tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71528163526175492952024-02-06T22:45:06.011-05:00The Cohen BulletinNews and Opinion from Anne Arundel County Councilman Josh CohenJosh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-45379373489536752662010-01-01T22:41:00.023-05:002010-01-02T10:38:44.643-05:00Transitions, transparency and journalism<div>Dear friends and followers:<br /><br />This is likely my final post for the Cohen Bulletin. As I wrote in the previous post, I have transitioned to a new blog, <a href="http://www.mayorcohen.com/">mayorcohen.com</a>, which will replace this one.<br /><br />For the time being at least, I will leave the Cohen Bulletin up online. It's funny -- when I first started this blog, some of my colleagues cautioned me against it. Their concern was that once I expressed a point of view on the blog, it would remain in cyberspace in perpetuity and could come back to haunt me if I ever changed my position. Heaven forbid I would have to explain myself.<br /><br />It is hard to believe, but three years ago when I started this blog it was so newsworthy that <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2007/03/blog-makes-news.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital</span> gave it front page coverage</a>. Today, even on a slow news day, a politician's blog would barely rate a two-sentence mention in a news digest. Blogs are now old hat. Even more recent forms of social media that were unknown three years ago are no longer newsworthy because they are so widespread. (I read somewhere that the word whose usage increased the most last year was "unfriend," courtesy of Facebook.)<br /><br />On balance, I believe that this global shift towards more user-generated communication is good. It is enhancing the transparency of our government by making it easier for citizens to actively participate, and by making it easier for policy makers to communicate their views.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Transparency</span><br /><br />Transparency is good because it makes it easier for the public to access information about the often confusing political process. As my friend <a href="http://www.juddlegum.com/blog/2009/12/mizeur-let-the-sun-shine-in/">Judd Legum writes</a>, Delegate Heather Mizeur is offering a proposal to make the General Assembly more transparent by posting floor votes, committee votes and committee schedules online. This is the type of transparency that we need more of. Citizens have a right to know -- simply and easily -- how their representatives are representing them. Citizens have a right to know when committee meetings are being scheduled and how to offer input into the process.<br /><br />The internet, with its living room sofa-access to the Halls of Congress, is an ideal vehicle for making our government more accessible to citizens. However, while transparency is good, we shouldn't confuse it for results. Transparency is about the process, not the product. The more we make raw data available, the more information people will have, but raw data alone can lead to more confusion rather than less. As President Obama's Special Counsel for Ethics and Government Reform <a href="http://bit.ly/3jiuxu">Neil Eisen writes</a>, </div><blockquote>[an] unprecedented level of transparency can sometimes be confusing rather than providing clear information. </blockquote>It is easy to take a piece of information out of context, whether intentionally or not. Unfortunately, this is especially true in the world of politics. As we become more transparent, politicos will have more raw data to use to paint misleading pictures of their opposition. Does that mean we should not strive for more transparency? No. But it does mean that we need to go deeper.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Context</span><br /><div> </div><br />Americans love to view politics in terms of good guys and bad guys, but politics is not that simple. Politics is about balancing legitimate, competing values. It can be hard to figure out the right solutions, let alone figure out which politicians hold the "right" values. <div> </div><br /><div>Because the political process with its maze of pundits, advocates and special interests can be hard to follow, the supposed product of it -- the vote -- has a simplistic, litmus-test kind of appeal. Yea or Nea. You're either with me or against me. Regardless of what politicians say, they reveal their true colors when they cast their votes, right? Not always.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Yes, votes are important, but rarely are they the whole story. Making politics work requires compromise, and compromise can be nuanced and messy. The trade-offs and negotiations required to govern well are rarely as clear cut as the "yeas" and "neas" on a vote.<br /><br />An old adage says to never do anything that you wouldn't want to read about on the front page of the newspaper. Knowing this, and knowing how easy it is to place information out of context, elected officials are hyper-attuned to how their votes could be perceived. All it takes is a couple of misconstrued votes to damage an opponent's campaign. As a result, politicians often weigh how a vote might be used against them rather than voting solely on their judgment of what's in the public interest. </div><div> </div><br /><div>All of this is to say that while more transparency is good, we should be mindful that the real goal here is not simply awareness but understanding. All the information in the world won't do much good if it doesn't lead to better understanding, and presumably to better results.<br /></div><div> </div><br /><div><span style="font-weight: bold;">Journalism<br /><br /></span>For this reason, I believe there will always be a need and a market for quality journalism. Despite the turmoil in the newspaper industry right now, it will survive because the story is what really matters.<br /><br />Transparency shines the light on more pieces of information. It reveals more of the dots in a connect-the-dots picture. But the true picture only reveals itself when the dots are connected in the right way. This is the real value of journalism. Good journalists put information into context and provide a narrative to make it understandable.</div><div> </div><br />So, with that said, I will nonetheless continue to be a strong advocate for more transparency in government. I will start now by providing you with self-promoting links to my <a href="http://mayorcohen.com/">blog</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Josh-Cohen/76132037074">Facebook page</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/cohenjosh">Twitter feed</a>.<br /><br />Thank you again for your support and feedback during these past three years. Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010!<br /><div> </div><br />JoshJosh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-89867849785328499352009-12-06T14:39:00.003-05:002010-01-01T23:25:45.079-05:00Thank youTo the citizens of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_0">Anne Arundel County's Sixth Councilmanic District</span>:<br /><br />Thank you for the privilege of representing you on the <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_1">Anne Arundel County Council</span> for these past three years. I have always felt that public service was a noble calling and a worthwhile use of one's time. Serving as a council member has offered me a unique opportunity to help people, and I am grateful for your trust and confidence in electing me.<br /><br />Today is my last day as your County Councilman. Tomorrow I begin a new challenge when I am sworn in as <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_2">Mayor of Annapolis</span>. Before I step down let me share with you some thoughts about community involvement.<br /><br />Community involvement is the alpha and omega of getting things done. That's the long and short of it. If you as a private citizen care about an issue, the best way to advance your viewpoint is to personally get involved. Regardless of the issue -- school funding, development, taxes, public safety — citizen involvement makes a difference. I witness it every day.<br /><br />Even unsuccessful efforts can make a difference. The <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/search/label/environment">year-long effort to enact a stormwater utility fund</a>, though it fell short by one vote, significantly raised public awareness of the problem and moved the political center closer towards solving it. I am confident that it is only a matter of time until a future council makes it happen.<br /><br />Politics is like water -- they both tend to follow the path of least resistance. The best way to shift the outcome of a political debate is to insert yourself in it. Get involved.<br /><br />One of the joys of my job has been getting to know and work with so many of you who care about our community and take the time to get involved. I hope you will stay in touch and will continue to call on me if I can be of help. You will be able to reach me after tomorrow at <a ymailto="mailto:mayor@annapolis.gov" href="mailto:mayor@annapolis.gov"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_3">mayor@annapolis.gov</span></a> or <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_4">410-263-7997</span>. If you want to receive email notices of goings-on at City Hall, visit the MyAnnapolis webpage at <a href="http://annapolis.gov/myannapolis.asp?page=2819" target="_blank"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_5">http://annapolis.gov/myannapolis.asp?page=2819</span></a> where you can subscribe to different e-news lists. I also have started a new blog, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.mayorcohen.com/"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_6">www.MayorCohen.com</span></a>, where I will be posting news and updates.<br /><br />As mandated by County Code, my successor will be selected by a majority vote of the remaining County Council members. Several individuals have applied, and several civic groups are sponsoring a candidates' forum <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_7">this Wednesday</span>, December 9th from 7 to 9 p.m. at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_8">Annapolis Middle School</span>. This forum will be a good -- perhaps the only -- opportunity for you to hear them in person before they are interviewed by the Council on Dec. 17th. Equally important, it will be an opportunity for the candidates to hear you.<br /><br />I and the members of the next city council will be sworn-in tomorrow <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1262406005_9">(Monday) at 2 p.m</span>. at Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. The event is free of charge and open to the public.<br /><br />I owe a large debt of gratitude to my Legislative Aide Gail Smith. There is no one more dedicated, professional and committed to her community than Gail. It has been a privilege to work alongside her and I am thrilled that she will be coming with me to City Hall.<br /><br />Thank you again for the privilege of serving on the County Council. My best wishes for a peaceful and happy holiday season.<br /><br />JoshJosh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-10078829386149543062009-07-01T08:35:00.005-04:002009-07-01T13:57:19.527-04:00FY 2010 Budget highlights<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tHm-P0qnxL-6S8dFsSEv0fozbDIYWdY_54KpiDb-h2ovv6akhV-Aruyq8pYBQtzke2XNc1nV_I7oudPbsjsoGP2yDmZ6zVDLiIUeptSysJV1QBaSfgNwnJDYjDRs9vtYPq9k87vAdaFC/s1600-h/DOLLAR.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 67px; height: 64px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tHm-P0qnxL-6S8dFsSEv0fozbDIYWdY_54KpiDb-h2ovv6akhV-Aruyq8pYBQtzke2XNc1nV_I7oudPbsjsoGP2yDmZ6zVDLiIUeptSysJV1QBaSfgNwnJDYjDRs9vtYPq9k87vAdaFC/s200/DOLLAR.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353347006171532418" border="0" /></a>Today is the first day of the County's Fiscal Year 2010 spending plan which runs from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010. I want to share some highlights of how we are managing your tax dollars.<br /><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">Unusually tough times</span></p><p>"Austerity" is the word that best describes the FY 2010 budget. The downturn in our economy is affecting county revenues and requires significant spending cuts. This year's $1.18 billion budget is smaller than last year's by more than $30 million. On average, each department's budget is almost 9 percent leaner than last year. The notable exception is the Board of Education whose funding is a little more than 1 percent higher.<br /></p><p>These exceptionally challenging times required Anne Arundel County to take unprecedented steps. We eliminated almost all "pay-go" operating funding of long-term capital projects, thereby increasing our long term debt service to pay for these projects. We zeroed out our planned $15 million contribution that was intended to reduce our future liability for retiree health care. We renegotiated union contracts to eliminate more than half of the previously agreed COLA and merit increases. And, for the first time in memory, we dipped into our FY09 "rainy day fund" to the tune of $16.5 million.<br /></p><p>Despite these and other reductions, I believe we successfully prioritized spending to maintain essential services while minimizing the impact on the end user. The same thing I wrote about the budget process two years ago holds true again this year: <span style="font-style: italic;">Overall, the budget process was collaborative and it worked well. Although many worthy items were not funded, we did the best we could to balance different objectives with the money available.</span></p> <p><b>Taxes</b><br /></p> <p>The FY 2010 budget reduces the property tax rate from 88.8 cents down to 87.6 cents per $100 of assessed value. (The budget reduces the county portion of the tax rate for City of Annapolis residents from 53 cents down to 52.3 cents.) The reduction is required by the county’s property tax revenue cap, which requires the county to reduce the tax rate when rising assessments outpace the rate of inflation. With this tax rate cut, Anne Arundel County continues to have the lowest property tax rate ($0.876) and income tax rate (2.56%) of any of Maryland’s “big seven” largest jurisdictions.<br /></p> <p>Despite our economic hard times, the Standard & Poors bond rating agency maintained our coveted Triple-A bond rating. This valuable designation will save taxpayers money by letting the county borrow money at more favorable rates to pay for long-term capital improvements. This rating is due in large part to the county’s history of prudent fiscal management and solid, diverse tax base.<br /></p> <p><b>What’s in the budget</b></p><p>The budget contained almost no new initiatives. A few items of note include the following.</p><ul><li>In a huge victory for Annapolis families, the budget funds the full implementation of the <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/12/arts-magnet-program-at-bates-update.html">Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Magnet program at Bates Middle School</a> this Fall. The County Executive's proposed budget failed to include the $800,000 needed for the Arts Magnet, but the County Council found the money from savings elsewhere in the budget. As I've written before, the PVA is a critical part of the plan to strengthen schools in the Annapolis cluster.<br /></li><li>Despite having to reduce Monday morning hours at some branches, I am pleased that the Library system found a way to <a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/gov/2009/06/24-23/form_engagements.html">stay open on Sunday afternoons</a> at the West Street branch and two other regional branches during the school year.</li><li>The budget includes $15 million to improve Bay water quality by funding enhanced nutrient removal of nitrogen and phosphorus at the Edgewood Road Wastewater Treatment Plant. This project is 75% funded by the State's "flush tax" -- our state tax dollars at work.