GHCCA Meeting, July 14, 2009
Richard Falk, President
Steven Kratzer, Secretary
Parking Issue at Lures Restaurant
Currently, a portion of the property (which is owned by the Lamb family LLC) is being used, illegally, for parking. A sign on the property says the owner is applying for a special exception to expand the non-conforming use of the property to include this illegal parking area, thereby turning it into a legal parking area. However, a letter from the owner goes beyond that, saying they want the whole property rezoned Light Commercial, so it would no longer be a non-conforming use. We discussed the issue and agreed informally that GHCCA will write a letter in support of expanding the non-conforming use to include the illegal parking area.
In a related issue, someone suggested that there should be a NO PARKING sign along the road in front of this property, because the present situation – with cars parked along the road shoulder – is dangerous for bike riders.
BGE Tree Trimming
Richard Falk and Brenda Reiber met with the BGE Forester and a government representative to discuss tree trimming plans. They will do a drive-through to survey the area. Richard wants them to come to our October meeting to discuss the issue. The actual trimming will start in late fall and take about five months. The public has no control over trimming within a BGE right of way, but outside those rights of way, GHCCA and the land owners do have a voice.
Second Genesis Substance Abuse Treatment Center
MD General Assembly Del. James King has set up a follow-on meeting with States Attorney Frank Weathersbee to discuss ways to improve security at the center.
50/50 Challenge Brenda Reiber, of the County Executive’s office, talked about the county’s 50/50 Challenge, by which residents are encouraged to use recycling bins for at least half of all material they discard. This is important in order to extend the life of our landfill. The Generals Highway corridor is up to 42% recycling, which is better than most other parts of the county.
Hot tub business
There is an electrical contractor at 1823 Generals Highway, next to Carriage Hills, that has a sign advertising spas and hot tubs for sale. According to Brenda Reiber, this land is R1 zoned, with a non-conforming commercial use, and the county is researching to see whether the hot tub business is allowed under that use.
County Surplus Property
The county is willing to sell a 10.9 acre parcel next to Rolling Knolls, but Matthew Weller, a potential buyer, wants to get the property re-appraised. He is concerned that he would have to spend a lot of money to make the property suitable for his produce business.
General Development Plan
A private company was commissioned to perform a fiscal analysis of the GDP. This study shows the fallacy of the county’s claim that, in general, development “pays for itself.”
Chesapeake Bay restoration
There will be a Chesapeake Bay Town Hall meeting on August 11 at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, at which representatives from business, academia, conservation, clergy and other sectors will meet with EPA staff to discuss specific steps that must be taken to restore the Bay’s health.
Zoning Appeal Signs Don Yeskey pointed out that there are several “zoning appeal” signs that someone should look at, including one near Crownsville Nursery and one at a nursing home near Veterans Highway.