Carroll County, MD Commissioner Ed Rothstein- District 5, 26 Oct 2021

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From YouTube: District 5 Town Hall Meeting with Commissioner Rothstein- October 26, 2021

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Some up here, I'm going to talk from the mat. I'm going to hand it off to uh linda over here.

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Talk about some of the planning hand it off to the sheriff talk about what's happening here in the.

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Southern part of the county, along with carroll county, this is about the level I'll be talking.

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My voice is pretty much shot. I had a interesting weekend. uh Good things happened, not the ravens, but.

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The saturday, the day before my son played football and uh they won 38-34, which is a good thing.

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But what was exciting is they blocked a punt with 37 seconds to go and they scored with 11 seconds.

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To go and they won so they're still undefeated and they're ranked fourth in the country.

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Division uh two, but still doing good stuff. I completely lost my voice. I will be looking at.

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Grove city against washington jefferson next week, which is gonna, be a heck of a game. So as we have a.

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Friend in the audience from grove city, um what I want to do for the next hour hour and a half.

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As long as you want is share with you again, what's on my mind, happening in the county.

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Happening in the southern part of the county and then most important build a dialogue had.

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A really good morning session, a lot of discussion about the properties that are being developed or.

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Questions about being developed, the different zoning that's happening.

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And we kind of took it from there the way I like to start, this is share with you my view as a.

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Role that I play one, I'm a community community member, I'm a community member in carroll, county.

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And in the southern part of the in the county, I am an elected official, so some people could say I'm a.

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Politician in that sense, you know after 30 years wearing a uniform. I don't see myself that way.

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I see myself running resources, time people and money to ensure that we have the best quality.

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Of life we can have here in carroll county and we live in a safe, secure uh community.

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And environment, it's all about how we allocate resources our time, our people and our money.

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The uh just stepped down in the ant um most recently there was a uh a census that we all.

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Participated in and every ten years we had the census. What the census showed is that we increased.

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Carroll county, just by a few thousand folks, but every time we have a census change every 10 years.

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I'm going to walk over to this map over here is that we stand up. What's called the redistricting.

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Committee and the redistricting committee looks at carroll county there's a redistricting committee.

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That looks at the state of maryland, one that looks at the county and one that looks federally.

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There was a couple states that lost congressional districts- uh california, and I think new york.

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And a couple of states that picked up congressional districts because of the population.

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It happens all the way down to the county level, so this is carroll county.

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And the redistricting committee was a bipartisan effort from the democratic central committee.

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The republican central committee and the board of elections, there was five maps that were drawn from.

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These committees, they decided to push forward this one map to our delegation.

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To then make their final decisions on it going to the general assembly to accept or either accept or.

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Deny but the intent is to accept the reason I'm bringing this up. That's very important for us in.

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This room is district five and it's hard to tell from this district five. The way it's rewritten.

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Takes out linton springs and century high school, so it keeps in piney elementary sexville middle.

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But it takes out a large portion of the freedom district which I don't like. I've talked to our.

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Delegation and I'm trying to work with them to figure out how to get that back into our.

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District, because that's where it belongs to me, is how district 5 can be as inclusive.

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For the freedom district as possible, this goes all the way up, 32 to 97. It also goes.

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Which includes mechanicsville elementary, which feeds into westminster, we don't have.

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A relationship there, it also includes 91, going up towards finksburg the reason they did. This.

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Is they were looking at the um the polling stations, not necessarily the communities of.

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Interest, I want them to look at the communities of interest how the freedom district lies.

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Along with especially the schools and the school systems, this large area right here is a very large.

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Polling district, it's called 14001 and they didn't want to break that up. That's why.

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I believe they made this into one, which is now in district four, but we're going to work through this.

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I'm sharing this with you, because this is where we stand right now, so anybody living on.

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This part of the freedom district, if it stays this way, I will no longer represent directly.

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I want you if you agree with this to let us know you agree with this. If you don't agree with this.

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Let us know you don't agree with this and help me. Carry the water to our delegation say these are.

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Things that need to be changed, because we have a very short timeline for this to be changed.

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And we're talking about two months, so it's it's very important to me to ensure that we are as.

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Inclusive as possible, within the freedom district, there are nine growth areas, designate growth areas.

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In carroll county, the eight municipalities and the freedom uh growth here, the freedom.

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Designated growth area and we're going to go into much more depth about this.

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Trying to get a baseline so we're all kind of working forward from where we are right now.

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The other part about this is, I talk about district five, because that's where we lie right now,.

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It's my responsibility to get elected, fortunately, and very humbled by you in district five, but it's.

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My responsibility as a total to govern the entire part of carroll county, the 175 000, give or take in.

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Carroll county- I'm very interested in this, and this is where we're going to predominantly talk.

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This evening, because I believe this is where you're going to bring most of my attention to, but.

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I'd also have concern up here with north carol high school. I have concern over here.

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With charles carroll community center of 97, I had significant concern down here with a.

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Very large piece of property called the harrison leicester property right off of 70 in mount airy.

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Along with the development projects that we have here in um in district five, so it's not just.

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Me looking at one area and foregoing all the rest.

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The other part that was asked earlier is how do we come up with the decisions we make? Is it me.

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Alone- because I see sometimes on social media- I'm gonna segue into social media in a second.

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Because I see on social media, well, I'm just one commissioner: out of five: that's right.

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We govern by a simple majority, three votes. My job is to having the ability to count to three and.

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Unless it's taxes, it's a super majority, I have to count to four. We haven't raised taxes in.

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Quite some time in uh 10 or 12 years, taxes have not been raised here in carroll county. I'm not.

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Worried about the taxes right now, my job is to count to three, so how you know count into.

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Three I go to each one of the commissioners and we work together um to make decisions.

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On whether things should be zoned a certain way and allowed to be built or not built, you convinced.

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Me I convinced them. We work together and that's how job you know the job gets done. The other way.

