
THEY'VE SENT YOU EMAILS, THEY'VE CALLED YOU PERSONALLY.
UM, THEY'VE GIVEN YOU DOZENS OF REASONS WHILE WHY THIS, UH, MEGA WAREHOUSE EXPANSION IS A BAD IDEA.
UH, IT SHOULD BE CLEAR TO YOU THAT MOST OF YOUR CONSTITUENTS ARE IN FAVOR OF THE MORATORIUM.
UM, YOU WERE ELECTED TO REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF HARTFORD COUNTY, NOT THE DEVELOPERS.
IT IS NOT THIS COUNCIL'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE DEVELOPERS MAKE MONEY.
UPDATE THE ZONING CODE AND BE TRUE TO THE REASON THE CODE EXISTS TO PROTECT THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE EXISTING CITIZENS.
SO LET'S TAKE THE TIME AND GET THAT RIGHT.
HARFORD COUNTY CITIZENS ARE FED UP WITH TRAFFIC AND OVERDEVELOPMENT, THE LOCAL GRASSROOTS MOVEMENTS TO HOLD POLITICAL LEADERS TO ACCOUNT ARE GETTING STRONGER BY THE DAY.
FORMER FORMER COUNCIL, DISTRICT F REPRESENTATIVE LOST HIS SEAT BECAUSE HE DIDN'T STAND UP FOR HIS CONSTITUENTS.
THE GLASSMAN BONFACE ADMINISTRATION LOST THEIR ELECTION TO MR. CASTLE.
FAILURE TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM AND UPDATE THE ZONING CODE WILL HAVE A POLITICAL CONFERENCE.
KEN SHANNON, FOLLOWED BY GLENN GILLIS.
HELLO, I'M KEN SHANNON, 2044 PARK BEACH DRIVE IN PERRYMAN.
AND I WOULD LIKE BILL 23 DASH 0 2 5 TO BE APPROVED.
AS SUBMITTED, WE NEED ALL 90 DAYS.
SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN TALKING ABOUT MORATORIUMS, UM, AS MENTIONED BY SOMEONE PREVIOUSLY, WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
UM, I, ALONG WITH MY CONS, YOU KNOW, UH, MY NEIGHBORS AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS TESTIFIED IN FAVOR OF MORATORIUMS FOR BILL 23 DASH 0 0 5 IN APRIL OF, UM, ALSO TESTIFIED IN FAVOR OF THE MORATORIUM, UM, BILL 22 DASH THREE, UH, IN APRIL, 2022.
SO THE COUNTY NEEDS THE TIME THE MORATORIUM WILL PROVIDE TO UNDERSTAND HOW DEVELOPMENT IN HARTFORD COUNTY, AND PARTICULARLY THROUGHOUT SOUTH HARFORD COUNTY, COULD BE BROUGHT BACK IN LINE WITH THE PURPOSE AND INTENT OF THE HARFORD COUNTY ZONING CODE, WHICH IS TO PROMOTE HEALTH, SAFETY, MORALS, AND GENERAL WELFARE OF THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE'RE ASK, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING THE COUNTY TO NOT DO SOMETHING.
WE'RE ASKING YOU TO NOT ISSUE PERMITS.
THERE'S THINGS WE'VE ASKED FOR, LIKE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEM ON SPIA ROAD AND CONNECTION OF WOODLEY ROAD TO ROUTE SEVEN 15.
SO YOU SHOULD BE RELIEVED THAT WE ARE NOW, UM, ASKING YOU TO NOT DO SOMETHING.
PERMITS SHOULD NOT BE ISSUED, UH, IN AREAS ZONED VB, B THREE C I G I, AND LI AND I'LL SPEAK, UM, SPECIFICALLY TO LI.
SO THE, UM, DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED FOR THE MITCHELL
[00:45:01]
FARM, WHICH IS OWNED LI, WILL INCLUDE MEGA WAREHOUSES THAT'LL BE 200 FEET FROM A PRIVATE HOME.IT WILL INCLUDE A FREIGHT TERMINAL THAT'LL BE A HALF MILE LONG.
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE ZONING CODE THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT.
AND IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA ALLOW, UM, THE FULL 90 DAYS TO EXAMINE THIS CAREFULLY AND GET THIS RIGHT, THAT'S MALFEASANCE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THOSE KINDS OF MONSTROSITIES NOT BE ALLOWED IN RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES.
AND I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT I BELIEVE THAT MR. PENMAN SHOULD RECUSE HIMSELF FROM THIS VOTE SINCE HIS, UM, CAMPAIGN MANAGER IS A LAWYER FOR, UH, ONE OF THESE DEVELOPERS, CHE CHESAPEAKE REAL ESTATE GROUP.
SO IN CONCLUSION, I ASK YOU TO PLEASE APPROVE BILL 23 2 5 AS IT WAS SUBMITTED.
GLENN GILLIS, 1936 PARK BEACH DRIVE IN PERRYMAN.
I'M REQUESTING YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT BY VOTING IN FAVOR OF BILL 2325 AS INTRODUCED.
ONE OF THE REALIZATIONS WHEN THIS EFFORT PROCEEDS PROCEEDED TO CORRECT THE ISSUES AT PERRYMAN AND TO, TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE PATH FORWARD FOR ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY WAS THIS WAS NOT GOING TO BE A QUICK FIX.
YOU AND MANY OF US HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN THESE EFFORTS FOR OVER 18 MONTHS AND ARE GAINING AND UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO MAKE LASTING CHANGES TO THE FUTURE TRA TRAJECTORY OF HARFORD OF OUR HARFORD COUNTY.
SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, THE COUNCIL COUNCIL OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORTED THE MORATORIUM REQUESTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE MR. CALEY.
SINCE THEN, AS WE'VE HEARD TODAY, WORK HAS BEEN DONE BY THE, UM, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATION, THE COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SET A PATH FORWARD, WHICH WILL RESULT IN A PERMANENT CHANGES TO THE COUNTY'S APPROACH TO INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ZONING.
THE, THE ORIGINAL MORATORIUM TIMELINE REQUESTED BY THE CE WAS 180 DAYS.
THIS WAS SHORTENED TO 90 DAYS BY THE COUNCIL.
THE CE HAS SINCE REQUESTED A 90 DAY EXTENSION TO THE MORATORIUM TO FINISH THE WORK THAT IS PROGRESSING WITH THE GOAL OF HAVING INITIAL LEGISLATION TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES READY FOR THE COUNCIL ACTION AS YOU COME BACK FROM YOUR SUMMER RECESS.
OPPONENTS WHO WISH TO SEE THE CONTINUED UNCHECKED INDUSTRIALIZATION OF SOUTHERN HARTFORD COUNTY WILL ARGUE THAT THE MORATORIUM WILL RESTRICT PROPERTY RIGHTS, WILL INHIBIT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL ANTI-BUSINESS, AND THAT THE CE HAS HAD ENOUGH TIME TO DO EVERYTHING THAT HE'S NEEDED TO DO.
I TRUST THAT THESE ARGUMENTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SEEN AS SUPPORTING THE INDUSTRIALIZATION AGENDA THAT DOES NOT HOLD ANY LEGAL OR MORAL RATE WAIT.
THIS AGENDA IS SELF-SERVING BY ALL THOSE AGAINST OR SEEKING TO SHORTEN THE TIMELINE OF THESE MORATORIUMS AND IS NOT FOR THE BETTER GOOD OF THE HARFORD COUNTY CITIZENS QUALITY OF LIFE.
THE MORATORIUM EXTENSION AS INTRODUCED AND, AND IT'S FOR ITS FULL DURATION OF NINE DAYS AS NEEDED TO ALLOW THE LAND USE AND ZONING WORK TO CONTINUE AS INTENDED AND SUPPORTED BY YOU.
ALLOWING FOR A LAPSE IN THE MORATORIUM WILL SIGNIFICANTLY SET BACK THE PROGRESS MADE AND SIGNIFY THAT THE INDUSTRIALIZATION OF HARTFORD COUNTY IS A PART OF YOUR AGENDA, PLEASE VOTE FOR THE EXTENSION AS INTRODUCED.
THANK YOU, SIR LEE MADDOX, FOLLOWED BY KATE MCDONALD.
GOOD EVENING, LEE MADDOX, 1700 CHURCH POINT COURT PERRYMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
I'M HERE TODAY SPEAK IN SUPPORT OF BILL 23 0 25 AS INTRODUCED WITH THE FULL 90 DAYS.
THE PERRYMAN PENINSULA IS A VIBRANT TAPESTRY OF AMERICAN HEROISM AND STEADFAST SERVICE HOSTING COUNTLESS RETIRED US ARMY PERSONNEL, POLICE OFFICERS, AND FIREFIGHTERS.
IT IS HOME TO MANY WHO WORK TIRELESSLY
[00:50:01]
TO MAINTAIN OUR HOMELAND SECURITY AT APG AND EDGEWOOD ARSENAL.AMONG THESE DEDICATED CITIZENS, MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH RETIRED FROM THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE CHOOSE TO CALL PERRYMAN HOME AS HAVE A VAST ARRAY OF OTHER RETIREES AND SENIOR CITIZENS, CITIZENS.
WHAT PERRYMAN HAS UNDERGONE IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS IS DEEPLY CONCERNING.
WE HAVE SEEN THE AREA WE CHERISH SO MUCH TRANSFORMED AND NOT FOR THE BETTER.
I STAND HERE TODAY BEFORE YOU, NOT TO LAY BLAME, BUT TO REMIND US ALL HARTFORD CHARTER OBLIGATIONS TO ACCORD EQUAL TREATMENT TO EVERY CITIZEN OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
THE SENIORS AND RETIREES OF PERRYMAN DESERVE OUR SPECIAL ATTENTION.
THESE INDIVIDUALS MORE VULNERABLE DUE TO AGE OR HEALTH CONDITIONS RELY HEAVILY ON SWIFT EMERGENCY RESPONSE TIMES.
THIS IS CRITICAL DURING THE GOLDEN HOUR, THE CRUCIAL PERIOD AFTER A TRAUMATIC EVENT WHEN PROMPT MEDICAL TREATMENT CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH.
SEVERAL PREVIOUS TESTIMONIES, INCLUDING THOSE FROM CHIP RILEY, WHO IS HERE TONIGHT, HAVE HIGHLIGHTED HOW INDUSTRIALIZATION ON THE PERON PENINSULA HAS DETRIMENTAL DETRIMENTALLY AFFECTED THOSE RESPONSE TIMES.
THIS IS NOT JUST AN INCONVENIENCE, IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
THIS COMMUNITY WAS BURNED BA BADLY IN 2022 BY THIS COUNCIL AND THE PREVIOUS COUNTY EXECUTIVE WHO TURNED A BLIND EYE TO THE ILLEGAL INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OCCURRING ON THE PERMAN PENINSULA.
THROUGH A SERIES OF UNFAVORABLE AMENDMENTS AND A FAILURE TO EVEN ATTEMPT TO OVERRIDE A VETO, THE COMMUNITY WAS KICKED TO THE CURB.
I REALLY HOPE THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE TONIGHT, BECAUSE 2023 HAS BEEN A BETTER YEAR.
YOU HAVE ALL COLLECTIVELY GIVEN US HOPE.
PLEASE, I URGE YOU TO DEVOTE YES ON A CLEAN BILL.
WE NEED YOUR HELP AND WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.
HI, WE NEED TO DO THIS BY HEIGHT.
HI, KATE MCDONALD, 2100 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
I'M HERE TONIGHT IN SUPPORT OF BILL 23 DASH OH 25 AS INTRODUCED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR 90 DAYS.
WE DO NOT SUPPORT THAT CUTTING THAT TIME IN HALF.
AGAIN, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, ME AND MANY OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM SPENT 13 MONTHS TRYING TO GET THE EAR OF THE LAST ADMINISTRATION AND WE'VE, AND SO ANOTHER 90 DAYS.
I MEAN, I FIND IT DISRESPECTFUL THAT Y'ALL WOULD EVEN CONSIDER NOT GIVING THAT TO US.
THERE'S IMPORTANT WORK BEING DONE AND IT'S INCUMBENT ON YOU TO GIVE IT SUFFICIENT TIME.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT KIND OF POWER PLAY IS HAPPENING HERE, BUT THESE ARE OUR LIVES YOU'RE BARGAINING WITH AND MANIPULATING.
AND AS TAXPAYER AND CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY, WE DESERVE BETTER.
IT'S TIME TO GET THE ZONING RIGHT.
IT'S TIME TO STOP THESE RIDICULOUSLY SIZED FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION CENTERS WITH ALL THEIR DIESEL TRUCK TRAFFIC FROM RUINING IN OUR COUNTY AND COSTING THE TAXPAYERS MILLIONS OF INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS.
IT'S TIME TO ALLOW THE PROPERTY OWNER TO PURSUE OPTIONS FOR THEIR LAND THAT ARE PROPERLY AND LEGALLY ZONED AND DON'T DESTROY THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN WHICH IT SITS.
IT'S TIME TO REVITALIZE THE ROUTE 40 CORRIDOR AND STOP DESTROYING IT.
I BELIEVE SOME OF Y'ALL RAN ON THAT FOR REELECTION, WHICH IS WHAT YOU, IT'S TIME TO SERVE AND PROTECT THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF ALL CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY, WHICH IS WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO.
AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ROADS, IT'S OUR EXPECTATION THAT WHATEVER IS DONE EVENTUALLY ON THAT PROPERTY, IT'S A PLUG AND PLAY.
SO THE COUNTY PUTS THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN AHEAD OF ANY TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT.
I THINK THAT'S JUST THE BARE MINIMUM THAT WE SHOULD BE DISCUSSING.
JANET HARDY, FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE FLASH.
UM, I'M, I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF THE, THE MORATORIUM EXTENSION.
I FEEL AS THOUGH A LOT OF THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU'VE HEARD TONIGHT WOULD JUST BE, UM, I WOULD JUST REPEAT, BUT I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
WE NEED TO DETERMINE JUST WHAT KIND OF A WAREHOUSE GOES INTO A HEAVILY RESIDENTIAL AREA.
AND I'M SPECIFICALLY TONIGHT SPEAKING ABOUT, UM, ABINGDON WOODS BECAUSE THERE'S 15 HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE SPRUNG UP SINCE THE, UH, 1980S, UM, DESIGNATION OF COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL ON THESE
[00:55:01]
WOODS.AND WE REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT THAT AS WE DETERMINE WHAT KIND OF, UH, WAREHOUSES WOULD, YOU KNOW, COULD, COULD BE SUPPORTED BY THIS, UM, AREA.
UM, AGAIN, I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND WE NEED TO GET THIS RIGHT.
PLEASE VOTE TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM.
ON BEHALF OF FRIENDS OF HARTFORD PO BOX 2 94 ABINGDON, MARYLAND 2,109, FRIENDS OF HARTFORD SUPPORTS BILL 23 DASH 0 2 5 AND ANY LEGISLATION THAT ALLOWS ELECTED OFFICIALS THE TIME REQUIRED TO WRITE LEGISLATION DEVELOPED AROUND BEST PRACTICES AND MITIGATION FOR DEVELOPMENT.
WE RECEIVED COUNTLESS INQUIRIES FROM CITIZENS REQUESTING SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESS STRUGGLES OF TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, LIGHT AIR AND WATER POLLUTION, PLUS OTHER HARDSHIPS FROM DEVELOPMENT IN HARTFORD.
THE EXTENSION OF 90 DAYS IN OUR OPINION, IS NOT ENOUGH, UM, TIME, BUT THE ADDITIONAL TIME MAY ALLOW FOR SOME LEGISLATION TO BE WRITTEN THAT ADDRESSES THE UNCHECKED ESCALATION OF WAREHOUSE GROWTH AND THE UNACCOMPANY THE ACCOMPANYING IMPACTS ON SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE NATION.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, IT'S ALL STRUGGLING WITH THE BOOM OF 24-HOUR OPERATIONS.
TRAFFIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ARE THE MAIN PROBLEMS. THE PLANNING PHASE IS THE TIME TO SEEK CHANGE FOR THESE ESCALATING IMPACTS.
HARFORD COUNTY RESIDENTS ALREADY EXPRESSED COUNTLESS CONCERNS ON TRAFFIC ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH EXISTING COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPMENT, FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF WAREHOUSE PROJECTS WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES, IRRESPONSIBLY IGNORES THE DANGEROUS CONDITIONS OF AROUND THE CLOCK TRUCK TRAFFIC IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
CITIZENS ALSO EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE INCREASED AIR POLLUTION THAT RESEARCH HAS NOTED ALREADY.
ATTRIBUTES TO SEVERAL HEALTH THREATS ADDITIONAL TIME COULD ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF REGULATIONS TO REDUCE THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON NEARBY RESIDENTS AND THE COMMUNITY'S HEALTH AND THE EFFECTS ON WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY ARE ALSO REGIONAL CONCERNS.
AS WE'VE ALSO SEEN ALREADY INDICATED BY THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION IN ONE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT RECENTLY.
ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS AFFECT ECONOMICS, RECREATION, HEALTH, AND SAFETY, AND SHOULD NOT BE SECONDARY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF WAREHOUSE PROJECTS.
THE EXTENSIONS IS A MEANS TO, UM, THOUGHTFUL GOVERNANCE IN WHICH INTENSITY AND IMPACTS OF E-COMMERCE WAREHOUSES CAN BE EVALUATED.
AND THE 1977 WAREHOUSE DEFINITIONS PROPERLY UPDATED.
PLEASE VOTE YES FOR BILL 23 DASH 2 25 IN ORDER TO FULLY ANALYZE THE WAREHOUSE.
PROJECT IMPACTS DEVELOP, UM, PROTECTIONS FOR THE RESIDENTS AND ENVIRONMENTALLY JUST POLICIES FOR OUR FUTURE WAREHOUSE PROJECT LEGISLATION THAT WILL SERVE OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES FOR YEARS TO COME.
VENDA PILLA LAMAR, FOLLOWED BY BOB LYNCH.
MY NAME IS VENDA PILLA LAMARI, SEVEN 12 SHAMROCK ROAD.
THANK YOU, UM, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
I'D ACTUALLY BE MORE THANKFUL IF, UH, WHEN THIS MORATORIUM WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, YOU HAD APPROVED THE FULL, UM, SIX MONTHS SO THAT WE WOULD BE OKAY BY NOW.
UM, I WOULD HAVE BEEN EVEN MORE THANKFUL IF THIS, UH, AS AN EARLIER SPEAKER ALLUDED TO, IF, IF, UH, YOU KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS APPLIES, UH, EVEN TO THE PROJECTS THAT ARE PERHAPS APPROVED IN THE PAST, BUT STILL UNDER UNCERTAIN LEGAL GROUND.
I'M SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT ABINGDON WOODS, WHICH WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SAVE, UH, FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS.
COMING TO ENDLESS COUNCIL, COUNTY COUNCIL STATE PUBLIC HEARINGS MEETINGS, GOING TO COURT, GOING TO SO MANY PLACES, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO SAVE THIS 300 ACRE PARCEL OF WOODS THAT ONCE DESTROYED WILL, YOU KNOW, BE LOST FOREVER, COMPLETELY CHANGE THE, THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, THE SCHOOLS, UH, THE ENTIRE SOCIAL FABRIC.
THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE RUSHED THROUGH.
AND I FEEL THAT THE ORIGINAL PERMIT, UH, THAT WAS GIVEN, UM, FOUR YEARS AGO TO INCLUDE THE WOODS INTO AN ENTERPRISE ZONE MAY HAVE BEEN SIMILARLY, UH, RUSHED THROUGH.
