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County Council expansion? More thoughts here.

Posted on Jul 3rd, 2024 Comments (0)

Some activists are still pushing to expand the council by four members instead of two.

Since the 1970s, civic activists have clamored to expand Baltimore County’s council, which has remained at seven members since the legislative body began under a charter in 1956.

They couldn’t do it even as the county quadruped in size, to more than 840,000 residents; even as it became one of the most diverse jurisdictions in Maryland, with Black residents making up more than 30% of the population and with a growing Latino and Arab immigrant base; and even as other counties made the move to expand.

But when the council finally voted 5-1 Monday night to expand by two members, the mood in the chamber did not seem celebratory. And that’s even with the vote being bipartisan, with three Republicans and two Democrats voting in favor of the historic change, and even though Council Chair Izzy Patoka was not sure he had the votes to pass a key campaign promise until he called roll.

Activists packed a public hearing prior to the vote to ask the council to expand by four members, not two. Several returned to testify after the vote to press their case again. They called the vote disappointing and said that it would likely not change the makeup of the council, which is all-male and nearly all-white. And they objected to newly drawn political maps, posted online just hours before the hearing, that divide the county into nine districts by taking a chunk from each council district and creating two new minority-majority districts in the western part of the county.

“Sometimes, compromise is not the way to go,” said Peta Richkus, a longtime activist for council expansion. “Eleven districts is what the numbers demand.”

Dana Vickers Shelley, executive director of the ACLU of Maryland, said that her organization objected to the process by which the councilmen created the map as well as the delineation of districts.

“It undermines the very purpose of council expansion by limiting opportunities for Black [voters] and voters of color — just to have the nine districts when it is possible to do far better,” she said.

Councilman Mike Ertel, who had been trying to expand the council for a decade before he was elected, looked defeated, even in victory.

“It’s historic,” the Towson Democrat said, “but it still seems like we got mud thrown at us.”

Getting to nine:

The latest expansion push came from residents as well as Patoka and Ertel, who had championed the expansion as community activists.

Ertel was elected only after redistricting created a new district in Towson, where he’d worked as a community leader for decades. In October 2023, the council passed legislation creating the Baltimore County Council Structure Workgroup to evaluate options for how, and whether, to expand the council. Six council members voted for the legislation; only Republican Todd Crandell, who repeatedly said the council was working “fine” as it was, did not vote for it.

The group met several times and held three public hearings. They discussed not expanding at all, expanding by two, or expanding by four. The consensus recommendation was to expand by two, and the workgroup delivered that recommendation to the council in March.

For months, not much happened publicly. The council had a lot of other business, including the school overcrowding bill, the county executive’s veto of it, and Monday’s override of the veto. But the question of expansion was a change to the charter, and it would need to be put to voters — and by November in order to expand by 2026. To make that happen, the enabling legislation had to pass in July.

Shuttle Diplomacy

Even though the commission only recommended adding two new members, civic groups continued to press for four. Vote4More, which includes many Democratic activists, and the NAACP circulated petitions pushing to reduce the number of people in a district from 125,000 to 78,000. They argued this change would increase not only opportunities for Black candidates, but would open the door for those representing immigrant communities to run. These groups have reported they are close to the 10,000 signatures they need to put the question on the ballot; if they do, voters can choose to expand by two, four, or not at all.

Since a council expansion would require a charter change, Patoka needed to cobble together a supermajority of five council members, instead of the usual four, to pass it. With only Ertel committed to vote for an expansion, the Democrat sought to win the votes of the council’s three Republicans.

Adding four members, Patoka said, was a nonstarter for the Republicans, as it could put them in a 6-3 minority.

And he would not be able to get their votes without maps that outlined what the new districts would look like. While the council is largely collegial and bipartisan, Patoka said he couldn’t blame his Republican colleagues for their skepticism that Democrats would draw a map that would give Republicans a fair chance.

