News

Quick Link:  Click on bullet below to view a specific news item

[click here to return to top]


 

SPARKS-GLENCOE COMMUNITY PLANNING COUNCIL

                Latest Newsletter (Fall 2009)                 

 Preserving our rural heritage

Fall 2009 Newsletter

 

 

Do large wind turbines have a future in Baltimore County?: 

A subcommittee of the Planning Board has conducted two hearings on the subject. Some residents want to erect them to save on energy costs and reduce their carbon footprint. Others are concerned that a huge wind tower might reduce the view shed of neighbors and area residents.lue of their property, create unwanted noise, shadowing, and a danger to wildlife.

New Options in Land Preservation:

 The installment Purchase Option might work well for farmers who have owned their land for several years. This program allows a farmer who doesn’t need an immediate cash payment to opt for a tax free stream of income for up to twenty years, a potential reduction in capital gains tax and, after a period of time, a lump sum payment of principal.

 

      

Bobwhites disappearing:

Maryland’s bobwhite population has plunged 90 percent in recent years. But all is not lost. By converting just two to five percent of a field to native border habit, researchers have documented a 44 percent jump in fall bobwhite numbers in the first year, and an even bigger recovery in other bird species that share the habitat.

 Remove the Catering Hall: 

The Building Engineer for Baltimore County has notified the owners of Belfast Manor, a RC2 zoned property in historic Belfast Valley, that they must take down a large catering and event facility which was erected without a permit. 

Save our Water:

 Drinking water, like oil reserves in the ground, is not an infinite resource, and as our population swells and our county and region grow more people will be vying for the same sources of water. We can all adopt a few simple habits to help preserve one of our most precious resources.

  

For fuller coverage of these issues and more, please see our full newsletter on this website.

[click here to return to top]


 

THE SPARKS-GLENCOE COMMUNITY PLANNING COUNCIL COMMENTS ON PROPOSED ADMENDMENTS TO THE BALTIMORE COUNTY ZONING REGULATIONS REGARDING CREAMERIES

The Sparks-Glencoe Community Planning Council is dedicated to protecting the rural character of northern Baltimore County. The landscape of our area is defined by the farms of every variety and by its forests, streams and other natural resources. The historical roots of farming in northern Baltimore County are deep. Much of the land that has not been developed for housing is in agricultural usage. The survival of farming in our area is vital to maintaining its rural character.

The demand for fresh, locally grown agricultural products is increasing. Farmers in northern Baltimore County need to be able to meet this demand. The proposal to allow creameries to operate in conjunction with dairy farms is a natural extension of this type of farming. Allowing consumers to be able to purchase fresh dairy products on the farm where they are produced will benefit both the farmer and the consumer.

However, there are some problems with the current proposals that need to be corrected. For instance, as defined in the current proposal, a creamery is any establishment that sells dairy products. This would include stores such as 7-11 and Wal-Mart. While we believe the intent of the proposal is to allow farmers with dairy herds to process their own milk, the proposed language needs to be tightened up.

Another concern with the proposal is that it would allow a creamery of two acres in size as of right in most RC zones. Such a large factory-type operation could change the character of a rural location, though, so it would be necessary to maintain current hearing procedures for examining the full impact of the operation and minimizing any adverse impacts. For example, since most farms do not have public water and sewer service, they would draw from well water for their processing and cleaning requirements, and would discharge any wastewater back into the environment. These types of issues should be handled by existing procedures, rather than allowing that means of protection to be bypassed.

Sparks-Glencoe supports amending the zoning regulations to allow creameries to be built on existing dairy farms in RC-2 zones, as a special exception, and to sell the products that are produced from the milk of the cows on that farm. RC-2 zoning is designed to promote agriculture, and most of the farms in northern Baltimore County are within this zone. This change would expand the potential for creamery operations beyond the manufacturing zoning classification to which creameries are currently restricted. The special exception process would allow concerns including size, scale, density, hours of operation, environmental impact, signs, setbacks, and parking areas to be considered.

It would be appropriate to include creameries in the uses permitted by special exception in the RC-2 zone. Other uses listed include:

· farm market

· horticultural nurseries

· landscape service operations

· offices for agriculture-related uses

· riding stables

· farm-machinery sales, storage or service; blacksmithing

· feed or grain mills or driers

· fertilizer sales or storage

· sawmills

· slaughterhouses or manufacture, processing or packing of fruit, vegetables, animal or meat products, or by-products

· spirits manufacture

· firewood operations

· winery, including accessory retail and wholesale distribution of wine produced on-premises

· bottled water plant, if the source of the water is located on the same site as the plant, and provided that the Director of DEPRM makes a recommendation that the proposed facility will not adversely affect the quality or capacity of surface water or groundwater.