PERHAPS I'M NAIVELY OPTIMISTIC, BUT I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, THOSE WHO VOTED IN FAVOR OF THAT AT THAT TIME, HAD THEY KNOWN, UH, THE EXTENT OF THE IMPACT AND, AND ESPECIALLY THE ISSUE WITH, UH, THE, THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN.
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UM, YOU KNOW, THAT IT COULD BE IN VIOLATION OF THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY WOULD NOT HAVE VOTED FOR THAT KIND OF ZONING.SO THAT TELLS US ALL THE MORE HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THIS TIME WHEN REVIEWING THE ZONING, NOT TO RUSH THE PROCESS TO FULLY, UH, TO FULLY BE READY TO HAVE THE FULL 90 DAYS AND EX IF NECESSARY.
HA, EXTEND IT AGAIN UNTIL YOU CAN WRITE A CODE AND, AND THE ADEQUATE LEGISLATION THAT WILL ACTUALLY PROTECT THIS COUNTY, UH, FROM THE KIND OF DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL PERHAPS HAVE SHORT-TERM GAIN FOR A FEW, BUT WILL HAVE LONG-TERM LOSS FOR NOT ONLY THE PEOPLE, BUT ALSO THE NATURAL RESOURCES.
UH, EARLIER SOMEBODY REFERRED, UM, TO THE ANIMALS.
I MEAN, WE, THE, THE ECOSYSTEM THAT TOOK DECADES OR CENTURIES TO REACH THE STATE THAT IT IS, IT, WE ARE ALL INTERDEPENDENT AND WE CAN'T REALLY SEPARATE, IF WE LOOK AT IT IN A LARGER SENSE, WE CAN'T REALLY SEPARATE OUR INTERESTS FROM THE INTERESTS OF THE FOREST AND, AND THE ENTIRE HABITAT THAT IT SUPPORTS.
SO, UM, I THINK I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME ACTUALLY.
I MEAN, I JUST, YOU KNOW, FOREST CONSERVATION IS THE PRIMARY SOLUTION TO THE EVER ACCELERATING THREAT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
SO LET'S NOT FAIL TO PROTECT OUR FORESTS OVER TECHNICALITIES, HASTILY, OR ERRONEOUSLY ISSUED PERMITS OR SKIMPING OVER MATTERS OF 45 TO 90 DAYS.
THE FOREST CONSERVATION PLAN GIVES US THE POWER TO PRESERVE, PRESERVE OUR FOREST.
AND IF OUR PERMIT IS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION, IT CAN EVEN BE REVOKED.
WHEN WE MET ON THIS TOPIC BACK IN MARCH, THERE WERE TWO YOUNG STUDENTS WHO SPOKE ELOQUENTLY ABOUT HOW THEY HAD NEVER KNOWN A TIME IN THEIR LIFE.
AND PLEASE RING YOUR COMMENTS TO CLOSE WHEN THE ENVIRONMENT OR CLIMATE WAS UNDER THREAT.
IT WAS ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS WHO ASKED YOU TO SPEAK TODAY.
GOOD EVENING, SIR DAMON ADDRESS, PLEASE.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL.
I'M A LAWYER WITH THE LAW FIRM OF STARK AND KEENAN, AND MY ADDRESS IS 30 OFFICE STREET, BEL, MARYLAND.
I'M HERE THIS EVENING ASKING THE COUNCIL TO VOTE AGAINST THIS BILL THAT'S BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING.
I REPRESENT F O MITCHELL FAMILY IN CHESAPEAKE REALTY.
I WANT TO JUST MAKE A STATEMENT.
I THINK YOU MISSPOKE EARLIER, COUNCILMAN GIARDANO, WHEN YOU MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT THE VALUABLE NATURE OF THE PROPERTY IN PAIRING, AND IT'S A SUBJECT OF A LOT OF THIS DISCUSSION, AND YOU WENT ON TO SAY, THIS IS OUR LAND.
WELL, THIS LAND CLEARLY EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW, IS STILL OWNED BY FRED AND JENNY MITCHELL AND THEIR FAMILY.
SO IT'S NOT OUR LAND COLLECTIVELY AS WE SIT HERE TONIGHT, IT IS THE MITCHELL FAMILIES LAND.
90 DAYS AGO, WE WERE HERE AT THE SAME PUBLIC HEARING FOR THE INITIAL MORATORIUM, AND THERE WAS LOTS OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE MORATORIUM AND THIS VERY COUNSEL AT THE TIME, THEY PUT A PROVISION IN THAT IT'S GONNA BE EXTENDED.
ANY EXTENSION IN THE FUTURE HAS TO HAVE GOOD CAUSE SHOWN.
WELL, THAT LANGUAGE IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE FORTUNATELY, THE COURT HAS INTERPRETED THAT LANGUAGE, THAT LANGUAGE IS PART OF THE STATUTE, AND IT MEANS THAT THERE HAS TO BE SUBSTANTIAL REASONS TO DO SO.
THE LINE OF CASES DEFINES GOOD CAUSE AS SUBSTANTIAL OR LEGAL CAUSE AS ASSUMED, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM ASSUMED OR IMAGINARY PRETENSE DEFINED GOOD CAUSE OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO EXTEND THE MORATORIUM MUST BE REAL, NOT IMAGINARY, AND THEY MUST BE SUBSTANTIAL.
NOW, MR. PENMAN STARTED GOING IN THIS DIRECTION AND THE QUESTION YOU SHOULD ALL BE ASKING IS WHAT WORK HAS BEEN DONE SINCE THE MORATORIUM WAS FIRST IMPOSED? AND THERE SHOULD BE A WRITTEN PROGRESS REPORT AND THERE SHOULD BE DETAIL OF WHAT'S DONE BECAUSE THEN THE FOLLOW UP QUESTION SHOULD BE, OKAY, WELL IF IT'S EXTENDED 90 DAYS, WHAT WORK ITEMS ARE YOU GONNA ACCOMPLISH? OR IF IT'S ONLY 45, WHAT WORK ITEMS ARE YOU GONNA ACCOMPLISH? NO ONE'S HAVING ANY OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.
THERE'S BEEN MEETINGS AND THERE HAVE BEEN MEETINGS AND THERE HAVE BEEN MEETINGS.
MEETINGS DO NOT EQUAL SUBSTANTIAL JUSTIFICATION.
NOW, THE BILL IS, MR. PENMAN TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
IT HAS A LOT OF LANGUAGE, IT HAS A LOT OF OBLIGATIONS ON THE PART OF THE COUNTY TO GET WORK DONE, AND IT'S GONNA TAKE A LONG, LONG TIME.
THERE'S NO WAY HUMANLY POSSIBLE THEY COULD GET ALL THIS WORK DONE IN SIX MONTHS, 90 DAYS WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT REVISING THE MASTER PLAN BECAUSE MR. CALEY TESTIFIED THERE WERE DEFICIENCIES IN THE PLANT.
THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE, BUT YOU HAVE TO STICK TO WHAT THE STATUTE SAYS AND LOOK AT THE BILL.
HOW CAN YOU COME IN? THEY, THE COUNTY TESTIFIES THEY'RE
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DOING ALL THIS WORK, BUT THE ONLY THING THEY SAID IS, WELL, THERE'S BEEN DISCUSSIONS THAT RISE TO HOPE THERE IS GOOD CAUSE BECAUSE THERE IS NOW HOPE.ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THAT IS NOT A BASIS FOR EXTENDING A MORATORIUM.
HOPE DOES NOT EQUAL GOOD CAUSE HOPE NOT A JUSTIFICATION OF SUBSTANTIAL, SUBSTANTIAL READINGS.
UM, IT'S SIMPLISTIC, THE BILL, IF IT REALLY WAS GONNA ADDRESS ALL THE WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE, YOU WOULD THINK THEY WOULD'VE HAD AN UPDATE AS TO WHAT WAS CURRENTLY BE DONE.
MR. LYNCH, PLEASE R A COMMENTS TO A CLOSE.
IN CLOSING, I WOULD ASK THAT THE MORATORIUM, PLEASE BRING YOUR COMMENTS TO A CLOSER SIR.
EMMA HELLER, FOLLOWED BY PAM DEMER.
EMMA PILLER, 1447 REDFIELD ROAD, BELAIRE.
HELLO, COUNCIL PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH YOU THIS EVENING.
I'M HERE IN SUPPORT OF BILL 23 DASH 0 25 AS INTRODUCED TO EXTEND THE CURRENT WAREHOUSE MORATORIUM FOR ANOTHER 90 DAYS.
THE PURPOSE OF THIS MORATORIUM, AS I'M SURE YOU ARE ALL AWARE, IS TO ALLOW THE COUNTY TO STUDY AND RECONSIDER ITS ZONING AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO WAREHOUSING AND WHOLESALING, PROCESSING, DISTRIBUTION AND LOCAL DELIVERY FACILITIES.
TO MYSELF AND MANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT YOU'VE HEARD FROM TONIGHT, THESE GOALS HAVE NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS COMBINED WITH THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATIVE TIMELINE OF SIX MONTHS, IT SEEMS CLEAR THAT THE MORATORIUM SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO FINISH THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
MY CONCERNS ARE THAT IF THIS GETS RUSHED, IF THIS IS NOT DONE WELL, THIS WILL HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY AND FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS ALREADY AT RISK.
TAKE THE EXTRA TIME TO GET THIS RIGHT.
IT SEEMS FROM ALL OF THE CONCERNS THAT YOU HAVE HEARD AND YOU HAVE SAID YOU HAVE BEEN HEARING THERE IS CAUSE FOR THIS.
SO I HOPE THAT YOU TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION AND APPROVE THIS EXTENSION.
AN ADDRESS FOR THE RECORD PLEASE.
UM, MY ADDRESS IS 9 28 BERGEN COURT, BELAIRE, MARYLAND, AND I'M HERE TO, UM, ASK YOU TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM FOR THE FULL 90 DAYS.
IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THE ZONING CHANGES, CORRECT? UM, IT IS NOT A LOT OF TIME.
IT WAS WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ASKED BY THE COUNTY EXEC AND IT IS TOO IMPORTANT, UM, NOT TO GET THIS CORRECT.
UM, THE PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY DESERVE THAT.
WE DO THIS IN A THOUGHTFUL MANNER AND THE ENVIRONMENT ALSO DESERVES THAT.
JENNA TILLERY, FOLLOWED BY JERRY CLARK.
JENNA TILLERY, FOLLOWED BY JERRY CLARK.
I'M AT 1408 SKILLMAN COURT IN ABINGTON.
MY APOLOGIES FOR THE DELAY IN COMING UP BECAUSE I REALLY DIDN'T SIGN UP TO SPEAK, BUT I DO WANT TO VOICE MY SUPPORT FOR EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPRESSED THEMSELVES HAVE EXPRESSED THEMSELVES WELL WITH THE REASONS WHY WE NEED TO EXTEND THIS MORATORIUM.
SO I WOULD URGE THE COUNCIL TO PLEASE CONSIDER EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM.
JERRY CLARK, 1804 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
MY WIFE AND I HAVE LIVED AT 1804 PARK BEACH DRIVE FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS AND HAVE PERSONALLY WITNESSED AND EXPERIENCED THE INCREASED ROAD CONSTRUCTION DIRECTLY RELATED TO NEW DEVELOPMENT.
THE ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE WAS PLANNED WHEN THOSE PROJECTS WERE STARTED HAVE NEVER COME TO FRUITION, AND THE RESIDENTS ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN AT ADVERSELY AFFECTED PRIOR ADMINISTRATION.
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SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE FORWARD THINKING AND A FEW AREA VISITS WOULD'VE CAUSED THEM TO SEE THE ISSUES.AS THE NATURE OF WAREHOUSES BEGAN CHANGING A PERIOD OF YEARS AGO, OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO PROTECTIVE CITIZENS OF ALL AREAS OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
SADLY, THAT DID NOT HAPPEN, AND NOW EMERGENCY LEGISLATION IS NEEDED TO ADDRESS A SERIOUS THREAT TO THE ENVIRONMENT, THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE ON THE PENINSULA, AND TO ADDRESS PAST OVERSIGHTS AND PROTECT PER ITS RESIDENTS.
THIS MORNING BEFORE I LEFT THE AREA, I DECIDED THAT I WOULD GO AHEAD AND TAKE A MORE RECENT TOUR, UH, GOING DOWN THE DIFFERENT ROADS.
IF YOU COME OUT CANNING HOUSE AND MAKE A RIGHT AND YOU HEAD DOWN, YOU END UP GABLE SHORE AND THE WATER AND EVERYTHING, ALL RESIDENTIAL, THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, FOREST GREENS, ALL OF THOSE AREAS ENTIRELY RESIDENTIAL.
UH, IF YOU GO BACK UP PERRYMAN ROAD AND COME BACK OUT, UM, YOU'LL FIND THAT IF YOU MAKE A RIGHT AND GO OUT CHELSEA ROAD AND ALL THE WAREHOUSES OUT THERE, NOT A HOUSE TO BE FOUND.
THOSE ALSO FROM LOOKING AT PUBLIC RECORD, ALL SEEM TO BE, UM, ZONE GENERAL INDUSTRIAL, NOT LIGHT INDUSTRIAL.
UH, IF YOU COME BACK DOWN AND TAKE WOODLEY ROAD, UM, YOU FIND NO HOUSES OUT THERE HEADING TOWARDS SEVEN 15.
UH, THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR WAREHOUSES, NO RESIDENTIAL TO BE AFFECTED.
THE MITCHELL FARM SITS RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF SIGNIFICANT RESIDENTIAL AND THE, WHILE THE ATTORNEY FOR THE FAMILY IS CORRECT, THAT IS THE MITCHELL'S LAND, IT DOES AFFECT ALL OF OUR LAND AND ALL OF OUR HOUSES, AND THAT HAS TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AS WELL.
UM, AS YOU'RE ON PERRYMAN ROAD, WHERE, UM, CLOROX AND THE OTHERS ARE VERY FEW HOUSES, AND WHEN THAT WAS BUILT, THEY ACTUALLY PUT BERMS AND THEY DID SUBSTANTIAL PLANTING, AND MANY OF THOSE BUILDINGS SIT BACK AWAY FROM THE ROAD.
UM, SO A LIGHT INDUSTRIAL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION SHOULD HAVE HAD A BETTER DEFINITION OF WAREHOUSES SO THAT THEY CAN'T PUT 5 MILLION SQUARE FEET IN THE MIDDLE OF RESIDENTIAL AREAS.
YOU KNOW, IF THAT'S THE LEGACY THAT THE MITCHELL'S WANT, I GUESS WE CAN'T STOP IT, BUT I HOPE THEY'LL AT LEAST CONSIDER THEIR NEIGHBORS.
RON STU CHINKY, FOLLOWED BY TIM, TIM VAN EMDEN.
UH, RON STU CHINKY THREE 19 MARINE AVENUE.
UM, PRETTY SURE 30 NORTH MAIN STREET'S, NOT YOUR ADDRESS, BUT THAT'S FINE.
UM, OUR HOPE, MR. LYNCH, IS THAT YOU UNDERSTAND WE'RE ALL HERE FOR A REASON.
RON, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, ADDRESS THIS COUNSEL.
OKAY, MR. PENMAN, EARLIER YOU WERE SAYING YOU WANTED DATA OR WHATEVER YOU WERE SAYING.
I I RECALL THIS TIME LAST YEAR YOU WERE AT OUR MEETING AT BUSH MILL WHEN WE HAD OUR TEAL THURSDAYS IN UNIFORM, WHICH WAS VERY RESPECTED.
AND YOU ALSO VOICED YOUR CONCERN OVER OUR SAFETY.
SO YOU KNOW WHERE WE'RE COMING FROM IMPAIRMENT, AND I'M SURE THROUGH YOUR EXPERIENCE YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
I THINK YOU MEAN WELL, BUT I THINK THAT THIS WHOLE GLASSMAN ADMINISTRATION THING THAT YOU'RE MENTORING OFF OF, YOU GOTTA LET IT GO BECAUSE WE'RE THE ONES THAT ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU GUYS AND YOU SUPPORT US AND WE NEED YOU.
WE NEED THIS WHOLE COUNCIL, MS. MS. BOYLES STAS.
YOU'VE DONE MORE IN SIX MONTHS THAN OUR PREVIOUS COUNCILMAN DID IN FOUR YEARS, AND WE COULDN'T BE MORE THANKFUL.
I'M A REPUBLICAN, A RED REPUBLICAN, AND YOU'RE THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED TO US SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE.
JIM RILEY HAVEN'T KNOWN YOU BEFORE NOW, BUT I RESPECT YOU MORE THAN AS MUCH AS ANYONE UP THERE ALONG WITH TONY AND PAT.
PAT, YOU'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
BUT WHAT I DO ASK IS THAT UNDERSTAND AARON AS WELL, THAT WE DID WANT THINGS DONE.
WE DID WANT DATA FROM THE LAST ADMINISTRATION FOR A YEAR AND A HALF, AND HE IGNORED US AND HE HID FROM US.
AND NOW HE'S TRYING TO PERSUADE YOU GUYS TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR HIS FUTURE, FOR YOUR FUTURE.
WE WANT YOU TO BE PART OF OUR FUTURE, YOU KNOW, AND WORK WITH US AS RESIDENTS AND A COMMUNITY TO PROTECT US.
I LIVE NEXT TO PARKER MITCHELL DIRECTLY NEXT TO HIM.
I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE MITCHELL FAMILY, BUT WHAT I DO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH IS YOU HAVE TO SEE IT FROM EVERYONE'S PERSPECTIVE AND NOT JUST JEROME.
AND WE HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS TOO.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR.
WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAFE COMMUNITIES.
SO I JUST ASK YOU FOR THIS EXTENSION ON MORATORIUM.
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IS DEFINITELY NOT ENOUGH, BUT WE'RE GETTING THINGS DONE.WE ARE MEETING, WE ARE TALKING, WE ARE TRYING TO GET NUMBERS THERE.
DATA, THE TRAFFIC STUDIES THAT THEY PROVIDED YEARS AGO WERE FROM COVID.
THEY'VE ALREADY, IT'S ALREADY BEEN SAID BY THE OLD EMERGENCY GUY THAT SAT UP HERE DURING THE DAC MEETING.
SO I JUST, I HOPE YOU GUYS HEAR US.
I MEAN, YOU CAN LOOK AT THE ROOM.
THERE'S 260,000 PEOPLE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
90% WE'RE, WE'RE HERE FOR A REASON.
AND WE, WE APPRECIATE THIS COUNCIL UP TO THIS POINT, HEARING US AND HELPING US, AND WE HOPE IT CONTINUES AND I HOPE THE MORATORIUM IS EXTENDED FOR 90 DAYS.
GOOD EVENING, COUNCIL PRESIDENT.
I LIVE AT 1963 MITCHELL DRIVE.
I'M IN FAVOR OF THE MORATORIUM BILL AS IT IS 90 DAYS.
UH, WE ALL, YOU GUYS OBVIOUSLY WORK IN GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, IT MOVES AT A SNAIL'S PACE.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, YOU FLAT OUT STATED BACK IN JANUARY, YOUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY WAS THE WOODLEY ROAD CONNECTOR.
IT'S A GOOD NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, BUT YOU'VE BEEN WORKING IT FOR SEVEN YEARS NOW.
I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A LONG PROCESS.
IT'S BEEN OVER 20 PLUS YEARS SINCE IT'S BEEN APPROVED.