So, Patoka said, the only path forward was one that added two members and drew a map that balanced the districts politically, while also creating the two minority-majority districts. He worked closely with Republicans David Marks and Wade Kach as well as Ertel. Patoka talked to Pat Young, but the Catonsville Democrat said he was hearing from activists and his own representative on the workgroup that they preferred an expansion by four.

Young put in two amendments, one to expand the council by four and another to pass the legislation without the maps. Both failed.

“This whole time, it hasn’t sat right with me,” Young said of the maps, which were not the subject of public hearings.

Though he spoke eloquently about how the hallway was lined with photos of past council members who, for the most part, were white and male, and his desire to create better opportunities for his children’s generation, Young ultimately was the lone vote against the bill.

‘Cut the crap’

But just after the audience applauded Young’s eloquence and praised his leadership, Crandell brought the room back to reality.

“I am not going to try to match your voice or your leadership. I do have to say, though, that we have to cut through the crap here. This is about politics. This is about the Democratic Party doing what they do in Maryland, which is trying to grab more power on the Baltimore County Council,” he said.

Crandell said he would compromise and vote for two additional ones and the map, a change from his previous stance. Crandell would prove crucial to passage, as Young voted no and Democrat Julian Jones, the council’s sole Black member, was absent.

Rona Kobell, Baltimore Banner

In November voters will decide how Baltimore County Planning Board members are chosen

Posted on Jul 3rd, 2024 Comments (0)

The Baltimore County Council took a major step Thursday towards wresting control of the planning board from the county executive.

The council agreed to put a referendum on the November ballot for voters to decide whether to change how the board’s members are selected.

Currently the county executive gets to pick eight of the 15 members of the planning board free and clear. The council wants to change that so it confirms those appointments.

Councilman David Marks, who proposed the change, said the current planning board is aggressively pro-development.

“This is not an insignificant body and the public deserves the opportunity to review those members recommended for appointment,” Marks said.

The planning board plays a critical role in developing the county’s 10 year master plan.

“It formulates land use policies, can introduce zoning changes and is the first step in modifications to the Baltimore County water and sewer plan,” Marks said.

In an interview last month, planning board chair Nancy Hafford said the legislation caught her by surprise.

“I don’t understand the need to change it because nobody has told me there’s a problem with it,” Hafford said.

The remaining seven seats on the planning board are filled by the County Council. Currently, each of the seven council members gets an unchallenged planning board pick. That would change under the referendum. Those appointments also would be confirmed by the full County Council.

County Executive Johnny Olszewski proposed an amendment that would limit planning board members to three three-year terms. However, current board members would be grandfathered so they could potentially be reappointed three more times.

The County Council changed that to make the term limits retroactive. In other words, if the ballot measure passes, any planning board member who has already served three or more terms could not be reappointed.

Four of the 15 planning board members are serving at least a third term. Hafford is in her fifth term. Wayne McGinnis is in his eighth.

Councilman Todd Crandell said, “Term limits are a way to get fresh faces and new ideas into positions.”

John Lee, WYPR

Current Baltimore County Planning Board members

Mary (Cathy) C Wolfson

2nd Term
Jan 01, 2019 to Dec 31, 2021

Position
Council District 4

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
Julian E. Jones, Jr.

· Mark Heckman

1st Term
Jan 01, 2020 to Dec 31, 2022

Position
Council District 2

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
Izzy Patoka

· Peter N Arrey

1st Term
Apr 27, 2021 to Dec 31, 2022

Position
Council District 6

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
Cathy Bevins

· Todd Warren

3rd Term
Jan 01, 2021 to Dec 31, 2023

Position
Council District 1

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
Tom Quirk

· Steven M Heinl Esq.