</li><li>The capital budget includes full funding to construct a <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2009/06/germantown-elementary-update-moving.html">new and expanded Germantown Elementary School</a>. The new school will open in time for the 2011-2012 school year.<br /></li><li>Fortunately, the budget does not include closure of Annapolis Elementary School which was recommended by the County Auditor. The school is one of the last remaining community institutions downtown and is vital to keeping downtown family-friendly.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Revenue and expense summary</span><br /><br />Property taxes are the single largest source of revenue for Anne Arundel County, accounting for 46 percent of all revenues. Income taxes are the second largest at 30 percent. All other revenue sources such as recordation and transfer taxes, permit fees and sales taxes account for less than a quarter of county revenues.<br /><br />Education is the single largest expense for the county. Fifty percent of the $1.18 billion budget goes to the Board of Education. The next largest category is public safety: police, fire and corrections account for 20 percent. The remaining 30 percent of the budget covers all other services from public works to recreation, from the libraries to social services.<br /><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Resources</span></p><ul><li>County Executive Leopold's proposed <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/Budget/FY2010.cfm">FY10 budget documents</a> (final documents will be posted online shortly)</li><li>Board of Education <a href="http://www.aacps.org/html/press/budget/budget_10.asp">FY10 budget documents</a><a href="http://www.aacps.org/html/press/budget/08budget/FY08BudgetinBrief.pdf"></a></li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-14543022710948747832009-06-23T23:45:00.001-04:002009-06-23T23:50:55.226-04:00Germantown Elementary Update - Moving Forward<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfj_8SMNphMqPlnHPgAgvUtsfP57GeyIYx5VrTVkPrW3cfGzzdNLoznPkPRRMF2eXbbMbg3C1-8wxfdE5Lo-cVqgLo75OckO3S82yqwDA-TqxrNSnZJgYfBZ1M-bPAlzDJC6BFe3ZItvU1/s1600-h/DSC_0065.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfj_8SMNphMqPlnHPgAgvUtsfP57GeyIYx5VrTVkPrW3cfGzzdNLoznPkPRRMF2eXbbMbg3C1-8wxfdE5Lo-cVqgLo75OckO3S82yqwDA-TqxrNSnZJgYfBZ1M-bPAlzDJC6BFe3ZItvU1/s400/DSC_0065.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5350736562925898082" border="0" /></a><br />Plans for the new Germantown Elementary School are moving forward. Recently I participated in a meeting with House Speaker Mike Busch, Principal Walter Reap and several other stakeholders to revisit the agreement for use of the athletic fields behind Germantown. This athletic complex is a perfect example of how projects in Annapolis often involve multiple levels of government. The construction, use and maintenance of these fields are a joint effort among the City of Annapolis, Anne Arundel County, AACPS and the State of Maryland. Fortunately, this example is a positive one of how these levels of government can work together successfully.<br /><br />Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) has retained an architectural firm for the Germantown Project. The firm has produced a <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/Germantown_New_Site_Plan.pdf">new site plan for the fields</a> and <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/GermantownFloorPlans.pdf">floor plan for the new school</a> (the current site plan is <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/Germantown_Existing_Site.pdf">HERE</a>). AAPCS will construct a completely new school at the west end of the athletic complex. The school will be designed with all the modern bells and whistles including an <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/Germantown_Enlarged_Gym.pdf">expanded gym</a>, and will become a real gem of the Annapolis school system.<br /><br />Vehicles will access the school from Windell Avenue, not Cedar Park Road. To improve safety, there will be separate entrances for school buses and for personal vehicles.<br /><br />Many people ask me about whether the Poplar Trail will still connect through to Windell Avenue. The answer is yes, the trail will be relocated adjacent to the new bus access road, and in fact that segment will gain a couple of more feet in width.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Timeline</span><br /><br />The Germantown project is the first of <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/10/annapolis-school-construction-update.html">three related projects</a> for Annapolis area schools that need to happen in sequence. Construction for the new Germantown school is anticipated to begin Spring 2010. The new school is expected to open in August 2011 in time for the start of the 2011-2012 school year.<br /><br />The second project is to relocate the Phoenix Center. This project is contingent upon receiving local and state approval and funding. If this project is approved and funded, once the new Germantown is built, AACPS will renovate the old (current) Germantown. This building will become the new, larger home for the Phoenix Center which is presently at the other corner of the athletic complex.<br /><br />The third project is to renovate Annapolis Elementary School. Again, pending approval and funding, once the Phoenix Center students move into the old Germantown building, the administrative staff at the Board of Education (Green Street) building downtown next to Annapolis Elementary will move to occupy the old (current) Phoenix Center. AACPS will then relocate the students at Annapolis Elementary in order to complete a massive renovation and upgrade to the school. The project will combine the current Annapolis Elementary building with the administration building to result in a new school with expanded capacity and upgraded facilities that meet current building codes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">For more information</span><br /><br />Mary Patz, an architect in AACPS' Design Department, is the primary contact person for the Germantown project. She can be reached at 443-770-5966 or by email at <a href="mailto:mpatz@aacps.org">mpatz [at] aacps.org</a>.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-21696575694196730702009-05-19T22:54:00.002-04:002009-05-19T22:58:11.084-04:00Annapolis Schools Funding UpdateThis afternoon the County Council took up amendments to the Fiscal Year 2010 budget. I am thrilled to report that the County Council unanimously delivered a huge victory for Annapolis schools.<br /><br />1. <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2009/05/bates-arts-magnet-funding-cut.html">Bates Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) Magnet Program</a><br /><br />The County Council restored $800,000 to fully implement the Arts Magnet at Bates this Fall. The County Executive's proposed budget had eliminated this funding which the Board of Education had proposed.<br /><br />2. <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/10/annapolis-school-construction-update.html">Germantown Elementary and Annapolis Elementary Construction Projects</a><br /><br />The County Council took no action on the County Auditor's recommendation to close Annapolis Elementary and combine its students into a new mega-elementary school complex at Germantown. Both County Executive Leopold and the Board of Education strongly supported keeping the two schools separate. The County Council's support for the Board of Ed's recommendation effectively assures that the new Germantown project will continue as planned with construction of the new school starting next year. Annapolis Elementary will also remain as a stand-alone revitalization project with design slated for FY 2012 and construction to begin in FY 2013.<br /><br />I have no doubt that these budget votes would have been different without the tremendous outpouring of support from the community. I thank the parents and students who came out for impromptu rallies, waited long hours to testify at public hearings, and otherwise made their voices heard. The community's voice does make a difference.<br /><br />The final vote on the amended budget is next week so it's not over yet, but the heavy lifting took place today. I am grateful for the bipartisan support of my colleagues on the County Council during this very difficult budget season. I am also grateful for the personal involvement of House Speaker Mike Busch and the Annapolis City Council, especially Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson and Alderman Fred Paone, all of whom went the extra mile to convey the importance of these votes to Annapolis families.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-12275935227473964192009-05-08T01:32:00.004-04:002009-05-08T01:59:37.182-04:00Bates Arts Magnet funding cutAs reported in <a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2009/05/07-67/School-board-calls-budget-cuts-untenable.html">today's Capital</a>, the County Executive's proposed budget fails to fund the Visual and Performing <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/12/arts-magnet-program-at-bates-update.html">Arts Magnet Program</a> at Bates Middle School this Fall.<br /><br />This budget cut is disappointing to say the least. The Annapolis feeder system has more middle-school students attending private school than any feeder system in the county. Signature programs such as the Middle Years Programme at Annapolis Middle School and the Arts Magnet at Bates are key to the long term viability of city public schools.<br /><br /> The County Council needs to restore the Arts Magnet funding, and community support will be key to making it happen.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tough fiscal times<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Fiscally, the County is hard-pressed to fund any enhancements for FY2010. It is a challenge simply to maintain our existing level of services. From that viewpoint, any increase such as the Arts Magnet sticks out as an easy target to cut.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Enrollment decisions already made<br /><br /></span>Although the full implementation of the Arts Magnet will be an enhancement over the current budget, it is one that the schools have committed to in writing. Parents have passed the point of no return in making school decisions for their children next Fall. After receiving the Arts Magnet acceptance letters, parents withdrew their children's slots at other schools. <br /><br />How heartbreaking this will be for these students who applied for admission and received the acceptance letter, only to have it pulled away. If this action stands it will severely erode families' confidence and trust in their school system.<br /><br />It would be understandable to defer a funding enhancement that was never committed to. But, at this late date it is unacceptable to cancel the implementation of the Arts Magnet after scores of parents have already made irreversible enrollment decisions for this Fall. <br /><br />Needless to say, I am committed to restoring this funding. I am cautiously optimistic that a majority of my colleagues will support the effort, but it is a very difficult year fiscally. Community support will be the key to making it happen.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To testify<br /><br /></span>The County Council is holding two public hearings on the budget next week. They both start at 7 p.m. as follows:<br /><br /> <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1241760671_0">- Monday, May 11</span> at <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1241760671_1">Old Mill High School</span><br /> <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 0%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1241760671_2">- Wednesday, May 13</span> at the Arundel Center in Annapolis<br /><br />Individuals are given two minutes to speak. The best testimonial is simply from the heart. Parents whose children have already been accepted into the magnet should bring their acceptance letter with them.<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-48214807078638909632009-02-18T23:04:00.002-05:002009-02-18T23:17:34.604-05:00Annapolis schools updateToday the Board of Education finalized its FY 2010 budget request and reaffirmed its significant commitment to the Annapolis-area school system. Despite the difficult budget climate, the Board approved all three <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/10/annapolis-school-construction-update.html">Annapolis school construction projects</a>: Germantown Elementary, Annapolis Elementary, and the Phoenix Center. It also approved the new funding needed to fully implement the <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008/12/arts-magnet-program-at-bates-update.html">Visual and Performing Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School</a> this Fall -- one of the very few funding enhancements in the FY 2010 budget.<br /><br />These projects have passed a critical juncture in the budget process with today's vote. Now the budget process moves on to the County Executive followed by the County Council. The final outcome is by no means assured, but our success so far is a testament to the power of grassroots community support. Thank you to all of you who have made your voices heard. Let's keep it going as we aim for final budget approval in May.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-12487181621659331782009-01-09T08:05:00.001-05:002009-01-09T12:14:56.916-05:00The best laid plans...Citizens of Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis have an opportunity <span style="font-style: italic;">right now</span> to help shape development and land use for the next 10 years.<br /><br />Both the County and City are in the process of updating their long-range development plans. Once finalized, these two documents will serve as blueprints for everything from zoning and development to housing and economic development to transportation and environmental protection. Several key dates and opportunities for input are coming up soon.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Anne Arundel County's General Development Plan (GDP)</span><br /><br />On January 20th, the County will release the draft GDP on its <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/PlanZone/LongRange/GDP.cfm">website</a>. The County will then hold four public forums to present the plan and receive public input. All forums will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at the following locations:<br /><ul><li>January 26th at Annapolis High School</li><li>January 28th at Old Mill High School</li><li>February 3rd at Southern High School</li><li>February 5th at Meade High School</li></ul>The County will also accept input in writing or <a href="mailto:GDP2008@aacounty.org">by email</a> through February 16th.<br /><br />After this public outreach effort concludes, the County will revise the draft and present a final proposed plan to the County Council shortly thereafter. Once the County Council receives it, the Council will hold public hearings of its own. I and likely other council members intend to hold special public forums in our districts to highlight local changes and to receive constituent input.<br /><br /><u>Community forum this Sunday</u>: Two local organizations -- The League of Women Voters of Anne Arundel County and Growth Action Network -- are sponsoring a special public program on the GDP. It is scheduled for this Sunday afternoon, January 11th at 1:30 p.m. at Woods Memorial Church in Severna Park. LWV member and Growth Action Network chair Ann Fligsten will chair a panel discussion that will include Al Johnston, longtime civic activist and member of the County's Special Advisory Committee for the GDP. For more information <a href="mailto:info@growthaction.net">contact Ann</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">City of Annapolis' Comprehensive Plan</span><br /><br />The City has already posted the public draft of its Comprehensive Plan <a href="http://www.ci.annapolis.md.us/info.asp?page=13214">online</a>. The City's Planning Commission will hold a public hearing to receive input on Thursday, February 5th at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 160 Duke of Gloucester Street.