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 Westminster Council Mtgs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Westminster Council Mtgs. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 12, 2019

Feb. 11, 2019 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council


Feb. 11, 2019 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council

Feb. 11, 2019

What a difference a month makes. A month ago there was standing room only at the Jan. 14, 2019 meeting of the Westminster mayor and Common Council. Monday, in the middle of the snow storm, there were less than 10 folks in the audience and the meeting lasted 15 minutes. I am not quite sure if that is a record or not – but if it is not a record, it is close to it.


Agenda for the CITY OF WESTMINSTER Mayor and Common Council Meeting Monday, February 11, 2019 at 7 pm

Council Chambers of City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, Westminster, MD

The weather was bad. It had snowed and rained freezing rain for the last 24-hours. Most of staff did not attend the meeting – as per the request of Ms. Matthews.

1.   CALL TO ORDER The meeting began at 7 p.m.

2.   APPROVAL OF MINUTES

A)  Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 14, 2019

B)  Mayor and Common Council Meeting of January 28, 2019

Approved.

3.   CONSENT CALENDAR

A)  Approval – Standardized Public Works Agreements and other Development-related Documents – Mr.
Mackey

Approved

4.   REPORT FROM THE MAYOR

No report.

5.   REPORTS FROM STANDING COMMITTEES

A)  Arts Council – No report.

B)  Economic & Community Development Committee

Ben Yingling had Ms. Matthews deliver a report on the city’s water re-use initiative.

C)  Finance Committee – No report.

D)  Personnel Committee – No report.

E)  Public Safety Committee – No report.

F)  Public Works Committee – No report.

6.   COUNCIL COMMENTS AND DISCUSSION – none.

7.   ORDINANCES & RESOLUTIONS

Adoption - Resolution No. 19-05 of the Mayor and Common Council of Westminster, amending the adopted Water and Wastewater Allocation Policy for 2018-2024 – Mr. Mackey

The resolution was adopted.

8.   UNFINISHED BUSINESS9. NEW BUSINESS

A)  Approval - Annexation Agreement A-1121 for Parcels 1 and 5 of the EOB and DASY properties – Mr. Mackey

Brooks Leahy attended the meeting with Mark and Dave Bollinger.

10. DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS

The only report was Westminster Fire Company President Jamie Petry’s report for the fire department.

11. CITIZEN COMMENTS


13. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 7:15.
*****

Sunday, June 19, 2011

Westminster Maryland current elected officials

This afternoon, Sunday, June 19, 2011, I was looking for a picture and a bio for the current Westminster Maryland elected officials and the city does not have the newly elected officials up on its website...


One wonders when a picture, contact information and a brief bio for the successful "challengers Dennis Frazier and Paul Whitson (who) bested incumbents Suzanne Albert and Greg Pecoraro," will appear on the city website?  

Readers and voters have said that they would like to see more information, in a timely manner, disseminated to city residents.   The previous administration, 2005 - 2009 and the last two years of this administration, 2009 - 2011, has treated the press and the public like mushrooms.  It could have not been more opaque if it put up blackout curtains.  More information in a timely manner on the website would be a great start...   I'm just saying...


 Elected Officials

The Mayor and City Council regularly meet on the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 PM in the Council chamber on the first floor of City Hall at 1838 Emerald Hill Lane. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. Citizens' comments are solicited at each meeting. Meeting agendas may be obtained on the Friday preceding each scheduled meeting from the City Clerk at 410-848-9000. The City Clerk also can provide additional information. Meeting minutes are also available here.

Mayor Kevin R. Utz is a lifelong resident of Westminster, having grown up on Bond Street just outside of the City Limits, where his parents have lived for 55 years. Mayor Utz resides in the Avondale Run community, where he raised his three children, Brad, Jenni and Julie. He is very active in business in Westminster and is a Captain and former Chief of the Westminster Fire Engine as well as an EMS responder. He served on the City Council from 2005-2009, having retired from the Maryland State Police after 28 years of service.