1st Term
Jan 01, 2022 to Dec 31, 2024

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Howard L Perlow

4th Term
Jan 01, 2022 to Dec 31, 2024

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Wayne C McGinnis

8th Term
Jan 01, 2022 to Dec 31, 2024

Position
Council District 3

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
Wade Kach

· C. Scott Holupka

2nd Term
Jan 01, 2022 to Dec 31, 2024

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Derick C Johnson

1st Term
Jan 01, 2023 to Dec 31, 2025

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Emily Y Brophy

1st Term
Jan 01, 2023 to Dec 31, 2025

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Samuel C Haffer

1st Term
Mar 07, 2023 to Dec 31, 2025

Position
Council District 7

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
Todd K. Crandell

· Shafiyq A Hinton

2nd Term
Jan 01, 2024 to Dec 31, 2026

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Cathryn C Pinheiro

2nd Term
Jan 01, 2024 to Dec 31, 2026

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Nancy Hafford

5th Term
Jan 01, 2024 to Dec 31, 2026

Position
At-Large Member

Appointing Authority
County Executive

Appointed By
John A. Olszewski, Jr.

· Beverly F German

2nd Term
Jan 01, 2024 to Dec 31, 2026

Position
Council District 5

Appointing Authority
County Council

Appointed By
David Marks

In November voters will decide whether to increase the size of the County Council

Posted on Jul 3rd, 2024 Comments (0)

With no votes to spare, the Baltimore County Council advanced a proposed charter amendment Monday that will let voters decide whether to increase the size of the council from seven to nine members.

As a proposed amendment to the county charter, the proposal needed a supermajority of five votes to pass. Council Chairman Izzy Patoka, along with Councilmen Todd Crandell, Mike Ertel, Wade Kach and David Marks voted for the measure. Councilman Pat Young was the sole no vote, and Councilman Julian Jones, who had previously expressed reservations about the measure, was not present.

“Tonight was a historic moment,” said Patoka, who sponsored the measure. “It will create opportunity for the county council to better reflect the demographics of Baltimore County.”

The current council is all male, with six white members and one African American.

Young, a Democrat who represents southwestern Baltimore County, argued that the council should be expanded to 11 members instead of nine, saying that would increase the likelihood of getting a more diverse council.

“Over time, there is a resounding theme,” Young said. “We have been historically, with painfully few exceptions, a very white and very male council.”

But Crandell, a Republican who represents the southeastern part of the county, called Young’s proposal little more than a Democratic power grab.

“We have to cut through the crap here. This is about politics. This is about the Democratic Party doing what they do in Maryland, trying to grab more power on the Baltimore County Council,” said Crandell of the 11-member council proposal.

Ertel, whose district includes parts of Towson, Parkville, Rosedale and Middle River, said expanding the size of the council is long overdue.

“We’ve had seven council districts since 1956. Our needs are greater than ever, our infrastructure has a lot of challenges, and we believe that expanding the council would give a little breathing room in the sense of council members being able to serve their districts a little better,” Ertel said.

Meanwhile, organizers of a voter-backed drive are pushing for a separate initiative that would add four members to the council. The Vote4More campaign has until July 19 to submit at least 10,000 valid voters’ signatures to the county board of elections to get their proposal on the November ballot.

In a statement Monday, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. applauded the council’s decision “to answer our call to empower voters and allow them to make their voices heard on expanding the county council to provide a more responsive and equitable government.”

The council’s proposed charter amendment also calls for reclassifying the job of a council member from a part-time to a full-time position. The Personnel and Salary Board Commission is expected to review council salaries next year to decide whether to increase the current salary of $69,000 or keep it the same. The council will be able to approve or reduce the commission’s recommendation, but cannot increase it.

In other action, the council overrode Olszewski’s veto of a measure that would limit residential development in areas where public schools are already overcrowded. Supporters of that bill say the measure is needed to curtail huge development projects in parts of the county where schools are over-capacity.

Even though they voted to override the veto, council members also agreed to enact a companion bill that would create a committee to closely review large, development projects.

Following the vote, Olszewski issued a statement calling the measure “deeply flawed.”

“The introduction of a Band-Aid bill to address concerns that we, and countless others, have raised a curious and convoluted approach to addressing the flaws associated with the original legislation,” his statement said.