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The job gets done, which is really really important for a lot of what we're going to talk about.

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Dealing with the planning and the zoning is what's called the planning commission. We do not have the.

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Ability in carroll county to have the expertise or the eyes out everywhere, so we're relying on.

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The community we're relying on you to share with us what are the best ideas that are out there.

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That deals with veterans that deals with our growing population that deals with the.

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Planning and zoning that's happening here across carroll county, so we have a planning commission.

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And pete is on that planning commission, who is part of also here in the freedom district.

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I love that we have an opening coming up and I'm I'm praying. I don't want to say, praying.

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I'm asking that you consider being a part of the planning commission. It's a much better way.

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Of saying it that we have another freedom representative, another individual from the.

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Freedom district, the largest destiny growth area in carroll, county on the planning commission.

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And as openings happen, get people more and more engaged, because it's honestly the only way it is.

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To me, the best way to come up with the solution is to be a part of the process, and there are some.

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Important discussions that happen in a planning uh mp can definitely attest to that. We're going.

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To have meetings coming up workshops in order to have the workshops productive, I am relying.

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On the planning commission to come to us and say here are some of the discussions that took place.

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And these are the issues that we want you to consider. The answers may be. No. The answer may.

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Be partly this and then go to something else, but the engagement is very important and so on. That's.

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What I'm asking for you know after tonight, the discussion doesn't stop here. It continues on and.

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That engagement is so so very important if uh some of you are on social media, which I expect most.

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People are these days. I often see um send an email to and a lot of times they send an email to me.

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I never see any bashing on social media, or at least I never see any bashing to me so.

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If there is some keep it away from me, but honestly I never see it. I always see very.

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uh Respectable uh respective respectful, um I see appropriate, I see you know just.

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Points of interest that I believe are for the community saying reach out to me. I appreciate that.

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And I typically will respond. Please do or if somebody's asking me a question.

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Directly I'll say, send me a note: here's my email address anybody who knows me by now.

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Knows that I'm pretty responsive, whether you want me to talk to you, call you or email to date.

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Over two years in social media, I've gotten zero zero emails from people. That said.

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Email, ed rothstein act, I've gotten zero emails from me going on social media, saying you want a.

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Response here is my email address. The reason I do that is not to push back, but to actually embrace.

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It and allow me to do due diligence and homework necessary to get you the best answer. I can.

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I cannot do it on my own, so I'm relying on.

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Land resource management, I'm relying on linda over and planning I'm relying on dpw.

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Those are the folks that I reach out to saying here is the information that you deserve.

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So I'm asking to send those emails. None of this is a done deal and we're I'm going to segue into this.

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In a second, as far as these properties, none of them are a done deal they're going to go through.

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Text amendments mapping, amendments and then decisions that need to be made on the development.

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Of three large parcels in the southern part of the county in the freedom district in the freedom.

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Design growth area- and we know them- we know them as freedom's- grant beated property and zabel.

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Property freedom's grant- and I saw the flyer and I've seen it on social media and I've seen again.

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It on social media, a lot saying, reach out reach out I've gotten zero and you've put it on.

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For weeks, I think to be honest and uh there's over a thousand followers on that page. I've gotten zero.

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Responses and uh it's going to the bga tomorrow for their determination on the validity of.

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The development in freedom's grant disabled property. I don't believe a developer has been.

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Destiny, yet I think there's rumors and stuff like that of it of a developer, but I believe.

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It's still the property owner um and the bd property is an interesting one by itself.

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Or on its own- and we can talk more about that um before I hand it to linda on a couple other things.

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That I want to highlight, one of them is park, wrecks or wrecking parks. uh Just again, I'm.

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So proud of this community in carroll county, if you hadn't seen in the news this morning in the.

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Paper we received a two hundred thousand dollar anonymous gift from someone here in carroll, county.

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It is anonymous, I have no idea who he or she is the only two people that know who this person is.

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Is the director of parks and rec and our lawyer? That's it and the conditions of this two hundred.

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Thousand dollar anonymous gift was one to keep the uh the persian anonymous and then.

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Two have it designate funds to um the park to freedom and the intent is to build a playground.

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It's going to be a playground with some fitness and all that kind of stuff in it now. What's really.

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Cool about, besides two hundred thousand dollars, which is the largest gift we've ever received.

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Like this is the nathan baker foundation, which is a really cool foundation, 501c3.

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The dad was my son's wrestling coach assistant wrestling coach he's a cop in howard, county really.

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Cool guy, they are also donating money. I don't know if it's a match or not, but they're donating money.

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Towards the same effort, so I'm asking the community to look at this and say this is.

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A great opportunity to continue to donate and make something really special in freedom park.

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Really makes us, you know, feel good about what's happening. There's projects called open space. We.

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Get money from the state dealing with uh parks and rec. We've got about a hundred thousand.

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Going into the fall, the south part of the county received about 60 to seventy thousand dollars of.

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That hundred thousand so for ball fields for uh the dog park um and the reason we received so.

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Much is because of how active we are down here in south carol. Is we move forward and said these are.

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The projects that are ready to to turn soil to turn dirt and and make something happen.

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Whether it's new nets, new whatever and we receive some some good coin about that.

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Let's see two more things: we just had a 75 000.

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Acre land preservation ag preservation ceremony a couple weeks ago, very proud of that.

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This goal has been in place since 1980.

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So 31 years we've had a goal in place to preserve a third of the county property into.

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Land preservation and right now we're almost at 77 000 acres. We have about 47 000, available acres.

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46 47 000 available acres to obtain the last 23 000 acres. So it's going to be tougher most.

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Of it obviously- and we have maps of that are in the northern part of the county, it's pretty cool.

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To have a vision and a goal and actually stick again the resources to going towards that goal.

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The last thing I want to talk about and then we're going to start opening this up.

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Is uh is covered and covered 19. again, there's no way. I want to stand up here like I'm on a pulpit.

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Or some somewhere like that, the intent here is to be pragmatic and we're doing the best we can in.