Mayor Utz is an accomplished community leader with excellent consensus building skills, leading disparate groups in accomplishing common goals. The Mayor will dedicate his term to working tirelessly to improve the infrastructure, water resources, and public safety. The Mayor plans on having an open-door policy for dialogue with his constituents.
Mayor Kevin Utz


City Council President Damian L. Halstad served on the Common Council from 1993 to 2005 and returned to a fourth term in 2009. He lives with his wife, Leigh, and their three sons on Willis Street. Mr. Halstad is a partner in the Westminster law firm of Hoffman, Comfort, Offutt & Scott, LLP, where he has practiced for nineteen years. He holds degrees from Loyola College (B.A.), Johns Hopkins University (M.A.), and the University of Maryland School of Law (J.D.). He has served on a number of Boards and Commissions, and was a founding member of the Greater Westminster Development Corporation. His term expires in May, 2013.Damian Halstad


Council Member Suzanne P. Albert Albert joined the Common Council in 1995 and holds the position of President Pro Tempore of the Council. Mrs. Albert is a healthcare professional with an extensive background in nursing and related fields, having graduated from Women's Hospital Nursing School (now GBMC), University of Baltimore and holds a masters degree from Western Maryland College. Mrs. Albert is active in the community as Past Board President of Carroll County Rape Crisis Intervention Services, St. John's Roman Catholic Church Parish Council, Greater Westminster Kiwanis Club and Vice Chair of Westminster Women’s Club. Retired after 32 years of State employment, Mrs. Albert remains active in several service organizations in addition to fulfilling her duties as Council Member. Her term expires in May, 2011.Suzanne Albert


Council Member Tony Chiavacci lives on Willis Street in Westminster with his wife Kelly and their five children. He owns a local business, Kojak Graphic Communications, in downtown Westminster. He is a graduate of Westminster High School and of Frostburg State with a BA in Business Administration. Upon graduation from college he was commissioned into the US Army Military Police Corp. and was honorably discharged after the first Gulf War. He is currently the Chairman of the City's Public Safety Commission, Vice Chair of the City's Public works committee, and serves on the City's Recreation and Parks Board. He is additionally on the board of the Carroll County Public Schools Education Foundation, President of the Westminster Area Recreation Council, and coaches a number of athletic teams including lacrosse, football and basketball. His term expires in 2013.Tony Chiavacci


Council Member L. Gregory Pecoraro served on the Common Council from 1994 to 2003 and was re-elected to the Council in 2007, after his appointment in 2005 to fill the vacancy created by the election of Thomas Ferguson as Mayor. He has specialized in the field of transportation, working both in the public and private sectors. As a member of the Council, he brings with him an extensive background in public service, having served as an Assistant Secretary in the Maryland Department of Transportation; Chief of Staff to the Baltimore County Executive, and as an assistant to U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes and Maryland State Treasurer Lucille Maurer. Currently employed as an executive with a national non-profit association, Greg lives in the Cliveden Reach neighborhood with his wife and daughter. His term expires in May, 2011.Gregory Pecoraro


Council Member Dr. Robert WackCouncil Member Dr. Robert Wack was appointed to a vacant seat on the Council in January 2003, and was elected to a four year term in May 2003. He was reelected to a second term in May 2008. He currently serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee, represents Westminster on the Cable Regulatory Commission, and co-chairs the Growth and Annexation Committee. He also chaired the Mayor's Technology Task force in 2006. Dr. Wack is the Director of Pediatric Services at Frederick Memorial Hospital, and like his colleagues on the Council, is extremely active in the community. He lives with his wife and 3 children on West Green St. His term expires in May, 2011.Robert Wack

May 10, 2011
Explore Carroll: Challengers Frazier and Whitson prevail in Westminster election. Citizens of the City of Westminster sent a message in Monday's Westminster municipal elections, which saw two incumbents fall short in ...









*****






May 09, 2011
http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5418/challengers-frazier-whitson-prevail-westminster-election/. *****. Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art:...

May 10, 2011
Explore Carroll: Challengers Frazier and Whitson prevail in Westminster election. Citizens of the City of Westminster sent a message in Monday's Westminster municipal elections, which saw two incumbents fall short in ...

Mar 18, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign lit. Campaign literature from Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor acquired sometime around the middle of March 2009. More on the election: Westminster Elections 20090511 on ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign literature received April 8 2009. WHAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW The week BEFORE the public hearing on water and sewer rate structures, a representative from Tylex ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor literature - received April 8, 2009. DID YOU HEAR? Dennis Frazier is running for Mayor of Westminster! I believe I should try to make Westminster the best place it can be to live,...





Labels:

Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Westminster councilman Dennis Frazier city update


This past meeting was packed-the voting date and time for city elections was changed-second Tuesday in May from 7-8 this now puts us on the same date as 4 other municipalities in the county.