<br /><br />The City will also accept comments in writing or <a href="mailto:STONeill@annapolis.gov">by email</a> through February 9th.<br /><br />I encourage all citizens to make the most of this opportunity to be heard and to shape the future of our city and county.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-79800585637437593582008-12-23T00:45:00.004-05:002008-12-23T01:00:05.709-05:00Arts Magnet Program at Bates updateThis post is to encourage parents who support the Performing and Visual Arts Magnet Program at Bates Middle School to mobilize in support of it at the Board of Education's budget hearings in January. <br /><br />Last Wednesday, Schools Superintendent Kevin Maxwell presented his <a href="http://www.aacps.org/html/press/budget/budget_10.asp">proposed FY2010 operating budget</a> to the school board. It is a bare-bones budget with very few enhancements, a reflection of our dismal government revenue outlook. The wonderful point for local families is that one of the few proposed enhancements is funding for the continued implementation of the Arts Magnet Program at Bates next year. Many families have already been making plans for their kids based on the expectation that the Arts Magnet will be fully implemented. It is critical for it to stay on track.<br /><br />(In fact, support is not just local - parents all over the county are hoping to send their kids to Bates for the magnet program. The strong countywide interest is prompting school officials to consider moving up the opening of another arts magnet program in the northern part of the county.)<br /><br />Dr. Maxwell's proposed funding is the first step; the next step is for the Board of Education to support it. Not everyone in the county shares our local enthusiasm for the Arts Magnet, and it is an easy target for anyone looking for a program to cut. Supporters need to demonstrate the community's strong backing for this program and to reinforce that Dr. Maxwell made the right decision for our kids.<br /><br />Two budget hearings are scheduled: one is on Tuesday, January 13th in Glen Burnie, the other is on Thursday, January 15th at the Board of Education on Riva Road. Both public hearings start at 7:00 p.m.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">On the web:</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sun: </span><a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.schools19dec19,0,4684407.story">Arundel officials agree on school budget goals</a> (Dec. 19, 2008)<br /></li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-14578789260267144542008-11-19T08:30:00.000-05:002008-11-19T14:56:08.378-05:00Two upcoming transportation events<span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Public hearing on proposed elimination of 921 Commuter Bus Route</span><br /><br />Recently the Maryland <a href="http://mtamaryland.com/">Mass Transit Administration (MTA)</a> announced plans to eliminate several commuter bus routes and MARC train routes as a result of $25 million in budget cuts. One of the routes on the chopping block is the <a href="http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/commuterbus/schedulesSystemMaps/921CommuterLineForWeb2.pdf">921 bus route</a> from Annapolis to the New Carrollton Metro Station near Washington, D.C.<br /><br />Tomorrow, Thursday November 20th, the MTA will hold a public hearing to receive input on the proposed cuts. The hearing will be from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m., and again from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the gymnasium of the Stanton Center at 92 W. Washington Street in Annapolis. Comments may also be sent by email to <a href="mailto:commuterbus@mtamaryland.com">commuterbus@mtamaryland.com</a> until December 26th.<br /><br />Elimination of the 921 route is ill-advised for a number of reasons. It is important that people who care about this route speak out. Even if one is not a rider of the 921 route, it benefits us all. Transit is a major part of the solution to avoid increasing gridlock in the future. Even though our national economic crisis may defer plans to expand transit, we need to hold the line and protect our current level of service.<br /><br />Below is the text of a letter I sent last month to MTA Administrator Paul Wiedefeld shortly after the proposed cuts were announced.<br /><blockquote>October 21, 2008<br /><br />Mr. Paul Wiedefeld<br />MTA Administrator<br />Maryland Transit Administration<br />6 Saint Paul Street<br />Baltimore, Maryland 21202<br /><br />Re: Proposed cut to MTA 921 Commuter Bus Route<br /><br />Dear Mr. Wiedefeld:<br /><br /><u>This letter is to respectfully urge you to withdraw the proposed elimination of the 921 Commuter Bus Route from Annapolis to New Carrollton.</u> Cutting this service now will only put more cars on an already congested Route 50, and will increase household expenses for hundreds of working families already struggling to make ends meet.<br /><br />The 921 is a mainstay for Annapolis-area commuters and has been for years. As you know, an estimated 42,000 riders rode the bus last year. Ridership has been increasing, fueled in part by the recent rise in gasoline prices. To accommodate this demand, the state has recently been enhancing – not scaling back – its Washington commuter bus service.<br /><br /><u>Unlike the other two Annapolis to Washington commuter routes (the 922 and the 950), the 921 serves a unique role.</u> As the only commuter route that terminates at the New Carrollton Metrorail Station, it provides a vital service for the unanticipated trip. If a commuter is running late or needs to leave early to pick up a child from school, the 921 enables them to do so. <u>The 921 also is the most efficient of the three routes</u> because it fully empties at New Carrollton. By contrast, the 922 and 950 have multiple stops in D.C. and therefore transport fewer and fewer riders after passengers disembark at each stop.<br /><br />Commuters to Baltimore are already dealing with the previous administration’s elimination of the 210 route. The last thing we need is to cut back on our Washington D.C. bus service as well. As you seek ways to absorb the state budget cuts, I respectfully urge you to protect the 921 Commuter Bus Route. Thank you for your attention to this matter.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Joshua J. Cohen<br />Councilmember, District Six</blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Panel discussion on transportation</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.artma.org/">ARTMA</a>, the Annapolis Regional Transportation Management Association, will be holding its annual meeting the week after Thanksgiving. I will be one of the panelists for a discussion about applying smart growth principles to a coordinated, multi-modal transportation system to improve mobility and reduce congestion.<br /><br />The annual meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 4th from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m. at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Annapolis. For more information or to register, visit www.artma.org and click on <a href="http://www.artma.org/programs.html">Programs</a>.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-75677007738139840162008-10-31T08:30:00.014-04:002008-10-31T13:16:54.280-04:00Annapolis school construction updateAnnapolis area schools made out well in the most recent (FY 2009) school construction budget. The County Council funded feasibility studies for seven schools, three of which are in Annapolis: <a href="http://aacps.org/html/schol/Elementary/Anes.asp">Annapolis Elementary</a>, <a href="http://aacps.org/html/schol/Elementary/Gertowes.asp">Germantown Elementary</a>, and the <a href="http://aacps.org/html/schol/OtherEducationalCenters/Phoenixa.asp">Phoenix Center</a>, a unique school for students with special needs. (A feasibility study is the first step in the construction process and examines different options for revitalizing, modernizing or replacing a school.)<br /><br />All three schools are long overdue for a makeover: Originally built in 1896, Annapolis Elementary is one of the county's oldest schools and needs a complete interior renovation. Germantown Elementary is significantly over capacity and holds the dubious distinction of having the most portable classrooms of any of the county's 119 schools. The Phoenix Center is fire damaged, leaky, and poorly configured for instructing its student population.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Superintendent's recommendations: keep each school separate</span><br /><br />The three feasibility studies were recently completed, and yesterday Superintendent Kevin Maxwell released his recommendations for <a href="http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/aacps/Board.nsf/bed78c7a5382b7b98725731b0060c8db/26151f5052c05bb4872574f20055b4d3">Annapolis Elementary</a>, <a href="http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/aacps/Board.nsf/bed78c7a5382b7b98725731b0060c8db/5bcb0564b680ac77872574f20056137f">Germantown Elementary and the Phoenix Center</a>.<br /><br />The overriding goal shared by several parent groups and neighborhood associations, not to mention school administrators and teachers, was to keep each school separate and independent. In that respect, the Superintendent's recommendations hit a home run. Some county officials have expressed interest in merging two or more of the schools. However, Dr. Maxwell has been committed to preserving neighborhood, community-based schools where possible.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Summary of recommendations</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Note: the exhibits are large and make take a few minutes to download.]</span><br /><ul><li><u>Germantown</u> (<a href="http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/aacps/Board.nsf/bed78c7a5382b7b98725731b0060c8db/5bcb0564b680ac77872574f20056137f/$FILE/4.05%20Germantown%20ES%20Feasibility%20Study%20Exhibit.pdf">exhibit</a>): Dr. Maxwell is recommending the Replacement option for Germantown to construct a completely new, prototype school at the north end of the athletic field complex, fronting on Windell Avenue. The new school will provide for some additional capacity to accommodate future growth of the student population. This new capacity is strictly for the current school and is not for a merged school. The consultant considered two size options for the new school -- a larger option for a merged school and a smaller option just for Germantown. The Superintendent's recommendation is decidedly for the smaller school (even with the additional capacity) and not for the larger, merged school.<br /><br />During construction of the new facility, students will continue to be educated at the current school.<br /><br /></li><li><u>Annapolis</u> (<a href="http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/aacps/Board.nsf/bed78c7a5382b7b98725731b0060c8db/26151f5052c05bb4872574f20055b4d3/$FILE/4.04%20Annapolis%20ES%20Feasibility%20Study%20Exhibit.pdf">exhibit</a>): The Superintendent is recommending a complete revitalization of Annapolis Elementary. This will entail completely renovating the interior of the school while preserving its historic shell. The renovated school will connect to the administration building behind it (located behind Mills Wine and Spirits) via a breezeway. This project will be very cost-intensive but the Superintendent is committed to retaining Annapolis Elementary as a neighborhood school for the downtown community.<br /><br />During construction, students will have to be moved out of Annapolis Elementary and will likely be educated in unused classrooms at Annapolis Middle School. (Several years ago students at Mayo Elementary did the same thing while that school was being rebuilt.)<br /><br /></li><li><u>Phoenix Center</u> (<a href="http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/aacps/Board.nsf/bed78c7a5382b7b98725731b0060c8db/5bcb0564b680ac77872574f20056137f/$FILE/4.05%20Phoenix%20Annapolis%20Feasibility%20Study%20Exhibit.pdf">exhibit</a>): Dr. Maxwell's recommendation for the Phoenix Center is to modernize the current (soon-to-be-former) Germantown building and to move the Phoenix Center into it. (The current Phoenix Center will then be renovated for administrative offices displaced from the administration building downtown.) The new Phoenix Center will have a capacity of 240 students, double the current capacity of 120 students. From a fiscal standpoint this makes good sense because the county pays a much higher per-pupil cost to place special needs students in private placement or send them out of the county; expanding our capacity to educate them locally will reduce operating costs significantly.<br /><br />Students will remain at the current Phoenix Center until after the new Germantown school is built and the current (soon-to-be-former) Germantown facility is modernized.<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">Community concerns</span><br /><br />Many details remain to be worked out with all three of these proposals. Some of the questions for Germantown include the potential loss of athletic field space as well as transportation and parking arrangements at the new location. Logistics are a big question if Annapolis Elementary students are to be moved to Annapolis Middle School for the duration of construction. Community fears about moving the Phoenix Center closer to Admiral Heights while also doubling the student population will need to be thoroughly reviewed and addressed.<br /><br />I have emphasized to Dr. Maxwell and the schools' Chief Operating Officer Alex Szachnowicz the importance of doing a rigorous public outreach effort. Mr. Szachnowicz assures me that the school system routinely meets with parents and communities impacted by any new construction and works hard to respond to local questions and concerns. While I am confident that the school system will make every effort to do so, parents and community leaders will be well served to stay on top of the process and make their concerns heard.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">County concerns<br /><br /></span>Certain county officials have concerns of their own about the proposals. As stated earlier, several county officials would prefer to maximize the county's cost-per-pupil by merging Annapolis Elementary with Germantown Elementary instead of embarking on a costly renovation of Annapolis Elementary.<br /><br />The intangibles of keeping Annapolis Elementary on Green Street are worth the added cost. Over the years downtown has lost many of its institutions which are so important to the fabric of a community. The hospital moved to Jennifer Road, the library moved to West Street, and Rookie's Market, the last local grocer, closed its doors 20 years ago. Not only would the loss of Annapolis Elementary be a huge detriment to downtown, merging it with Germantown would create a mega-elementary school that few, if any, parents would want. Annapolis Elementary is a gem which needs to remain on Green Street.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next steps</span><br /><br />Dr. Maxwell's recommendations represent a victory for local parents wanting to strengthen each of these schools while keeping them separate and distinct. This is good news but the final outcome is by no means assured. The next step is for the Board of Education to vote on the recommendations, followed by the State Interagency Committee on School Construction, followed by the County Executive and then the County Council.<br /><br />At any one of these stages the project could get derailed. Community support is going to be critical at every step of this process.<br /><br />The next decision point comes in just a few days when the Board of Education meets to consider the recommendations. The Board meets this coming Wednesday, November 5th at 10 a.m. (bright and early after Election Night.) The Board will receive public comment on Dr. Maxwell's recommendations beginning at 11 a.m. The Board meets at the Carol S. Parham administration building, 2644 Riva Road in Annapolis. For more information contact the Board of Education office at (410) 222-5311 or <a href="http://www.aacps.org/html/BoardOfEducation/default.asp">click here</a>.