Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Public Hearings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Public Hearings. Show all posts

Monday, June 29, 2009

Pathways plan causing confusion for residents, officials By Charles Schelle


Pathways plan causing confusion for residents, officials

Related:

Culleton on Carroll: We need industrial land & insurance it’ll stay that way http://www.explorecarroll.com/ http://tinyurl.com/ksx7p6 http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2009/06/culleton-we-need-industrial-land-in.html [20090625 Culleton We need ind land that will stay that way]

And especially read:
Carroll ‘unprepared’ to attract new jobs by Kelsey Volkmann, The Examiner
http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2007/03/carroll-unprepared-to-attract-new-jobs.html Mar 2, 2007 [20070302 Carroll unprepared to attract new jobs kvbe]

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Pathways plan causing confusion for residents, officials By Charles Schelle Posted on www.explorecarroll.com 6/23/09

Carroll County’s comprehensive master plan draft, called Pathways, is causing some confusion for both residents and elected officials.

The biggest issues about the plan include lack of explanations about the proposed rezoning of some residential land, especially in Taylorsville, to an employment campus classification as well as land rezoned south of I-70 in Mount Airy for industrial and commercial use.

[…]

The two rezoning changes catching fire are both turning about 1,700 acres of residential land in Taylorsville’s routes 26 and 27 intersection to employment campus land and another being land south of I-70 in Mount Airy at the headwaters of the Patapsco River.

[…]

Krebs (Del. Susan Krebs (R-9B) of Eldersburg) said …

“There were planners to came to the Mount Airy and Eldersburg libraries a month ago and were suppose to answer questions,” she said. “The planners at the Eldersburg Library were not from the area; they had no idea to the questions they were asked. And you stood in line to ask a question about the map, they did not give you the proposal and you had to look it up online first.”

Krebs said it’s time for the county to step back and answer the unresolved questions correctly.

Read the June 28 edition of The Carroll Eagle for more on how land was selected to be rezoned and what your property rights are for the proposed rezoning and land use designations in Pathways.

Pathways resources

View information and studies about Pathways at
www.carrollpathways.org.

Residents with questions about Pathways can call the Pathways hotline at 877-349-8309 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Residents can also visit the Pathways Assistance Center at Room 205 in the County Office Building, 225 N. Center St., Westminster from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Staff will be available to provide assistance and answer any questions related to the draft Pathways Plan document, the proposed zoning text, and the proposed zoning maps.


Read Charles Schelle’s entire article here: Pathways plan causing confusion for residents, officials

20090623 Pathways plan causing confusion

http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/3057/pathways-plan-causing-confusion-residents-officials/#comments

And be sure to read the comments… One example:

user songbird says...

I am resident of Carroll who happens to think that the Pathways plan is an excellent way forward for the county. I was not sure at first about it because of all the noise being made by some people - but I attended the meetings and listened to all the negative stuff. But apart from just saying that they did not like the plan - there was little substance in what was said beyond anger and noise. I did not speak and neither did others who agree with the plan because it did not seem to be the place to do so. The shouting and ruckus at the Century High meeting really put me off. I was not going to stand up and be shouted down - because that is all that would have happened. They did not seem to be in the mood to listen to an alternative view. But I made a point of reading the entire plan - I am not sure how many of those who disagree have actually read it all because they do not seem to understand that there is ample consideration of conservation in it. In fact, if the plan is followed we will have more conservation land in Carroll than we did before - granted it will not be in the same areas. I live in one of the contested areas and have no problem with the idea of a business park. It is a far better alternative than having residences and business springing up in every corner of the county in a hap hazard way without any planning.

Posted 2:42 PM, 06.25.09
Permalink

Thursday, June 15, 2006

20060615 KDDC Commissioners to put Code Home Rule on Ballot

Commissioners to put Code Home Rule on Ballot

This just in earlier from the Westminster Eagle and Eldersburg Eagle:

EAGLE ALERT: Code Home Rule initiative put into motion

Thursday, June 15, 2006 5:21 PM

By Jim Joyner

The Board of County Commissioners on Thursday took the first step toward placing Code Home Rule on the November ballot as a voter referendum.

By consensus, the commissioners announced their "intent" to place Code Home Rule before voters - essentially kicking off a process that requires at least two public hearings, then a formal vote by the Board before Aug. 21 in order to place it on the Nov. 7 election ballot.

Code Home Rule is a change of the county's form of government that would expand on the county's ability to enact certain types of legislation without approval by the General Assembly. The General Assembly would still hold the authority over issues including new taxes, but County government would obtain bonding authority, the ability to enact impact fees and could even change the number of commissioners and establish a district form of government - without General Assembly approval.

"We'd still be obligated to go to the general Assembly for certain things," noted Commissioner President Julia Gouge.

County Attorney Kim Millender said Code Home Rule includes many of the provisions of charter government, but without the need to establish a formal charter, which usually sets up an executive and legislative branch.

Commissioner Perry Jones noted that the board has received many phone calls and letters about making Code Home Rule a voter referendum, and said, "I was skeptical at first ... (but) I'm for this (placing it on the ballot)."

By law, the commissioners must record their "intent" to place Code Home Rule on the ballot, then must hold at least two public hearings, giving 30 days notice. After that, the board must vote to formally place Code Home Rule on the ballot - all this must be done prior to Aug. 21 in order to be done this year.

But the commissioners also said they hope to go farther, and have a series of informational meetings over the summer - either before, along with or after the public hearings. Millender said the University of Maryland Intergovernmental Service Department has expressed a willingness to help run information meetings to help residents grasp the differences in the government forms.

Millender said staff will work out a tentative schedule and return to the commissioners next week for review.

Gouge expressed some concern that the time frame may be too quick to make voters comfortable with the Code Home Rule proposal, and said the public hearing will, she hoped, let residents tell the board if it's too short a period to educate the public. "Is that really enough time? That's what we need to hear."

Commissioner Dean Minnich backed the effort, but said the hearings and informational meetings will be crucial. "Everybody will know what we're doing, when we're doing it, and why."

E-mail Jim Joyner at jjoyner@patuxent.com.