We approved a new commutation system VOIP that will work faster and better than the current one and cost thousands less.

We are moving forward with changing the city's health care provider, one that offers the same coverage as the current but at a little more than $40,000 less per year than who we have now.

We extended a Bio-solids contract for on year than will save the city over $40.00 a ton on disposing of the solids for the next year, we will have to enter into a new contract next year but we are hoping that pricing will be more favorable at that time.

We are going to talk about taking the parking meters off of main street and replacing with signs that say -parking limited to one hour between the hours of 8am and 5 pm Monday -Friday- we are also going to talk about giving each downtown business owner on free permit for parking.

My thinking is if you go to any other shopping center in Westminster you do not have to pay to park -and the owners don't have to pay.   What do you think?




May 09, 2011
http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5418/challengers-frazier-whitson-prevail-westminster-election/. *****. Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art:...

May 10, 2011
Explore Carroll: Challengers Frazier and Whitson prevail in Westminster election. Citizens of the City of Westminster sent a message in Monday's Westminster municipal elections, which saw two incumbents fall short in ...

Mar 18, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign lit. Campaign literature from Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor acquired sometime around the middle of March 2009. More on the election: Westminster Elections 20090511 on ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign literature received April 8 2009. WHAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW The week BEFORE the public hearing on water and sewer rate structures, a representative from Tylex ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor literature - received April 8, 2009. DID YOU HEAR? Dennis Frazier is running for Mayor of Westminster! I believe I should try to make Westminster the best place it can be to live,...



*****

Friday, May 27, 2011

Dennis Frazier commentary on the May 23, 2011 Westminster Common Council Meeting

Dennis Frazier commentary on the May 23, 2011 Westminster Common Council Meeting - May 24, 2011

The council passed some housekeeping measures - the property maintenance bill now has the height of grass as 6" the height that the city will send a notice to homeowners about cutting –the height was left off the original document.

Changing the limit to $10,000 as the amount the city can buy necessary items as needed by departments without requiring a formal written and competively bid contract-it was $7,500.

I introduced two new items:

1-change the time and date of the city elections-change the date to the 2nd Tuesday in May and the time to 7am-8pm--right now three other municipalities in Carroll have their elections on that Tuesday and if we moved ours to that date then we would be in line with most of the other towns- the time change would give voters an extra hour to vote

2-create a new tax break structure for smaller business-who have12 new employees 2500 sf of new or expanded space and pay the average county wage for a tax break from the city of 25% the first two years 20% years 3-4 and 15% years 5-6-with the same penalties as the Job Creation tax credit that we talked about last meeting--both items are being drafted for a future meeting ---tell me what you think …

Thanks for your time Dennis Frazier



May 09, 2011
http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5418/challengers-frazier-whitson-prevail-westminster-election/. *****. Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art:...

May 10, 2011
Explore Carroll: Challengers Frazier and Whitson prevail in Westminster election. Citizens of the City of Westminster sent a message in Monday's Westminster municipal elections, which saw two incumbents fall short in ...

Mar 18, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign lit. Campaign literature from Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor acquired sometime around the middle of March 2009. More on the election: Westminster Elections 20090511 on ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign literature received April 8 2009. WHAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW The week BEFORE the public hearing on water and sewer rate structures, a representative from Tylex ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor literature - received April 8, 2009. DID YOU HEAR? Dennis Frazier is running for Mayor of Westminster! I believe I should try to make Westminster the best place it can be to live,...



*****

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Dennis Frazier commentary on Westminster Common Council meetings

Dennis Frazier commentary on Westminster Common Council meetings

May 18, 2011

This is the first e-mail that I am sending to try and keep you informed on what it happening at city hall. I will try to send one after each council meeting. Please let me know what you think about what is going on.

This bill was introduced-Job Creation Tax Credit-This will allow the city to give a tax break to business in the city if they meet the following criteria:

5,000 square feet of new or expanded space,

25 new full time employees, and

Paid 125% of weekly county average wage.

If a new or existing company meets these criteria then the city will give them -52% off taxes for the first 2 years, 39% off years 3 and 4, 26% off years 5 and 6.

If the company fails to meet the criteria after they have received the tax break the company will pay back the last 3 years worth of tax money.

I think this is a good idea to try and get new business to come to the city.