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Dealing with covet 19. we've established the rules from the county government that we would not over.

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Be overzealous be uh overachievers on protective measures on being over guarded when it comes to.

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Coven 19 we were going to align ourselves with the decision makers in the state, in other words,.

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The governor, so when the governor comes out with an executive order or with a law, we would abide.

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By that, and we would not take it a further step um and we've been relatively successful in doing that.

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That doesn't mean that coven 19's uh gone away, and you know some with masks. I you know continue to.

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Applaud uh you know your efforts, because it's not just about you. It's about your community.

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Your neighbors and your family, it's whatever is going to make you feel most comfortable.

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I just ask that, uh if you're not vaccinated to continue to consider in getting vaccinated.

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uh And continue to consider getting the boosters.

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I'm not a doctor, I don't play one on tv or nothing like that, but I've gotten. You know 30 years in the.

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Military going down the line we used to get vaccinated on both sides of the arms. You know.

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Walking down the line, it was anybody in the military understands that, and uh it was just.

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One of those things that we did- um I I just personally, I believe in it, so uh you know.

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Just think through that, um because again we just want to maintain a healthy community.

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Oh another really cool thing uh water. We uh just passed an ordinance that- and I have the details.

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Over my book that, if a sewer line is going past, your house as an established sewer line, there was.

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A requirement to have hookup fees to that sewer line, uh even though it was passenger house and.

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There was no intent in using that sewer line and that's you know: 10 15, 20 000 bucks to do.

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We took that away um and especially because of its effects down here in the southern.

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Part of the uh county, so there's no longer that requirement those that are on set uh using septic.

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You septic and there's no requirement to hook up to that line, and you know keep the money into your.

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Pockets, I think, is more important than forcing a resident to hook up and then also somebody.

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Who had just established a septic system that now they have to change? So that was something.

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And these are things that you know we tried establishing by listening to you. um That's.

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Why I do these town halls in the morning and evening because people say I'm not available in.

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The evening I'm not available anymore I'll do twice. We have work sessions coming up.

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Dealing with um definitions and maps and then the public hearings- and I was told that public.

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Hearing people can't be there in the day or can't be there nights fine, we'll do we'll do them twice.

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I mean our time is your time, so we're going to have public hearing one in the morning and one.

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In the evening to maximize uh the ability for you to attend, because we want to hear what you have to.

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Say it's so important. The workshops are not going to be open for discussion, but that doesn't mean.

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That you do not have the ability to build a dialogue with me or others, and I'll carry.

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The water- I mean, that's, that's my role, so um let me just shut the doors if you can thanks.

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um Let's see what else do I want to share any questions so far ray you were want to see some.

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Yeah, no, I understand matching um it's. It is not a direct match. We're going to do everything we can.

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To match that gift from the nathan baker, along with uh the county and the public, so yeah.

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Yeah, I'm uh yeah, I believe the intent is for them to give up. I don't think it's up to you. I.

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Think it is 200 000, but the intent is to do a match, but it's not dependent on the match.

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So- and uh the only thing I heard about it is that carroll county has done so much.

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For them, and obviously they've done well that they want to give back so.

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Any other questions so far. Yes, sir, no question of clarification. I think disabled property.

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Does have a developer? Who did I spoke to someone months ago? They have a plan, they.

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Have it in the discussion with the county about road connection, uh apparently, from this standpoint,.

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There was a discrepancy over which rover they went. The developer wanted to connect it right.

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I was because we had part of this conversation earlier about whether it's a developer or the.

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Landowner that we're talking to where that's bringing bill, I spoke to a representative.

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Of the developer right, no, no! I I get you yeah, okay, okay, now this was just yeah.

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Okay, okay and that's fair, I'm gonna definitely dig in because I'm getting a little muddy.

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On that as well, yes, sir.

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I apologize one more time um this planning commission that you mentioned. How long has it.

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Been in when was it started and who commissioned it? Was it done by the county right? Is it populated.

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By just volunteers, or are they chosen from someone else in the county? Okay? So so the question had to.

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Do with the planning commission, I'm just going to repeat sometimes the questions, because it is.

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Being streamed reference, the planning commission, when was it established? How is it established.

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Is it just volunteers overall, it is just volunteers, but then you get a very small stipend.

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Okay, maybe to buy a couple cups of coffee and maybe a brown beverage or something, but that's.

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About all, but it's mostly a volunteer issue. The selection is by the county commissioners. So we get.

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The resumes and the requests from the community that want to participate in the planning.

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Commission and as the county commissioners- and we do this in closed session and I'll explain that.

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In a second, where we look at the resumes and we make a determination who the best candidates are.

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When it comes to the planning commission, um in many cases, we go through an interview process.

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Because we want to get the best people and the best caliber, um and also a diversity.

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That's looking at you know, as I mentioned, the entire county.

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The origin, the origins of the planning commission, um I don't know, do you know what.

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Actually maryland state law requires us to have a planning commission, so it's enabling.

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Legislation is from the state that jurisdictions must have a planning commission to review plans.

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um Zoning and create comprehensive plans and do development review so which, which also brings up.

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A point that I believe we're doing very well governing the way we govern with the.

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Five commissioners and the way we govern with five commissioners, we do base our um our laws.

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From the maryland uh constitution, so when the maryland constitution says you will do that's what.

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We do as opposed to other counties like howard and frederick. They build their own constitution.

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And build their own set of laws, so um the uh yeah. So that's the planning commission itself.

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Right, okay, so a typical planning, commission, pete you're, going to correct me if I'm wrong or linda.

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But it is in open meetings where uh the planning commission has seven seven. I was pretty good on.

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That seven on uh on the commission, they build a quorum, which is, I believe, a simple majority. So.

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So it's a simple majority of four and then they go through a review process of different.

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Activities that are being considered for planning and zoning here in carroll county, um the secretary.

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Of the planning commission is the director of planning linda, so she comes with her team.