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-14009422408503764022008-10-29T23:07:00.004-04:002008-10-31T10:09:39.763-04:00County Charter AmendmentsSeveral people have asked me about the <a href="http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2008/questions/anne_arundel.html">two obscure county charter amendments</a> at the end of Tuesday's ballot (labeled <span style="font-style: italic;">Question A</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Question B</span>.) The short answer is that both charter amendments will improve our county's governing document and I encourage voters to vote "Yes."<br /><br />In contrast to the weighty statewide ballot questions, these two county questions deal with relatively minor, insider provisions of county law. The reason they need to be on the ballot is because they seek to change language in the County's charter. Unlike the County Code which is changed through legislation, the Charter can only be amended by the voters.<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Question A</span> is a technical amendment that clarifies language about how a bill becomes law. The intent of the existing language is clear but the letter of the law is ambiguous. This amendment will simply clean up the language. It will not alter the balance of power in any way between the County Executive and County Council.<br /><br /></li><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Question B</span> follows the state's model for appointing members of the Ethics Commission. The Commission is a volunteer body with tremendous authority to restrict all sorts of government employees' actions. This amendment will increase the Commission's independence by making its appointment process less reliant upon any one branch of government.<br /><br />Currently the County Executive appoints all seven members of the Ethics Commission. The charter amendment will change this by providing for the County Council to nominate several of the members. The Executive will be required to appoint three of the Commission's seven members from the list of people nominated by the County Council.<br /><br />In no way is this amendment directed towards any individual serving on the Commission. I and the other Council members have the utmost regard for the integrity of the Commissioners. This amendment should be viewed instead as simply improving the "good government" practices of our governmental structure.</li></ul>Both charter amendments have broad, bipartisan support from both the County Council and County Executive Leopold.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[Update 10/31/08:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">On the web<br /></span><ul><li><a href="http://www.elections.state.md.us/elections/2008/questions/anne_arundel.html">Ballot language from Maryland State Board of Elections</a></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital:</span> <a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/10_30-59/GOV">Small changes to County Charter on ballot</a> (October 30, 2008) <span style="font-style: italic;">]</span><br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-36745183562446512132008-10-15T00:12:00.004-04:002008-11-19T14:16:50.585-05:00Community Conversation on TransportationOn Tuesday, October 28th, I will be hosting a public forum about transportation. Billed as a “Community Conversation on Transportation in Annapolis and Anne Arundel County,” the event will feature three Annapolis-area panelists who have broad experience working on transportation and land use issues from a citizen’s standpoint:<br /><ol><li>Shelley Row, Eastport resident, former president of the Eastport Civic Association and a national expert on Intelligent Transportation Systems.</li><li>Wilford W. Scott, Hunt Meadow resident, member of Annapolis' past two Comprehensive Plan Citizens’ Advisory Committees, and longtime member of the Annapolis Planning Commission.</li><li>Dinny White, Severn Grove resident, architect and planner, and member of Anne Arundel County’s Special Advisory Committee to the General Development Plan.<br /></li></ol>The forum will be held on Tuesday, October 28th from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Boulevard in Annapolis. The rear parking lot in back of the church is located at the Fellowship Hall entrance. This event is free and open to the public.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-82311009035481639482008-09-05T08:00:00.005-04:002008-09-07T05:48:30.919-04:00Impact Fees, Take TwoThe County Council is reviewing a new proposal that will significantly increase impact fees for new development. If adopted, the bill will significantly boost the County's ability to keep pace with new roads, schools and public safety demands created by new development.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">[What is an impact fee? As I wrote </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html">previously</a><span style="font-style: italic;">: </span>"An impact fee is a one-time fee levied on new development. The idea behind impact fees is simple: new development should pay for the capital improvements it requires. Our county revenue structure is barely enough to maintain our existing infrastructure; it would be impossible to also fund the new schools and road improvements required by new development without additional funding."<span style="font-style: italic;">]</span><br /><br />Currently our impact fees are among the lowest in the state. Developers acknowledge that our fees are set so low that they recoup only a fraction of the true cost. Why does this matter? It matters because for every new shopping center or subdivision that is built, we are digging a deeper and deeper fiscal hole. Instead of making progress and reducing our roads and schools maintenance backlog, we are just making it worse.<br /><br />Anne Arundel County already faces a $1.5 billion school maintenance backlog; our road maintenance backlog is similar. We literally cannot afford to continue in this way.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Impact fees vs. new taxes</span><br /><br />If someone builds a house next door to me and connects it to public water, my new neighbor is required to pay for the connection costs, not me. That's the way it should be. Similarly, if a large new subdivision requires additional road capacity, more classroom space and an additional paramedic unit, should the developer pay for those enhancements or should existing taxpayers? In my view that's a rhetorical question, because clearly the new development should pay for the increased infrastructure it requires. In reality, though, this very question is being debated because many in the development community are strenuously opposing the proposed fee increases.<br /><br />Developers argue that now is not the time to be raising fees. Many development firms are small, locally owned and operated businesses. Our economy's recessionary-like symptoms are affecting us all, and developers are no exception. But the reality is, if development fails to pay its own way, either the rest of us taxpayers make up the difference or we all experience diminished government services. Given our county's property tax revenue cap, the latter is more likely. As a result, without a large increase in impact fees we will experience more congestion on our roads, more overcrowded classrooms, and a more severely strained public safety system.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Legislative history</span><br /><br /><a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html"></a>Earlier this year County Executive John R. Leopold introduced the first <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/06-08.pdf">bill</a> to increase impact fees. The Council appointed a blue-ribbon committee of citizens to review the numbers, and the Executive withdrew the bill pending the review.<br /><br />Now that the committee has completed its review, the County Executive along with Councilmembers Cathy Vitale, Ed Reilly and I have introduced a new bill based largely on the committee's findings. <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/71-08.pdf">Bill No. 71-08</a> will set impact fees at 80% of the actual projected cost. While I would prefer a higher percentage, 80% is still a significant increase and reflects the fact that certain parts of the county do have school and road capacity. The 80% figure also seems to be the highest rate that has a chance at getting a majority on the Council to support it.<br /><br />The committee proposed a five-year phase-in of the new fees. Our bill sets forth a more aggressive timeline, fully phasing in the new fee increases on July 1, 2010. After that time, fees will increase annually to keep pace with the Construction Cost Index (CCI).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Amendments</span><br /><br />This past Tuesday the Council passed several amendments to the bill. One of the amendments deferred the bulk (60%) of the phase-in until 2010. Another waived the fee increase for any projects that had received site development or sketch plan approval by September 2nd. The third substantive amendment eliminated an ill-conceived provision that would have charged impact fees on additions to or rebuilds of existing houses.<br /><br />This last amendment should do more than help out existing homeowners who want to build an addition. My hope is that it will also encourage smart growth and revitalization of older, blighted neighborhoods. By exempting rebuilds of existing houses, it may provide a financial incentive for a developer to redevelop a block of vacant houses in an existing neighborhood rather than buying up a farm and building new houses in the suburbs.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next steps</span><br /><br />The amended bill is scheduled for another public hearing on Monday, September 15th. If no further amendments are added, the bill can be voted on that night.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-67944853320781539022008-08-04T16:10:00.000-04:002008-08-04T16:28:02.681-04:00Renaissance Festival traffic and parking updateAugust in Anne Arundel County means the arrival of an Annapolis-area tradition: the annual <a href="http://www.rennfest.com/">Maryland Renaissance Festival</a>. The Renn Fest, as it is known locally, runs from August through October. The venue is a faux medieval village built on 125 acres of rolling woodland along Crownsville Road between Route 178 (Generals Highway) to the north and Route 450 (Defense Highway) to the south (<a href="http://www.rennfest.com/map-pop.html">map</a>).<br /><br />Maryland's Renn Fest is one of the more popular renaissance fairs in America. It has grown tremendously from its humble beginnings in 1977 and now averages 280,000 visitors in a season. As a result, this 16th-century festival generates some serious 21st-century traffic. Locals know to avoid area roads when they can, but residents who live close to the festival often cannot avoid major traffic headaches.<br /><br />The festival organizers are sensitive to local traffic concerns. Over the years they have sought to address these concerns by expanding their parking and hiring more police officers to direct traffic and keep cars moving. Unfortunately, as the festival has grown, traffic congestion has continued to grow with it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Trying a new approach</span><br /><br />Earlier this year, I met with the festival's General Manager Jules Smith and Site Manager Adam Smith, along with Councilmen Jamie Benoit and Ed Reilly, Delegate James King, and Police Captain Bill Krampf. The goal of the meeting was to find a way to improve traffic flow on roads around the festival. After discussing the issue we reached a consensus that the main issue was not so much traffic management as it was parking management.<br /><br />The traffic choke point occurs when cars turn off of Crownsville Road to enter the festival grounds. There are two festival entrances off Crownsville Road, each of which allows only one vehicle at a time to enter the property on a gravel road. This arrangement slows down traffic on Crownsville Road which in turn backs up cars for miles in both directions.<br /><br />After the meeting, festival management consulted with a traffic engineering firm, reviewed the county's traffic data, and examined different options for improving traffic. I am pleased to share the following information from a recent letter from Jules Smith:<br /><blockquote>"After meeting with the traffic engineers and our own staff as well as the police most familiar with the festival and traffic we will be addressing the issue identified as the primary cause of delay, the left hand turn into the event. By shifting additional police traffic management to the northern entrance and intersection and hiring additional parking staff to increase the movement and speed of cars entering the driveway and parking them in multiple rows at the same time the traffic will be taken from Crownsville Road more quickly resulting in greater continued road movement."</blockquote>The new arrangement will take effect with the start of the festival in just a few weeks. Jules and his team will monitor its operation and modify it if necessary to make sure it is working well.<br /><br />I appreciate the Renn Fest's responsiveness to its neighbors' concerns and am hopeful that this new parking arrangement, while not eliminating the traffic problem, will be a significant improvement.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-33256565032114711932008-06-26T09:00:00.008-04:002008-06-27T11:51:15.535-04:00Crownsville Hospital property update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DhbMBculxy4KsuV2MxPGXdGdkxs1tlMTfbj_MtK7V07R2XUN0pieO71nkTl9kBv63Vo_Exd4KyKq-G3h9pCHTDu_5HLi_Pjtm7pyNC-d9GYSFIJz1D7dj1supaqZ-oPQ1CudysBq6nK3/s1600-h/CrownsvilleSign.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DhbMBculxy4KsuV2MxPGXdGdkxs1tlMTfbj_MtK7V07R2XUN0pieO71nkTl9kBv63Vo_Exd4KyKq-G3h9pCHTDu_5HLi_Pjtm7pyNC-d9GYSFIJz1D7dj1supaqZ-oPQ1CudysBq6nK3/s200/CrownsvilleSign.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216586874532820978" border="0" /></a>Within the next few months, the State of Maryland will make a decision about who will redevelop the former Crownsville Hospital Center property and how. This decision will have wide-ranging impacts on our region's overall quality of life, traffic congestion, environmental health, tax base and social services safety net.<br /><br />The 559-acre property (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115431954680560975431.0004509236f1a56a909fc&ll=39.023518,-76.600499&spn=0.033274,0.075188&t=h&z=14">map</a>) is located in the heart of Anne Arundel County. Its rolling hills and woodlands contribute to the area's pastoral character and also form the headwaters of the South River several miles away. Its massive size means that any redevelopment of it will significantly impact the surrounding area for generations to come. It is imperative that this decision be carefully considered.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Background</span><br /><br />Crownsville Hospital Center was established in 1910 as the Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland. It was desegregated in 1949. For the next 55 years it was one of the State's regional inpatient facilities, serving mentally ill patients primarily from Anne Arundel County and Southern Maryland. The Hospital was built with on-site utilities such as a wastewater treatment plant, water plant and electrical substation. Some of these outdated, asbestos-ridden systems have since become a costly obstacle to the property's redevelopment.<br /><br />The Hospital has been closed since June of 2004. Since that time the campus has been largely a ghost town (see <a href="http://www.forgottenphotography.com/crownsville/index.html">pictures</a> at <span style="font-style: italic;">forgottenphotography.com.