What do you think?

Thanks for your time Dennis Frazier

May 09, 2011
http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/5418/challengers-frazier-whitson-prevail-westminster-election/. *****. Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art:...

May 10, 2011
Explore Carroll: Challengers Frazier and Whitson prevail in Westminster election. Citizens of the City of Westminster sent a message in Monday's Westminster municipal elections, which saw two incumbents fall short in ...

Mar 18, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign lit. Campaign literature from Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor acquired sometime around the middle of March 2009. More on the election: Westminster Elections 20090511 on ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor campaign literature received April 8 2009. WHAT THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO KNOW The week BEFORE the public hearing on water and sewer rate structures, a representative from Tylex ...

Apr 09, 2009
Dennis Frazier for Westminster mayor literature - received April 8, 2009. DID YOU HEAR? Dennis Frazier is running for Mayor of Westminster! I believe I should try to make Westminster the best place it can be to live,...


Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Westminster officials adopt controversial zoning changes

Westminster officials adopt controversial zoning changes

By Kevin Dayhoff 12:00 noon, Tuesday, November 23, 2010

At the meeting of the Westminster Common Council Monday night, Westminster officials finalized the adoption of a controversial sectional map amendment zoning change for the Willis Street and Belle Grove Square neighborhoods.

By a three-to-zero vote, councilmembers approved provisions for a Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone for the R-7,500 and R-10,000 residential zones contained in the two older Westminster neighborhoods.

Councilmember Suzanne Albert, herself a Willis Street resident, abstained from voting noting that the initiative has polarized the otherwise close-knit neighborhood and cited a desire for the residents of the neighborhood to have more opportunity to become familiar with the proposed zoning changes

In a September 30 memo, city administrator Marge Wolf explained that the purpose of the zoning changes contained in Ordinance 818 was to “minimize the impact of commercial development on the adjacent properties and preserve the historic character of the exiting structures and lots in certain historic single-family neighborhoods…”

The two neighborhoods involved in the adopted zoning changes are steeped in history and tradition in Westminster.

The origins of Belle Grove Square date back to approximately June 1875 when George and Maria Matthews developed an annexed portion of farmland and woods known as “Matthews’ Addition.”  The housing development contained “thirty lots bounded by West Green, Bond, Matthews (now Park Place) and Park Streets,” according to research for the Historical Society of Carroll County by Jay Graybeal.

The Matthews named the neighborhood and city park area “Belle Grove Square after their daughter Belle Matthews.

The Willis Street neighborhood was developed from the farm of Colonel John K. Longwell, who also built what is now known as Westminster City Hall, in 1842. 

Longwell died in 1896 and the farm was left to his daughter, Sallie, who developed a portion of the farm into a housing development.  “A plat of this area surveyed in 1907, referred to it as ‘Longwell's Addition to Westminster,’” according to a newspaper article by J. Leland Jordan on Friday, August 7th, 1942 entitled “Westminster’s City Hall,” and an article by Dorothy Elderdice a couple of years later, around 1945, entitled “History of Carroll.  John Longwell: A Founding Father”.

It is not known if any commercial uses are currently being proposed for either neighborhood.  Over the years both neighborhoods have remained relatively unchanged without specific zoning protections.  Historically, some small shops and businesses have existed on Willis Street.  However, they went away many years ago.

Although, before zoning law was placed in the Westminster City Code on November 5, 1979, a significant number of the homes in both neighborhoods have been adapted into multi-domicile dwellings as the larger homes were converted into apartments.  Almost half of all the residences on Willis Street are multi-family units.

The Belle Grove Square community has worked with the city since at least 2008 to have zoning protections put in place to prevent further changes from taking place in the neighborhood.

However, the initiative to place zoning restrictions on the Willis Street area appears to have been spurred after Pat Martin - the owner of the Weller property at the corner of Willis and Center Streets, 170 Willis St. - had a neighborhood garden party on September 11. 

It was at that time in which plans were unveiled to transform the large stately home into a multi-domicile assisted living residential facility by 2012.

On September 27 the Westminster mayor and common council met in “executive session” in a closed meeting after the regular council meeting.  Days later, on September 30 the mayor and Common Council filed to amend Chapter 164 of the Westminster City Code and introduce the neighborhood historic preservation initiative.