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And presents well, besides being secretary, her team presents the different activities.

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That are being requested for planning and zoning. They make a determination on its.

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Ability to move forward or not if they are able to make that determination. uh It's it's done if.

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They make a determination that goes against what the request is. It can go through what's called.

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The board of zoning appeals and the board of zoning appeals is also appointed by the county.

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But it's removed from the county decision makers once it's appointed and they'll make.

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The final determination, if, uh if something is you know, legitimate to be to be built.

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I mean I'm oversimplifying a lot of it, but that's pretty much the process. The planning commission.

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Meets during the day to go through a lot of these activities and they'll also meet in one.

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One evening a month to go through some workshop activities as well, um but the whole purpose is.

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That it is open uh sessions for the public and the community to to listen to. So I'm sorry, it is.

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It can well well, the planning department has no decision-making authority right and what you're.

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Talking about planning commission has two roles to create and draft plans and to review development.

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Proposals so site plans for commercial industrial type of construction and subdivision plans that.

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Come in and they make sure that the regulations are being followed for those plans within their.

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Lane so to speak, they have a little bit of ability to make certain decisions on certain things.

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That is within their power, for instance like signage landscaping. Things like that, but basically.

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They are just making sure that the county code of laws and ordinance is being followed for.

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Development proposals, then their other big thing that they do is they work on.

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The county master plan, the water and sewer plan the planning annual report to make sure.

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There's consistency with the plans that the county has and the development that's being.

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Considered and then those are recommendations to the board of commissioners and those.

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It gets moves ahead. It always.

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Then you have all these homes being built and you don't have you don't have the schools to support.

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Families right for the county, but it never happens.

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Okay and very valid questions and we're going to definitely dig into that and I'm going to.

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Dig into that uh with you, along with the others, um but the decisions like that come back to us.

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The board of county commissioners, so when recommendations are done by the planning.

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Commission they are not final decisions, they are recommendations and it is up to us the board of.

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County commissioners, through a simple majority, to come up with the decisions to moving forward with.

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Specific projects and specific language mapping, it's my signature on the map, not the planning.

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Commissions, signature, it's my signature on the definitions of what um you know, residential zoning.

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Looks like as defined as not the planning commissions, so just one second, yes, ma'am.

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Well, I just wanted to ask whether the members are sorry. I am that's related because of my work.

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Are the members of the planning commission do they all live in carroll county? They.

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Do kind of understand they they do and uh the intent again is to have diversity uh with the.

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Planning, commission now um the overall they are diverse. I mean we have a lawyer. We got a realtor.

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uh A realtor we do, uh we've had a couple realtors, um we had, I don't know pete. um You know.

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Who else is on there yeah finance, but um who.

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Got an engineer so so we do have diversity. um Sometimes what does happen.

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Is it gets? You know the scales get, you know, kind of heavy on one side and we got to be.

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Careful that, especially when people consider like realtors and folks that are more interested.

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In land so not necessarily a conflict of interest but more of a concern, and I don't and I I really.

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Believe that the folks that are on that planning commission do everything they can both ethically.

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And within the guidelines that they have to come up with the best decisions, that's also why there.

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Are seven uh making you know the decisions, um but that's also why I'm asking for we have openings.

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Let's get somebody more engaged from the freedom district, everybody is a carroll countian.

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From the north to the west to the east, you know south, so I'm I'm thinking through them right now,.

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But yes, every one of them is carroll county, yes, sir, so in this whole process in the infrastructure.

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In albany, I'm a new resident carroll county been here for a year, uh but on the flip side,.

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My house second grader was first grader. I went to school in a construction trailer last year.

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And her uh elementary school was so grossly underfunded that they had to do a fundraiser.

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Just to raise a hundred grand for the playground right, uh so the infrastructure problems.

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So, at what point in this process are properties negotiating right and yeah, and just as important.

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Because, like red hot real estate market, how opportunistic are we being as a county.

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To turn the screws on these land developers to really negotiate hard and get every last penny.

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Out of them to help fund things like expansion, schools, updating your sewer, I mean that's right so.

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Great question and- uh and you know we're definitely going on a theme. Let me just unpack.

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It a little bit um of what you shared, I'm very familiar with the playground situation at freedom.

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And when I first asked, how do I get money for the playground at freedom.

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I got a lot of pushback from the county said it's coming, it needs to come. The first point was talk.

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To the board of education talk to the school system, and then it was no. That needs to go to.

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Like you said a fundraiser and that's way, people raise money for these playgrounds.

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At carrolltown, the nathan baker foundation built their playground. I don't quite agree with that. So.

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Much but that's the way things were done, but I am very familiar with the freedom elementary school.

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Playground, I'm also familiar that when a piece of property is ready to be built on.

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And one specific dealing with the freedom area, there was like 30, somewhat homes.

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And it came to the planning commission that was the ex official on the planning commission.

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At that time it was a couple years ago and we look at a checklist.

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Does it have the infrastructure does, have the roads does have the water? Does it have uh fire ems.

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Does it have uh the coverage uh where the sheriff can get to that community and his team get to that.

A

Community does it have the schools available and that's where the red flag came up? Was the schools.

A

It did not have the capacity in the schools that development was not to be built so.

A

That's a big concern. I hear that a lot that the schools are overcrowded.

A

When the schools are going to be overcrowded, the developments are not going to be built.

A

Decisions will have to be made on how to deal with the schools. I'm working with the schools.

A

And we have these meetings with the board of education about redistricting, and you know a lot.

A

Of folks, don't like those words redistricting, but you know again when I look at this map.

A

I'm looking here, but there may be availability up here and over here into south carol. You know.

A

High school, so there's going to be some sort of fish hook of redistricting this way or fish.

A

Going the other way and talking with the board of education and building a redistricting effort.

A

How is that going to take place? Because that needs to take place.

A

Before any of this development happens down here, it will not happen if the school's capacity.