</span>) A handful of non-profit organizations such as the Maryland Food Bank, Hope House, Second Genesis and the Ridge School have been occupying some of its buildings, but many of the 66 buildings have remained vacant. During the administration of former County Executive Janet S. Owens, the County had expressed interest in acquiring the site but was put off by the estimated $15 to $25 million environmental clean-up cost.<br /><br />Over the past several months a group of State agencies reviewed the property and deemed it to be in the State's interest to dispose of it. In May the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) issued a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) to sell or lease the property for redevelopment. According to a letter from MDP's Deputy Secretary Matthew Power, the State adopted a set of guiding principles for the property which included:<br /><blockquote>"... restricting uses to those permitted under current zoning, retention of open space, and adaptive reuse of buildings."</blockquote>These guiding principles were adopted in addition to three others previously established by the State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH):<br /><blockquote>"(1) to maintain existing tenant-based behavioral health capacity, and preferably increase, privately operated outpatient and inpatient behavioral health service capacity on site; (2) to maximize return on the value of the property and deposit proceeds from disposition of the property in the Community Trust Fund to benefit individuals with mental illness; and (3) to reduce, and eventually eliminate, the annual costs paid by DHMH for the operation of the on-site water and sewer systems and other costs."</blockquote><span style="font-weight: bold;">Local priorities</span><br /><br />My preference would have been for Anne Arundel County to acquire the property and control its own destiny. Because that is not going to happen, Councilman Jamie Benoit and I sent a <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/CohenBenoitCrownsvilleLetter.pdf">letter</a> last week to Deputy Secretary Power to request the State's support for the following five local priorities:<br /><ul><li>Compliance with local zoning;</li><li>Minimal impact on vehicle traffic;</li><li>Preservation of undeveloped land;</li><li>Maintenance on non-profits on site; and</li><li>Community participation.</li></ul>Our hope is that by going on record with our priorities for the property, we can guide the redevelopment in a positive way despite the fact that the decision will be largely outside of the County's control.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next steps</span><br /><br />Right now any discussion about the future of the property is just speculation. The range of options will become clearer next week after the June 30 deadline to respond to the REOI. Once the responses come in, we will begin to be able to weigh the pros and cons of the different development proposals.<br /><br />Thus far I have been encouraged by the State's proactive communication with local officials, and am cautiously optimistic that this collaborative spirit will continue. However, the State is facing a significant budget crunch. It remains to be seen whether the State will be able to resist the temptation to view the property first and foremost as a cash cow.<br /><br />As the process moves forward it is important for citizens to get involved and advise their State representatives of their concerns and priorities. I will continue to closely monitor the process and work with State and community stakeholders to achieve a positive outcome not only for the State, but for our County and its communities as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related articles</span><br /><ul><li>The Sun: <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.crownsville22jun22,0,7764697.story">Hospital site up for development</a> (June 22, 2008)</li><li>The Capital: <a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_24-09/TOP"><span style="font-style: italic;">Crownsville Hospital property in limbo</span></a> (June 24, 2008)<br /></li><li>The Capital: <a href="http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_25-33/OPN"><span style="font-style: italic;">Editorial: Nonprofits shouldn't be ousted from old hospital site</span></a> (June 25, 2008)<br /></li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-37464576385558652992008-03-18T13:45:00.017-04:002008-06-26T11:40:38.760-04:00Impact Fees UpdateAnne Arundel County is in the midst of a rare re-examination of its impact fee rates. The outcome of this process will have a big impact both on our county’s quality of life and its bottom line.<br /><br /><b>What are impact fees?</b><br /><br />An impact fee is a one-time fee levied on new development. The idea behind impact fees is simple: new development should pay for the capital improvements it requires. Our county revenue structure is barely enough to maintain our existing infrastructure; it would be impossible to also fund the new schools and road improvements required by new development without additional funding.<br /><br />When a new housing development is built, the new occupants create additional demand for county facilities such as roads and schools. Someone needs to pay for it. If the builder does not pay the full cost, then the balance is either subsidized by the taxpayers or the necessary improvements are unmet, leading to increased congestion and inadequate facilities. So it is important to make sure that our impact fee schedule accurately captures the cost of new development.<br /><br />Our county has three impact fees, for roads, schools and public safety. Development within the City of Annapolis pays the county's impact fee for schools, but not for roads or public safety because the City provides those services separately.<br /><br /><b>History</b><br /><br />Anne Arundel County has conducted a thorough review of its impact fees only twice. It first enacted impact fees for roads and schools in 1987. Thirteen years later, the county revised its fees in 2000 when it also created the impact fee for public safety. Both times the county first appointed an independent committee to review the fee schedule before submitting the legislation.<br /><br />Last year County Executive John Leopold started the process to update our impact fee schedule. The county hired a consultant, Dr. James Nicholas, to analyze the fee schedule and recommend changes. Once Dr. Nicholas completed his preliminary review, the Executive presented it to the Executive’s Planning Advisory Board, which approved it in one sitting. The Executive then submitted <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/06-08.pdf">Bill No. 06-08</a> to the County Council in January to implement the new impact fees.<br /><br />After receiving Dr. Nicholas’ report, the County Council tasked its independent auditor with reviewing it. The auditor found several errors both in the methodology and in the raw data used as the basis for the analysis. Although all parties agreed on the need to revise the impact fee schedule, I and others had serious reservations about the proposal submitted by the County Executive.<br /><br /><b>Current status</b><br /><br />On March 3rd the County Council unanimously adopted <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/r13-08.pdf">Resolution No. 13-08</a> to appoint an Impact Fee Advisory Committee. The Committee's role is to provide the critical, third-party review that should have taken place prior to the legislation's introduction.<br /><br />The Committee is chaired by former County Executive and State Senator Bobby Neall. Its membership is balanced to reflect different stakeholders’ concerns. The members are listed below.<br /><br /><ul><li>Robert Neall, Chairman, former County Executive</li><li>Robert Burdon, President and CEO, Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce</li><li>Al Johnston, Citizen Representative</li><li>Dwight Taylor, President of Development, Corporate Office Properties Trust</li><li>Dan Ellis, Executive Director, Arundel Habitat for Humanity</li><li>Jerry Walker, Vice President, DCA Imaging Systems</li><li>Ann Fligsten, Esquire</li><li>Robert Gallagher, Rhode/West Rivers Riverkeeper</li><li>Sam Georgiou, Citizen Representative</li></ul><br /><b>Next steps</b><br /><br />The Committee is charged with presenting a final report to the County Council next month. At that time the Council will hold additional public hearings to help us further refine the numbers. By this Summer I expect that the Council will have adopted a new impact fee schedule, one that accurately reflects the current impact of new development.<br /><br /><b>On the Web:</b><br /><ul><li><i>The Examiner:</i> <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/examiner_20080314_impact_fees.html"><span style="">Anne Arundel is looking to other counties for a little help on increasing its impact fees</span></a> (March 14, 2008)<br /></li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-32276645404381677062007-12-13T08:55:00.001-05:002008-06-26T11:33:59.391-04:00Legislative Update: Water and Sewer Master PlanThis Monday night, the County Council will consider changes to the County's <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/PlanZone/MasterPlans/WaterSewer/Index.cfm">Water and Sewer Master Plan</a>. The Plan was last adopted in 2003. By law, the County is required to update it every few years.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Service Categories<br /></span><br />The Plan contains maps that establish service categories for sewer and water such as Planned Service, Future Service, and No Public Service. These service categories are a planning tool to help the County project its capacity needs. Importantly for property owners, service categories determine how easy or difficult it is to extend public water or sewer to a neighborhood.<br /><br />For example, it is simpler and quicker for a property owner to get public sewer service if the property is designated as Planned Service than if it is designated as Future Service. Both categories require property owners to submit a petition that goes through an administrative review process. The difference between the two is that Planned Service only requires administrative approval, but Future Service requires County Council approval as well.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Health Concerns vs. Development Concerns</span><br /><br />The debate about public sewer is often controversial because it is not just about existing development but future development too. Often a property owner is unable to build on a vacant lot because the ground cannot support a septic system. Public sewer eliminates the need for septic systems and can make previously unbuildable lots buildable.<br /><br />Proponents of extending public sewer argue that it is more sanitary than a septic system. It eliminates the maintenance headaches that sometimes go along with having private septic. Especially in low-lying waterfront neighborhoods, older failing septic systems can pose a health and environmental hazard. Proponents argue that public sewer should be evaluated based on existing health and development needs, and that zoning -- not the sewer and water plan -- should be what guides future development.<br /><br />Opponents of public sewer argue that the lack of public sewer is in fact a back-door way to control development. Many communities do not trust our County government to uphold established zoning restrictions. For example, <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2007/06/annapolis-neck-zoning-recap.html">earlier this year</a> the County Council upzoned several properties along Bestgate Road despite strong opposition from neighboring communities. Bringing public sewer to low-density neighborhoods will therefore make more intensive development inevitable.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Draft 2007 Master Plan</span><br /><br />The County Executive has introduced Bill No. <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/84-07.pdf">84-07</a> to adopt the new 2007 Water and Sewer Master Plan. The Office of Planning and Zoning has posted the accompanying <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/PlanZone/MasterPlans/WaterSewer2007/Index.cfm">water and sewer maps</a> on its website. I encourage property owners and neighborhood leaders to closely examine the maps to determine what changes, if any, may be proposed for their area.<br /><br />The maps are not the easiest thing to decipher. To help people better understand the proposed changes, Planning and Zoning has prepared a <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/WaterSewerMapChanges-CohenDistrict6.pdf">summary of changes that affect Council District Six</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday's Hearing</span><br /><br />Monday's County Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. Citizens can sign up to testify starting at 6:30 p.m. The agenda includes both a public hearing on the bill as well as legislative action. Monday is the last opportunity for council members to amend the bill, so it is critical that people not wait until Tuesday to contact their representative. For more information visit the <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/index.cfm">County Council's webpage</a>.<br /><br />Related Articles<br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital:</span> <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/capital_20071124_sewer_meeting.html">County's water, sewer plan may remake neighborhoods</a> (November 24, 2007)<br /></li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span></span></span>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-23157416889412992562007-11-19T08:16:00.001-05:002007-11-22T08:10:07.200-05:00A Proposal to restore our creeks and riversLast week Councilmembers Ron Dillon, Jamie Benoit and I drove to a quiet neighborhood in Glen Burnie to hold a press conference. Later in this post I will discuss our proposed amendment to Bill 76-07, the subject of the press conference. But first, here is what we found.<br /><br />When we arrived, our group of a dozen or so activists, reporters and politicians parked our cars on Darcy Road, a short dead-end street with four houses, and walked to the end of the street. We stepped over a storm drain inlet in the curb and headed past the spacious backyards to our right. Soon we came to an undisturbed wooded area. Our shoes crunched over the branches, vines and fallen leaves beneath us. Just a short distance more and we reached our destination. (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=39.149118,-76.586286&spn=0.00098,0.001824&t=h&z=19&om=1&msid=115431954680560975431.00043f33e4d205c54044a" target="_blank">Click here</a> for a location map).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh3.google.com/eastportjosh/R0V-smOTcLI/AAAAAAAAAC8/J9PMn7AIYdo/2007-11-16-Stormwater_Conf_03.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://lh3.google.com/eastportjosh/R0V-smOTcLI/AAAAAAAAAC8/J9PMn7AIYdo/2007-11-16-Stormwater_Conf_03.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>Cutting through the heart of this wooded area was a deep gully, about ten feet deep and 12 feet wide. Trash and debris littered the ground on the bottom. We had intended to stand in the gully to hold the press conference, but our plans changed when we saw that there was no easy way to get down the steep, near-vertical drop of the gully walls. So we held the conference on the solid ground above.<br /><br />What had created this severe chasm in the middle of this natural area? There was nothing in the natural landscape to cause it -- no steep hills or rushing streams. We were surrounded by single-family homes on comfortable lots with plenty of green space around. No parking lots, shopping centers, or high-rise office buildings were in sight.<br /><br />We backtracked and followed the gully to its source: a simple storm drain pipe, half-clogged with dirt and debris. Could that one storm drain pipe really have created this gully?<br /><br />The houses on Darcy Road were built 30 years ago in 1977 and 1978. The storm drain system was probably installed at that time. What is now the large gully was doubtless just a shallow drainage ditch at the time.