“Nonetheless, we encourage the council to use this ‘do-over’ as a renewed opportunity to engage with BCPS (Baltimore County Public Schools) leadership and housing advocates to responsibly address school overcrowding while also meeting our moral and legal obligations to expand access to attainable housing,” Olszewski’s statement said.

Baltimore County Council to take action on overdue master plan

Posted on Jan 8th, 2024 Comments (0)

The Baltimore County Council is set to begin debating the county’s master plan. It’s supposed to be a 10 year road map on how the county will develop.

But it’s already several years overdue and there are those who say the system used to plan Baltimore County’s future is broken.

To use a football analogy, what if the Ravens went into their upcoming game with the Steelers with no game plan. Or better yet, Coach John Harbaugh decided to use a plan from, say, 10 years ago?

That’s sort of what’s happening in Baltimore County as its leaders plan future development. They have an out of date master plan. And right now they are in the big game.

It’s called the CZMP, which stands for the Comprehensive Zoning Map Process.

It comes once every four years, when every piece of property in the county can be rezoned.

“There’ll be probably several hundred zoning issues that have been filed,” said Councilman Izzy Patoka. “And a zoning issue is a request to change the classification of land from one zone to another.”

But those issues were filed under the old 2020 master plan. They had to be filed by November 30.

“There is no master plan in effect,” said Nick Stewart, a co-founder of We The People-Baltimore County, a non-profit that wants predictable, transparent development in Baltimore County. “We are putting the cart before the horse by just going headlong into the CZMP without really addressing our master plan needs first.”

And that matters, according to Stewart, because all that proposed rezoning currently is not tied to a big picture plan. So development projects run the risk of being considered one by one, rather than how they fit into the overall growth in the county.

Stewart said, “We just basically missed the entire opportunity to direct this decade of growth unless we can do something about it.”

Stewart said there’s a bigger, systemic problem. Since the master plan comes up every 10 years and the CZMP every four, they rarely dovetail. Ideally, they would be connected. First pass the master plan then the CZMP quickly follows to tie all of that rezoning to the county’s big picture.

Instead, Stewart said the CZMP is politicized because it begins the year after the County Council is elected.

“That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense because there’s nothing really tied to the election cycle except for influence and politics and money that warrant us doing it this way,” Stewart said.

Council members are not allowed to take campaign donations during the CZMP.

Baltimore County Planning Director Steve Lafferty would like the CZMP to happen every 10 years, just like the master plan. He said it isn’t happening because the County Council doesn’t want it.

“The County Council would have to change the current code to allow it to happen on a different cycle and almost to the person they’ve indicated they don’t have any desire to change it,” Lafferty said.

County Council Chairman Julian Jones said the quadrennial rezoning cycle works because the council needs to deal more quickly with changes, citing the effects of the COVID pandemic as an example.

“Four years is a good time and it allows the county to be nimble and adjust to the changing circumstance quicker than someone with a longer, longer cycle,” Jones said.

Councilman David Marks, who represents the fast growing fifth district, which includes White Marsh and Perry Hall, said the CZMP is where he can make his biggest impact.

“I represent an area that’s very environmentally sensitive with a lot of growth and there’s pushback from neighborhoods about where that growth is occurring,” Marks said.

Dealing with growth in Baltimore County is especially challenging because of the URDL, the Urban-Rural Demarcation Line. It divides the county into rural and urban areas. It’s why once you get north of Cockeysville on I-83 you mostly see woods and farmland.

The urban part, basically the area around the city, gets water and sewer services and is where 90% of county residents live. It’s also expected to run out of developable land within 20 years.

“We just don’t have that much open land anymore,” Lafferty said. “That requires a different analysis of where redevelopment and other development should take place.”

That brings us back to the draft 2030 master plan.

It includes some ideas on how to grapple with the shortage of urban land, like reimagining old buildings in some communities so that they work in today’s world.