A

Can't support the development. The other part is that folks, sometimes.

A

Are not necessarily understanding I mean I don't understand until I you know two by four. Sometimes.

A

Is if a piece of property has the ability to build 200 homes on it? 200 homes will not be built in one.

A

Year they will not be built overnight. 25 homes will be built no more than 50. You know and that's.

A

If it's back to back from the uh you know, the time you say go to the growth for that first year,.

A

But we only authorize so much growth in a piece of property at any given time. I think that's the.

A

Smart way to go because it also tests out the infrastructure and we continue to build. I.

A

Residential development is relatively new to me. I was an economic developer in anne arundel.

A

County so I dealt with commercial industrial and in dealing with those developers for commercial.

A

Industrial, we did negotiate with them to build ingress, egress roads and routes and infrastructure.

A

Before they were all allowed to build on those pieces of property, those type of discussions.

A

Are had with the developers, um you know, and I mean I just. I just know that it's happening.

G

My background is negotiations and it's what I've done my entire career, um what an opportunity to.

G

Just go after a huge hashgraph. If we is so looking at this- and I don't know if that's right or wrong.

G

To move forward with this development- I'm not educated enough, but if we could just get.

G

10 grand more per unit- that's 21 million dollars that we can apply towards new buildings right.

G

And frankly, I mean having seen similar developments like this.

E

Right right, I put it in a rainy day fund because they're going to sit half empty at some point.

A

No, I I understand where you're, where you're coming from and um a couple of the comments I hear is we.

A

Want development, especially down here, uh because you know we're in the pockets of developers and.

A

Nobody's in the pockets of developers down here, or they want to just raise our taxes.

A

Nobody wants to raise our taxes, no taxes. This is the great thing about property. That's right,.

A

Because right, you negotiate them at the beginning of the development right and I agree and it's paid.

G

Up front and you need cash up front. No, I I agree nobody's raised taxes down here.

A

That's a different discussion and.

A

Okay, sure, absolutely um what's that? Oh thank you! Cool.

H

So this is not going to change anytime soon.

A

But but but the fact is there won't be more trailers being built at.

A

Freedom, I mean they are freedom's degrees, it's at capacity right, so.

A

In order for development that's going to feed into freedom, they got to figure out that either.

A

Kids are going to go up to mechanicsville or they're, going to come down to carrolltown.

A

So it's going to be one or the other. If they go up to mechanicsville, then it's going to feed into the.

A

Westminster district, if it goes to mechanicsville or carrolltown, it could still feed into arms.

A

Into liberty, that's where I'm trying to push uh the board of education and our community with the.

A

Redistricting but but you're absolutely right when you're at capacity you're at capacity. um But but I.

A

I know where you're coming from. I understand those are some of the discussions we do have um with.

A

Developers when they're represented through you know legal and they're saying this is what we want.

A

To do, and then we go back and forth, and most of it, though it has to do with, is the piece of property.

A

Sustainable or eligible or able to build what they want to build that's kind of the first time is it.

A

Able to be zoned and permitted, is it zoned and then is it able to have the right permits to build.

A

When it needs to be built uh on itself, but we can talk more you, so you want to see something well, I.

A

Was gonna get with the freedom grant? Yeah also? Is that why it went from 101 houses to now 230 some.

I

Because our schools can't handle it so we're going to go about it a different way to get it developed.

A

No, it's senior housing, and so it's it's not so now you're not affecting the schools.

I

Is that why this is being done? That way, I believe, so I think the developer made a uh a decision.

A

To use that property for senior, because that would not need that criteria for our schools.

A

But um to start building now it allows them the eligibility to build senior homes because.

A

That's not necessarily a requirement, it's just. You know a decision made by a developer.

A

That particular property, um your stance, you talked about subdivision.

D

And under the 2008 housing bubble that happened, that plan went out of date. There was no longer.

D

Developer for that piece of property, so it's been sitting there for years, just with.

D

A old site plan on it, then a new developer came forward and proposed a new plan which is now.

D

Under consideration by the board of zoning appeals because it needs a conditional use, approval.

D

Meaning that they need to go and ask to say, can we.

D

Can can you allow us to have this age-restricted community on this particular piece of property.

D

So that hearings tomorrow through the bca, so then the next step in the process would be if they get.

D

Their conditional use from the board of sending appeals then to come forward with a site plan, so.

D

Yes, they are talking about 200 some homes because they had to come to planning commission first.

D

To get the permission for the density requirements, a three-part system for these types of communities.

D

In carroll county, the second part, then, is the conditionalist, and the third part is asking for.

D

um Or going through the um subdivision process for that particular piece of property. So that's how it.

D

Went from the 101 to now with the number it's a whole new proposal, totally different, exactly.

D

Then they'll switch over to breakers.

D

Restricted is part of the deed. um It's not just like a covenant. So that's on the land records.

D

You can't just switch midway through and say now we're going to do something else and I would say.

D

From what they showed us, what the developer can come in with anything at any time, it's not until.

D

It's built, but they are talking, and I have seen these in other communities. You know first, four.

D

Master bedrooms things like that and they use restricted and that's that's the market that.

D

They're, obviously, targeting so they're gonna go with what their market tells them and if they want.

D

You know two level second floor, master bedrooms or first floor. That's how they'll end up deciding.

J

Which we also saw that right next door in owings mills there's a large age-restricted development.

J

That just went uh you know the aid restriction was removed because there was no market for it.

J

uh So you can't comment on what's happening, I'm just saying that there is that's baltimore county.

A

So I don't disagree with what you're saying, however, that is the determination of that property.

A

Owner when they're eligible to build something uh an example is the 7-eleven is going where.

A

The pizza hut was okay. There ain't a whole lot of people there happy about that. They.

A

Determined that that 7-eleven is going to do well, where that pizza hut was by the way that.

A

Building is going to probably come down uh the end of next week. You know and they're.

A

Going to start figuring out a determinant was determination was made that that age restriction.