The proposed Section 164-45.25 states, “The Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone (NP Zone) is intended to provide for the preservation of the historic character and physical setting of the city’s traditional neighborhoods by promoting residential uses and directing more intense uses to other suitable locations.”

Moreover, under the “Inclusion of Additional Neighborhoods” section, 164-45.32, of the proposed changes, “The city will partner with its Historic District Commission … to identify additional traditional residential neighborhoods for potential inclusion in the Neighborhood Preservation Zone as an integral component of an overall preservation plan for Westminster.

“This important work not only helps to implement the city’s comprehensive plan by focusing attention on the perseveration and improvement of the city’s traditional residential neighborhoods, but also by initiating a dialog among city government and its residents about the look, feel and character of Westminster.”

Meanwhile, under the zoning law for the Martin-Weller property at the time of the September 11 garden party, Martin would have had to present plans for the property to the Westminster Board of Zoning Appeals under Section 164-35 and 36 of the Westminster City Code.

The new zoning law removes Martin’s option to adaptively re-use the property for a multi-family residential assisted-living.

Martin had purchased the greatly deteriorated Weller property around 2000 and saved it from demolition.  For the past decade he has historically restored the property to its former glory. 

Although it would have been a lot cheaper, laughed Martin nervously - - demolishing the property and replacing it with a new structure not in keeping with the character of the neighborhood was never an option for him, said Martin in an earlier interview. 

It was an oblique reference to a modern semi-detached multi-family structure built in recent memory down the street in among several longstanding apartment buildings that are not in keeping with the other stately large homes on the balance of the street – several of which have not changed on the outside but have been converted into apartments.

The proposed initiative caught many Willis Street residents by surprise in spite of the fact that three of the five members of the Common Council live in the affected neighborhood. 

As many as 30 residents spoke at a November 8 public hearing held by the mayor and council.  Many spoke in favor of the zoning protections and many expressed a desire to prevent the assisted-living project and offered anecdotal suggestions that lawyers and doctors have, in the past, wanted to purchase properties in the neighborhood for offices.

On November 8, other residents from Willis Street expressed concerns about the proposed zoning changes and most of the residents who spoke expressed dismay at how quickly city officials were moving forward with the initiative and wanted more time to acquaint themselves with the potential impact on their properties. 

It was noted by many of the residents at the public hearing that they had received no notification of the impending changes and wanted more information before the city moved forward.

Requests to city officials for additional documents concerning the proposed zoning changes were unanswered by deadline on 12:00 noon on Tuesday when this was filed.

After the public hearing, Ordinance 818 sponsored by councilmembers Councilmember Dr. Robert Wack and Greg Pecoraro was introduced by the council members at the November 8 meeting and the council decided not to keep the public hearing record open for further public comment.

Some residents noted that they did not learn of the proposed changes until after the Westminster Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing on October 14 on the zoning legislation and a public notification that had been placed in the local newspaper of record was called to their attention. 

Other residents remarked that they only became aware of the initiative until neighbors in the relatively close-knit area of town called it to their attention days before the November 8 public hearing.

As a result of the testimony at the public hearing, city officials called an information meeting the following Monday, on November 15, and furthermore actively discussed separating the Willis Street portion of the proposed zoning changes out of the legislation. 

It was noted at last night’s meeting that “40 to 45 people attended the one-hour to one-and-a-half hour meeting” on November 15 and that it was a “healthy discussion… cordial … civil” and that the city got good feedback from the residents.

Last Monday night, Wack asked Beyard, “has anyone asked for more information” since the informational question and answer meeting.

Beyard responded that he has continued to get questions every day…

At the council meeting Monday night, Beyard reported that at the request of the mayor and council, four alternatives were being offered to the council for consideration. 

Option 1 included both neighborhoods and expanded the area being proposed for the overlay zone.  As discussed after the November 8 public hearing by councilmembers; option 2 of Ordinance 818 contained language that would allow Belle Grove Square to move forward with the heightened zoning protections but separated Willis Street from the initiative for further study.

Option 3 involved the introduction of Ordinance 823 for a do-over of the process that many residents had considered flawed by the lack of the city “initiating a dialog among city government and its residents about the look, feel and character of” the neighborhood as called for in the 2009 Comprehensive Plan.

And finally option 4 – do nothing.

Wack then noted that the proposed zoning changes for Willis Street had become a “divisive emotional issue” and that residents have continued to ask the council to wait.