Sparks-Glencoe objects to the proposal to allow creameries in other Rural Conservation zones. These RC zoning classifications have environmental protection goals which could be undermined by allowing creamery operations, especially when the proposal removes standing procedures for reviewing potential adverse effects. For instance, RC-50 is designed to protect critical areas around the Chesapeake Bay. RC- 4 zoning is intended to protect Watershed areas. Since the watersheds are already overwhelmed by pollution, it would be inappropriate to allow increased development opportunities of a manufacturing nature in these areas.

Sparks-Glencoe does not support the proposed changes to M.L. regulations, to complaint and appellate procedures, or to farm markets and farmer’s roadside stands.

In sum, Sparks-Glencoe supports allowing dairy farmers in RC-2 zones to expand their operations by building creameries to process the milk from their farms, as long as the hearing process has been followed. This provision will help farmers succeed in northern Baltimore County while maintaining the rural character that defines the area.

Respectfully submitted,

The Board of Directors,  Sparks-Glencoe Community Planning Council

[click here to return to top]


Growing Home Campaign - Plant a Tree in Your Yard & Save $10

 The Growing Home Campaign, the national award-winning tree planting program for homeowners, begins its fourth year this spring.  Regional expansion of the Growing Home program to include Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Harford County enables over 1.6 million residents to learn more about selecting and planting trees to beautify their properties, save money and improve the environment.

The Growing Home program is an innovative public-private partnership between Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Harford County, 50 local retail nurseries and garden centers, and homeowners to increase the tree canopy in our region by offering homeowners comprehensive education about planting trees and a cash incentive, the $10 Growing Home Tree Coupon redeemable toward the purchase of a qualifying tree with a retail value of at least $25.

Homeowners can obtain the $10 Growing Home tree coupon from the Growing Home brochure, which is widely available at county and city facilities, and the Growing Home Campaign website www.growinghome.info.  Information about the value of adding trees to one's property and within existing neighborhoods, guidance about site considerations and tree species selection, and instructions about tree planting and maintenance is also available in the brochure and at the website.

The Growing Home Campaign's goal is to plant 10,000 new trees on residential land in the Baltimore region.  Studies show that the best opportunities for increases in urban tree canopy in the area are available on private land.  Planting on residential property is crucial to successfully increasing the Urban Tree Canopy in the Baltimore region.

Educational material and coordination for the Campaign is funded in part by a Chesapeake Bay Program Small Watershed Grant. The Campaign is coordinated by Baltimore County Dept. of Environmental Protection & Resource Management. For more information about the program visit www.growinghome.info or contact Diana Cohen at 410-887-4488 Ext 287.

[click here to return to top]


Newsletters

Download our Spring 2009 Newsletter
        PDF file.  Allow time for downloading.

Download previous newsletters
    >Fall 2008 Newsletter

    >Spring 2008 Newsletter

    >Fall 2007 Newsletter

[click here to return to top]


Did You Know...
Maryland created the Smart Growth program to direct new growth away from rural areas and into more urban areas with existing infrastructure to support the growth.  A new study has found that the program did little to prevent suburban sprawl. 

MD: Study calls Md. smart growth a flop
By Lisa Rein, The Washington Post
An innovative policy to fight suburban sprawl catapulted Maryland into the national spotlight a decade ago and became then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening's principal legacy.   Read more by clicking on link: 


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/01/AR2009110102470.html




That our reservoir system was impaired? The beautiful Gunpowder Falls River system which winds it way from Prettyboy Reservoir to Loch Raven Reservoir tracking the NCR trail has phosphorous levels that are too high and must be reduced. The Maryland Department of Environment has declared the Prettyboy and Loch Raven Reservoirs are impaired by 50% and in violation of the Federal Clean Water Act.                    

When development occurs, there is more storm water runoff flowing from increased impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways, and roads.  This causes increased sedimentation in the Gunpowder and its tributaries.  The sedimentation carries phosphorus from development into the Gunpowder and ultimately into the Loch Raven Reservoir.  Phosphorus from residential development comes from three sources:       

lawn fertilizers
pet wastes
improperly maintained septic systems        

Protecting land in the watershed from additional development will reduce the growth of pollutants and help protect these vital water supplies.







 

[click here to return to top]





image