A

Homes were appropriate for where they're going to build it and that's what the developer's saying so.

A

For me to say to them: no, that is not where the market is. It makes it very difficult when they're.

A

Saying that is where the market is so given all that, but I'm going to throw it back on you.

J

With the text amendments that you're going to be voting on correct it is, you are going.

J

To be deciding whether or not we the county is going to allow this is not I mean I have the.

E

Right exactly right, uh because I'm talking about what's lawful, not I mean what's right, yeah, but you.

J

Are the one that's going to decide whether or not these age-restricted communities get a huge bump.

J

For density and actually taking uh you know an r20 000 and putting in our 10 000 development in it.

J

And the biggest I was, you know: why do I? Why is it such a you know? Why has that bothered me so much.

J

And I figured out what it is. This is a permanent variance that you're granting for this development.

J

And I mean in the sense that once those homes are built, it's going to stay our 10 000.

J

For 30 to 50 years, you know as long as as long as any of our neighborhoods last.

J

But that market that you granted, that variance for is temporary at best so you're.

J

Creating a permanent variance for a temporary market that may not even exist at all, so that's.

A

I know what you're saying, but I can't I can't do permanent versus temporary. I get you I I do.

A

I can't talk about the market. I can't talk about the market analysis. I don't know.

A

But I cannot guarantee so much. No, I I know I can't. I know that there is you're right, you're.

A

Right, I cannot guarantee so that's right. Can you approve the zone, the variance and the permanent.

A

As opposed to determining what variance or determining what zoning should I make it.

A

One other thing where I can't determine if that market is going to be the best market for whatever.

A

A piece of property is owned, get out of it and just think about like respecting the nature and.

F

The characteristic of the community and not fundamentally transforming it into something.

E

Right and that's what that is, it's a permanent fundamental transformation of the nature.

F

Surrounding communities affects the surrounding homeowners and property owners and residents.

F

So that's where it's and now you know, if there's a market you've just transformed it.

F

And that I didn't think that that went along with the goals of the freedom plan. It does.

J

Not go along with the goals of the freedom plan, actually, the opposite. It goes along with what.

J

The westminster carroll county government tried to has always and westminster government, has.

J

Always tried to push higher density into freedom and freedom wanted. uh The reason why we're here.

J

Is because we're a veteran community both from washington corridor and we suffer the hour plus.

J

Commute because we want more open spaces if we don't have those open spaces here in freedom.

J

Then yeah the yeah, the two communities communities that we pass daily as we.

A

I'm not sure what westminster did to push down anything towards here. So you you mentioned.

A

Westminster the freedom plan right, it was much more dense and we yeah yeah. The final version.

J

Was right we settled on our 20 000 and now we're seeing the r 10 000 in the r 20 000 district.

J

Zone areas and that's what the yeah just I want to talk about that in a second between the plan.

A

And the zoning that we're authorizing one second, but you you had a question, though a comment. First.

K

Who is yeah accountable when we have this idea of here's the plan? Here's what we're going to see.

K

And then a developer comes in and things happen, and we say this is what we need.

K

Who holds that developer accountable for what that they said that they were going to do? We do.

A

We, the county, does the county through if we change things along the way, because there's no market.

K

Or like, for example, a development comes in, and we say we put this here and this here.

K

And then, who goes back and checks to make sure that was actually done, um yeah the right way.

K

Yeah situation, where things weren't done the right way and people were going well.

E

Yeah, this is what you asked for. This is what you got, but the development didn't put them in.

K

Correctly, no, we we do. I mean where there's been cases where uh you know community comes to me and.

A

Says driveways weren't put in correctly because of the steepness, and I go back uh with our team.

A

And we'll go back to developers and determination will be made whether they need to redo driveways.

A

And there could be civil suits and all that, but that's you know part of our responsibility as well.

A

You know to take that on and that happened maybe a year and a half ago, but um as far.

A

As the plan and as far as the zoning, you want to talk a little bit about that. What, from what.

A

We accepted from the freedom plan and why we're in this situation, we are with freedom, grant right now.

D

So, as commissioner ralston said earlier, I'm linda eisenberg, I'm the director of planning.

D

And talking about the freedoms grant, as you can see on the map here, let's walk back this.

D

Is the representative representation of the freedom community comprehensive plan.

D

If you can follow my finger here um right outside the sykesville municipal birth area,.

D

This yellow piece of property here is currently freedom's grant and it's already zoned our 20.

L

We've been talking about the current zoning that is allowed today that they can build right now.

D

Or age restricted they can do up to 12 units. An acre.

D

For multi-family or six units, an acre for the more townhome villa style, neo-site design under the.

D

One of the things that was done as part of that process was to limit the amount of units.

D

Age, restricted could get density wise. So then the density was limited to three and a half dwelling.

D

Units per acre, which is what the current proposal for the freedoms grant subdivision currently, is.

D

So they could come in, and I think that was one of the things that we occurred was that the atoms.

D

Paradise or oklahoma road property was way too dense and rapidly, so it was, it was way more than.

D

What r20 allowed um to several order of magnitude more where this is more than alignment? I know it's.

D

Not exactly our 20 000, but we also do need to allow for senior housing and move very limited.

D

Opportunity- and this was the compromise that came with the freedom plan to limit that density.

M

Make it yes, it is, and then, if there's issues with the schools it doesn't get approved, so we.

D

Can't just raise our land, the bar, where we is earning in the state of maryland, is very high.

D

We don't re-zone land for property owners, we have property owners, come in and request.

D

It you can request it one of two ways: if we're in a comprehensive rezoning process as part of.

D

Plan implementation is what we are now, then we would rezone properties and that's why the.

D

Disabled property is here, and the baby property before us is because we're in that comprehensive.

D

Resounding process and those proctors are coming forward asking to now be in alignment with what.

D

The adopted plan says the other, is a property owner would come forward and ask for either.

D

A change in the character of the community or that there was a mistake in the original.