AND I KNOW PROGRESS IS BEING MADE, BUT IT'S A SLOW PROCESS GIVEN THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND I DEAL WITH THE GOVERNMENT AT A FEDERAL LEVEL AS WELL AS STATE AND LOCAL.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR LOGIC IN TRYING TO KIND OF PUT A FIRE UP SOMEBODY BY SHORTENING IT TO 45 DAYS, BUT THAT'S NOT GONNA WORK BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS STILL THE GOVERNMENT.
WHY DO I HAVE TO SUFFER WHILE YOU GUYS ARE ON BREAK FROM THIS WHILE YOU'RE NOT MEETING FOR TWO, FOR TWO MONTHS? WHY? EXCUSE ME.
YOU'VE PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME WASTED THAT INCLUDES TIME WASTED BY THIS COUNCIL BECAUSE WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE WERE, UH, ZONING, UH, CHANGES.
THERE WAS A BILL THAT WAS PRESENTED THAT NO ONE ELECTED TO BRING UP, GET, READ, EVEN BE, HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF AN AMENDMENT.
WE'VE SEEN THAT MR. BENNETT, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO SEEING IS HOW YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN COMPLICIT IN THE TIME WASTING ALONG WITH EVERY OTHER FACET OF GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS THE GOVERNMENT.
WHY ARE WE NOT GIVEN THE ORIGINAL, UH, TIMELINE? THE ORIGINAL 90 DAYS? YOU, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME YOU'VE CUT IT IN HALF, SIR.
IT'S STARTING TO GET A LITTLE QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHY.
I UNDERSTAND YOU WANNA SPEED THINGS UP, BUT IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
GOVERNMENT MOVES AT THE PACE IT MOVES, NOT AT THE PACE.
A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL WITHIN IT ONCE FOOD FOR THOUGHT.
PAUL FACHE, FOLLOWED BY JANINE LECO,
IF THE OLD MITCHELL PROPERTY PLAN, THE ORIGINAL PLAN IS APPROVED OVER 50% OF THE MEGA FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, WE GETTING THIS DOWN WOULD BE IN PERRYMAN.
ONE OF THE RESIDENTS CIVIL ENGINEER STACY STONE, DID A SURVEY DURING THE MORATORIUM PERIOD ASKING THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN PERRYMAN, DO THEY FEEL SAFE DRIVING ON PERRYMAN ROAD, OUIA ROAD, OLD PHILADELPHIA ROAD.
CAUSE THE MORATORIUM I VOTE FOR, I MEAN, I'M, I'M FOR THE, UH, BILL 23 0 2 0 2 5 MORATORIUM EXTENSION FOR THE FULL 90 DAYS.
I THINK CUTTING IT DOWN TO A LESSER AMOUNT OF TIME IS MYOPIC.
YOU'RE JUST CONCENTRATING ON THE LEGISLATION AND NOT ON THE WHOLE PROCESS.
WE NEED AT LEAST TWO YEARS TO MAKE OUIA ROAD SAFE FOR RESIDENTS.
WE NEED TWO YEARS TO FIX OLD PHILADELPHIA ROAD, A WEEKLY SEMI TRAILER BACKUP CAUSED BY C N S WAREHOUSE.
WE NEED, WE NEED TWO YEARS THERE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A NEW ISSUE TOO.
NOW THERE'S A NEW WAREHOUSE THAT WAS SOLD ON THE CORNER OF, UH, STEPHANIE OLD STE ROAD AND ROUTE 40.
AND JUST LIKE SPACHER ROAD, THERE'S JUST A SIGN THAT SAYS NO TRUCKS KEEPING, TRUCKS MAKING A LEFT COMING OUTTA THAT WAREHOUSE INSTEAD OF GOING STRAIGHT, GOING DOWN A TAR AND SHIP ROAD, STEPNEY ROAD TO SPATHA ROAD TO GET TO THE ROAD THAT ACTUALLY HAS THE LIGHT ON ROUTE 40.
SO IT'S ANOTHER FUTURE PROBLEM THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN IN THIS AREA.
AND WE HAVE PEOPLE IN HERE THAT LIVE ON SPATHA
[01:20:01]
ROAD, THAT LIVE ON STEPNEY ROAD, ON OLD STEPNEY ROAD.SO AGAIN, I JUST, I'M, I'M IN SUPPORT OF BILL 20 3025, THE FULL 90 DAY MOR EXTENSION.
WE REALLY NEED TWO YEARS AND WE'LL START WORKING ON THAT AFTER THIS 90 DAY EXTENSION.
UM, AND I HAVE A CRAZY IDEA THAT WE HAVE A MORATORIUM FOR TWO YEARS, AND IF THESE ROADS AREN'T COMPLETED IN TWO YEARS, WE DON'T EVER BUILD A MEGA FREIGHT DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
THAT WOULD BE A DREAM MORATORIUM, DEATH OF THE MEGA WAREHOUSE.
JANINE LEOR, 1820 PARK BEACH DRIVE, PERRYMAN.
AND I DO JUST WANNA COMMENT, UM, YOU, YOU'VE HEARD A LOT OF FACTS AND DATA TONIGHT.
UM, THE PERRYMAN PENINSULA REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN UP HERE, UM, MONTH AFTER MONTH MEETING, AFTER MEETING, UM, SHARING FACTS AND DATA WITH THIS BODY.
UM, AS IT WAS SAID, FOR OVER, FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS, THE COMMUNITY HAS BEEN DEALING WITH THIS.
AND WE WERE IGNORED BY THE COUNTY.
PROMISES WERE MADE THAT WERE NOT FULFILLED, AND WE WAITED AND WE CONTINUED TO HOPE.
AND WE DO HOPE THAT WE DO BELIEVE THAT HOPE HAS NOT BEEN IN VAIN.
WE HAVE A NEW COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, WE HAVE A NEW REPRESENTATIVE FOR OUR DISTRICT, AND WE HAVE A NEW COUNTY COUNCIL THAT TRULY HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE FOR HARTFORD COUNTY AND TO CREATE IT.
YES, THE MASTER PLAN, HARTFORD NEXT, WHATEVER YOU WANNA CALL IT, HAS DEFICIENCIES BECAUSE ANY KIND OF PLAN THAT DESIGNATES A DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE THAT RESULTS IN THOSE PEOPLE WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENT CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE THAT RESULTS IN THOSE PEOPLE HAVING HOUSE MEDIAN INCOME SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW THAT OF THE REST OF THE COUNTY, THAT THE POVERTY, THE FAMILIES THAT LIVE IN POVERTY IN THAT DEVELOPMENT ENVELOPE, SPECIFICALLY THE PERRYMAN PENINSULA, ARE MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
AND THAT PERON'S COMMUNITY OF COLOR IS DOUBLE THE PERCENTAGE OF HARTFORD COUNTY OVERALL.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THESE 30 YEARS HAS RESULTED IN DISCRIMINATION.
AND IF WE TRY TO RUSH THIS THROUGH, WE, THE CITIZENS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR 30 YEARS.
PLEASE DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE GETTING ALL ANTSY OVER 90 DAYS.
I THINK IT IS MORE THAN REASONABLE TO LOOK AT WHAT HAS CLEARLY BEEN LAID OUT AS A HUGE SYSTEMIC PROBLEM THAT YES, I AGREE WITH PAUL, WE SHOULD HAVE TWO YEARS TO REALLY FIX THIS AND FIX IT FOR THE LEAR LONG TERM INSTEAD OF THESE PATCHES AND LITTLE AMENDMENTS AND, UM, DEVIATIONS.
IT, IT'S RIDICULOUS WHAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND WE TRULY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW NOT ONLY THE STATE, BUT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THE COUNTRY HOW WE WANT TO BALANCE GROWTH IN THIS COMMUNITY.
GREG LEOR, FOLLOWED BY TAMMY WAINWRIGHT.
GREG LECO, 1820 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
JUST WANNA START OFF THAT, I AM IN FAVOR OF 90 DAYS ON THIS MORATORIUM, BUT I DO WANT TO TAKE AN APOLOGY TO MY FRIENDS OUTTA HERE.
THE WAITING FOR THE NEXT SESSION FOR A PROCLAMATION.
THE HARMAN FAMILY, THE HARMAN FAMILY HAD, THEY'VE BEEN THE FARMERS HERE.
THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN THE SALT OF THE EARTH.
THIS IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT, IS FAMILIES LIKE THIS, THAT THEY RUN A FARM SUCCESSFULLY AND THEY HELP THE COMMUNITY.
GOD BLESS YOU, PAULA, TOM, THE SONS, GOD BLESS YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU DESERVE WHAT YOU GET IN THIS.
BUT GOSH, THE COMMUNITY MISSES THEM ONTO THIS.
THERE JUST SEEMS THAT THERE IS A LOT GOING ON HERE WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE PAST
[01:25:01]
ADMINISTRATION AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DID NOT WANT THIS TO GO THROUGH ANYTHING THAT WAS CONCERNING THREE P.LEGAL, THIS LEGAL THAT HE THREATENED YOU GUYS WAS ALL THREATS.
AND YOU GUYS EVEN OPENLY SAID, YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST ENOUGH OF THE THREATS.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING SOME TIME AND TO CONSIDER WHAT IS GOING ON.
THERE IS TIME THAT THERE'S, YOU GUYS JUST DID A BUDGET, TOOK YOU SIX MONTHS.
THAT'S ALL YOU GUYS WERE DOING.
THESE PEOPLE ALSO ON THIS ADMINISTRATION IS LOOKING INTO THIS SITUATION, BUT DOING A BUDGET, WHAT'S 90 DAYS? ONCE IT'S IN, IT'S IN, IT'S GONE.
AS PEOPLE SAY, IT'S 30 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN JUST TRYING TO GET A FIX ON THIS.
AND WE TALK ABOUT BALTIMORE COUNTY, ROUTE 43, THAT ROAD AND INFRASTRUCTURE WAS BUILT FIRST, THEN CAME TO WAREHOUSES, JUST WENT DOWN TO MY FRIEND'S PLACE DOWN THERE, WENT DOWN THAT STRIP.
I HAD A LAUGH BECAUSE THERE'S NOW A HOTEL AND THERE'S APARTMENTS.
BUT GUESS WHAT? THE ROADS AND WAREHOUSES WERE THERE FIRST, EVERYTHING WAS SAID.
TAKE YOUR TIME GUYS, GET THIS RIGHT.
PLEASE LOOK AT THE INFRASTRUCTURE.
IF YOU NAIL THIS DOWN TO 45 DAYS, OKAY, AND THE AMENDMENT AND YOU ALL AGREE ON IT, WOULD THEN YOU ALL VOTE TO HAVE IT? OR WOULD YOU SHUT IT DOWN AND VOTE AGAINST THAT 40 DAY SLASH THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE POLITICAL.
BUT ANYWAY, GUYS, KEEP UP THE HARD WORK AND PLEASE CONSIDER THREE PIG.
TAMMY WAYNE WRIGHT, 11TH SPOU ROAD.
MS. WAYNE WRIGHT, CAN YOU SPEAK STEP CLOSER TO THE THANK YOU TAMMY WAINWRIGHT, 11 SPIA ROAD.
I SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM EXTENSION AS INTRODUCED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE FOR THE FULL 90 DAYS.
IN 1937, THE HOMEOWNER'S LOAN CORPORATION DEVISED A RESIDENTIAL SECURITY MAP USING CODE LETTERS AND COLORS TO LABEL UNDESIRABLE NEIGHBORHOODS FROM THE DESIRABLE ONES.
THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF REDLINING.
THESE MAPS WERE NOT THE ONLY MEANS USED TO SEGREGATE COMMUNITY.
THERE WERE ALSO RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS AND DEEDS.
AND THESE WERE USED UP UNTIL THE YEAR 2022.
WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS THE COUNTY USING THE POLICIES OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ENTERPRISE ZONES.
IN MUCH THE SAME WAY, THE MAJORITY OF PER MEN IS COMPROMISED OF MINORITY AND LOW INCOME CITIZENS ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE ARE INUNDATED WITH AIR NOISE AND LIGHT POLLUTION.
THIS IS ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE, RACISM.
IT IS BAD ENOUGH THAT THE COUNTY SAW FIT TO DESTROY THE RICH AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY OF THE PERRYMAN PENINSULA.
NOW YOU ARE DESTROYING OUR QUALITY OF LIFE.
I PLEAD WITH YOU TO NOT ONLY EXTEND THE MORATORIUM, BUT TO DRAFT LEGISLATION THAT APTLY DEFINES ZONING REGULATIONS IN THIS COUNTY.
DELANEY MEZA, FOLLOWED BY TRACY WAITE.
UH, DELANEY MESAN 1812 PARK BEACH DRIVE.
UM, I SUPPORT MORATORIUM BILL 2325 AS PROPOSED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO EXTEND THE WAREHOUSE MORATORIUM FOR ADDITIONAL 90 DAYS.
I'VE SAID IT ONCE AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN.
PAVED LAND CANNOT BECOME SAVED LAND.
IT'S 45 DAYS INSTEAD OF A CEMENT MISTAKE THAT CANNOT BE UNDONE.
DON'T LET THE WORK WE'VE ALL DONE GO TO WASTE, DON'T KILL POTENTIAL.
UM, COUNTY COUNCIL PRESIDENT VINCENTI AND COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
UH, MY NAME IS TRACY, WAIT, AND I'M AT SIX 17 FOXCROFT DRIVE, BELLAIRE, MARYLAND.
AND I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF THE SAVE ABINGTON WOODS COALITION, WHICH
[01:30:01]
REPRESENTS FIVE ORGANIZATIONS PLUS EIGHT HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS AND NEIGHBORHOODS.WE HAD A PETITION AGAINST THE DEVELOPMENT AT ABINGDON WOODS THAT WAS SIGNED BY 17,000 PEOPLE.
SO I'M SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF A LARGE GROUP OF CITIZENS AND ASKING YOU TO PLEASE VOTE YES ON BEHALF OF THE MORATORIUM EXTENSION FOR ANOTHER FULL 90 DAYS.
UM, HONESTLY, I I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS WHOLE DISCUSSION TONIGHT AND, YOU KNOW, STARTING WITH MR. GRIM EARLIER, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT I REALLY ADMIRE HOW, YOU KNOW, HE SPOKE AND, YOU KNOW, THE TIME THAT HE'S PUT INTO THE RESEARCH THAT HE'S BEEN DOING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST THINK ABOUT SOMEONE LIKE THAT WHO HAS THE EDUCATION AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE BACKGROUND AND CAN WORK ON THESE ISSUES FULL TIME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, HE SOUNDS FANTASTIC, BUT THE REST OF US, I MEAN, WELL, I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.
WE WORK ON THIS PART-TIME BECAUSE WE HAVE FAMILIES, JOBS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT OUR PROFESSIONS.
MY PROFESSION WAS IN MENTAL HEALTH, NOT IN ZONING.
AND SO AS A CITIZEN, I NEED 90 MORE DAYS JUST FOR CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING SINCE THE MORATORIUM PASSED IS I READ UP ON PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES TO THE COUNTY CODE.
UM, WE COMPARED HARTFORD COUNTY CODE TO BALTIMORE AND CECIL COUNTY CODE.
WE HELD SEVERAL COMMITTEE AND LEADERSHIP MEETINGS TO REACH CONSENSUS ON RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CHANGES THAT MIGHT HELP TO PRESERVE ABINGDON WOODS AND OR OTHER FORESTED LAND IN THE COUNTY.
AND THEN IT TOOK A FEW WEEKS TO GET A MEETING WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO TALK OVER I OUR IDEAS WITH MR. CASALI SIX DAYS AGO.
AND GOING FORWARD, A GROUP OF SEVEN TO EIGHT OF OUR LEADERS IN OUR COMPONENT ORGANIZATIONS WOULD LIKE TO MEET WITH YOU, UM, AND THE REST OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE FEEL THAT SOME INDIVIDUAL TIME WITH ALL OF YOU OR WITH YOU AS A GROUP IS JUST PART OF WHAT WE NEED FOR OUR PROCESS AS CITIZEN ACTIVISTS.
CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IS TIME CONSUMING, BUT SOMETHING WE VALUE AS AMERICANS.
SO PLEASE VOTE YES ON EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM.
UM, AND I'M JUST GONNA TAKE MY LAST MOMENT TO SAY, UM, A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW SIMILAR THE ISSUES ARE THAT, UM, WE FACE IN ABINGDON WOODS COMPARED TO PERMAN PENINSULA.
YOU KNOW, IN BOTH CASES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING MEGA WAREHOUSES AND TRUCKING TERMINALS IN THE MIDDLE OF RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITIES, HAVING HUGE WAREHOUSES RIGHT BEHIND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS, PRIVATE PROPERTY THAT THEY HAVE INVESTED THEIR HARD EARNED DOLLARS IN.
AND YOU KNOW, IN BOTH CASES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, IMPACTS TO AIR, IMPACTS TO WATER, UM, SOME OF THE DIFFERENCES IN ABINGDON WOODS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PUTTING DIESEL FME EMISSIONS FROM TRUCKS RIGHT BEHIND AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND PLUS THE FOREST ISSUES.
SO THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO THINK ABOUT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING THAT MEETING WITH YOU AND SCHEDULING THAT, PLEASE.
THANK YOU MS. WADE SAL SABATINO FOR OUR LAST SPEAKER THIS EVENING.
NAME AND ADDRESS PLEASE, SAL SABATINO.
I LIVE AT 1816 BARRINGTON VILLAGE COURT IN BEL AIR.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE MY HAT OFF TO ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SPOKE TONIGHT AND IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS TRAVELED THROUGH HARTFORD COUNTY SINCE I WAS SIX YEARS OLD AND NOW LIVED HERE FOR THE PAST 24 YEARS.
I'VE WATCHED HARTFORD COUNTY GROW.
I WATCHED BALTIMORE COUNTY GROW.
AND WHEN I HAVE TO HEAR WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT, AND IN FACT, YOU PEOPLE, YOU GENTLEMEN AND LADIES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE AND STOP AND PAUSE AND THINK ABOUT WHAT I JUST SAID.
WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE DIFFERENT TO YOUR, WITH YOUR, IF YOU WOULD'VE BEEN YOUR PREDECESSORS, WOULD YOU HAVE SLOWED DOWN, MAYBE STOPPED REVERSED? YOU HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND I REALLY THINK THAT 45 DAYS, 90 DAYS, THAT'S NOTHING IN COMPARED TO THE DAMAGE THAT HAPPENS WHEN WE DO SOMETHING.
AND WE DIDN'T STOP UP TO THINK ABOUT OUR NEIGHBORS COUNTY
[01:35:01]
AND WHAT WE CAN DO BETTER TO MAINTAIN IT.I KNOW YOU, YOU GUYS GET ALL KINDS OF STUFF, AGAIN, COMES ACROSS YOUR DESK AND THE POLITICS IS A JOKE BECAUSE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO SMILE ABOUT.
BUT THIS ISN'T A SMILING THING.
OUR KIDS AND OUR GRANDKIDS WILL LIVE WITH YOUR DECISION WELL IN GO WELL INTO THE FUTURE WHEN WE'RE ALL GONE.
SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT, LOOK AT THESE DOCUMENTS, ASK YOURSELF, DID EVERYBODY DOT THE I'S AND CROSSED THE T'S BEFORE YOU GO FORWARD WITH SOME OF THIS? AND YES, THE HIGHWAYS AND ROADWAYS IN HARFORD COUNTY ARE JUST TOTALLY, TOTALLY OVERPOPULATED WITH VEHICLES TODAY.
I'M ON 9 24 WHERE EVERYTHING WAS APPROVED TO, TO DO THAT NEW, THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT OVER HERE.