Councilman Patoka said they need the master plan in place.

“So that as we council members make good land use decisions, we’re following the master plan, there’s some basis for our land use decisions and we implement those through the CZMP,” Patoka said.

The Council has had the proposed master plan for several months without taking action, which miffed County Executive Johnny Olszewski.

“I’m deeply concerned and disappointed that this has not been taken up by the Council,” Olszewski said.

Council Chairman Jones noted that the master plan was late getting to the council from the Olszewski administration and that it will be approved before final decisions are made during the CZMP.

“We want to do due diligence,” Jones said. ‘When it comes to the master plan, I think that’s something we need to really be solely focused on and give it the time and attention that it deserves.”

The Council plans to hold hearings on the master plan this month and pass it in February. The year-long CZMP rezoning process continues through September.

So sticking with that football analogy, the county’s game plan will be in place by halftime.

John Lee/WYPR

Baltimore County to "conduct road safety audits for 17 corridors throughout the county'

Posted on Jan 8th, 2024 Comments (0)

The Baltimore County Department of Public Works today announced that Baltimore County has been awarded over $3.5 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program to enhance road safety and infrastructure and support Baltimore County’s ongoing efforts to reduce traffic-related fatalities.

"Investing in our roadways is not just about improving infrastructure, but prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of our residents and communities," said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. "We are grateful to our federal and state partners for supporting these critical planning projects and helping to ensure Baltimore County’s roads are safe for years to come."

The County will use these newly announced grant funds to conduct road safety audits for 17 corridors throughout the county. These initiatives will play a crucial role in identifying and mitigating potential road safety hazards.

"This grant is a vital resource for Baltimore County, specifically geared towards advancing our road safety initiatives through detailed audits and evaluations,” said D’Andrea Walker, Director of the Baltimore County Department of Public Works and Transportation. “It enables us to undertake in-depth studies, assessing the current state of our roads and identifying key areas for future improvements. Our goal is to lay a solid foundation for safer travel in the county through meticulous planning and analysis."

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s SS4A program supports communities across the country by helping combat the preventable crisis of road fatalities through safer roads, vehicles, and speed management. Maryland's Vision Zero initiative aligns with this effort, aiming to eliminate all traffic fatalities and severe injuries by 2030.

Baltimore County's receipt of the grant is a testament to the collaborative effort between local and state agencies, including the Maryland Department of Transportation , in advocating for these critical funds.

For more information about the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) Grant Program, please visit transportation.gov/grants/SS4A .

Izzy Patoka - Pikesville's County Councilman becomes chair of the Baltimore County Council

Posted on Jan 7th, 2024 Comments (0)

Israel “Izzy” Patoka will serve as chair of the Baltimore County Council for the 2024 calendar year, after six members voted unanimously for the Pikesville Democrat to succeed the outgoing chair, Julian Jones.

Republican Todd Crandell of Dundalk was not present and did not vote.

It is Patoka’s first time serving as chair, which lasts for one year, and is typically rotated among members of the majority party. He has served since 2018 as the representative of the 2nd District, which borders northwest Baltimore City and includes the communities of Pikesville, Owings Mills and Reisterstown.

A former community planner, Patoka said his priorities for the new year were the 2030 Master Plan, the 2024 Comprehensive Zoning Map Process, addressing legislation to improve public facilities capacity, revisiting impact fees legislation and the fiscal year 2025 budget.

Meadow Creek Park on Church Lane/Pikesville - Groundbreaking Ceremony Held

Posted on Oct 20th, 2023 Comments (0)

MEADOW CREEK PARK GROUNDBREAKING
The Department of Recreation and Parks hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on Wednesday, October 18.