The problem is, “at the end of the day, we need to make some sort of a decision,” said Wack, who further cited that the opinions of the neighborhood fell into several groups.  There are those who oppose it, a small group in the middle, and a group in favor.

It was noted that at the public hearing, the neighborhood was somewhat evenly divided between folks against the proposed protections and those against it. 

However, by last Monday night’s council meeting, most of the neighborhood was for the changes, according to Wack.

One group does not understand the proposed changes and wants the council to wait.  Some are opposed to any restrictions on their property and some who feel that the existing procedures will protect the neighborhood, said Wack.

But “once the process of commercialization starts, it’s hard to stop,” said Wack, indicating the immediacy of the need for the council to act now and not wait.

It is not known if Martin was preparing to file an application for the assisted-living facility with the zoning appeals board in the near future – or not.

“I’m prepared to move forward…  I think we have done a pretty good job of involving the community,” said Wack in response to residents who have complained that the city has left too many residents in the dark.

Wack said that he was not hearing of any additional movement on the part of the group that opposed or those who agreed at this point in the deliberations.

He observed that many of those who were initially opposed or in the middle, supported the zoning changes after they learned more about the additional protections.

Councilmembers Tony Chiavacci and Greg Pecoraro and council president, Damian Halstad agreed with Wack’s assessment.

Albert reiterated her concerns that the proposed legislation has had a “polarizing effect” on the Willis Street neighbors heretofore known for its cohesiveness.

Chiavacci joined Wack in noting that in all their conversations with Westminster residents outside of the Willis Street neighborhood, everyone wanted historic zoning protection for Willis Street

He noted “the divisiveness that has been in Willis Street” since the proposed changes came to light.  However, “I couldn’t find a single person that did not want to protect Willis Street,” Chiavacci said.

“I went into this thinking it was going to be an easy decision.  That was not the case,” lamented Chiavacci.

“It wasn’t an easy decision.”

During the citizen comment portion of the council meeting, former councilmember Rebekah Orenstein, a longstanding advocate for historic preservation in Westminster praised the councilmembers for making the difficult decision to protect the two Westminster neighborhoods with the preservation overlay.  “I know how difficult it is” to make such decisions.

####

For more information, please see: Proposed Westminster Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone worksheet, November 8, 2010 by Kevin Dayhoff http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/11/proposed-westminster-neighborhood.html






*****

Monday, November 22, 2010

Westminster Common Council meeting agenda for November 22, 2010

AGENDA for the CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND Mayor and Common Council Meeting of November 22, 2010






At this point, e-mail requests and phone calls for the following information pertaining to this evening’s meeting have gone unanswered:

I hope you can help me with a couple of housekeeping and file maintenance items for a possible newspaper article for Explore Carroll or my website…

Is the “amended version one of Ordinance No. 818 Sectional Zoning Map Amendment No. SMA 10-1 and Accompanying Written Decision – “Belle Grove Square Neighborhood and Willis Street Neighborhood” available on the city’s website?  If not, may I have a copy of it?

May I have a copy of the transcript of the November 8, 2010 public hearing on SMA 10-1?

Are the minutes from the October 14, 2010 Planning and Zoning meeting posted on the website?  I do not seem to be able to find any of the PZ minutes for 2010 posted?  (http://www.westgov.com/citygov/citygov_pandz_minutes.html)  May I have a copy of the October 14, 2010 PZ meeting minutes?

May I have a copy of the letter notifying the Willis Street residents about the November 8, 2010 public hearing for the proposed zoning changes?

May I have a copy of the letter notifying the Willis Street residents of the Monday, November 15, 2010 community meeting?

Thanks a lot for your time.

For more information, please see:









Also see:



The Westminster city staff report and recommendation for the proposed Zoning Text Amendment and Sectional Map Amendment…

Ordinance 816 – Zoning Text Amend 10-3 to amend Westminster City Code Chap 164 (http://www.scribd.com/doc/41609339/Ordinance-816-%E2%80%93-Zoning-Text-Amend-10-3-to-amend-Westminster-City-Code-Chap-164) would amend the text of Chapter 164 of the Westminster City Code by adding a new article VIVD to create a “Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone.”

The proposed 164-45.31 proscribes, “An application for zonal classification in the Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone may be made only by a Sectional Map Amendment.”