BUT I CAN TELL YOU THIS, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THAT PROPERTY AND WHERE I LIVE HAD WETLANDS, UNDERGROUND STREAMS AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT GOING ON.
AND WHEN THAT ALL WAS APPROVED, SOMEBODY WAS LOOKING THE OTHER WAY.
SO PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT, WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE, AND IF FOUR, IF IT DOESN'T GET DONE IN 90 DAYS, THE HELL WITH IT, LET IT GO TO 180 DAYS, BUT GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.
THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT, UM, WITH NO OTHER SPEAKERS.
UH, BEFORE I, UH, ADJOURN THIS PUBLIC HEARING, I WANT TO, UH, THANK ALL THE THREE P UH, CITIZENS FOR THEIR PATIENTS, FOR THEIR UNDERSTANDING, FOR YOUR PROFESSIONALISM IN THIS CHAMBER.
THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO COME HERE, VIEW YOUR CONCERNS AND DO IT IN A PROFESSIONAL MATTER MEANS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT TO THE COUNCIL HERE.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND WITH THAT, UH, THIS ISSUE WILL BE TAKEN UP LATER THIS EVENING AND THIS WILL ADJOURN AND CLOSE THIS PUBLIC HEARING.
GOOD EVENING, CHAIR CALLS ORDER LEGISLATIVE SESSION DAY 23 DASH 0 21.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, FOLLOWED BY THE OPENING PRAYER BY COUNCILMAN JAN JARANA.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVIDUAL WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR GOD.
LORD GOD, OUR STEPS AND STRENGTHEN OUR HEARTS.
DURING THIS LAST MEETING, BEFORE SUMMER BREAK AND THE MONTHS OF SUMMER, MAY WE CONSTANTLY STRIVE TO MAKE A MEANINGFUL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR CITIZENS OF HARTFORD COUNTY.
PLEASE WATCH OVER OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND THOSE WHO SERVE OUR COUNTRY.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER FOUR, PRESENTATION OF PROCLAMATIONS, UM, HARMAN'S PRODUCE TOMMY PAULA.
BOYS, IF YOU COULD JOIN US UP FRONT, MS. SOTOS, HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND PROCLAMATION, BE IT HEREBY KNOWN THAT THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF HARTFORD COUNTY, MARYLAND ON HIS 20TH DAY OF JUNE 20, 20, 23, RECOGNIZES TOM AND PAULA HARMAN HARMAN'S FARM MARKET 34 YEARS IN BUSINESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE RETIREMENT FROM THE FARM MARKET IN CHURCHVILLE, MARYLAND.
WE COMMEND THEM FOR THEIR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, AND MORE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR SO MANY YEARS.
UM, IT'S TRULY, UH, AN HONOR AND A PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, THIS FAMILY FOR ALL THEY DO FOR HARTFORD COUNTY AND FOR ALL OF US THAT, THAT LIVE AND HAVE KNOWN YOU, UH, FOR WAY MORE THAN 34 YEARS.
SO, UM, A AGAIN, I I, UM, I THINK IT'S TRULY AN HONOR AND PLEASURE, UH, TO HAVE KNOWN YOU TO CONTINUE TO KNOW YOU AND, AND, AND, UH, SEE YOU GUYS WORK WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND WE MISS YOU AT THE PRODUCE STANDARDS.
[01:40:01]
THAT.UH, MISS SOTOS, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE MEMORIES, WERE GOING TO THE MARKET WITH MY SONS AND PICKING FRESH STRAWBERRIES, SO WE WILL DEFINITELY MISS THAT.
BUT, UM, BEST OF LUCK AND ALL THE BEST WISHES IN YOUR NEXT CHAPTER.
SO, UM, IF I MAY, UM, I, LIKE I SAID, I'VE KNOWN TOMMY AND PAULA FOR QUITE SOME TIME, AND, UH, TOMMY, UH, HAS CARVED DECOYS, UH, FOR YEARS UNTIL HE GOT REALLY ACTIVE FOLLOWING, I GUESS, UH, MR. MITCHELL, UH, IN THAT PRODUCE LINE, UH, WHEN, OH, WINFIELD.
UM, MAYBE, UH, YOU'LL BE BACK INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT NOW, RIGHT? AND PAULA, I MEAN, SHE HAS RETIRED FROM, I GUESS THE, THE BANK RATE ORIGINALLY AND THEN, UH, INTO THE PRO PRODUCE AND THE FLOWERS AND TEACHING.
AND, UM, I'M GONNA MISS THE BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENTS THAT YOU MAKE FOR US FROM TIME TO TIME.
AND, UM, IF I MAY, WE'LL GET A PICTURE REAL QUICK AND THEN I'D LIKE YOU TO PERFECT THAT.
UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT WITHOUT THIS HANDSOME YOUNG MAN STANDING NEXT TO ME, THIS NEVER WOULD'VE HAPPENED.
I'VE BEEN BLESSED WITH BEING ABLE TO WORK ALL THESE YEARS WITH THE LOVE OF MY LIFE, MY BEST FRIEND AND A GOOD BUSINESS PARTNER, AND A GOOD FARMER.
SO I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL YOU'VE DONE AND, UM, I, I GIVE THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY OF CHURCHVILLE WHO TOOK A CHANCE ON US IN THE BEGINNING AND THEN ALL OF HARFORD COUNTY THAT CAME TO OUR STAND.
AND WE JUST REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT.
I, I'M NOT A LOT, UH, ON WORDS, SO I'LL KEEP IT REAL SHORT HERE.
I, I MEAN, I HAVE TO ECHO EVERYTHING SHE SAID, AND, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT FROM TIME TO TIME.
IT, WE COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER EVEN THOUGH WE'RE A LITTLE BIT PHYSICALLY DIFFERENT SIZE.
I, I MEAN, SHE'S THE BRAINS AND I'M THE BRONZE, SO, YOU KNOW, IT WORKED OUT WELL.
SO SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME WHETHER WE HAD ENOUGH MONEY TO DO IT ANOTHER YEAR OR NOT.
SO I, I APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT FROM HARFORD COUNTY THAT, I MEAN, I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND THERE'S A LOT OF FACES I RECOGNIZE, AND IT'S BEEN GOOD FOR US.
AND OUR TWO BOYS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED WITH US TOO.
I WANNA THANK YOU FOR PUTTING UP WITH THIS FOR ALL THESE YEARS TOO.
AND TOMMY, WHAT'D YOU SAY? YOU'RE NOT A MAN OF MANY WORDS.
HE'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE FOLKS THAT, UH, IF THERE'S AN ISSUE GOING ON IN THE COUNTY, UH, IF HE'S GOT SOMETHING TO SAY, HE DOESN'T MIND SAYING IT.
AGENDA NUMBER FIVE, CONSIDERATION OF PETITIONS, APPLICATIONS, APPOINTMENTS, AND NOMINATIONS.
[a. James V. “Capt’n Jim” McMahan Commission on Veterans’ Affairs]
V.CAPTAIN JIM MCMAHON, COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS.
MR. PENMAN, MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE COLONEL PHILLIP MUD WHILE MAY I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND.
DENNIS, IT'S BEEN MOVED A SECOND TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENT OF COLONEL PHILLIP MANWELL, UM, TO THE VETERANS COMMISSION.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? AND, UM, COLONEL IS WITH US THIS EVENING AS WELL, SIR, WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND, UM, COUNSEL, ANY, ANY COMMENTS OR DISCUSSION? MR. PENMAN? COLONEL, I WISH YOU WELL.
I WAS AT THE GARRISON, UH, CHANGING OF THE COMMAND AND IT WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE.
UM, SO I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL.
UH, I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT YOU'RE GONNA DO WITH THE NEW GARRISON OVER IN APG.
SO WELCOME TO HARTFORD COUNTY.
AND IF YOU NEED ANYTHING FROM THE COUNCIL, PLEASE DON'T HESITATE TO LET US KNOW.
I ALSO WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COMMAND SERGEANT MAJORS.
[01:45:01]
WITH US THIS EVENING.THANK YOU FOR COMING THIS EVENING.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN YOUR AFFIRMATIVE? ONE ABSENT.
THE APPOINTMENT IS HEREBY APPROVED.
[b. Citizens Nursing Home Board of Directors]
NURSING HOME BOARD OF DIRECTORS.UH, MR. BENNETT MAY HAVE A MOTION.
MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO REAPPOINT.
WENDELL BAXTER, KIMBERLY ZANEY AND, UH, JEAN JEAN RE, UH, AND TO APPOINT CAROL LEONHARD AND ANDREW YOUNG TO THE, UH, CITIZENS NURSING HOME BOARD.
IT'S BEEN MOVED IN A SECOND TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENT AND REAPPOINTMENTS, UH, TO THE ASSISTANT NURSING HOME BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. BENNETT? UM, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THAT TWO NEW APPOINTMENTS ARE BEING ADDED TO THE BOARD.
AGAIN, I BROUGHT THIS UP BEFORE, BUT IT'S BEEN VERY DIFFICULT FOR THIS BOARD TO REACH A QUORUM TO BE ABLE TO CAST VOTES, TO, TO GET IMPORTANT WORK DONE.
AND SO BY ADDING TWO MEMBERS, HOPEFULLY THAT GETS OUR BOARD CLOSER TO BEING IN A HEALTHY PLACE TO DO THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT WE DO.
CAUSE I KNOW IT'S MADE UP OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY CARE ABOUT, UH, DOING THIS WORK AND DOING IT WELL.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
ONE ABSENT THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
[c. Criminal Justice Coordinating Council ]
COUNSEL, UH, MR. RILEY MAY HAVE A MOTION, PLEASE.I MOVE TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENTS OF COUNTY EXECUTIVE DESIGNEE JOSEPH, CLUSTER COUNTY COUNSEL DESIGNEE.
JIM RILEY HARFORD COUNTY DELEGATION DELEGATE.
LAUREN AKIN, MARYLAND STATE POLICE.
TIMOTHY MULLEN, ABERDEEN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
HENRY TRIVER, BELAIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
CHARLES MOORE HAVE GRACE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
TERESA RUSSELL WALTERS CIRCUIT COURT.
YOLANDA CURTIN DISTRICT COURT, SUSAN HASLET, ALSO LAURA STONE AND JUVENILE SERVICES AGENCY.
MEGAN DEACON PAROLE AND PROBATION.
SEAN RUTHFORD AND STATE'S ATTORNEY ALLISON HEALY.
AND LAST OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, JOHN JENEL.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, UH, TO APPROVE THE NEW APPOINTMENTS TO THE, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNSEL.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. PENMAN? MR. PRESIDENT? ON MAY 2ND, THE CO UH, COUNCIL UNANIMOUSLY PASSED RESOLUTION 32 DASH 23 TO COMMENCE THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CENTRAL PRECINCT PROJECT.
AFTERWARDS, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE DISMISSED THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL.
NOW THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS REESTABLISHED A COMMISSION FROM 1988 FOR A CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COUNCIL THAT WA WAS ESTABLISHED BY RESOLUTION.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTS THE SUPPORT OF THE COUNCIL FOR THIS COMMISSION WHILE NOT HONORING THE REQUEST OF THE COUNCIL, UH, ON MAY 2ND.
IN ADDITION, I BELIEVE THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMMISSION.
THE SHERIFF OFFERED A LETTER TODAY, UH, TO THE COUNCIL THAT'S STATED UNTIL SUCH TIME AS THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE REALIZES THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP, BUT RATHER THE EXISTENCE OF THE INTENTIONAL AND PURPOSEFUL BALANCE OF POWER BETWEEN THE EXECUTIVE AND THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH.
MEMBERS OF THE HARFORD COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL NOT PARTICIPATE IN ANY INITIATIVE OR WORK LED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE STAFF.
SO IF THE LEAD AGENCY ISN'T INVOLVED, I'M NOT SURE HOW EFFECTIVE THIS COMMISSION COULD BE.
UH, I DID SPEAK WITH THE SHERIFF AND YES, UH, HE OR NOR NONE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WILL PARTICIPATE, UH, CURRENTLY.
I HOPE THAT WHEN WE COME BACK IN THE FALL, UH, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND THERE'S A, A POSSIBILITY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, MS. DIXON, MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. PENMAN ABSTAIN? MR. JANO? AYE.
THERE BEING FIVE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE ABSTENTION, ONE ABSENT THE APPOINTMENTS ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
[a. James V. “Capt’n Jim” McMahan Commission on Veterans’ Affairs ]
AGENDA NUMBER SIX, SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS.CAPTAIN V JIM MCMAHON, COMMISSIONER ON VETERANS AFFAIRS, UH, ANNUAL REPORT.
IT'S OUR PLEASURE TO WELCOME, UH, MR. BROWN, UH, WHO IS THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
[01:50:01]
UM, THANK YOU SIR FOR COMING.AND THANK YOU PRESIDENT AND THE MEMBERS OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
I SHOULD PROBABLY BE REFERRING TO YOU AS COLONEL AS WELL, SIR.
WHATEVER YOU WANNA REFER TO ME AS.
UH, THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR THIS YEAR ACTUALLY COVERS TWO COMMISSIONS.
WE HAD THE VETERANS COMMISSION, UH, THE PAST VETERANS COMMISSION THAT ENDED ON, ON DECEMBER 5TH OF, OF 2022.
AND THEN A NEW COMMISSION THAT TOOK UP WITH THE APPOINTMENTS ON AS OF AS OF MAY 9TH.
OUR FIRST MEETING FOR THE NEW COMMISSION WAS ON THE 1ST OF JUNE, SO THE NEW COMMISSION IS JUST GETTING STARTED.
I'LL FOLLOW THIS, UH, GENERAL AGENDA RIGHT HERE.
AND AGAIN, AS THE AGENDA SHOWS, THERE'S A LOT OF INFORMATION THERE.
IT'S GONNA BE REALLY A BLEND OF WHAT WE DID WITH THE LAST COMMISSION, EXCUSE ME, AS WELL AS LOOKING AT GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR, FOR THE NEXT, THE NEXT, UH, COMMISSION THERE.
TO START OFF WITH, I, I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THE I'LL WE ALL START OFF WITH AT OUR MEETINGS WITH, WITH THE MISSION.
AND THE MISSION IS TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CONNECT THEM TO RESOURCES THROUGH OUTREACH AND EDUCATION.
AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WE GET REQUESTS FROM VETERANS, FROM THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS AND WE ACT AS ADVOCATES.
AND THAT IS CRITICAL FOR A VETERAN, FOR THEIR FAMILY MEMBER OR SPOUSE, WHOEVER THAT MAY HAPPEN TO BE, THAT HAD THOSE ADVOCATES.
AND THAT WHAT, WHAT WE CAN DO WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE VETERANS COMMISSION AND THE VISION, THE HARTFORD COUNTY COMMUNITY THAT IS RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UM, WE DO GET A LOT OF REQUESTS.
IN FACT, TODAY I HAD TWO REQUESTS THAT CAME IN, UH, AND AGAIN, AND THEY WERE KIND OF TIME SENSITIVE.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO GET WITH PEOPLE AND GET SOME OF THOSE THINGS AND GET AN ANSWER BACK, AND GET AN ANSWER BACK QUICKLY TO THEM.
EVEN SOMETIMES IF THAT ANSWER IS, IT'S GONNA TAKE ME A FEW MINUTES, BUT TO TELL SOMEBODY, OR JUST TO HAVE 'EM HANG ON THE LINE AND NOT GIVE THAT ANSWER AND NOT GIVE AN ANSWER TO 'EM, THAT THAT'S NOT RIGHT.
OUR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, THIS COMES FROM THE HARFORD COUNTY CODE.
UH, THE FIRST ONE, RESEARCH, ASSEMBLE, ANALYZE, DISSEMINATE INFORMATION, EDUCATION MATERIALS RELATING TO ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS THAT WILL ASSIST IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF ALL VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, WE KEEP UP TO DATE WITHIN THE VETERANS COMMISSION.
THE, THE VA SAY RULES, LAWS, STATUTES, THOSE CHANGE ALL THE TIME.
SO WE HAVE TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITHIN THE COMMISSION TO PROVIDE THAT, THAT INFORMATION.
AND THE SECOND ONE AT THE INSTITUTE, CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL AND OTHER PROGRAMS, MEETINGS, CONFERENCES, ET CETERA.
UH, RESOURCE FAIR, WE DID IT WITH A CLAIMS CLINIC.
I'LL TALK MORE ABOUT THESE A LITTLE BIT.
RESOURCE FAIR WITHIN THE CLAIMS CLINIC.
AND SO WE DIDN'T PUT IT ON THE RETIREE APPRECIATION DATE THAT GOES ON AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS.
WE'RE INSTRUMENTAL IN THAT, IN HELPING THEM OUT WITH THAT.
THE NEXT DEVISE, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THE COUNTY COUNCIL ON THE STATUS OF PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN THE STATE AND THE COUNTY RELATED TO THE NEEDS OF VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON, AS I MENTIONED.
UM, WE LOOK AT THINGS SUCH AS THE VETERANS COURT THAT THOUGH WE DO, WE CAN'T ADVOCATE AS A VETERANS COMMISSION.
HOWEVER WE CAN INFORM THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING.
THE DV LICENSE PLATE, WE CAN'T ADVOCATE, BUT WE CAN INFORM YOU ALL WHAT, WHAT'S GOING ON AND KEEP YOU UP TO DATE.
AND KIND OF AS A SOUNDING BOARD OF THINGS THAT WE HEAR FROM THE, FROM THE VETERANS.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WE PLAY.
SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT FROM LAST YEAR WITH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THAT OPERATION THAT STARTED IN NEW YORK, WHAT IT WAS, WAS TO TURN THE CITY GREEN, TO TURN THE COUNTY GREEN DURING VETERANS, UH, THE VETERANS WEEK IN NOVEMBER.
SO WE WERE ABLE TO, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PARTNERED WITH US.
THEY HANDED OUT GREEN LIGHTS, GREEN LIGHTS.
WE ACTUALLY HAD THE RAVEN STADIUM WAS LIT GREEN MAY HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE BRIDGES AND MARYLAND WERE LIT.
GREEN CAMDEN YARDS WERE LIT GREEN.
SO SOME OF THOSE, THOSE THINGS HAPPENED ON THERE, UH, THAT WE, THAT GO ON THERE.
UM, ALSO I'LL MENTION LATER, CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING THAT WE DO AND THE GOVERNOR'S GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE.
AND THE LAST OF OUR DUTIES IS ASSIST IN THE PLANNING APPROPRIATE, UH, PUBLIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY VETERANS AND ASSIST IN THE PLANNING.
THE COMMEMORATION ACTIVITIES RECOGNIZED BY, AND CONTRIBUTIONS BY VETERANS MEMORIAL DAY.
VETERANS DAY WE'RE VERY ACTIVE IN THOSE.
AND EVEN INDIVIDUAL, UH, RECOGNITIONS.
WE WERE INFORMED JUST A SHORT TIME AGO THAT THE DAUGHTERS OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION, JUST DAUGHTERS AMERICAN REVOLUTION, RECOGNIZED ONE OF THE PAST VETERANS COMMISSION MEMBERS, DENISE PERRY, AS THE
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VETERAN VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND.AND WE'RE WORKING NOW FOR A, UH, FOR AN AWARD CEREMONY THAT WE CAN, WE CAN DO THAT WORKING WITH THEM.
SO THERE'S THESE THAT WE'RE OKAY, WE HELP OUT DIFFERENT AGENCIES WHEN THEY HAVE THESE, THESE CEREMONIES.
THE LIST HERE IS OF THE CURRENT MEMBERSHIP.