D

Original zoning of the property that compels us to now change that segment of the property. So that's.

D

Why we're not just fundamentally change it to our ted during the freedom plan, there was no desire.

D

As I think robin said, there was a lot of higher density, initially proposed for the freedom area.

D

That was not wanted. Our 10 000 was not wanted by the community.

D

So that's why the r20 was put in its place and there are those current allowances for.

D

Those densities for the age restricted and why the freedom plan also said to limit.

D

Those densities as well, I think you want to just say something: okay, no go ahead and continue on.

B

But then you're calling our ten thousand you're calling our twenty thousand, but essentially.

B

You've got our ten thousand plot, we're allowing for the age-restricted homes to be built. That's.

B

Our ten thousand, I don't care what age is I'm not. The age is experiencing this person. That's great.

B

Age is fine over 55. um I'm over 55 myself, I'm eligible for you and me both.

B

Though, because we know things go in trends and everything goes in cycles,.

B

Everybody wanted a shopping mall 25 years ago, 30 years ago, now, they're butts and the market is full.

B

Of empty buildings, we don't want this to be an empty residential site and what linda's saying.

B

Is well, you can't turn over a deep. Why you can't, if you find an empty state, do you know how to go.

B

Vacant the grass grow, the roads come to just a real nation or you're going to say, hey anybody.

B

Can be right here now you're going to do that so you're, taking really thousands now on paper.

A

I know what you're saying, but I mean again you're speculating that we're going to do something.

A

That's not in the best interest of carroll county and I don't believe that's true. I believe.

A

Once again, again, the reason we have this form of government the reason I'm here.

A

Is everything I am doing is in the best interest of this community and every decision that I.

A

Believe the folks that will come after me should be, and will be making or in the best interest of.

A

This community so to think that we're going to do something and then say no we're just going to.

A

Throw it away and do something else that doesn't flow. That's not what we're saying we're saying.

J

That but long before it gets to that point, then we would remove the age restriction. If I mean.

J

Rather than get to that point, which is what what we what's the best thing to do, but what we are.

N

Looking at and the whole purpose of zoning is to sort of plan. Oh I agree and and we're we're.

J

Seeing that there's a dichotomy here, where you're granting a permanent variance for a very temporary.

A

Well, that a variance a variance was requested and it's going to the board of zoning appeals.

A

To make that determination, so it's going freedom's grant, but I'm talking about the text amendment.

J

Where uh yeah that are coming before you, oh okay, so, okay! So now we're talking two separate things.

A

So so freedom's grant no freedom's grant is going through board of zoning appeals right now,.

A

Yes, for a variance, so that's kind of on its process due process and everybody's had the.

A

Opportunity to weigh in on that for quite some time uh dealing with freedom's grant dealing.

A

With the text amendments we're going through the workshops that is going to be a continuing process.

A

Where you have the ability to weigh in now, and we can make that determination, what I'm saying.

J

Is that that is in front of you correct you have the power, that's correct! You stop you're right.

A

You're right, I don't disagree. You're right, okay,.

A

On oklahoma, I, when I visited those senior apartments when I visited those senior apartments.

A

About a year ago- and it was right in the middle of covid- they were about 50 full at that time.

A

What was very interesting about that was many of the folks. What we thought was going to be an aging.

A

Community here in carroll county, the folks that were moving into those apartments were actually.

A

Folks, returning back to carroll county that were um aging to be near families.

A

You know and grandkids and that kind of stuff which I thought was very interesting and the gentleman who owns those apartments.

A

He wasn't looking at it that way either, so it was, uh it was actually a plus thing. I don't know.

L

Well, I don't know how many uh but.

A

I heard it's nice and I heard it's actually very um inexpensive, but uh yeah he walked.

A

Me through him I was like wow. uh I wish I can get my parents up here to be honest, but.

A

Because they're paying a whole lot more um but but going back you're right, I do have the power.

A

With the other four commissioners and I need to have the ability to count to three.

A

To make those decisions and we're talking about that right now, you know and the way.

A

I'm talking about that is from the information that you provide you, but also you collectively.

A

Provide and you're absolutely right, uh there's no yeah. I definitely can't argue. I mean this.

A

Is this is my priority another priority and I'm gonna ducktale, and then we can get back to this.

A

Because I do have the sheriff with us to talk about, as I mentioned, how we apply resources.

A

And our partnership and relationships to keeping the quality of life here in carroll, county.

A

His responsibilities and what he sees happening here in carroll county specifically here in the.

A

Southern part of the county- and uh I think it may surprise you uh hopefully in a good way on what's.

A

Happening here in the southern part of carroll county, so without further ado, the one the only.

A

Man, the man, the legend one of the five commissioners, I'm the only sheriff he is the only.

O

So um hi, I'm jim the weeks. I actually grew up here so bob and I went to freedom elementary. Yes, we.

O

Did bob brought that trailer with him elementary and I actually um was taught in that trailer.

O

The funny thing is, is that I I grew up on clean hill, road and cherry tree that intersection.

O

There's a little development and when I grew up, my father moved us to carroll county in 73.

O

When moving here wasn't cool at the end of the 70s early 80s, it became cool and everything moved.

O

We were redistricted, I'm 106., I'm the second youngest of six. We were redistricted every two.

O

Years I started out of mechanicsville left, there went to robert left, there came down to freedom and.

O

That's where I I graduated elementary school, then they shipped us up to west middle. I went there for.

O

All three years, and then I went to south carol high school. My two brothers and I went to south.

O

Carolina, my sister kim went to liberty high and my brother and my sister went to westminster high. So.

O

We were shipped everywhere and that sounds like it sucks until you're, wrong from public office.

O

And- and you know everybody from the north, south, east and west, because I do I end up and my mother.

O

Drove to boston liberty, high school, um actually in this section of carroll county, and so I'm a.

O

Homeboy, uh I'm a retired state trooper, I retired, as a captain with the state police in 2014 and.