<br /><br />So what happened during the past 30 years? The answer has played out hundreds of times in similar neighborhoods across the county:<br /><br />After every rainfall the water would flow from the road into the storm drain inlet, then out of the end of the pipe 100 feet away. The water brought with it not just litter but various chemicals it had picked up along the way: automobile oil, gasoline, paint chips, worn tire rubber, even lawn fertilizer. With nothing to slow it down, the water gained momentum as it went. By the time it shot out of the pipe into the drainage ditch, it had built up so much velocity that it gradually eroded away the soil.<br /><br />This process repeated week after week, year after year, until the shallow drainage ditch had expanded into the steep gully we saw last week.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The problem is huge</span><br /><br />Anne Arundel County has more shoreline than any other county in Maryland -- 530 miles of it. Take a minute to reflect on the size of that. If we were to take our shoreline and stretch it out into a straight line, it would reach from Annapolis to Charleston, South Carolina. And almost every one of our rivers and creeks is home to development and to gullies like the one off of Darcy Road.<br /><br />The cumulative impact of all of this development is by now a familiar refrain: severely eroded creeks and rivers; unsafe water that sends people to the Emergency Room after only casual contact; catfish with cancerous lesions; dead zones with no fish or crabs at all; and not a single river that meets federal Clean Water Act Standards.<br /><br />Fortunately, we know how to solve the problem. Our shortcoming is not lack of knowledge, it is the lack of political will and resources.<br /><br />The solution has two parts. The first part is to replace the old stormwater infrastructure with more modern methods such as <a href="http://www.raingardens.org/Rain_Garden_History.php">rain gardens</a>, sand filters and infiltration trenches. The second part is to rebuild and restore the damaged streams to recreate their natural function.<br /><br />The Department of Public Works estimates that the cost to restore our damaged waterways is more than $1 billion -- that's <span style="font-style: italic;">billion</span> with a "b". The problem is so large that it won't be solved with baby steps. We need a new, substantial funding source to tackle the problem.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The "SMART Fund"</span><br /><br />County Executive John Leopold has introduced a bill to raise new funds to address this stormwater problem. <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/76-07.pdf">Bill No. 76-07</a> would create a new county fund called the SMART Fund, which stands for "Stormwater Management and Restoration of Tributaries." Moneys raised would be used only for defined purposes such as stream restoration and water quality programs.<br /><br />The bill would generate revenue by adding a new fee to any building or grading permit that creates more than 150 square feet of new impervious surface on a property. The bill would charge 25 cents per square foot for grading permits and 15 cents per square foot for building permits. These fees are projected to raise $5 million annually.<br /><br />I applaud the County Executive for taking the initiative to introduce this bill. It is a step in the right direction because it acknowledges the critical role that county government must play to solve the problem.<br /><br />However, while the proposed SMART Fund has merit, in my view it falls short in two key respects. First, the estimated $5 million revenue is inadequate and will barely make a dent in the backlog. Second, it holds future development responsible for fixing the damage caused by existing development. This approach will compound our county's affordable housing problem by making new development even less affordable. In fact, new development is not the problem because it must meet much stricter stormwater standards. Our problem has caused by the decades of existing development that's already here.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A better way</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh5.google.com/eastportjosh/R0BJAWOTcII/AAAAAAAAABU/qs_rMsF4Enk/2007-11-16-Stormwater_Conf_01.JPG?imgmax=512"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://lh5.google.com/eastportjosh/R0BJAWOTcII/AAAAAAAAABU/qs_rMsF4Enk/2007-11-16-Stormwater_Conf_01.JPG?imgmax=512" alt="" border="0" /></a>Ron Dillon, Jamie Benoit and I held the press conference last week to announce details of an amendment we are introducing at tonight's County Council meeting. The amendment retains the SMART Fund's purpose and uses, but establishes a fairer and more equitable funding stream.<br /><br />The three main points of our proposal are as follows:<br /><ol><li>It applies to all developed properties (instead of to future development only);</li><li>It is projected to generate $10 to $11 million annually, double the amount proposed in the current bill; and,</li><li>Despite raising more money overall, the base rate of $30 per household is still reasonable enough that it will avoid breaking the budget for families and small business owners.<br /></li></ol>Our amendment will assess an annual flat fee of $30 on all improved residential properties. This rate comes to $2.50 per month which is the same amount as the State's Bay Restoration fee (dubbed "flush tax") enacted by former Governor Ehrlich.<br /><br />Commercial, institutional and industrial properties will pay a sliding scale of $30 for every 2,500 square feet of impervious surface. Therefore the amount paid will be directly proportional to the amount of impervious surface on the property: a small business with 1/4 acre of impervious surface will pay $150 per year; a larger facility with 5 acres of impervious surface will pay $2,640. The proportional fee structure creates a built-in incentive for property owners to reduce their impervious surface by installing stormwater methods such as rain gardens.<br /><br />Other aspects of the proposal:<br /><ul><li>Families that make $35,000 or less per year qualify for a waiver.</li><li>The fee will be capped at $25,000 per property per year. (Only a handful of properties will even reach this cap. A property will need more than 2 million square feet of impervious surface to reach a fee of $25,000.)</li><li>Properties in the City of Annapolis are excluded because Annapolis already has its own stormwater utility fund.</li><li>The Department of Public Works will hold an annual public hearing to receive input on its priority list of stormwater projects. It will report annually to the council how it spent the money the preceding year and what its priority projects are for the upcoming year.</li></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">The bottom line<br /></span><br />All of us have a stake in restoring the Bay and its tributaries. Our reasons may be personal because we boat, fish, crab or swim in Bay waters. We may just want the peace of mind to know that the rockfish we eat is healthy. Our reasons may be economic because we recognize the value of the Bay to our economy. The maritime industry pumped $400 million into Anne Arundel's economy in the year 2000 alone. Or our reason may be a moral one: it is simply our moral obligation.<br /><br />For me this whole stormwater debate comes down to personal responsibility. Whether we choose to accept it or not, individually and collectively, we all are responsible for our actions.<br /><br />The choice we are offered in this debate is whether to accept responsibility for the damage we have caused, or to deny it and push it off onto future generations. In my view, there is no choice. It is a basic obligation of public servants and citizens alike to be responsible stewards of the natural resources with which we are entrusted. We owe this to the generations who will inherit what we have done.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Related articles</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital: </span><a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/capital_20071117_stormwater.html">Stormwater fee starting to take shape</a> (November 17, 2007)<br /><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Examiner: </span><a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/examiner_20071117_stormwater.html">SMART funds may help stream projects</a> (November 17, 2007)</li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sun:</span> <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/sun_20071118_stormwater.html">Creek funds hinge on vote</a> (November 18, 2007)</li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-1011754502045937372007-11-19T00:17:00.005-05:002008-11-19T14:17:14.770-05:00Community Conversation on Public EducationOn December 11th I will be hosting a Community Conversation on "Public Education in Anne Arundel County." The three panel participants will include:<br /><ol><li>Michael Leahy, Member, Board of Education</li><li>Don Lilley, Principal, Annapolis Senior High School</li><li>Jeff Macris, Member, Annapolis Education Advisory Commission. </li></ol>This forum will be held on Tuesday, December 11th, 2007 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the main Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis at <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1224044234_0">333 Dubois Road in Annapolis</span>. (Directions: Bestgate Road to N. Bestgate Road and left on Dubois Road). This event is free and open to the public.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-1856502635997293492007-09-28T18:20:00.000-04:002007-09-28T19:50:25.808-04:00Legislative Update: Zoning and More ZoningTwo zoning bills are scheduled for a public hearing and vote this coming Monday, October 1st. These bills affect a variety of zoning and development issues such as traffic, road capacity, and infill development of small lots.<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">The "Peninsula Roads Bill" </span>(<a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/61-07.pdf">Bill No. 61-07</a>), introduced by County Executive John Leopold, will apply tougher development standards to smaller subdivisions on peninsulas. Currently, county code applies Adequate Public Facilities (APF) traffic standards to subdivisions of five or more lots. Smaller subdivisions are not addressed. <span style="font-style: italic;">[APF standards help ensure that before new development goes forward, the roads, water and sewer, and other facilities are in place to handle it].</span><br /><br />Individually, a major subdivision has a greater traffic impact than a small subdivision. But collectively, several small subdivisions can also have a major impact. Bill 61-07 will allow the Planning Officer to impose APF requirements on smaller subdivisions when these smaller subdivisions will have a combined, measurable impact.<br /><br />This bill applies to five designated peninsulas in the County with only one way in and one way out. The Annapolis Neck Peninsula east of Bay Ridge Road is one such peninsula. I view this bill as an appropriate tool to address traffic problems on peninsulas and plan to support it.<br /><a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/69-07.pdf"><br /></a></li><li><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/69-07.pdf">Bill 69-07</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, also introduced </span><span>by the County Executive, is billed as </span>a "housekeeping" bill to clean up several technical parts of the zoning code. While some of the changes are minor, others are more substantive. I plan to introduce amendments to strike some of the following changes.<br /><br /></li><ul><li><u>Assisted Living Facilities:</u> Assisted living facilities are currently allowed as a Special Exception use in R-1 and R-2 zones if built on a minimum of 10 acres. Bill 69-07 proposes to reduce the minimum to five acres. In a strictly academic sense the proposed change is reasonable; the code already allows nursing homes on five acres in R1 and R2, so why not assisted living facilities too?<br /><br />The reason I oppose this change is timing. Practically speaking, it would affect only one project currently in the pipeline. The Shelter Development Group, a reputable company out of Baltimore, is proposing a 160-unit <a href="http://www.brightviewseniorliving.com/index.html">Brightview Assisted Living Facility</a> on seven acres on Generals Highway just north of the Annapolis Mall.<br /><br />Under the current zoning the project would require a variance hearing. The variance hearing would provide the community with an important safeguard to protect that site from overdevelopment. However, if the zoning change goes through, no variance would be needed.<br /><br />Shelter Development is engaged in ongoing discussions with the community but there is no consensus to support the project at this time. It would be premature for me to support this zoning change so I am offering an amendment to strike it from the bill.<br /><br /></li><li><u>Infill Development:</u> Another provision in the bill would open the door to more infill development of small, substandard lots.<br /><br />Many older communities such as Herald Harbor were subdivided before the county adopted our modern zoning code. The lots in these communities are often small, narrow and irregular. Currently the zoning code requires a variance to build a new house on one of these substandard lots. Bill 69-07 would eliminate the variance requirement for substandard lots that met certain criteria.<br /><br />In my view, as with the assisted living provision discussed above, the variance hearing serves as a safeguard to prevent overbuilding on these smaller lots. I am introducing an amendment to strike this provision and leave the code unchanged.<br /><br /></li><li><u>Waterfront lots:</u> Another seemingly minor provision in this bill would change the definition of a waterfront lot in certain communities. The reason this is important is because stricter development standards apply to waterfront lots than to other lots. For example, a builder of a home on a waterfront lot must take extra steps to avoid blocking the neighbors' light, air and view. A waterfront lot also requires a fence permit for any sized fence, whereas most regular lots only require permits for fences six feet or higher.<br /><br />There is a good reason why stronger development standards apply to waterfront lots. Even though the lot itself is private property, the water view is a public benefit for the whole neighborhood. That's why the zoning code is set up to prevent a walling-off of the waterfront.<br /><br />What does this have to do with the bill? Currently, the zoning code's definition of a waterfront lot includes a lot that does not directly abut the water but is on a community-owned road that runs along community-owned waterfront. This definition is appropriate because construction on these lots impacts the neighbors' view just as much as construction on lots that abut the water. Annapolis Roads, Herald Harbor and Oyster Harbor are three examples of these communities with community-owned roads that run along community-owned waterfront property.<br /><br />The bill proposes to change the definition of waterfront lot to exclude these lots. Changing the definition in this way, although seemingly minor, would enable more walling-off of the waterfront by allowing more intensive development of these lots along the water. I am sponsoring an amendment to keep the definition of a waterfront lot unchanged.<br /></li></ul></ul>The County Council hearing starts at 7 p.m. Citizens can sign-in at 6:30 to testify. It looks like it will be a lengthy meeting because the agenda includes not only these bills but the bill to ban fly-ash dumping, discussion of the school board budget and other items.