THE PAST MEMBERSHIP IS INSIDE YOUR, YOUR REPORT THERE.
UM, AND THERE ARE THE 12 MEMBERS ARE APPOINTED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THEN APPROVED OF COURSE, BY THE, BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL.
UH, THE, UH, COUNTY COUNCIL APPROVES THE ONE, THE LIAISON AND COORDINATOR WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN PENMAN, WHO ACTS IN THAT, THAT ROLE FOR US WITH INSTRUMENTAL AS A LIAISON TO Y'ALL.
AND THEN THERE'S THREE EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS.
THERE'S A MEMBER FROM THE HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND WHAT SHE DOES IS SHE SPENDS HER TIME AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, AS WELL AS AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, BUT IS AT LINKED ON EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS.
SO SHE HELPS OUT WHEN A VETERAN HAS A QUESTION, EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS, SHE'S THAT SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT.
THERE'S ALSO A GROUP WITHIN HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE, A VETERANS GROUP THERE THAT THROW THE LINK THERE.
THE, UH, HARFORD COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE REPRESENTATIVE THERE FOR SMALL BUSINESS FOR VETERANS ENTREPRENEURSHIP.
AND EARLIER, YOU KNOW, UH, COLONEL
AND I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW THE GARRISON COMMANDERS HAVE JUST, I MEAN, I, I, I DUNNO IF YOU RIGHT WORD IS STEPPED UP OR NOT, BUT IT'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN US.
UH, ALONG WITH THAT, AND I SEE HE'S IN THE ROOM RIGHT NOW.
QUENTIN, UH, IS THE PAO FOR THE, FOR THE GARRISON HAS COME TO OUR MEETINGS.
SO WE HAVE THAT BACK AND FORTH WHERE WE LET THEM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE COUNTY AS WELL AS ABERDEEN AND TELLS US THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON HERE, IF WE NEED HELP AND ASSISTANCE AND WORK TOGETHER ON THOSE.
NOW, WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR EVENTS THAT WE'VE DONE AND WE ARE PROUD OF.
UH, THE FIRST IS OUR VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR, AND THAT'S KIND OF OUR PRIME EVENT THAT WE DO EVERY YEAR.
THIS YEAR IS GONNA BE AN OCTOBER 21ST.
UH, IT WILL BE AT THE BEL AIR ARMORY AS IT HAS IN THE PAST.
LAST YEAR, VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR, WE HAD ABOUT 375 PEOPLE THERE.
IT'S HARD TO GET THE EXACT NUMBER, BUT ONE THING I'M REALLY HAPPY TO SEE IS THAT WE HAD A LOT MORE YOUNG VETERANS THERE.
UH, AND WE HAD KNOW FAMILY MEMBERS THERE TOO.
UH, I TALKED TO ONE, ONE LADY AND, AND SHE SAID, YOU KNOW, I'M HERE BECAUSE MY HUSBAND'S A VETERAN.
I KNOW HE, THERE'S BENEFITS THAT ARE DUE TO HIM.
SO I'M HERE, I'M HERE TO FIND OUT SOME INFORMATION.
UH, WE HAD THE, UH, ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, SENIOR COMMANDER GENERAL EDMONDSON WAS THERE, AND ALONG WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AT THE BEGINNING OF IT PROVIDED.
AND THE, UH, MILITARY OFFICER ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA HAD A POSTER AND ESSAY CONTEST.
AND WE PROVIDED THOSE AWARDS AT THE BEGINNING.
DID THAT TO, TO KICK TO KICK IT OFF ALONG WITH THE, UM, AND THE, THE, I WILL SAY THAT THE MAIN DRAWING, UH, POINT RIGHT THERE IS THE VA, THE CLAIMS AND REPRESENTATIVES THAT COME IN.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT DRAWS IT, THE PEOPLE IN.
THE OTHER THING IS THE HARTFORD COUNTY VETERANS.
UH, OUR, OUR PHOTO GALLERY THAT'S REALLY MAINTAINED BY THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S OFFICE IS A GREAT WAY TO SHOWCASE SOME OF THE VETERANS WITHIN THE, WITHIN THE COUNTY.
WE HAVE ABOUT 19,400 VETERANS WITHIN THE COUNTY.
WE'D LIKE TO GET MORE PICTURES UP THERE.
WE'RE NOT QUITE AT THAT, THAT LEVEL YET, BUT WE'D LIKE TO GET THOSE UP THERE TO, TO SHOW SOME OF THOSE.
AND THEN OUR, THE VETERANS DISCOUNT BOOK AND VETERANS RESOURCE GUIDE, WE, WE HAND THOSE OUT AND THEY'RE ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE DURING THE, UH, DURING THE VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR.
THE, THE CLAIMS CLINIC, AND I'M NOT SURE EVERYONE'S FAMILIAR WITH THE CLAIMS CLINIC, BUT THE CLAIMS CLINIC, UH, WE PUT THAT ON ON SEPTEMBER 7TH.
WE HELD THAT AT HARTFORD COMMUNITY COLLEGE.
AND THAT IS A PUT ON BY THE, WELL, THE VETERANS ALLIANCE IS THE UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION OVER THAT.
AND THE VETERANS ALLIANCE IS MADE UP OF THE MARYLAND VA AND THE STATE VA.
UH, AND WITHIN THE, THE STATE VA, THAT'S THE VBA AS WELL AS VHA.
IT IS A FANTASTIC, IT'S FOCUSED ON CLAIMS. IT IS FOCUSED ON CLAIMS. WHEREAS THE VETERANS RESOURCE FAIR HAS A LOT OF DIFFERENT COUNTY AGENCIES IN THERE.
UH, THE VETERANS COMMISSION COORDINATES IT.
IT'S TURNKEY REALLY FOR THE, THE VETERANS ALLIANCE TO COME IN.
THEY HAVE, IT'S ALL BY APPOINTMENT, 120 PEOPLE BY APPOINTMENT.
AND WHAT IS REALLY UNIQUE ABOUT THIS IS THAT EVERYONE WHO GOES TO THAT VETERANS, THE CLAIMS CLINIC HAS TO REGISTER AHEAD OF TIME.
SO WHY IS THAT? WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS THE VA LOOKS AT EACH INDIVIDUAL WHO'S COMING IN, AND THEY CAN FROM THAT, WHEN THAT INDIVIDUAL WALKS, THE VETERAN WALKS IN THE DOOR, THEY TAKE THAT PERSON AND THEY KNOW WHERE THEIR STATUS IS ON THE CLAIM.
THEY KNOW IF THAT'S, IF THEIR CLAIM IS A BUNCH OF STUFF, OR IF THEIR CLAIM IS ALMOST DONE OR IF IT'S NEEDS TO BE ADJUDICATED.
AND THEY TAKE THEM RIGHT, RIGHT TO THE, UH, RIGHT TO THE RIGHT CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY CAN GET IT DONE INSTEAD OF HAVING, GOING DOWN TO BALTIMORE.
WE HAD PEOPLE WHO, AND I, I COULDN'T EVEN BELIEVE THAT THIS REALLY HAPPENED, BUT WE HAD PEOPLE WHO WALKED IN THE DOOR, GOT A CLAIM DONE, AND GOT IT ADJUDICATED AND APPROVED RIGHT THERE ON SITE.
AND THAT IS, I MEAN, THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE TO HAVE THAT
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HAPPEN.UH, WE HAD ONE LADY WHO SAID, SHE CAME IN AND SHE SAID, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS APPEAL.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS THING DONE.
MY HUSBAND DIED OF AGENT ORANGE.
WENT THROUGH IT, IT WAS APPROVED.
AND SHE HAD THAT RIGHT BY THE END OF IT.
SHE SAID, I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS HAS HAPPENED.
SO THESE CLAIM CLINICS ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY ONLY HAPPENED ONCE A QUARTER WITH A DIFFERENT COUNTY.
AND THE VA TAKES CARE OF NOT ONLY MARYLAND, BUT NORTHERN VIRGINIA AS WELL.
SO I'VE, UM, REMINDED THEM TO THE POINT OF THEM TELLING ME NOT TO REMIND THEM ANYMORE, THAT WE REALLY WANT THEM TO COME BACK TO HARTFORD COUNTY TO DO THESE, THESE CLAIM CLINIC.
AND, BUT WE'LL STILL DO THE, THE RESOURCE FAIRS.
AND THE VA IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT, OF, OF DOING A TAKE CARE OF CLAIMS DURING THE RESOURCE FAIRS.
UH, WE DO THE BELL AIR MEMORIAL DAY CEREMONIES.
UM, THIS YEAR WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE.
WE DID THE WREATH LANE AS WELL AS HANDED OUT INFORMATION.
AND WE ASKED A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
WE HAD PEOPLE ASK US A LOT OF QUESTIONS.
AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE GETTING PEOPLE NOW COMING BACK TO US SINCE WE HANDED OUT OUR, OUR PHONE NUMBER AND ASKING, OKAY, HOW CAN YOU HELP ME ON THIS? SO THAT'S A, A GOOD THING THAT HAPPENED THAT HAPPENED OUTTA THAT.
THE CENTRAL MARYLAND VETERANS COLLABORATIVES, THESE ARE A GROUP, WE ARE PART OF FOUR COUNTIES THAT DO THESE, UM, WITH HOWARD COUNTY AND ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, BALTIMORE COUNTY AND OURSELVES THAT HAVE A, UH, GROUP MEETINGS VIRTUAL ONCE A MONTH ON DIFFERENT VETERANS TOPICS.
THE NEXT ONE WE DID ON LEGAL, WE DID IT ON VETERANS COURSE.
AND THEY COME TOGETHER AND WE EXCHANGE IDEAS AND HOW IS DIFFERENT COUNTIES, HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS? HOW ARE YOU WORKING THIS OUT? WHAT'S WORKING, WHAT'S NOT WORKING? SO WE'RE EXCHANGING THOSE IDEAS AGAIN.
THAT'S A GREAT, WE NOW IT STARTED OFF WITH A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE AND NOW THEY'RE PROBABLY 40 OR 50 PEOPLE ON THOSE CALLS EVERY MONTH, WHICH IS GOOD.
AND AGAIN, WE WERE ONE OF THE ONES THAT THAT LED THAT THING OFF, UH, WHICH I'M REALLY PROUD TO SEE THAT.
THE NEXT ONE IS, I GUESS ONE OF THE THING, ONE OF THE ONES I REALLY WANT TO EMPHASIZE HERE, AND I'VE TALKED TO SOME OF YOU ABOUT THIS, AND THAT'S THE GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE AND CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING AND ASK THE QUESTION PROGRAMS, THE GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE, AND IT'S NOT THE MARYLAND GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE, IT IS THE GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE.
IT INVOLVES ALL 50 STATES AND SIX TERRITORIES.
AND IT'S FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION, FOR SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES.
UH, THAT'S THE, THE LONG, THE LONG TITLE OF IT THERE.
AND EACH STATE LOOKS AT SPECIFIC WAYS THAT THEY CAN HELP VETERANS IN CRISIS, WHETHER IT BE MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE.
AND WITHIN OUR STATE, WE'RE LOOKING AT SPECIFIC WAYS.
A SPIN OUT OF THAT CAME THE CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING.
HARTFORD COUNTY WAS ASKED TO PILOT CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING BY THE GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE AND BY THE GOVERNOR'S TEAM, UH, OVER ALL THE OTHER, ALL THE OVER, ALL THE OTHER COUNTIES.
I ASKED ME AS A, AS THE CHAIR AND SAID, WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE TO DO IT? JUMPED ON IT BECAUSE I KNEW WITHIN HARTFORD COUNTY, WE'VE GOT PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS HERE AND WITHIN OUR, OUR COUNTY THAT REALLY WANT TO, TO DO THIS.
THE WHOLE OBJECTIVE OF THIS IS TO ASSESS OUR LOCAL CRISIS CARE TO STRENGTHEN THE PARTNERSHIPS.
AND A RESULT OF THAT IS A, IS A CRISIS INTERCEPT MAP.
SO WHAT IS THAT? IT'S A MAP OF ALL THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY TOUCH A VETERAN DURING MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND WHO DO THEY TALK TO.
SO IF SOMEONE WITH SUICIDE IDEATION WOULD SHOW UP AT A BUSINESS, ONE OF YOUR BUSINESSES, OR IF THEY WOULD SHOW UP AT THE COUNTY, OR IF THEY WOULD CALL IN OR AT THE KLINE CENTER OR WHEREVER THAT MAY HAPPEN TO BE, DO THEY KNOW WHAT TO DO? DO THEY KNOW WHO TO CONTACT? WHERE ARE THOSE CONNECTIONS? WHAT WE FOUND WAS THERE WERE A LOT OF NON CONNECTIONS.
SO WE WENT THROUGH, WE WENT THROUGH THAT AND THEN, UH, WE LOOKED AT THOSE AND DECIDED ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS THAT WE FOUND WAS ONLY 25% OF THE PEOPLE WITHIN THAT DID THE SURVEY.
AND WE ASKED DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
WE WORKED WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES, I HAVE TO GIVE THEM, UH, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY SERVICES TO PUT THIS ON TO LOOK AT AND WHO THE SLATE OF PEOPLE THAT SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN THIS ARE LOOKED AT THEM, UH, AND DID A SURVEY OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE THESE CONNECTIONS WERE.
AND THEN WENT FROM THERE AND DECIDED THAT WHAT WE FOUND WAS 25% OF THE PEOPLE KNEW WHAT EVERY ELSE DID.
AND THERE WERE SOME LACK OF TRUST.
SO THE IDEA THERE WAS THEN, OKAY, LET'S BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE BROUGHT PEOPLE TOGETHER FROM DIFFERENT COUNTY ORGANIZATIONS AS WELL AS APG AS WELL AS THE VAS, THE VETERANS BENEFITS, AS WELL AS VETERANS HEALTH AND ALL IN ONE LOCATION.
AND WE GAVE A CLASS ON MILITARY 1 0 1 AND GAVE A CLASS ON VA 1 0 1 AND SUICIDE PREVENTION HAD NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE IN THE STATE.
BROUGHT ALL THOSE PEOPLE TOGETHER AND SAID, SO NOW THERE'S THAT TRUST.
SO THE CLIENT CENTER KNOWS IF THEY HAVE SOMEBODY THAT, THAT COMES IN THERE AND IS A VETERAN, THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN HAND THAT
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OFF TO THE VA, THAT THERE'S THE VA WILL ACTUALLY PAY FOR SOME OF THAT SERVICES.SO WE, WE DID SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
WE SAID, WE CAN'T STOP THERE, WE HAVE TO GO IN ANOTHER STEP.
SO OUR FOLLOW ON, WE JUST COMPLETED A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, AND I CALLED IT THE, THE ROCK DRILL FOR THE MILITARY, THE REHEARSAL OF CONCEPT DRILL, SCENARIO BASED EXERCISES WHERE WE GOT THE SAME PEOPLE IN THE ROOM FROM ALL THOSE DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND SAID, HERE'S A CASE, HERE'S A SCENARIO, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? AND IT WAS VERY, VERY INTERESTING TO SEE THE DIFFERENT AGENCIES SAY, WELL, THAT PERSON THEN SHOULD GO TO THE KLINE CENTER AND SOMEONE ELSE SAY, WELL, WHAT'S THEIR HOUSING SITUATION? WELL, WHAT ABOUT LETHAL MEANS SAFETY? SO THEY ALL TALKED BACK AND FORTH AND EXCHANGE BUSINESS CARDS AND SAID, IF THIS HAPPENS.
SO WE CAME UP AND WE'RE BUILDING THAT NETWORK.
WE'RE BREAKING DOWN THOSE SILOS WITHIN THE COUNTY ALONG WITH THE VA, THE VAS AND THE MARYLAND VA AND ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND.
THIS REACHED THE LEVEL OF THE, THE, THE NATIONAL VA AND, UH, THE SUICIDE, UH, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADMINISTRATION.
AND THEY ASKED ME AS WELL AS THE, UH, MARYLAND COMMITMENT TO VETERANS DIRECTOR.
IF WE WOULD GO DOWN TO THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE AND TALK ABOUT HARTFORD COUNTY.
TALK ABOUT WHAT WE CAN, WHAT WE ARE DOING IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
IT WAS A VERY HUMBLING EXPERIENCE.
I THOUGHT, WELL, THIS IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THIS HERE IN HARTFORD COUNTY IS THIS, AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO SEE PEOPLE SAYING, YOU'RE KIDDING ME? YOUR COUNTY AGENCIES TALK AND THE VETERANS COMMISSION IS INVOLVED ACROSS THE BOARD.
THEY'RE NOT JUST AN AGENCY THAT SITS ACROSS HERE AND THE VA IS INVOLVED AND YOU HAVE CONNECTIONS WITH THE ABBOTT PROVING GROUND.
I MEAN, I, I GET REALLY EXCITED WHEN I, WHEN I TALK ABOUT THIS BECAUSE IT'S, I KNOW WE'VE SEEN, WE'VE SEEN THING NOW IN THE STATE WHERE WE'RE SAYING, LET'S GET THE VIOLENT, LET'S GET ALL THESE DIFFERENT THINGS TOGETHER.
AND IT WAS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL THAT NOW I'M GETTING CALLS FROM TEXAS, I'M GETTING CALLS FROM ALL OVER THE, HOW DID YOU DO THIS? HOW DID THIS THING GET SET UP? AND IT'S NOT A US IT'S, I MEAN, IT, IT'S A, WE, IT IS A, WE, IT IS.
COMMUNITY SERVICES WAS INSTRUMENTAL AND THAT, THAT SPARKED TO GET THESE THINGS, TO GET THIS DONE.
SO AGAIN, I CAN HIRE, YOU KNOW, IT'S, I, IT'S WAS REALLY SOMETHING THAT WAS GREAT.
OUT OF THIS, A SPINOFF OF THIS.
I, I THINK, UH, THANK YOU COUNCILMAN PENMAN FOR HANNAH.
THE ASK THE QUESTION CARD, THOSE CARDS THAT YOU HAVE THERE, THOSE BLUE CARDS.
ASK THE QUESTION, DISTRIBUTED THOSE.
SO MY, MY JOKE NOW IS THAT ALL 50 STATES AND SIX TERRITORIES HAVE OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE'S NAME AND ON, ON, ON IT, BECAUSE WE HANDED THESE OUT ACROSS THE BOARD TO, UM, ALL THE DIFFERENT THAT PARTICIPATED.
WHAT I DID WAS I, I, I LED A WORKSHOP AND THEN WE HAD A POSTER PRESENTATION AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE.
SO WE DID THESE, THESE ARE OUT, PEOPLE ARE USING THAT AS AN EXAMPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS IT WAS ONE WAY TO GO.
SO AGAIN, I, I THINK IT'S, IT'S GREAT.
AND IT HASS COMES DOWN TO THE SUPPORT THAT YOU ALL GIVE THE VETERANS, UH, VETERANS COMMISSION AS WELL AS THE, THE REST OF THE, THE COUNTY.
UM, I'LL STEP OFF OF THAT FOR A MINUTE AND JUST TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS HERE THAT WE'VE, WE'VE DONE A RETIREE APPRECIATION DAY.
THE, WE HAVE A, WE DID AN RETIREE APPRECIATION DAY INFORMATION TABLE, PARTNERED WITH THE COMMUNITY SERVICES TO GET THAT DONE.
THAT WAS GOOD, RIGHT? TOGETHER TO TALK ABOUT WHETHER IT'S THE COMMUNITY DOES IT, OR WITH THE, UH, WITH THE VETERANS COMMISSION.
VETERANS COMMISSION DOES THAT.