Water Main Projects along Reisterstown Road - North and South of the Beltway

Posted on Oct 20th, 2023 Comments (0)

PIKESVILLE PUMPING STATION NUMBER 2, 42-INCH DISCHARGE WATER MAIN (North)

Baltimore County will begin work on a major water main project starting at the Pikesville Pumping Station located south of Interstate 695 (I-695) and east of Reisterstown Road. The new water main travels north going under I-695 to the Reservoir Circle Office Complex, then travels west along Hooks Lane and finally north along Greene Tree Road. The discharge water main is approximately 9,500 feet in length. Work includes, but is not limited to, construction of the new 42-inch and 30-inch water main, and construction of a 72-inch tunnel across I-695. The project will begin this fall and is expected to take two years to complete at a cost of $20.2 million dollars.

Information: Email engineering@baltimorecountymd.gov.

REISTERSTOWN ROAD WATER MAIN PROJECT (DESIGNATED PHASE IV) (South)

Baltimore County is scheduled to begin work on a major water main project, replacing 8,600 linear feet of four-to-24-inch ductile-iron water main in Reisterstown Road from Interstate 695 heading south to Irving Place. The project cost is $11,920,728. The working hours will be from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. Expect single-lane closures with various traffic patterns throughout the duration of the project. The work is scheduled to begin this year (work started in September 2023)

Information: Questions should be directed to the Division of Construction Contracts at 410-887-3531.

Public Safety Town Hall focuses on changes to the Juvenile Justice Reform Act

Posted on Sep 21st, 2023 Comments (0)

As Maryland lawmakers hash out whether to again change child conviction laws, the Baltimore area's top prosecutors (Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger, Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates) want constituents to tell their State House reps to discuss possible changes in juvenile crime laws.

Read the article by Baltimore Banner's Taylor Deville here.

Retail News

Posted on Sep 5th, 2023 Comments (0)

Mr. Chan's, a long time fixture in downtown Pikesville, closed at the end of 2023.

Veterinary Emergency Group (VEG) is NOW OPEN 24/7 in Woodholme Square (at the corner of Mt Wilson Lane and Reisterstown Road, across from Sol Levinson). The pet care organization focuses on emergency veterinary medicine only and acts as partner and extension of a primary veterinarian for after-hours emergency care. Patients see a doctor right away and can stay with their pet through every step of the process.

Radcliffe Jewelers is performing extensive renovations to the former Bibelot/Barnes and Noble space at Festival at Woodholme in preparation for their move across Reisterstown Road.

Greenbaum Enterprises is "now leasing" Woodholme II, advertised as a Class A, 3-Story, 56,000 SF Office Building (443 451-2600).

Chase Bank has opened at Hooks Lane and Reisterstown Road.

Pikesville Extra Space Storage, located at 1315 Greenwood Road and Old Court Road, is expanding their self storage operation to include the entire former Port City Press building. The business features a drive through climate controlled building with multi floor storage units, as well as drive up outdoor units.

Citizens Against Speeding website is now live!

Posted on Sep 4th, 2023 Comments (0)

Website

A GROWING PROBLEM IN BALTIMORE COUNTY

In recent years, Baltimore County communities have been inundated by growing levels of dangerous speeding in residential areas. County law enforcement must prioritize 911 calls and investigative work over speeding enforcement. As a result, the available County staff and tools remaining for speed enforcement are drastically insufficient and have failed to prevent harm and negative impacts to our communities, not just to our public safety but our quality of life and to our property values.

Speed Safety Cameras
Surprisingly, Baltimore County lacks approval for basic residential automated speed enforcement which is a simple and effective tool to catch speeders. Speed Safety Cameras are being used successfully throughout Maryland's largest counties and been shown to be highly effective at reducing speeding. Cameras eliminate the “Gotcha” scenario since fines are only issued when vehicle speeds exceed 12 m.p.h. over posted limits. Lastly, they are promoted as an invaluable enforcement tool by the U.S. Dept. of Transportation Safe Systems program, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and other leading organizations.

Authorization for Speed Safety Cameras in Baltimore County comes from the STATE
By law, no community in Baltimore County can consider having Speed Safety Cameras until our State Delegates and Senators pass a Bill to Authorize the county to use them.