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-8504255064886524482007-08-31T00:02:00.000-04:002007-08-31T12:05:02.770-04:00Legislative Update: community meetings, police employment and electronic signsThree bills that I am co-sponsoring are scheduled for a public hearing and vote this coming Tuesday night. These bills affect community meetings, secondary police employment, and electronic signs. (Note that because of the Labor Day holiday, the Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday night instead of Monday.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Community Meetings Bill</span><br /><br />County law requires a developer to hold a community meeting before submitting a new subdivision or development plan. The meeting is "for the purpose of allowing the developer to present information regarding the development, and allowing the community to ask questions or provide comments (Sec. 17.2.107)."<br /><br />The law requires the meeting to be held at an ADA-accessible facility "reasonably close" to the development site. In practice, this usually works out as intended. On a handful of occasions, however, the developer has creatively interpreted the term "reasonably." Earlier this year, for example, a developer held a meeting for a proposed development in Crownsville at the Eastport/Annapolis Neck Library, a good 30 minutes and two zip codes away.<br /><br />To correct this loophole, <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/62-07.pdf">Bill No. 62-07</a> requires that developers hold the community meeting "within five miles of the development site." On that rare occasion when the five-mile limit is impractical, for instance in rural South County, the five-mile limit may be waived but only by the Planning and Officer.<br /><br />County Executive John Leopold and Council Members Jamie Benoit, Cathy Vitale and I are co-sponsoring this bill.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Police Secondary Employment Bill<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span><span>Anne Arundel County police officers have long held secondary jobs at restaurants and other businesses around the county. This secondary employment provides a quadruple benefit: first, it enhances public safety by putting more uniformed officers out into the community; second, it accomplishes this without spending taxpayer dollars; third, it provides business owners with well-trained personnel to enhance security and safety at their establishments; and fourth, it provides a reasonable way for police officers to earn additional income.<br /><br />Several years ago, the County's Ethics Commission opined that it was a conflict of interest for police officers to work secondary employment at establishments that sold alcohol. The reasoning was that the officer might feel compromised if he or she observed an alcohol violation, because the establishment, not the government, was paying for him or her to be there. In other words, according to the opinion, an officer could be reluctant to make an arrest or take an action that might disrupt the establishment's revenues.<br /></span><span><br />When the opinion came out, the police chief at that time, Tom Shanahan, disregarded it. He continued to allow police officers to work secondary employment at restaurants that served alcohol. An Ethics Commission opinion is strictly advisory and Chief Shanahan was within his authority to disregard it.<br /><br />Earlier this year, the new police chief, James Teare, made a decision to prohibit secondary employment at establishments that served alcohol. Even though such employment was not prohibited by law, Chief Teare wanted to be consistent with the Ethics Commission's opinion.<br /><br />As I indicated above, secondary police employment provides several benefits. I believe these benefits are greatest at an establishment that serves alcohol. When the bartender yells "last call" is when the presence of a uniformed officer is most helpful. The officer can provide a deterrent effect for unruly patrons as they head to their cars, and also provide an added level of security for the remaining employees who are closing up after the customers leave.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/59-07.pdf">Bill No. 59-07</a> will amend the law to clarify that police officers can indeed work secondary employment at establishments that serve alcohol and also at bingo parlors. It draws the line at bars, and only permits secondary employment at restaurants whose primary business is not alcohol. I support expanding this provision in the future to allow secondary employment at bars as well, but the police union is requesting only the current language. For now the police union just wants the law to affirm what had been the practice for many years.<br /><br />It bears mention that the nature of secondary employment has been misconstrued in some of the press coverage. Contrary to what was reported in one article, officers may not work as bouncers or assist in the operation of the business in any way. </span><span>Secondary employment allows an officer to be paid to remain onsite, provide a calming presence, and respond in a police capacity when necessary.<br /><br />County Executive Leopold and Council Members Ed Middlebrooks, Ron Dillon, Cathy Vitale and I are co-sponsoring this bill.<br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Electronic Sign Bill</span><br /><br />You have probably noticed more and more electronic signboards with moving images popping up around the county. As these signs become more affordable, we can expect to see more businesses erecting them.<br /><br />I am concerned about this trend for two reasons. The first is public safety. Our eyes are naturally drawn to moving images, especially bright, electronic red dots. The whole purpose of these signs is to attract attention. Every driver is responsible for driving safely, but the fact is that we have too many distractions while driving already. Even if I am driving responsibly, do I want the driver next to me to be reading a moving sign instead of paying attention to the road?<br /><br />The second reason is aesthetics. I admit that this is getting into a personally subjective gray area. Glitzy signs can be attractive and they do have their place, but not in Anne Arundel County. Our county still has a unique, attractive character and we should be doing what we can to preserve what makes us special. My concern is that ten years from now, these signs will be everywhere and we'll look more like the Las Vegas Strip than the county we know and love today.<br /><br />Although the Chamber of Commerce opposes this ban, I believe that in the long run it will be good for our local economy. Strong design guidelines establish a sense of place and help attract new businesses to an area. Ed McMahon of the <a href="http://www.uli.org/">Urban Land Institute</a> (not the one from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Tonight Show</span>) has written extensively on this issue. (<a href="http://www.uli.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=20729&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm"><span style="font-style: italic;">Lessons in Community Development Learned from Traveling</span></a> is a brief piece he wrote in 2005 about development in San Antonio.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/63-07.pdf">Bill No. 63-07</a> establishes modest limitations on how electronic signs display their messages. The bill prohibits "... moving picture or video images, moving electronic images, (and) moving, flashing, or scrolling text messages..." The bill does not ban electronic signs, nor does it require businesses to take down any electronic signs they already have. Instead, it simply requires that an image remain static for at least five seconds.<br /><br />Councilmember Jamie Benoit and I are co-sponsoring this bill.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To Testify</span><br /><br />The Council Meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Arundel Center. Anyone wishing to speak may sign up beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information visit the <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/">County Council's webpage</a>.Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-45796371112724901562007-07-19T17:22:00.000-04:002007-11-19T08:15:32.577-05:00Giving a voice to our maritime community<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwZt5gi4HzJhNxZ67FDDHCdTp-CLXA_KhuuWejTZaXfU6WRPk6rHXom-81j1bh6U4vhjhFAb40pLpFaKcX6NZD2LJTh4uIJiR-vv3zIXWWgMu6o4q_pCs2Rc6Sc8n8_btQ7e58vF6Vef8/s1600-h/SpaCreekFacingBridge4.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtwZt5gi4HzJhNxZ67FDDHCdTp-CLXA_KhuuWejTZaXfU6WRPk6rHXom-81j1bh6U4vhjhFAb40pLpFaKcX6NZD2LJTh4uIJiR-vv3zIXWWgMu6o4q_pCs2Rc6Sc8n8_btQ7e58vF6Vef8/s200/SpaCreekFacingBridge4.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088871832410842722" border="0" /></a>This past Monday night I introduced a bill to help foster and grow our county's valued maritime sector.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/56-07.pdf">Bill No. 56-07</a>, co-sponsored by Councilman Ed Middlebrooks, will create a countywide Maritime Advisory Board. This Board will help Anne Arundel's diverse maritime community speak with a unified voice and advise the County on issues that affect it. Doing so will benefit not only the maritime industry, but all of us who value our county's maritime character and quality of life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Maritime industry in Anne Arundel County</span><br /><br />Individually, many maritime businesses are small, locally-owned operations that employ just a handful of people. Collectively, the maritime indusry is a major economic force. According to the <a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.joshcohen.org/docs/SeaGrant_Study_2000.pdf">Boating 2000</a> report by the University of Maryland, Maryland's maritime industry generates a massive $1.6 billion economic impact statewide. Anne Arundel County alone generates $400 million, a full quarter of the statewide impact. This is not surprising considering that more boats are registered here than in any other county in Maryland.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why do we need another County board?</span><br /><br />Anne Arundel's maritime industry is well established but we cannot afford to take it for granted. Maritime businesses have to navigate more than the usual amount of regulations because they are located literally at the juncture where land meets water. County government impacts so many aspects of the industry, from zoning and permits to health and environmental regulations. That's why decision makers need to be informed and understand the effects of their decisions on our maritime community. This new Board will give the industry a platform from which to advocate for its concerns.<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /><br />What about water quality?<br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><br />With dead zones sadly becoming more common in our rivers and the Bay, people are becoming more concerned about our water quality. Maritime businesses have a special responsibility to be good stewards of the water. In recognition of this, the bill establishes that one of the Board's voting members shall be one of our county's RiverKeepers. Ensuring an environmental voice on the Board just makes good sense. After all, maritime businesses benefit too when our creeks and rivers are clean and safe and support aquatic life.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Next steps</span><br /><br />Bill No. 56-07 is on the agenda for a public hearing and vote on Monday, August 6th. The council meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Arundel Center. People can sign in to testify beginning at 6:30 p.m. If and when the County Council adopts the bill, the County Executive will appoint the members. I am hopeful that the Board will be appointed and will start meeting by the end of this year.<br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital</span>:<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span><a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/capital_20070716_mab.html"><span>Maritime industry 'voice' sought</span></a> (July 16, 2007)</li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-78024597844986809562007-06-13T13:15:00.000-04:002007-06-13T23:00:07.366-04:00Annapolis Neck Zoning recapLast week the County Council adopted the <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/Resources/13-07.pdf">Annapolis Neck comprehensive zoning bill</a>. The final version that passed is a mixed bag.<br /><br />The adoption finally brings closure to a 10-year planning process that started with the 1997 General Development Plan. On the plus side, the bill limits future development on hundreds of acres of environmentally sensitive land south of Forest Drive, as recommended by the <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/PlanZone/SAP/AnnapNeck.cfm">2003 Annapolis Neck Small Area Plan</a>.<br /><br />In the minus column, some amendments that passed open the door to more intense development by upzoning several parcels along the Bestgate Road corridor. Most disheartening is that the bill fails to honor the agreement reached by community leaders and owners of the Samaras property on Bay Ridge Road. I'll discuss this agreement more towards the end.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's in the adopted bill</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Downzoning</span>:<br /><br />The adopted bill downzones all five areas identified in the March 11 bulletin <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2007/03/annapolis-neck-zoning-at-last.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">("Annapolis Neck Zoning, at last")</span></a>:<br /><br /></li><ul><li>600 acres on peninsulas south of Forest Drive. The bill "grandfathers" any permit applications already in progress so they can proceed under the existing rules;</li><li>Two areas that total 18 acres at the intersection of Route 2 and MD 665; and<br /></li><li>All of Quiet Waters Park and a 3.5 acre addition to Peninsula Park;<br /><br />I voted for these changes, all of which were recommended by the 2003 Small Area Plan.</li></ul></ul><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Bestgate Road corridor</span>:<br /><br />The adopted bill creates more intensive zoning on four separate parcels from one end of Bestgate Road to the other.<br /><br /></li><ul><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIGosdVezsdrZuT4rkRzWlaDkWtdgFsNFCSLzAhAfiBQCsjJU3iOpyrmKjHq4-8rDexqJpRq7FcZ4_1pYfP-dXrQa08M4LIMhAb-9KyahyphenhyphenpF-L3Rzi9y8jXkTShI0Af9WCCgnstDQr4mP/s1600-h/Bestgate+22.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 99px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIGosdVezsdrZuT4rkRzWlaDkWtdgFsNFCSLzAhAfiBQCsjJU3iOpyrmKjHq4-8rDexqJpRq7FcZ4_1pYfP-dXrQa08M4LIMhAb-9KyahyphenhyphenpF-L3Rzi9y8jXkTShI0Af9WCCgnstDQr4mP/s200/Bestgate+22.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075505860347310386" border="0" /></a>One parcel at the intersection of Generals Highway is the site of the former Naval Institute book warehouse. It was already zoned C-2 commercial and the bill upzones it to C-3.<br /><br /></li><li>The other three parcels were all residential but are now commercial. These include:<br /><br /></li><ul><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_q9tWr60szmHQOi1gXfQxCuGSzQ3XtemV3vbw4xK_HtnrL-pv413ZdPXKAXFktXrVIrunpeVobvPzWBD7MJJcUEmDM5c4Lh9YweeTmwu0TNq9XmsuNx972LRlmhcWkIJvHFnyxrbYFtIy/s1600-h/Bestgate+02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 57px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_q9tWr60szmHQOi1gXfQxCuGSzQ3XtemV3vbw4xK_HtnrL-pv413ZdPXKAXFktXrVIrunpeVobvPzWBD7MJJcUEmDM5c4Lh9YweeTmwu0TNq9XmsuNx972LRlmhcWkIJvHFnyxrbYFtIy/s200/Bestgate+02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075506178174890306" border="0" /></a>Several residential lots along Fowler Road across Bestgate Road from Fowler United Methodist Church;<br /><br /></li><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJD764HMw-3yxNILG21UmTbsQl9TuvM6Ig1XeUJ8WxsYYUSyervN7MWXGTwW2RRXnNwrl_ah370TquvWD0tNCZtLgaWWt35GsbpiH1b_UDdGBPP3CQvL3eBbZ17ThpmU5Q21OSNriT6oP/s1600-h/Bestgate+09.