UM, THE OPERATION GREEN LIGHT, I MENTIONED EARLIER, QPR, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT HAS HAPPENED IS WE HAD WITH QUESTION PERSUADE AND REFER TRAINING, A LOT OF IT, A LOT OF, WHEN WE WENT TO THE, UH, WHEN I TALKED WITH COMMUNITY SERVICES, WE, WE'D LIKE TO GET THIS OUT WITHIN THE VETERAN COMMUNITY, BUT IT'S BREAKING INTO THE VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS.
YOU NEED SOMEBODY TO BREAK IN THERE.
BUT WE WERE ABLE TO TALK WITH THEM AND STARTED OFF WITH THE AMERICAN LEGION AND DID QPR TAUGHT BY TWO VETERANS FROM COMMUNITY SERVICES, WENT IN THERE, INITIAL RELUCTANCE AND AT THE HABIT OF GRACE LEGION.
I MEAN, THEY LOVED IT SO MUCH.
THEY TALKED TO THEIR NATIONAL COMMANDER AND I SAW THEIR NATIONAL COMMANDER AT THE, UH, AT THE VA CEMETERY IN BALTIMORE.
AND HE SAID, I'D LIKE HARTFORD COUNTY TO TRAIN THE REST OF MARYLAND.
CAN YOU DO IT? I SAID, WELL, THEY CAN'T, WE CAN'T GO OUTSIDE OF, OF, OF THE COUNTY FROM AFTER TALK WITH THEM, BUT WE CAN BRING PEOPLE IN.
AND, UH, I JUST WAS LOOKING AT THAT.
I'VE GOT A COPY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, THEIR NEWSPAPER THAT CAME OUT.
HARTFORD COUNTY HAS MENTIONED IN THERE FOR THE QPR TRAIN.
SO HATS OFF TO COMMUNITY SERVICES AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE THERE AS THEY'VE GONE THROUGH THAT, UH, GOING THROUGH THE JOINT MEETINGS, KIND OF, THAT'S WHERE WE ALL THE VETERANS COMMISSIONS COME TOGETHER.
THE RE ACROSS AMERICA GILCHRIST HOSPICE, VIETNAM VETERANS WELCOME HOME CEREMONY IN BALTIMORE.
JUST IF YOU HAVE NOT EVER BEEN TO THAT LONG, ONLY LAST SATURDAY IN MARCH, OPEN TO ALL VIETNAM, IT'S OPEN TO ALL VIETNAM VETERANS, BUT OPEN TO EVERYBODY.
IT'S REALLY, REALLY MOVING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN.
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THAT UP NEXT, NEXT YEAR, WHEN TO GET MORE PEOPLE TO GO.AND THEN THE FLAG RAISING OTHER VISITS THAT WE DO.
AND KINDA GETTING BACK AS A GENERAL UMBRELLA, UH, WHAT I SEE THIS AS TO GET THESE COMPLETED, IT REALLY TAKES, I USE THE ANALOGY OF A THREE-LEGGED STOOL.
WE HAVE THOSE VETERANS ON TOP OF THAT STOOL, BUT IT TAKES THE FEDERAL AND THE STATE AND THE, AND THE LOCAL AND THE, THE COUNTY TO TAKE CARE OF THAT AS WELL AS, UH, THE GROUND IS THE LOCAL POPULACE OF PEOPLE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF THOSE VETERANS.
ALL THOSE THINGS HAVE TO WORK, HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER.
PROBABLY THE MOST ASSISTANCE REQUESTS WE GET ARE FROM, ARE THE VA BENEFITS, HEALTHCARE AND EMPLOYMENT.
ONE RECENT THING THAT I GOT THAT, I MEAN, YOU KIND OF, YOU KNOW, I, YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT DAYS.
SOME THINGS ARE GOING GOOD, SOME THINGS DAYS ARE NOT GOING WELL.
AND I GOT AN EMAIL ON ONE OF THOSE DAYS NOT GOING SO WELL.
AND THE EMAIL WAS FROM A GENTLEMAN AND HE SAID, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
YOUR VETERANS COMMISSION HAS DONE MORE IN TWO WEEKS THAN I'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET DONE IN WITH MY REPRESENTATIVE IN FIVE YEARS.
WHAT HE HAD WAS, HE HAD AN OUTSTANDING, WHAT HE SHOWED WAS AN OUTSTANDING DEBT WHERE HE WAS NOT, WHERE HE IS DENIED BENEFITS.
SO FOR FIVE YEARS HE WAS DENIED BENEFITS.
AND THEN LATER THAT AFTERNOON, I GOT A MESSAGE BACK FROM THE VA SAYING, THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS VETERAN.
WE JUST RELEASED A CHECK FOR ALMOST $50,000.
SO THOSE THINGS CAN HAPPEN WITH PERSISTENCE, BUT IT TAKES, IT DOES TAKE, YOU KNOW, IT DOES TAKE PERSISTENCE TO GET THAT DONE.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
AND AGAIN, AS I SAID, A LOT OF REQUIREMENTS DO CHANGE.
IT'S EASY WHEN YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY.
BUT WHAT IF, HOW DO WE WORK? HOW DO WE WORK TO THE YES TO GET IT, TO GET THAT DONE? OUR TWO MAJOR WAYS OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION RIGHT NOW, OR FACEBOOK AND WEBSITE, ON OUR WEBSITE, FACEBOOK HAS BEEN THE MAJOR, THE MAJOR ONE.
UH, BUT WE KNOW THERE ARE SOME ISSUES WITH THAT AND THINGS GET BURIED WHEN WE PUT 'EM UP THERE.
SO WE'VE TOTALLY REVITALIZED THE WEBSITE.
IF HAVEN'T TAKEN A LOOK AT IT, PLEASE TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
WE'VE INCLUDED THE VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS IN THERE AS WELL, AND WE'RE GOING TO IMPROVE THAT AS WE GO ALONG.
IT'S ONE OF OUR MAJOR MISSIONS.
I WANNA THANK ALL THESE PEOPLE HERE.
THE HARFORD COUNTY'S EXECUTIVE STAFF FOR ALL THE MARKETING AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT THEY'VE DONE FOR US.
UH, WE'VE WORKED HAND IN GLOVE WITH THEM AND HOPE TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
THE STATE OF MARYLAND VA, WHEN WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH CLAIMS AND WE NEED SOMETHING DONE QUICKLY, UH, THE REPRESENTATIVE THERE AT THE MVA RIGHT ON OFF OF MCFAIL THERE.
HE CAN GET THOSE THINGS DONE QUICKLY FOR US.
AND WE USE HIM, HOPEFULLY DON'T USE HIM TOO MUCH, BUT WE USE HIM TO, TO HELP OUT.
THE, FOR EVERYTHING THAT'S NEGATIVE ABOUT THE, ABOUT THE VETERANS ADMINISTRATION AND THE VETERANS AFFAIRS, THE BALTIMORE REGION REGION, THE BALTIMORE, THE WASHINGTON REGIONAL OFFICE HAS BEEN VERY RECEPTIVE, AS I MENTIONED.
THE ONE WITH THE ALMOST $50,000, CALLING HER DIRECTOR THERE AND HIM SAYING, LET ME GET ON IT.
SO THEY'RE VERY RECEPTIVE IN THE VA, MARYLAND HEALTHCARE SYSTEM.
PERRY, WILL THERE BE PERRY POINTER, BALTIMORE AGAIN, HELPING US OUT WITH, UH, A LOT OF ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
I CALLED THEM TODAY, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT CAME IN TODAY, CALLED THEM AND SENT AN EMAIL TO 'EM.
AND WITHIN FIVE MINUTES I HAD A RESPONSE AND AN ANSWER.
THAT'S PRETTY QUICK FROM THE DIRECTOR TO COME BACK AND GIMME WITHIN FIVE MINUTES, GIMME AN ANSWER.
THIS IS WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN WITH THIS VETERAN.
THIS IS HOW YOU CAN HELP THIS VETERAN OUT HERE.
SO TO KINDA, UH, SUMMARIZE HERE WHAT WE'RE DOING AND KIND OF THE END THINGS AS WE LOOK FORWARD, OUTREACH, THE VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, THERE'S A LOT OF CAPABILITIES WITHIN THE VSOS.
UH, AND WE WANT TO USE THEM, BRING THEM IN.
THAT'S WHY WE PUT THEM ON THE WEBSITE, TALK TO THEM.
HOW CAN WE HELP THEM? HOW CAN WE HELP VETERANS? BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, OUTREACH TO ALL VETERANS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES WHEN PEOPLE HEAR THE WORD VETERANS, THEY THINK OF AN ADJECTIVE OF, YOU KNOW, DISABLED, HOMELESS, A NEGATIVE.
WHEN THERE ARE A LOT OF VETERANS, THERE ARE MANY, MANY MORE VETERANS OUT THERE THAT HAVE A LOT OF ATTRIBUTES, A LOT OF SKILLS.
HOW CAN WE USE THOSE WITHIN THE COUNTY? HOW CAN WE ASK THEM TO SAY, AND WITHIN YOUR, YOUR DISTRICT, SAY, OKAY, YOU'RE A VETERAN.
HOW CAN YOU HELP? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO TO HELP? RAND STUDY RECENTLY SAID THAT VETERANS VOLUNTEER AT A RATE 70% GREATER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION.
HOW CAN WE USE THAT? HOW CAN WE USE THEM TO COME IN TO GO INTO THE, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PATRIOT PROGRAMS, CAN THE VETERANS TO GO IN INTO THE SCHOOL.
WE HAVE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, UH, THAT THEY CAN, THAT THEY CAN HELP OUT TO GET THAT PRESENCE, TO GET THE PRESENCE OF THE VETERANS OUT THERE.
WE CAN REVISE A WEBSITE I MENTIONED AND QUICKLY RESPOND TO REQUESTS.
OUR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION EVENTS.
WE NEED TO BE OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT'S ONE OF THE CHARGE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS GIVEN US IS VETERANS COMMISSION.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON.
I JUST LEAVE IT AT, AT THAT, THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THE, WE'RE
[02:15:01]
WORKING ON THE TREATMENT COURT AND IN FACT, WE'VE REACHED OUT TO BALTIMORE COUNTY.I'VE TALKED WITH THE VETERANS, UH, COMMISSION CHAIR THERE.
THEY'RE JUST STARTING THEIRS UP.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO SHOW.
WE NEED TO SHOW NUMBERS OF VETERANS.
UH, AND IT GETS BACK TO ASK THE QUESTION AND THE PAST, THE QUESTION WAS TO ASK, THE QUESTION WAS, ARE YOU A VETERAN? WHEN THE REAL QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU EVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY? BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE THINK A VETERAN, I HAVE TO HAVE GONE TO COMBAT, I HAVE TO HAVE DEPLOYED, I HAVE TO HAVE DONE LAUNDRY LIST.
WE LOOK AT, HAVE YOU EVER SERVED IN THE MILITARY? AND THEN THE LAST, UH, I GUESS I'LL SAY THE BEST FOR LAST, BUT I'LL SAY THE LAST, THE LAST THERE, SUPPORTING THE GOVERNOR'S CHALLENGE AND CRISIS INTERCEPT MAPPING.
UH, THE, WHEN I WAS DONE WITH THIS, SOMEHOW THE WORD GOT BACK TO THE MARYLAND STATE SECRETARY OF OF AFFAIR, VETERANS' AFFAIRS.
HE ASKED ME TO GIVE HIM THE SAME BRIEFING.
I GAVE HIM THE SAME WORKSHOP I GAVE.
AND HE SAID, HARTFORD COUNTY IS LEADING THE WAY.
AND I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO, UH, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE ABOUT THIS.
SAID HARTFORD COUNTY IS LEADING THE WAY AND HOW THEY'RE BREAKING DOWN SILOS, SAID DURING MAKO.
I WANNA START TALKING TO THE OTHER COUNTY EXECUTIVES ABOUT THIS.
AND HE'S LOOKING AT A GOVERNMENT, AT A, UM, AT A GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER TO TALK TO GET MORE COUNTIES INVOLVED.
CUZ RIGHT NOW WE ARE REALLY LEADING THE WAY WITH THE COUNTY, WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTY AGENCIES AND THESE, AND HE WANTS EVERYBODY ELSE TO KEEP, TO KEEP THIS THING GOING.
AND WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES THE 20 22 23.
UH, JAMES BE MCMAHON COMMISSION ON VETERANS AFFAIRS ANNUAL REPORT.
I WANNA THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME.
UH, THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COOPERATION.
AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE VETERANS ISSUES, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
WE WILL DEFINITELY TRY TO HELP.
SO, COLONEL, WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT OUR VETERANS, UH, ALL ACROSS HARTFORD COUNTY AND ACTUALLY ACROSS THE STATE.
AND I, I, I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE OF, UH, YOUR ABILITY TO ANSWER, UH, CONSTITUENTS CONCERNS.
UH, I, I, I SEE MS. STRICKLAND IN THE AUDIENCE, AND I BELIEVE IT WAS HER THAT BROUGHT ATTENTION TO ME WITH AN ISSUE WITH A, A VETERAN THAT HAD PASSED AND NEEDED HELP.
I CALLED YOU, YOU IMMEDIATELY TOOK CARE OF IT.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE FUNERAL SUPPORT THAT YOU GAVE THAT FAMILY.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, IF I CAN, UH, MR. PENMAN, THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, MR. BROWN, UM, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PASSION, YOUR DEDICATION.
UH, I TELL YOU, IT'S ALL MATCH.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE TALENTS OF THE VETERANS AROUND, UH, THIS COMMISSION WOULDN'T BE WHERE IT IS WITHOUT YOUR TALENTS.
AND I'M HONORED TO BE A PART OF IT AS A, AS A VETERAN.
THIS JUST PROVES THAT MARINES IN ARMY CAN, CAN WORK TOGETHER.
UH, AND I WELCOME THE, YOU KNOW, THE NEWEST MEMBER, A MEMBER, UH, THE COLONEL HERE TO THE VETERANS COMMISSION.
I KNOW I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS, UH, INTERCEPTING MAP, UH, MAPPING AS WELL AS THE RESOURCE FAIR, GROWING THAT, UH, TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU, MR. JAMES, COLONEL BROWN.
UM, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS.
UM, THE, THE, UH, BELLAIRE MEMORIAL SERVICE WAS FIRST YEAR THAT THEY HAD THE FULL BAND BACK, UH, SINCE COVID.
SO ONE OF THE NICE THINGS WAS, IS THAT THEY HAD ALL THE, UH, VETERANS FROM THE, FROM THE, UH, VIETNAM WAR COME UP UP FRONT THERE, WHICH, WHICH I REALLY THOUGHT WAS, UH, QUITE AN HONOR FOR, FOR ALL THEM, ESPECIALLY FOR ALL THE STUFF THAT THEY WENT THROUGH, YOU KNOW, YEARS AND JUST TO SEE.
I THINK THERE WAS ABOUT 50 OF THEM THAT WERE PROBABLY UP FRONT.
I THINK SO, UM, ANY MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT.
YEAH, A LOT MORE THAN THEY THOUGHT THE TURNOUT WAS, WAS GREAT.
I, I MEAN, IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S A GREAT DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOTS OF PEOPLE, UM, GIVEN THEIR, THEIR THANKS AND, AND EVERYTHING.
SO, UM, BOTH MY SISTER, MY FATHER, BOTH MY NEPHEWS ARE ALL IN THE, UH, WERE IN THE SERVICE.
MY ONE NEPHEW'S STILL IN THE SERVICE.
I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO WASN'T IN THE SERVICE, BUT I CERTAINLY DO.
UH, WE'VE TAKEN MY FATHER TO THE, UM, UH, ARMORY FOR THE, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, GOD, I CAN'T THINK OF IT, BUT THAT RESOURCE FAIR.
SO, UM, APPRECIATE ALL THAT AND JUST, JUST TO GO THROUGH TO SEE ALL THE, ALL THE LITTLE EFFORTS, UM, THAT AREN'T SO LITTLE, BUT ADD UP TO BE SO BIG FOR YOU, GETTING SOMEBODY THEIR MONEY WITH THAT.
I, I KNOW WE, WE, UH, DID SOMETHING WITH TAX BREAKS FOR THE VETERANS, SO, UM, I, I KNOW THAT'S A BIG HELP.
SO JUST WANNA, JUST WANNA THANK YOU AND, UM, VERY MUCH SO.
ANYONE ELSE? MR. BENNETT? I WAS JUST REALLY IMPRESSED BY YOUR PRESENTATION AND THE WORK THAT YOU DESCRIBED DOING TO, UH, YOU KNOW, BRING SUPPORTS TOGETHER SO THAT PEOPLE GET CAUGHT IN A SAFETY NET AND, UH, ARE ABLE TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
CUZ I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, AS A REPRESENTATIVE FOR MUCH OF ABERDEEN, I PROVING GROUND AND THEN FOR HAVING GRACE FOR MANY ACTIVE DUTY
[02:20:01]
AND RETIRED, UM, MEMBERS OF OUR MILITARY LIVE.UM, I'M JUST VERY TOUCHED BY THAT.
TO BE A COMMUNITY THAT TAKES CARE OF PEOPLE, THAT TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE.
UM, YOU KNOW, SO I JUST AM VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THAT.
I'M THANKFUL TO LEARN ABOUT IT TONIGHT.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I JUST HOPE WE AS A COUNCIL CAN DO ANYTHING TO SUPPORT THAT WORK, TO GROW IT, AND TO CONTINUE IT.
UM, YEAH, I JUST WAS AWESTRUCK TO TO HEAR ABOUT THAT AND TO HEAR ABOUT HOW IMPRESSED PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE NATION ARE BY THAT.
I THINK THAT'S A TESTIMONY TO YOUR WORK.
UM, WE APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.
LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN SOON.
[7. APPROVAL OF MINUTES ]
SEVEN, APPROVAL OF MINUTES PUBLIC HEARING.JUNE 13TH, 2023, LEGISLATIVE DAY, 23 DASH ZERO, 20 JUNE 13TH, 2023.
ARE THERE ANY CORRECTIONS TO THE MINUTES? THERE BEING NO CORRECTIONS OF MINUTES? STAND APPROVED.
UM, COUNSEL, IF THERE ARE NO OBJECTIONS, UH, WE'RE GONNA MOVE TO AGENDA ITEM 10, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS.
AND AT THE COMPLETION OF AGENDA 10, WE WILL MOVE BACK TO AGENDA ITEM EIGHT, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS.
[a. Amendments to Resolution 033-23 (Bel Air Annexation Zoning Waiver) ]
NUMBER 10, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS, AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FIVE TO RESOLUTION 0 33 DASH 23.BELLER ANNEXATION ZONING WAIVER.
MR. JAN, PLEASE READ THEM AMENDMENTS 1 25 RESOLUTION 0 33.
33 DASH 23 INTRODUCED BY COUNSEL VICE PRESIDENT JAN ANO AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE ON THE TITLE PAGE STRIKE, BEGINNING WITH INES.
AND IN THE FOURTH LINE DOWN THROUGH INES 2014 IN THE FIFTH LINE AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ON PAGE ONE IN LINE FOUR, STRIKE AND PO SIX 15 BALTIMORE PIKE, BEL AIR, MARYLAND 2 10 14.
AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE ON PAGE ONE IN LINE 21, STRIKE IN GENERAL INDUSTRIAL AND SUBSTITUTE IN B2 COMMUNITY BUSINESS AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR ON PAGE ONE IN LINE THREE.
AND ON PAGE TWO IN LINE NINE IN EACH INSTANCE STRIKE 2.6718.
AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE ON THE TITLE PAGE IN LINE THREE, STRIKE 2.618.
