FRIENDS OF HARFORD Regular people, working hard for regular people… Protecting your Quality of Life
MASTER PLAN LAND USE ELEMENT PLAN Comprehensive Rezoning Zoning Code
FEW REALIZE THE REALITY ZONING CODE MASTER PLAN ZONING MAP = COMPREHENSIVE REZONING A DEVELOPMENT DEVELOPMENT AS SEEN BY THE PUBLIC Community Input Meeting (CIM) Development Advisory Committee (DAC) Meeting Build – Break Ground
Here is how people think development happens… DEVELOPMENT AS SEEN BY THE PUBLIC Community Input Meeting (CIM) Development Advisory Committee (DAC) Meeting Build – Break Ground > BULLDOZER, it’s over.
Here is what really happens… Development reality: Master Plan Zoning Code Comprehensive Rezoning THEN! • Developer has a plan • Developer goes to P&Z and they discuss how best to do the plan to satisfy the law and the Zoning Code and maximize profit at the same time. • Developer starts P&Z checklist • When both the Developer and the P&Z are satisfied with the plan , then… the public is informed of the eventuality. CIM > DAC > Bulldozers Who, in the process, is concerned about QOL…?
FOH FRIENDS OF HARFORD 2012 Land Use Map Harford County, MD This is our County This is our Plan It is our QOL…
FRIENDS OF HARFORD • How can we work together to fix the process for your Quality of Life? (What can we do to improve the process?) • Your local Quality of Life issue may be settled but lets fix things for the future • Why? • To protect the Quality of Life for community – children, families, farmers, and businesses • Establish limits on traffic, lighting, noise, dust, fumes, that can be measured to ensure Quality of Life • Before things get out of control and there is no turning back … Remember it is your Quality of Life
FRIENDS OF HARFORD How can we make a difference? Involve “Community Planning Councils” and engage and communicate with • Department of Planning and Zoning. Become a voice for your QOL. Update “Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance” in the Zoning Code to restrict • development that causes unacceptable increases in traffic – your QOL. Establish Legislation to limit high traffic projects, understand the impacts, • and give communities and neighborhoods a voice and a vote in the process. Return the legal right to question DPZ interpretation of Zoning Code. Hold • employees working for citizens accountable. End expansion of “nonconforming” uses ! • Revise the Zoning Code to match intensity and density levels in the Master • Plan. Require transcripts of CIM’s to become part of the documentation associated • with a development – make public. Become involved in the process that shapes your community and your QOL. It • is not hard and now is the time not tomorrow – it will be too late.
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Case Study: WAL-MART What was proposed? • 185,706 Square Foot Super-Center @ intersection of MD 924 and Plumtree Road • Total property at this location is 33.6 acres consisting of five building lots with Wal-Mart built on 18.94 of those acres • Entire property is zoned B3-General Business District which allows a wide range of retail, service, and business uses.
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Case Study: WAL-MART What were the concerns and problems? • Residential area, traffic congestion, safety, nearby schools, security, environmental issues and general detrimental effect on the welfare and quality of life of the nearby residents • Another Wal-Mart is unnecessary? Existing store at Constant Friendship and new large Wal-Mart Super Center store on Belair Road near Fallston, both within 5 miles of proposed site
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Case Study: WAL-MART What was done by County Council and citizens? • Community overflowed the auditorium at Community Input Meeting at Patterson Mill High School on 07-19-2012 to express concerns • Citizens spoke at County Council legislative meetings urging council members to become more involved • County Executive met with Wal-Mart representatives to try and convince them the site location was wrong • County Council wrote letter to Wal-Mart offering help to expand their current Constant Friendship location •Continued…
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Case Study: WAL-MART What was done by County Council and citizens? • State Highway Administration denied site access to MD 24 and 924 •Citizens formed groups such as “No Bel Air Wal - Mart” staging periodic protests • Citizens met with Wal-Mart representatives to demonstrate how Constant Friendship expansion was possible. • Citizens attended the Development Advisory Committee Meeting on 10-17- 2012 to voice concerns but if Wal-Mart was following the process and meeting Harford County and State Highway requirements there was little the public could do. • To date no formal approval has been granted to Wal-Mart
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Case Study: WAL-MART What changes would reduce future problems? • Public needs to get involved whenever land is re-zoned . In this case, the land was re-zoned to high density B-3 business in 2009 during comprehensive re-zoning. • Comprehensive traffic study required when developments are being proposed in close proximity to each other. • County Council and Planning & Zoning need to develop design standards for retail establishments in excess of 75,000 square feet and have these establishments come under Special Developments or Special Exceptions in the Zoning Code. •Continued…
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Case Study: WAL-MART What changes would reduce future problems? • Adequate Public Facilities need to address traffic problems. • Citizens need to become informed about what zoning means and the Zoning Code. • Public must speak up at Comprehensive Zoning hearings, piecemeal zoning hearings and at Special Development and Special Exception hearings •Comprehensive Zoning is the public’s most important opportunity to influence what can happen on properties. • Once zoning is granted the public has little ability to change anything.
FRIENDS OF HARFORD Thank you for attending Regular people, working hard for regular people… Protecting your Quality of Life
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