A Sectional Map Amendment for the inclusion of the Belle Grove Square and Willis Street neighborhoods was filed simultaneously by the mayor and council on September 30, 2010.  (See [20100930 SMA10-1-Belle Grove Square and Willis Street Neighborhood.] City of Westminster Sectional Zoning Map Amendment – SMA#10-1)

Section 164-45.25 introduces, “The Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone (NP Zone) is intended to provide for the preservation of the historic character and physical setting of the city’s traditional neighborhoods by promoting residential uses and directing more intense uses to other suitable locations.

“The Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone is a mapped zone which is superimposed over properties included in the R-7,500 residential zone and R-10,000 residential in certain traditional residential neighborhoods.  Once properties are included in the Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone, any development or use of such properties are subject to its provisions.”

A public hearing notice document was placed on the city’s website, dated September 30, 2010 that indicated that the Westminster mayor and common council would hold a public hearing on November 8 on Zoning Text Amendment No. ZTA 10-3 which was subsequently introduced at the October 11 common council meeting as Ordinance 816.  The Ordinance is sponsored by councilmembers Greg Pecoraro and Dr. Robert Wack.

20100930 Ord 816 ZTA10-3-NhborhoodPresOverlayZone

See also:

















zoning, historic, preservation, Westminster, Maryland, Carroll County, planning and zoning commission, Willis Street, hearing, Ordinance, Chapter 164

Chap 164 Art 6 28 R10000 pdf sdosm  Westminster City Code Chap 164 ARTICLE VI R-10,000 Residential Zone (§ 164-28 — § 164-33)  http://www.scribd.com/doc/41615744/j-Chap-164-Art-6-28-R10000  This document delineates how Chap 164 with respect to how the zoning code for R-10,000 of the Westminster City Code reads…






(l) A public hearing notice was placed on the city’s website, on or about October 12, that indicated that the Westminster mayor and council will receive the public’s input on Zoning Text Amendment No. ZTA 10-3 and Sectional Zoning Map Amendment No. SMA 10-1 on November 8, 2010.



Also related:

“Possible zoning changes to shape downtown area”  Tuesday, October 26, 2010  By Brett Lake, Advocate Staff Writer
The effort to upgrade Westminster’s downtown area continues to push forward and changes may soon be coming downtown after a series of zoning amendments were approved by the Westminster Planning Commission…  http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/advocate_of_westminster/news/article_108bc134-e10b-11df-ad2e-001cc4c002e0.html 

WESTMINSTER: Arts, preservation zoning process moving forward”  Tuesday, November 9, 2010 By Peter Panepinto, Times Staff Writer
The Westminster Common Council approved two text amendments Monday night for the Arts and Culture Overlay Zone and the Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone.
More than 30 Westminster-area residents attended Monday night's meeting at city hall to oppose or support the proposed text amendments. The city's next step is to adopt zoning map amendments for each text amendment that was passed. The zoning map amendments were introduced Monday night… http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_8c0edeba-ebc2-11df-b4be-001cc4c002e0.html

“Zoning places assisted-living facility in limbo” Saturday, November 13, 2010  By Peter Panepinto, Times Staff Writer http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_41af73fc-eed8-11df-9f06-001cc4c002e0.html
Pat Martin intended to open an assisted-living home at 170 Willis St. in 2012, but his plan has been halted because of a zoning map amendment that would prevent any businesses from opening in the Westminster neighborhood.
"This would totally kill my plans for opening the facility," said Martin, a local remodeling contractor.
Martin purchased the old Weller property in 2000 with plans to restore it. He got the idea to open an assisted-living home from a friend who works in the health field in 2005.
But the Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone, introduced in October, is designed to preserve the historical and residential aspects of the Willis Street and Bell Grove Square neighborhoods. The Westminster Common Council approved an amendment at the last council meeting that moved the map amendment forward. More than 30 residents attended the meeting, and most said they weren't given notice on the overlay zone or how it would impact the neighborhood…  http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_41af73fc-eed8-11df-9f06-001cc4c002e0.html  If you go: What: Informational meeting on Neighborhood Preservation Overlay Zone When: 7 p.m. Monday Where: Westminster City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, Westminster  http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_41af73fc-eed8-11df-9f06-001cc4c002e0.html

Further context:

Carroll County Times: Westminster MD’s Disregard for open government: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/07/carroll-county-times-westminster-mds.html

20080611 Carroll County Times editorial: No agenda is sign of poor government: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2008/06/20080611-carroll-county-times-editorial.html




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