UH, THESE AMENDMENTS WILL BE CONSIDERED THIS EVENING, UH, AS IT IS OUR LAST MEETING BEFORE THE SESSION ENDS.
UM, MAY I HAVE A MOTION PLEASE? COUNCIL, PRESENT I MOVE TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS 1 25 TO RESOLUTION 0 33 DASH 23.
LET'S MOVE AND SECOND TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FIVE TO THREE THREE DASH 23.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE? ONE ABSENT AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FIVE TO RESOLUTION ZERO.
[b. Amendments to Bill 23-025 (Moratorium Extension)]
JAN JORDANO, PLEASE READ IN AMENDMENTS ONE THROUGH FIVE TO BILL 23 DASH 0 25 INTO THE RECORD FOR INTRODUCTION AMENDMENTS 1 25 TO BILL 23 DASH 25 MORATORIUM EXTENSION, INTRODUCED BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT CENTI, COUNCIL, VICE PRESIDENT JAN JORDANO, AND COUNCIL MEMBER GUTHRIE AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE ON THE TITLE PAGE IN THE FIRST LINE IN THE, THE THIRD LINE IN EACH INSTANT AFTER 23 DASH ZERO FIVE.INSERT AS AMENDED AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO ON PAGE ONE IN LINE 6 11 15, 16, AND 18.
IN EACH INSTANCE AFTER 23 DASH 0 0 5, INSERT AS AMENDMENT AMENDED AMENDMENT NUMBER THREE ON PAGE ONE IN LINE 6 11, 12, 15, AND 16 IN EACH INSTANT, STRIKE 90 AND SUBSTITUTE 45, AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR ON THE TITLE PAGE IN THE FIRST LINE, STRIKE 90 AND SUBSTITUTE 45, AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE ON PAGE ONE AND LINE ONE AFTER BEN INSERT SIGNIFICANT AND SUBSTANTIAL.
UH, THESE AMENDMENTS ALSO WILL BE, UH, CONSIDERED THIS EVENING BECAUSE OF THE
[02:25:01]
TIMELINE THAT WE HAVE.SO MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO PLEASE? THANK YOU MR. JADA.
COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I'M AMENDMENTS.
ONE TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO.
MAY I HAVE A SECOND? ANYONE SECOND? THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECOND TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 23 DASH 0 25.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. BENNETT? UM, I JUST WANTED TO GIVE COUNCILMAN PENMAN THE OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND IF HE WISHED, UH, JUST IN REGARD TO SOME OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT TONIGHT, UM, OF PEOPLE ASKING IF YOU'D BE INTERESTED IN RECUSING YOURSELF FROM THE VOTES IN REGARDS TO THIS BILL.
UM, I DON'T REALLY KNOW TO WHAT THEY WERE SPEAKING TO, BUT IF YOU WOULD WANNA ADDRESS THAT TO GIVE, GIVE THE PUBLIC EASE OF MIND ON YOUR THOUGHT PROCESS ON THAT, CERTAINLY THERE.
UM, ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? I BELIEVE, YEAH, MS. S OH, I'M SORRY.
MS. S, UM, I, I BELIEVE A 90 DAY EXTENSION WILL HAVE A CHILLING EFFECT ON BUSINESSES BOTH EXISTING AND SEEKING TO INVEST IN HARFORD COUNTY, UM, THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, TWO IN A NEGATIVE ONE.
ABSENCE, UH, AMENDMENTS ONE AND TWO TO BILL 23 DASH 0 25 ARE APPROVED.
UH, MAY I HAVE A MOTION ON AMENDMENTS? THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE PLEASE? COUNSEL, PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO, UH, AMENDMENTS.
TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS NUMBER THREE, AMENDMENT NUMBER FOUR, AND AMENDMENT NUMBER FIVE.
IT IS MOVED IN SECOND TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS THREE, FOUR, AND FIVE DEVILLE 23 DASH 0 25.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, MR. GINGER? SO, I, I'M, I BELIEVE THAT, UM, I PREFER NINE 90 DAYS, BUT I BELIEVE IF WE DON'T APPROVE, I LOOK AT 45, THE WHOLE BILL IS GONNA FAIL.
SO MY GUT FEELING IS THAT TO GET 45 DAYS TO TAKE US INTO OCTOBER TO GET SOMETHING DONE IN SEPTEMBER, UM, DION'S NOT HERE.
UH, UNFORTUNATELY, UM, I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE, BUT I AM SUPPORT, I I'M GONNA HAVE TO SUPPORT 45 DAYS.
UM, I WOULD PREFER 90, BUT I THINK 45 DAYS GETS US TO MORATORIUM AND GETS US TO MOVE FORWARD.
OTHERWISE, I'M AFRAID IT'S GONNA FAIL.
SO, MR. BENNETT, UM, YOU KNOW, I PREFER 90 DAYS IF THIS, IF THESE AMENDMENTS PASS.
I REALLY NEED THE ASSURANCE, MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT WILL HAVE COOPERATION ON GETTING LEGISLATION DONE.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS A DIFFERENT SITUATION.
MY OFFICE IS TAKING A HEAVY HAND AND MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE SOMETHING, UH, COHESIVE AND, UM, AND WELL THOUGHT OUT AND WELL IMPLEMENTED, READY TO GO WELL BEFORE SEPTEMBER 5TH.
UH, SO THAT, UH, I CAN PRESENT THAT TO MY FELLOW COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANSWER QUESTIONS, UM, AND DO THE WORK SO THAT WHEN SEPTEMBER 5TH ROLLS AROUND, IT'S A SMOOTH PROCESS TO GET TO OCTOBER 10TH.
UM, AND I REALLY HOPE THAT PEOPLE WHO, UH, VOTE YES ON THESE AMENDMENTS ACT IN GOOD FAITH IN THE COMING MONTHS.
UM, SO THAT WORK ACTUALLY GETS DONE.
CAUSE I DON'T WANNA SEE THIS GET SHORTENED.
AND THEN AT THE END OF THOSE 45 DAYS ON OCTOBER 11TH, WE HAVE NOTHING PRODUCTIVE TO SHOW THE COMMUNITY.
UM, I WANNA BE ABLE TO SAY WE GOT GOOD WORK DONE.
AND IF THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, I'M GONNA BE, UH, EXTREMELY UPSET WITH THIS PROCESS.
SO, UM, IF I MAY, MR. BENNETT, UH, I COULD THINK, I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT NO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBER HAS WORKED AS DILIGENTLY AND AS LONG ON THIS AGENDA OR IN THIS MORATORIUM PROCESS THAN MY OFFICE HAS.
AND, UM, MY WHOLE PURPOSE WITH THIS, UH, AMENDMENT IS TO PUT THE SAME PRESSURE ON THE ADMINISTRATION THAT THEY WANT TO APPLY TO, UH, THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY.
AND I BELIEVE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ABSOLUTELY BRING MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION TO THIS BODY BY THE, UH, END OF SUMMER.
UH, THERE IS NO SUMMER RECESS FOR THIS COUNCIL.
WE MAY NOT BE ON THIS DAY AS, BUT WE WILL BE IN OUR
[02:30:01]
OFFICES WORKING AND IN THE COMMUNITY WORKING EVERY DAY.AND, UM, I LOOK FORWARD TO MR. BENNETTS, UH, WORKING WITH PLANNING AND ZONING, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, TO BRING MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION FORWARD IN A TIMELY MANNER.
UH, HE, UH, WAS THE ONE THAT BROUGHT THE, UM, HEIGHT, UH, MONITORING SYSTEM TO LIGHT OVER THE LAST THREE DAYS.
UH, WE WORKED WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO BRING IT FORWARD TONIGHT, SO THAT, THAT ALSO IS ANOTHER PIECE OF, UH, BUSINESS THAT IS ACCOMPLISHED.
NOT TALKING ABOUT, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH IT.
SO I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THIS BODY WILL SUPPORT, UH, THIS, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO COUNCILMAN BENNETT, I, I, UH, GIVE YOU MY WORD AND MY OFFICE THAT WE WILL WORK HAND IN HAND JUST LIKE WE DID TODAY, AND WE GOT THAT TAKEN CARE OF WITH COUNCIL PRESIDENT VICENTI, THAT WE NEEDED THAT DONE TODAY.
THAT WAS WHEN WE HAD THAT MEETING THAT WAS, MAKE SURE THAT GET DONE.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, THAT MY OFFICE, MY OTHER OFFICE IS 200 YARDS DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, LET ME KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
UH, CAITLIN IN MY OFFICE, DEFINITELY, I'M GONNA MAKE SURE THAT SHE KNOWS ANYTHING THAT YOU NEED HELP RESEARCH ON THAT SHE CAN DO.
UH, WE CERTAINLY WANNA WORK THIS, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AROUND FOR ME ON THIS MORATORIUM.
UM, I DIDN'T LIKE BEING BULLIED LAST TIME ON IT, SO I, I EXPECT THAT TO GET THIS DONE.
UM, SO ANYTHING I CAN DO TO HELP YOU, I, I, I CERTAINLY WANNA MAKE SURE YOU KNOW, I'M THERE FOR YOU AND, AND APPRECIATE IT.
ANYONE ELSE, MR. PRESIDENT, MR. PENN.
UM, I TOO, JUST WANNA PUT ON RECORD THAT, UH, AND WILLING TO HELP, UM, TRY TO GET THE INFORMATION, TRY TO GET THE DATA BECAUSE IN THE END WHETHER A PROJECT GOES THERE, AND I KNOW WE DIFFER, UH, ON, YOU KNOW, THE MORATORIUM STANCE, BUT WHETHER A PROJECT GOES THERE, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDED, UH, AND THE RESOURCES NEEDED TO, UM, ALLOW PYRAMID PENINSULA TO THRIVE.
SO I UNDERSTAND THERE, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION ON THE MORATORIUM, BUT IF WE HAVE A WAY TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ROADWAYS, THE SAFETY CONCERNS THAT HAVE BEEN EXPRESSED, AND WE'RE ABLE TO USE THAT DATA THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS BROUGHT FORWARD TO, TO DO THAT.
I'M, I'M IN TOTAL SUPPORT, MR. RILEY.
THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE HAS ALREADY, UH, PRESENTED US WITH LEGISLATION FOR THIS MORATORIUM AND WE'VE FAILED TO TAKE IT UP.
UM, I DON'T KNOW WHERE 45 DAYS.
IN FACT, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO DO, ANOTHER 45 DAYS TO MAKE IT 90.
UM, I'M GONNA VOTE NO ON THIS 45 DAYS.
SO, UM, MR. RILEY, I BELIEVE YOU'RE REFERRING TO THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION HERE THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE SENT OVER TO US.
DO YOU SEE ALL THOSE NOTES ON THERE? DO YOU SEE ALL THOSE MARKERS IN THERE? I DO.
THIS CAME FROM WORKING WITH EVERYBODY.
THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION WAS NOT PROPERLY DRAFTED AND DID NOT DO WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION INTENDED TO DO.
NOW I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH PLANNING AND ZONING AND D P W, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, THE DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRATION, AND EVERYBODY ALONG WITH THE CITIZENS AT PERRYMAN TO BRING MEANINGFUL LEGISLATION FORWARD.
AND I WILL SUPPORT IT IN A HEARTBEAT, BUT I COULD NOT AND WOULD NOT BRING THIS FORWARD BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT DO WHAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTED.
WELL, I, HE CAN, THAT'S, THAT'S HIS PREROGATIVE.
BUT I'M JUST TELLING YOU, I'LL LEAVE THAT THERE JUST FOR THE RECORD.
BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE, UM, ADMINISTRATION AS FAR AS, UH, PLANNING AND ZONING AND D P W AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS BEEN EXTREMELY WILLING TO ANSWER THE CALLS, TALK WITH US, GIVE US THE INFORMATION AND KEEP US IN THE LOOP.
AND FOR THAT, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THE ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE TO, TO THAT.
BUT I DO BELIEVE, UH, WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE AND WE NEED TO HAVE IT READY WHEN WE COME BACK INTO SESSION IN SEPTEMBER.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MS. DIXON, CALL A ROLL.
THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
TWO AND A NEGATIVE ONE ABSENT AMENDMENTS THREE.
FORM FIVE TO BILL 23 DASH 25 ARE HEREBY APPROVED.
[a. Resolution 033-23 (Bel Air Annexation Zoning Waiver) ]
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER EIGHT, INTRODUCTION AND CONSIDERATION OF RESOLUTIONS RESOLUTION 0 33 DASH 23 BEL ANNEXATION ZONING WAIVER AS AMENDED.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNSEL PRESENT I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 0 33 DASH 23 AS AMENDED.
LET'S MOVE SECOND TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 0 33
[02:35:01]
DASH 23.IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE'RE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
0 33 DASH 23 BELAIRE ANNEXATION ZONING WAIVER AS AMENDED IS HEREBY APPROVED
[b. Resolution 034-23 (Public Necessity-Bel Air South Condemnation) ]
RESOLUTION 0 34 DASH 23 PUBLIC NECESSITY BELAIRE SOUTH CONDEMNATION MR. ANO, COUNCIL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 0 34 DASH 23.LET'S MOVE TO SECOND TO APPROVE RESOLUTION 0 34 DASH 23.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN AFFIRMATIVE? ONE ABSENT RESOLUTION 0 34 DASH 23 PUBLIC NECESSITY, BEL AIR SOUTH CONDEMNATION IS HERE HEREBY APPROVED.
AGENDA NUMBER NINE, WE HAVE NO BUSINESS INTRODUCTION OF BILLS.
[9. INTRODUCTION OF BILLS]
11.[a. Bill 23-011 (Apartments - B3-General Business District) ]
CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS BILL, 23 DASH ZERO 11[11. CALL FOR FINAL READING OF BILLS]
APARTMENTS B3 GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNSEL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 11.
AND SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH ZERO 11 APARTMENTS, B THREE GENERAL BUSINESS DISTRICT.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MR. PENMAN? MR. PRESIDENT? UM, I'M REALLY TORN ON THIS BILL.
I'M STILL DISAPPOINTED AND BELIEVE THE AMENDMENTS THAT WERE PROPOSED WOULD HAVE REALLY CAPTURED THE SMART BALANCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THAT HARFORD COUNTY IS SEARCHING FOR WHILE STILL MAINTAINING THE SPIRIT OF THE ORIGINAL BILL.
I UNDERSTAND THE COMMUNITY IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND DOESN'T WANT TO END UP LIKE TOWSON.
I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT HARFORD COUNTY IS MUCH MORE LIMITED ON GROWTH BASED OFF THEIR MASTER PLAN, WHICH WOULD PREVENT THAT.
BUT AGAIN, UM, THIS MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO MAKE A DECISION ON THIS BILL, IF THAT'S, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
UM, SO THERE'S APARTMENTS THAT ARE BEING BUILT IN HICKORY THAT WE HAD NO IDEA ABOUT IN A B3 ZONE THAT WERE PROPOSED PROBABLY BACK IN 2019 WHEN I FOUND OUT ABOUT THEM WITH MR. RILEY IN A MEETING AT FOR THE, UH, BELLAIRE.
UM, BETWEEN PLUM TREE AND 9 24 MEETING WITH SHANE GRIMM, WE FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS, UH, APARTMENTS GOING INTO B3, SO IT DEFINITELY WAS DISTURBING.
I I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SEE, UH, APARTMENTS BEING BUILT ALL OVER.
WE, THERE'S ALREADY PLANS FOR APARTMENTS TO GO DOWN IN BEL AIR.
THERE'S OTHER APARTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT.
I MEAN, WE'VE HAD HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF APARTMENTS BUILT.
UM, A I'D LIKE TO SEE 'EM BUILT IN MULTI AREAS AND NOT OTHER AREAS.
UM, I THINK THIS GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, LOOK AT WHERE THESE THINGS ARE BEING BUILT.
SO I AM DEFINITELY IN FULL, FULL FAVOR OF THIS BILL.
UM, AS I STATED LAST WEEK, I'M NOT GENERALLY IN FAVOR OF PIECEMEAL AMENDMENTS TO OUR ZONING CODE.
I THINK WE'D BE BETTER SERVED BY A COMPREHENSIVE REVAMPING AND REWRITE OF OUR ZONING CODE.
I ALSO DON'T SHARE THE FEELING OF SOME THAT APARTMENTS ARE DEVELOPMENT BLIGHT.
I'VE REACHED OUT AND SPOKEN WITH BUSINESS OWNERS IN THIS AREA AND THEY HAVE STATED THAT THEY HAVE YOUNGER PEOPLE THAT ARE WORKING FOR THEM THAT CAN'T FIND HOUSING.
INTEREST RATES ARE RISING AND INCREASE IN HOUSING PRICES HAS MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE TO FIND HOUSING.
ADDITIONALLY, THIS BILL ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I TAKE LIGHTLY.
I'VE HEARD FROM MANY CITIZENS AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE'S INPUT.
UH, IT IS CRUCIAL FOR HARTFORD COUNTY TO TAKE IN EVERYONE'S INPUT AND KEEP IT IN MIND WHEN I MAKE MY DECISIONS.
UH, IT WAS MY HOPE THAT THIS VOTE WOULD TAKE PLACE WHEN ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS COULD BE IN ATTENDANCE SO THAT EACH DISTRICT COULD BE REPRESENTED WITH A VOTE TONIGHT.
I LIKE APARTMENTS, BUT I ALSO DON'T THINK THIS LEGISLATION IS ANTI APARTMENT.
IT STILL GIVES PERMISSION FOR MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BUILD A A SIX STORY APARTMENT IN, UH, THE B3 DISTRICT, BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOUR PIZZA SHOP WANTS TO HAVE A FEW APARTMENTS ON TOP OF IT, THAT'S TOTALLY, UH, PERMISSIBLE.
AND I THINK FROM A A PLANNING PERSPECTIVE,
[02:40:01]
YOU KNOW, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT PLOTS OF LAND, ENVISION THE FUTURE OF WHAT'S GONNA BE THERE FOR SCHOOL BUILDING FOR, UH, PARKS AND REC DEVELOPMENT, FOR ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE FOR BUS STOPS.AND IF THIS IS A B3 ZONED AREA, YOU SHOULDN'T EXPECT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO BE OCCUPYING THAT SPACE 20 YEARS FROM NOW.
BECAUSE HOW ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO PLAN? HOW BIG TO BUILD YOUR SCHOOLS OR HOW MANY PARK OPPORTUNITIES TO OFFER OR WHERE TO PUT YOUR BUS STOP IF IT COULD BE A PIZZA HUT OR IT COULD BE 250 PEOPLE.
UM, IT'S JUST IRRESPONSIBLE PLANNING TO ALLOW THAT TYPE OF, OF ZONING CLASSIFICATION.
AND SO BY SAYING, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BUILD A APARTMENTS IN A A, A MIXED USE, UH, SETTING, I THINK THAT'S APPROPRIATE FOR THE B3 ZONING.
UM, BUT ALLOWING FOR ANY SORT OF MASS APARTMENT SETUP IS INAPPROPRIATE FOR US TO HAVE, UH, SAFE AND, AND AND QUALITY PLANNING MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S WHY I SUPPORT THIS BILL.
AND I ALSO JUST LIKE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT IN GENERAL, I THINK IT MAKES SENSE AND I THINK IT IT MAKES FOR A HIGH QUALITY, WALKABLE COMMUNITY WHEN YOU LIVE, UH, WHERE YOU SHOP.
SO THERE, THERE IS, UM, MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA COME TO HARTFORD MALL.
UM, THAT'S ALL THE TOWN OF BEL AIR.