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 74px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTJD764HMw-3yxNILG21UmTbsQl9TuvM6Ig1XeUJ8WxsYYUSyervN7MWXGTwW2RRXnNwrl_ah370TquvWD0tNCZtLgaWWt35GsbpiH1b_UDdGBPP3CQvL3eBbZ17ThpmU5Q21OSNriT6oP/s200/Bestgate+09.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075506521772274002" border="0" /></a>The home site between Sunrise Assisted Living and the 24-hour Emergency Veterinary Clinic. This is to become a new dental clinic;<br /><br /></li><li><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcIOQOv0bZ9kqepYr8Y9lWNutCwRu8K_kIfyaWNiQoQApkwUfa_VcSHKqNRGhRJ4rA3zny4-b6Dlrp8XdTp5xf660RSdbNNaIHgiOu693swWORzdV5MpLK258jrwcrWeEP6oFRm1Omk4z/s1600-h/Bestgate+14.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 75px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYcIOQOv0bZ9kqepYr8Y9lWNutCwRu8K_kIfyaWNiQoQApkwUfa_VcSHKqNRGhRJ4rA3zny4-b6Dlrp8XdTp5xf660RSdbNNaIHgiOu693swWORzdV5MpLK258jrwcrWeEP6oFRm1Omk4z/s200/Bestgate+14.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5075507024283447650" border="0" /></a>The house at the intersection of Rowe Boulevard and N. Bestgate Road across from St. John Neumann Church;</li></ul><br /><br />I voted against these changes for several reasons. First, the 2003 Small Area Plan recommended no changes to Bestgate's zoning. Years of public input and thoughtful deliberations went into that Plan. It should not tie the Council's hands, but the Council should only depart from it for good reason and with broad community support.<br /><br />The Bestgate corridor should be examined in a broad context rather than piecemeal. Before allowing more intense commercial development there in the future, the County should first understand what the impacts will be on traffic, the environment, water and sewer capacity, and the residential quality of life in adjacent neighborhoods.</ul></ul><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's not in the bill</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Changes to Route 2:</span><br /><br />In contrast to Bestgate Road, the Council made no changes to Route 2 south of Admiral Cochrane Drive. Several residential property owners had requested amendments to change their zoning to commercial.<br /><br />The County's long-established policy has been to keep Route 2 residential south of Parole. Neighborhoods such as Gingerville, Wilelinor and Poplar Point have fought time and again to prevent expansion of commercial development there. I ran for office partly on a platform to contain growth and protect the character of these neighborhoods. No member of the Council offered any amendments to upzone properties along Route 2 south of Parole.<br /><br /></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">Samaras agreement: </span><br /><p>For the past four months, several community leaders worked hard to negotiate a landmark agreement with the owners of the properties referred to as the Samaras property. These six acres on Bay Ridge Road include the C&C Liquors store across from Georgetown Road, as well as several residences next to and behind it.<o:p><br /></o:p></p> <p>The agreement secured several concessions to benefit the community. It would have required the property owners to build LEEDS-certified green buildings; replicate the stormwater runoff as if the land were in its pristine, natural state; protect a forest conservation easement along the rear property line; reduce curb cuts onto Bay Ridge Road; and add a bike path.<br /><br />In addition to these specific concessions, the property owners agreed to establish a design review board of residents to work with the developer and monitor the project from start to finish. This would have literally given the community a seat at the table to help shape the development in a positive way. <o:p></o:p></p> <p>In return for these concessions, the agreement called for rezoning the balance of the property from R-2 residential to C-1 commercial. Making the property all commercial would have benefited both parties. It would have given the property owners the financial return to pay for the concessions. It also would have meant no more houses along this stretch of Bay Ridge Road, something the community leaders were trying to avoid.<br /><br />The community representatives who participated in the negotiations shared my belief that some development is inevitable on that site. The purpose of the agreement was to ensure that when the site does get redeveloped, it would be done in a neighborly way that enhanced rather than diminished our quality of life.<o:p></o:p></p> A majority of the County Council voted down the amendment that would have implemented the agreement. Instead the Council adopted an alternate amendment that rezoned only a portion of the front of the property to commercial. Unfortunately, that amendment was inadequate to implement the agreement. It will likely lead to a small strip shopping center in the front and more houses in the rear, exactly what the community leaders didn't want.</li></ul>It is expected that any major piece of legislation will see some changes as it works its way through the process. Still, it is disappointing that this final bill so clearly disregards the community's will in two areas: by changing portions of Bestgate Road from residential to commercial, and by failing to honor the agreement for the Samaras property.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What's next</span><br /><br />County Executive Leopold has signed the bill and it will soon become law. The book is now closed on the Annapolis Neck zoning bill.<br /><br />Later this year the County expects to start the next General Development Plan. This planning process, expected to take 18 months, will set the blueprint for future county growth, development, and preservation. Although the exact GDP process is unknown, it is likely that the County's immediate focus will be on West County to prepare for the imminent military expansion. The next zoning bill for the Annapolis Neck is probably several years away, if not longer.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Related articles</span><br /><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sun:</span> <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/sun_20070606_ansap.html">"County changes rules on land use" (June 6, 2007)</a></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital: </span><a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/capital_20070603_samaras.html">"Backroom deal in council vote?" (June 3, 2007)</a></li><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Capital: </span><a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/capital_20070529_samaras.html">"Fate of Samaras property unclear" (May 29, 2007)</a><br /></li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7152816352617549295.post-7323969251680702702007-06-06T10:34:00.000-04:002007-11-19T08:15:57.458-05:00Budget recap<p>Last week the County Council adopted the <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/Budget/FY2008.cfm"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><u>Fiscal Year 2008 budget</u></span></a> for Anne Arundel County. The $1.44 billion budget includes $1.22 billion in operating funds and $219 million in capital projects.<br /></p> <p>The County Auditor noted that this is the tightest budget in 20 years. The budget limits spending increases through a combination of tax rate cuts and expense cuts. At the same time, the budget funds a record increase to the Board of Education.<br /></p> <p>Overall, the budget process was collaborative and it worked well. Although many worthy items were not funded, we did the best we could to balance different objectives with the money available.</p> <p><b>Taxes</b><br /></p> <p>The budget reduces the property tax rate by three percent, from 91.8 cents to 89.1 cents per $100 of assessed value. This reduction is required by the county’s property tax revenue cap, which requires the county to reduce the tax rate when rising assessments outpace the rate of inflation. With this tax rate cut, Anne Arundel County continues to have the lowest property tax rate ($0.891) and income tax rate (2.56%) of any of Maryland’s “big seven” largest jurisdictions.<br /></p> <p>This past March, the Standard & Poors bond rating agency awarded us a coveted Triple-A bond rating. This valuable designation will save taxpayers money by letting the county borrow money at more favorable rates to pay for long-term capital improvements. This rating is due in large part to the county’s history of prudent fiscal management.<br /></p> <p><b>What’s in the budget</b><br /></p> <p>The budget invests a record $545 million to the Board of Education, an increase of roughly $29 million. This increase funds 213 new positions including 111 new teachers and 45 new teacher aides. The budget also funds the negotiated 6 percent teacher salary increase supported by the County Council.<br /></p> <p>The budget includes $25,000 for a proposed <a href="http://cohenbulletin.blogspot.com/2007/04/forest-drive-commuter-shuttle.html">Forest Drive commuter express shuttle</a>. I have requested a $25,000 match from the State of Maryland and an in-kind match from the City of Annapolis. By partnering together, the City, County and State can make this new service a reality.<br /></p> <p>Several capital projects in District 6 are funded. Most of the press attention centered on the Quiet Waters Park Ice Rink repair which made it through. (The County is paying $750,000 of the $2 million total price tag. The State is paying the remaining $1.25 million through its Program Open Space funds.)<br /></p><p>Other funded projects include the Forest Drive road widening project to add an additional through lane in each direction between Chinquapin Round Road and Hilltop Lane. Engineers estimate that this will reduce backup times by 25 percent during peak hours. The budget also funds an expansion of Peninsula Park on Bay Ridge Road, and keeps the new Annapolis Neck Fire Station on schedule to open in late 2008.<br /></p> <p><b>What’s not in the budget: full funding for education</b><br /></p> <p>Despite the record funding and new positions, in my view the budget does not do nearly enough to bring our public school system “from good to great,” as schools Superintendent Kevin Maxwell often says.<br /></p> <p>Although 213 positions may sound like a lot, many of them are mandated and do not address existing needs. For example, almost 100 of the 213 new positions are going to a state-mandated all-day kindergarten or to Pre-K. The budget partially funds the IB Middle Years Program at Annapolis Middle School and two other schools, but fails to fund the new teaching positions that go along with it.<br /></p> <p>It is unclear how the Board of Education will provide for the new Annapolis High School initiatives. AHS faces the prospect of a state takeover if it fails to make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) during this coming school year. Principal Don Lilley has good ideas such as identifying struggling, incoming ninth-graders and providing them with a rigorous educational program before they fall further behind. But he can only implement these initiatives if the money is there.<br /></p> <p>It is a common misperception that most education dollars should fund only teachers, and that non-teacher positions are mostly unnecessary. In fact, without the help of guidance counselors, social workers, pupil personnel workers, secretaries, test coordinators and other staff, teachers would be unable to spend the necessary time on instruction. It is vitally important to maintain a full component of these services.<br /></p><p>It is hard for a student to excel when his or her family is in the midst of a crisis such as going through a divorce or battling addiction. Guidance counselors can intervene in these difficult situations and help students find stability and stay focused. Unfortunately, guidance counselors, social workers and others are spread far too thinly to do their job well. Guidance counselors are often unable to even meet with students because the lack of test coordinators requires them to spend weeks on end doing paperwork instead.<br /></p> <p><b>What’s not in the budget: non-profits</b><br /></p> <p>The budget cuts grants to non-profits by almost 50 percent. Although the County Council and Executive restored a little over $800,000 in funding, severe cuts may force many agencies to close their doors. It is especially distressing that the County provided no funding at all to the OIC Job Readiness Center and Centro de Ayuda (Center of Help), two local non-profits. OIC has offered adult basic education and job skills training to thousands of low-income county residents since 1978. Center of Help is one of only a handful of organizations that assist Spanish-speaking residents with everything from paperwork to after-school programs.<br /></p> <p>In my view, many grants to non-profits are sound investments that are more than matched by the non-profits’ own resources. Non-profits leverage their public funding to bring in additional resources such as foundation grants and private donations. Armies of dedicated volunteers supplement paid staff. Cultural and arts groups also make an intangible but important contribution to our quality of life. They not only bring jobs and revenues to our county, they help make it a vibrant livable community instead of a bedroom community of commuters.<br /></p><p>The County recently sought and received the State grant office's assistance to help local non-profits pursue other funding sources in the future. This is a welcome offer but unfortunately may be too late to help some agencies. Many of the non-profits who were counting on County grants have no time to replace those funds before the fiscal year starts on July 1st.<br /></p> <p><b>What does the future hold?</b><br /></p> <p>Our economy is not as robust as it was just a couple of years ago. For instance, real estate transfer and recordation taxes, which account for more than $100 million in County revenues, have been declining for two years. Next year the state has to solve a huge structural deficit that many budget experts believe will lead to cuts in state aid to counties. Clearly we need to be frugal as we go through an uncertain time.<br /></p> <p>Still, at some time Anne Arundel County will need to decide if it is content with the services it offers and the achievement level of its schools, or if it wants to do better. I believe that Anne Arundel County cannot afford to continue on its current path. Of the big seven counties, Anne Arundel ranks sixth for our ratio of students to instructional staff and seventh for non-instructional staff. Our rank is a meager 21st and 20th in these two categories when compared to all 24 counties statewide.</p><p>In the Annapolis feeder system, almost 40 percent of middle school students attend private school. This is unacceptable for so many reasons. Around Fort Meade our county will bear the brunt of, and pay the infrastructure costs for, a tremendous military expansion. We will only realize the full revenues associated with that expansion if new taxpayers choose to live in our county rather than Howard County or another jurisdiction. We need a top-notch school system in order to compete. We owe it to ourselves and to our children. </p><p>I welcome your thoughts on these and other issues. You can reach me at 410-222-1401 or by email at <a href="mailto:joshua.cohen@aacounty.org"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255);"><u>joshua.cohen@aacounty.org</u></span></a>.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;">More Resources</span><br /></p><ul><li><span style="font-style: italic;">The Sun</span> article: <a href="http://www.joshcohen.org/articles/sun_20070601_budget.html">Council OKs $1.44 billion 2008 budget</a></li><li>County Executive Leopold's proposed FY08 <a href="http://www.aacounty.org/Budget/Resources/FY08ProposedBudgetMessage.pdf">Budget Message</a></li><li>Superintendent Maxwell's proposed FY08 <a href="http://www.aacps.org/html/press/budget/08budget/FY08BudgetinBrief.pdf">Budget in Brief</a><br /></li></ul>Josh Cohenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09567195773184219006noreply@blogger.com