THAT'S LOOKS LIKE THEY'RE GONNA BE RETAIL ON THE BOTTOM, APARTMENTS ON THE ON TOP.
UM, I DON'T KNOW PRICE POINT, BUT I'M SURE THEY'RE GONNA BE MARKET RATE.
THERE'S ANOTHER SET OF APARTMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN APPROVED IN BEL AIR, UM, THAT THEY'RE GONNA USE PART OF THE PARKING GARAGE.
THERE'S ALSO THEN ANOTHER SET OF APARTMENTS THAT ARE GONNA BE DOWN ON 9 24 ON PLUM TREE.
SO I, I THINK THINGS SHOULD BE IN MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT.
SO I, I JUST WANNA BRING THAT UP AS WELL.
THAT, UH, THERE IS, THERE IS QUITE A FEW AREAS.
UM, THERE'S ALSO BEEN SOME OTHER AREAS FOR PEOPLE TO HAVE APARTMENTS THAT WERE SECTION EIGHT 11, WHICH MEANT SOMEBODY HAD TO WORK, HAVE A JOB, IF THEY WERE MAKING 30 GRAND AND THE, AND THE MARKET RATE WAS 2,500 OR THREE GRAND, THEN THEY ONLY PAID 1500 AND THE OTHER WAS CREDITED BY THE STATE, BUT THEY HAD TO HAVE A JOB.
SO FOR THE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, WEREN'T MAKING A LOT OF MONEY BUT WANTED TO LIVE SOMEWHERE, THERE WAS THAT OPPORTUNITY.
AND THERE'S, THERE'S THREE APARTMENTS COMPLEXES THAT WERE, THAT WERE BUILT FOR THAT LONG BEFORE I CAME INTO OFFICE THAT WERE APPROVED.
SO JUST WANNA BRING THAT UP AS WELL.
ANYONE ELSE? MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT ABSTAIN.
SO WE HAVE THREE VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, ONE IN A NEGATIVE AND TWO ABSTENTIONS BILL 23 DASH 11 APARTMENTS.
B THREE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT FAILED BILL 23
[b. Bill 23-020 (Revise Prior Year Bond Bills) ]
DASH 20 OR ZERO 20.REVISED PRIOR YEAR BOND BILLS.
MAY I HAVE A MOTION? MR. JANNER? COUNSEL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 20.
IT'S BEEN MOVING A SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH ZERO 20 REVISED PRIOR BOND BILLS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
BILL 23 DASH ZERO 20, REVISE YOUR PRIOR BOND BILLS IS HEREBY
[ c. Bill 23-021 (Bond Authorization-CPI)]
APPROVED.BILL 23 DASH 0 21 BOND AUTHORIZATION.
C P I MAY I HAVE A MOTION COUNSEL PRESIDENT, I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 21.
LET'S MOVE A SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 21.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MRS. YE, MR. BENNETT AYE BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSENT BILL 23 DASH 0 21 IS HEREBY APPROVED.
[d. Bill 23-022 (Bond Authorization Water and Sewer)]
DASH 0 22 BOND AUTHORIZATION WATER AND SEWER.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNSEL PRESENT I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 22.
MAY A SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 22.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
[02:45:01]
AYE.MR. BENNETT, AYE, BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSENT BILL 23 0 22 IS HEREBY APPROVED.
[e. Bill 23-023 (Civil Penalties) ]
BILL 23 DASH 0 23 CIVIL PENALTIES.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNSEL PRESENT I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 23.
MS. MOVE SECONDED TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 23 CIVIL PENALTIES.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT, AYE BE SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE? ONE ABSENT BILL 23 DASH 0 23 IS HEREBY APPROVED.
[f. Bill 23-024 (Zoning Certificate) ]
BILL 23 DASH 0 24 ZONING CERTIFICATE.MAY I HAVE A MOTION COUNSEL PRESENT? I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 24.
LET'S MOVE A SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 24.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
MR. BENNETT, AYE, BEING SIX VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE ONE ABSENT BILL 23 DASH 0 24 IS HEREBY APPROVED.
[g. Bill 23-025 (Moratorium Extension)]
DASH 0 25 MORATORIUM EXTENSION AS AMENDED.MAY I HAVE A MOTION? COUNSEL PRESENT? I MOVE TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 25.
LET'S MOVE TO SECOND TO APPROVE BILL 23 DASH 0 25.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION MS. DIXON? MR. PRESIDENT? AYE.
THERE BEING FOUR VOTES IN THE AFFIRMATIVE.
TWO IN A NEGATIVE ONE ABSENT BILL 23 DASH 0 25 MORATORIUM EXTENSION AS AMENDED IS HEREBY APPROVED ENROLLMENT OF
[12. ENROLLMENT OF BILLS ]
BILLS.AGENDA NUMBER 12, BILL 23 DASH ZERO 20 REVISED PRIOR YEAR BOND BILL BILL 23 DASH 0 21 BOND AUTHORIZATION.
C P I BILL 23 DASH 0 22 BOND AUTHORIZATION, WATER AND SEWER BILL 23 DASH 0 23.
CIVIL PENALTIES BILL 23 DASH 0 24 ZONING CERTIFICATE BILL 23 DASH 0 25 MORATORIUM EXTENSION AS AMENDED ARE ALL CERTIFIED AS BEING A TEXT FINALLY PASSED.
AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 13, UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
[17. COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZEN]
COMMENTS AND INPUT FROM ATTENDING CITIZENS.DO WE HAVE ANYONE SIGNED UP? MS. DIXON? WE DO.
MR. PRESIDENT, WE HAVE ONE THIS EVENING.
SIR, GOOD EVENING TO YOU AND YOUR COUNT, YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES.
I DIDN'T KNOW I HAD SUCH POWERFUL WORDS.
WE HAVE FINISHED THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS ARE OUR STORY RECALL FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.
THIS IS A STORY OF GOVERNMENT GOVERNANCE IN HARTFORD COUNTY.
USING THE SITUATION AT THE AIRPORT AS A BASIS FOR THE MOMENT, FOCUSING MOSTLY ON THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND ZONING.
WHY HARTFORD COUNTY AIRPORT? IT OFFERS A PLATFORM THAT COMPLETELY DESCRIBES GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNANCE AND HARTFORD COUNTY.
WE HAVE INTRODUCED PEOPLE AND PLANNING AND ZONING WILL BE MAKING LAND USE AND ZONING DECISIONS FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.
WE HAVE REVIEWED THE PROCEDURES, PRACTICES, AND PROCESSES FOR THEIR FUNCTIONS AND DECISION MAKING.
THE CURIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS OF PLANNING AND ZONING ARE NOT THE WHOLE STORY.
THE VERY BEGINNING IS IN THE HO COUNTY COUNCIL'S CURIOUS LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS AND THEIR PASSIVE REACTION TO THE MISCHIEF.
THOSE ACTIONS WRECK ON HARTFORD COUNTY COMBINED.
THERE IS ESTABLISHED A CLIMATE OF INDIFFERENCE AND A CULTURE OF CONTEMPT BY THE GOVERNMENT AND GOVERNING BODY OF HARTFORD COUNTY TOWARDS RESIDENTS THEY SERVE.
THE ATTITUDE SEEMS TO BE THAT RESIDENTS
[02:50:01]
SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THOSE DECISIONS AND ACTIONS TO THAT I WOULD OFFER NO RESTAURANT IN HARTFORD COUNTY FEEDS EGOS BETTER THAN YOU SERVE YOURSELVES IN THESE CHAMBERS.LAND USE AND ZONING DECISIONS WILL AFFECT HARTFORD COUNTY LONG AFTER THE PEOPLE MAKING THEM ARE GONE.
FOR REFERENCE ALLY DISTRICT ISSUES STARTED IN 1997.
BILL 97 0 1 AND 0 6 1 AVENUE WOODS IN 2014.
BILL 14 DASH 0 0 1 HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT BILL 2013.
BILL 13 0 4 4 FMR 2013, BILL 13 0 35.
TIME MAY MOVE SLOWLY, BUT ONCE DECISIONS ARE MADE, THEY RUN TO COMPLETION.
THOSE DECISIONS ORIGINATED IN THESE CHAMBERS BY THE THEN SITTING COUNCILS.
MANY MAY BE WONDERING WHY IS ANY OF THIS IMPORTANT? QUITE SIMPLY, PERRYMAN PENINSULA, ABDON WOODS, AVAMAR TIRE PARALYSIS, HARTFORD COUNTY AIRPORT, OGDEN COURT RESIDENTS DID NOT REQUEST THOSE AGGRAVATIONS.
FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT ZONING AND LAND USE, PICK YOUR ISSUE.
UNDERSTAND THAT THE SAME COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL BE DECIDING THOSE ISSUES AS WELL.
USE THEIR DEMONSTRATED PERFORMANCE AND LAND USE AND ZONING PROJECT, HOW THEY WILL DECIDE THE TOPIC OF YOUR INTEREST.
WE'LL FINISH THIS DISCUSSION UPON YOUR RETURN.
THERE ARE NO MORE SPEAKERS, MR. PRESIDENT.
WE'LL MOVE TO BUSINESS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE SUMMER BREAK TO PREPARE FOR THE FALL AND FOCUS, UH, PRIMARILY ON CONSTITUENT SERVICES DURING THE SUMMER BREAK.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE REMEMBER THAT WE HAVE THE GREATEST, MOST PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY AND NATION IN THE WORLD BECAUSE WE LIVE IN A FREE AND CAPITALISTIC GOVERNMENT THAT ENCOURAGES BUSINESS AND PROPERTY RIGHTS.
IF THE GOVERNMENT STARTS TAKING CONTROL AND CHANGING THE RULES, IT'S NO LONGER A FREE COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHY THE BALANCE OF POWER IN GOVERNMENT IS SO VERY IMPORTANT.
WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, MR. PRESIDENT.
SO I JUST, UH, 4TH OF JULY PLANS.
UMBEL AIR DOES A BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL DOES A PANCAKE BREAKFAST STARTING AT, UH, SEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING UNTIL 11 O'CLOCK.
UH, YEARS AGO I USED TO, UH, MAKE THE PANCAKES FOR THE, UH, BEL AIR JCS.
SO IF ANYBODY, UH, WANTS TO, UH, HELP DONATE TO THE BOOSTERS, UH, COME ON OUT, UM, BE IN THE BELL AIR PARADE AS WELL.
SO LOOK FORWARD TO DOING THAT.
I HOPE EVERYBODY HAS A GREAT SUMMER BREAK.
I LOOK FORWARD TO, UM, WORKING WITH JACOB IN HIS OFFICE.
UM, ANYTHING WE CAN DO, KEEP THAT ROLLING.
I'M, I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THE, UH, IN, IN THE ONE BILL THAT DIDN'T GET APPROVED.
UM, SO, UH, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL TRY IN THE FALL AGAIN.
THIS, UH, SATURDAY DARLINGTON IS HAVING THEIR JULY 4TH PARADE.
SO ANYBODY THAT WANTS TO BE INVOLVED, ESPECIALLY HERE ON THE DAYUS, IT'S SATURDAY OR FOUR O'CLOCK.
ALSO WANT TO CONGRATULATE EAGLE SCOUT AIDING GALLOWAY FROM TRO 4 44 IN JACKSONVILLE, WHO HAPPENS TO LIVE IN, UH, HARTFORD COUNTY TO CELEBRATE HIS COURT OF HONOR CEREMONY THIS PAST SATURDAY.
I WISH HIM THE BEST AND HOPE EVERYONE HAS A SAFE AND ENJOYABLE SUMMER.
THANK YOU, MR. THANK YOU, MR. RILEY.
UM, JUST WANNA WISH EVERYONE A SAFE AND HEALTHY, HAPPY SUMMER.
I DO LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU, MR. BENNETT.
I WILL BE IN THE OFFICE DAILY SO WE CAN GET SOME THINGS ACCOMPLISHED.
I DIDN'T KNOW SO MANY PEOPLE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING ME, BUT, UH,
UH, THE PERRYMAN TOWN HALL WAS, I THINK, VERY SUCCESSFUL.
I THINK THE BIGGEST THING THAT CAME FROM THAT TOWN HALL WAS FOR ME, UH, AND MY LEGISLATIVE AID, HEATHER, TO RESEARCH WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO GET THE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEM GOING AND THEN GETTING THAT DONE IN LESS THAN A WEEK.
AND I THINK THAT SHOWS THE IMPACT ON CITIZENS SPEAKING WITH AND COMMUNICATING WITH, UM, THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
BECAUSE IF WE HADN'T HAD THAT TOWN HALL, IF I HADN'T BEEN ASKED TO SPEAK ABOUT UPDATES ON THE HEIGHT MONITORING SYSTEM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT RESEARCH.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN THAT WORK DONE, AND WE WOULD STILL NOT BE STARTING THE WORK GROUP NEEDED TO GET THAT GOING.
UM, I ALSO MET WITH, UH, THE HEAD OF OPERATIONS FOR CNS ALONG WITH, UH, THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT FOR ABERDEEN, ADAM HYAM AND JILLIAN MILLER AS REPRESENTATIVE FOR, UM, STEVEN ANDRE JOHNSON'S OFFICE IN THE STATE LEGISLATURE.
UM, AND WE TALKED ABOUT THEIR OPERATIONS.
WE TALKED ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS.
AND AN EXAMPLE, AGAIN, OF THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATIONS.
THE HEAD OF OPERATIONS AT CNS DID NOT KNOW WHAT THREE P WAS, WHICH WAS ALMOST BAFFLING TO THINK.
BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT HOW THEY PULL IN AND HOW THEY PULL OUT EACH DAY, IT'S NO WONDER THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW,
[02:55:01]
BECAUSE THEY NEVER HAD TO DRIVE PAST ANY OF THE SIGNS.THEY NEVER HAD TO INTERACT WITH ANY OF THE RESIDENTS.
UM, ALL THEY KNEW IS THE COPS WERE GETTING CALLED A LOT.
BUT BY HAVING THAT MEETING AND STARTING THAT CONVERSATION, UH, THEY LEARNED ABOUT A WHOLE SECTOR OF THEIR COMMUNITY FILLED WITH EXPERTS THAT THEY CAN NOW OPEN UP A CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION TO WORK ON THEIR OPERATIONS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S A SAFE ROAD.
UM, AND EVEN MORE SO IT'S IMPORTANT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE COMMUNITY.
UM, WENT TO FIVE, UM, JUNETEENTH CELEBRATIONS THIS PAST WEEKEND, THE NAACP FREEDOM RUN, UH, WHICH WAS THE FIRST, UH, NAACP 5K ON THE MOM POD TRAIL.
UM, WE FREEDOM WALKED IN MY HOUSEHOLD, UM, UP AND DOWN THE MOM POD TRAIL, BUT IT WAS STILL A LOT OF FUN.
UH, WE WENT TO THE Y M C A OVER IN ABINGDON ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THERE JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION, WHICH HAD A BEAUTIFUL CHOIR SINGING, UM, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN.
WE WENT TO THE HOSANNA SCHOOL AND WATCHED THE DANCERS PERFORM.
UM, AND WE WENT TO THE FESTIVAL PARK OVER IN ABERDEEN, UH, IN WHICH WE GOT TO, UM, INTERACT WITH THE COMMUNITY.
UM, UH, THERE WERE, UH, SUPPLIES BEING PASSED OUT, FREE FOOD VENDORS.
WE BOUGHT A CANDLE, UM, WHICH WAS A LOT OF FUN.
AND THEN, UM, ALSO ON, UH, MONDAY WE WENT TO THE AMERICAN LEGION AND, UH, THE COLORED SCHOOL SPOKE, UH, A FAMILY MEMBER OF ALFRED B HILTON SPOKE, AND, UH, THE HOSANNA SCHOOL PRESENTED.
AND SO THAT WAS A REALLY GREAT EVENT AS WELL.
UH, IT WAS GREAT TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH.
UM, TOMORROW I'LL BE AT THE HARFORD COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT TORCH RUN.
UM, AND THEN ALSO ON SATURDAY, I'LL BE AT THE SOMERSET MANOR COMMUNITY FUND DAY.
UM, I, UNFORTUNATELY, I'LL BE AWAY FOR THE 4TH OF JULY.
UM, I'M GOING TO A NATIONAL CONVENTION FOR TEACHERS, UM, THAT I ACTUALLY GET TO SPEAK AT, UM, BECAUSE WHETHER, UM, MY STUDENTS ALWAYS BELIEVE IT OR NOT, UH, I'M ACTUALLY GOOD AT MY DAY JOB
SO THAT'S A BIG HONOR AND I'M EXCITED FOR THAT.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, IT MEANS I'LL BE MISSING THE PARADES THIS YEAR, WHICH IS SOMETHING MY WIFE AND I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO AND WE'RE DISAPPOINTED TO MISS.
UM, BUT OTHERWISE, JUST CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK.
SEPTEMBER 5TH WILL ROLL AROUND, UM, AND WE WILL HAVE MORE WORK TO GET DONE.
UM, BUSINESS FROM THE PRESIDENT.
UH, JUST A ONE LAST QUICK REMINDER, UH, ADEQUATE PUBLIC FACILITIES ADVISORY BOARD MEETING TOMORROW EVENING, UH, AT, UH, 4:30 PM SECOND FLOOR COUNTY COUNCIL CONFERENCE ROOM.
I WANNA EXPRESS OUR CONDOLENCES.
UH, OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS, HARFORD COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS MOURNED THE LOSS OF TWO COUNTY EMPLOYEES.
UH, LINDA FAVA, SENIOR CENTER SPECIALIST WITH THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND GREG JOHNSON WITH HARFORD COUNTY D P W WATER SERVICES DIVISION.
UM, I'D ASK YOU TO KEEP THEM, UH, IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS OR FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
AND THEN, UM, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY SATURDAY MORNING WITH THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO WELCOME OUR, UH, FINAL, UH, EMS CREW AT JOB AT MAGNOLIA, AT FORT HANSEN ON HANSEN ROAD AND EDGEWOOD.
UM, THEY'RE VERY CAPABLE AND, UH, LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVE THE CITIZENS IN THAT AREA.
I ALSO HAD THE PLEASURE TO ATTEND, UH, DARLINGTON'S FIFTH GRADE FAREWELL, UH, WITH MY GRANDSON, JAKE AND JEANIE.
UH, MS. PORTER IS ABSOLUTELY A TREASURE IN DARLINGTON, ALONG WITH THE STAFF THERE.
AND I ALWAYS TELL EVERYBODY I'M, I'M REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE, UH, SAFE, UH, AND CARING AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT THEY PROVIDE, NOT ONLY THERE, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTY AND ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS.
UM, COUNCILMAN GUTHRIE AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR THE CONSTRUCTION AT HOMESTEAD WAKEFIELD, ALONG WITH COUNCILMAN JAN ANO.
AND, UM, GOT A CHANCE TO SEE FIRSTHAND, UH, WHAT'S TAKING PLACE THERE.
I WANNA THANK MR. BROWN FOR THAT.
UM, AND THEN ATTENDED THE HARFORD COUNTY GOOD SCOUT AWARD, UH, AT THE, UH, MARYLAND GULF COUNTRY CLUB FOR DR.
UM, I WANT TO, UH, WISH EVERYONE A, UH, A PLEASANT SUMMER.
UH, I KNOW THAT, UH, SOME OF THE COLLEAGUES WILL BE MAKING TRIPS FROM TIME TO TIME, BUT THEY'LL BE WORKING, UH, EVERY DAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE PERRYMAN.
LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH MR. BE AS I SAID EARLIER.
SO WITH THAT, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND ADJOURN THIS MEETING.