O

I've been the sheriff since so I've only had really two jobs. I graduated south carolina high.

O

School went right to the state police. I was with them for 25 years and then was elected sheriff.

O

And so I only know really: carroll county has policed. The majority of my experience almost.

O

33 years I've been doing this, it's been policing in carroll county and I I policed this corridor.

O

For a number of years, and when I was policing here, the only thing that was open was the 711 and there.

O

Was only one car that would spit through every now and then it was very quiet. That's changed.

O

But I will tell you that when I was a trooper in the southern end of this county and in carroll.

O

County, the crime was more prevalent than it is right now much more prevalent than it is right.

O

Now and so crime has steadily decreased in what we call patrol nine, which is the southern end of.

O

Carroll county uh troy is out towards taylorsville. It has steadily decreased in this area.

O

Where we've seen in influx or where we've had our biggest issues, are the big box stores, the walmart.

O

Homes, the supermarkets people go into there and they steal regularly out of supermarkets.

O

That's where we've seen the biggest increase in crime before you go any further. I've got the.

O

Undersheriff with me, it's a rich heart, which is a retired prince george's county police officer.

O

If you don't know it, I also oversee the detention center. I appoint the warden for the county.

O

And uh so on, a daily prop on a daily basis. I deal with issues out of the detention center. I do not.

O

Work for the commissioners. I proudly say that I'm an independent body, I'm elected by you all.

O

I decide how policing goes in the county, and I say this freely. If you don't like what I'm.

O

Doing don't vote for me, um but I will tell you that that I believe that we do an extraordinary.

O

Job in the county, and it's not because of just the sheriff's office, my office is responsible.

O

For about 75 of the land mass in the county to patrol it and the other 25 I either help or I.

O

Cover for the municipality that patrols that area, I also take care of union bridge in new.

O

Windsor and patrol those areas- and so um it's very important that I work with my limited resources.

O

With the state police and municipal police departments in the county to work on crime.

O

So the sykesville police officers are deputized by me, so occasionally you'll see them come up.

O

Into eldersburg and help us with calls for service, so I deputize them so that they can do that.

O

And all the municipal agencies are deputized by me, so they come out and help just like I go into.

O

Their jurisdictions and help with their policing, I also have a relationship with the fbi, the dea.

O

Homeland security and u.s marshal and atf, so I leveraged every federal agency that I can to.

O

Help me fight crime in carroll, county from drug enforcement to internet crimes against children.

O

And everything in between we work with the feds on a regular on a daily basis. I have deputies that.

O

Are invented with the feds, and I also have the feds up here, working with me on on issues that are.

O

Affect your community when it comes to the schools, you may not know this, but we went into a project.

O

uh Probably about a year ago, which I think with the school system for buses, there's a.

O

Camera on every bus, a stop arm camera on every bus. It is the only camera that I agree with.

O

I won't have speed cameras in here. People argue with me about them. They only work in that small.

O

Little stretch that that the speeding's taking place, um but I am in agreement that stop arm.

O

Cameras going bosses so there's about a little over 300 buses in the county. That.

O

Operate every day, every one of them has a stop on camera, plus they have additional cameras.

O

That that we had installed on the bus and keep an eye on on the inside of it and pretty much.

O

360 around the bus should anything happen. I don't have a really good numbers right now, but the most.

O

Recent numbers believe it or not: we probably see between one and 200, stop arm violations a month.

O

And when I see stop arm violations, I'm talking about people that absolutely 100.

O

Have their heads square up their butts and blow through those signs and kids are just.

O

Sitting there watching the cars go through, and then what I like about them is that they come.

O

With hefty fines- and we have started to see a decrease and those violations take place and.

O

It really puts an emphasis on safety, and- and it has, I believe, starting to work and hold people.

O

Accountable um when I talk about the crime that are crimes that are taking place down here, we do.

O

A pretty good job of keeping a real close eye on trends. You know a lot of people think that.

O

Folks are coming up from out of county and committing burglaries, robberies and sort of.

O

Things here we haven't had any real, violent crime. That's taken place in this part of the county.

O

For the most part, no part of the county, it's very limited in violent crime. It is always the.

O

Commercial big box store type thefts that take place. We recently had a couple of burglaries in.

O

The area here we've been able to solve them with the help of state police and howard county police.

O

Department, we were able to identify a couple of suspects and then, through some surveillance, we.

O

Watched them go into another establishment in howard county and take them into custody, while.

O

That was taking place, so the relationships we have around the region are extremely important.

O

But overall traffic issues I get a lot of calls from folks down here. Bennett road is always an.

O

Issue where I have deputies set up and do speed enforcement monroe along 26 between the bridges.

O

We work state police there. If you have an issue with speed or you want enforcement.

O

It's not uncommon. We probably have a running total of about 200 complaints around the county, where we.

O

Send our traffic enforcement team out, we will set up signs, we'll gather data first to see if.

O

What you're seeing is truly what's taking place because believe it or not? Sometimes it isn't.

O

You see cars that are you're like man, that car's flying we'll set up signs and grab data and those.

O

Cars aren't flying, they may be going 5 or 10 miles an hour over and we may have that one outlier.

O

That's going through pretty quickly, but overall the average speed of the road is down a little bit.

O

The whole target what we can enforce there and get a better idea when it's when it's optimal, two and.

O

Two, so don't hesitate to send us an email and ask for speed enforcement in your area.

O

We will come down and we will do it and typically you'll get a call back or one of my deputies will.

O

Stop by your house and ask you what is going on and work with you on that on the incident.

O

Most of what we do down here- and I was just telling commissioner ross dean this earlier.

O

Is mitigation mitigation of neighborhood issues we're doing that an awful lot not just down here.

O

But around the county, people are having problems with neighbors. People are having problems with.

O

Dirt bikes, um some zoning issues will come down and work with folks to to mitigate those.

O

Things but we're kind of in the middle of just about everything and anything around the county.

O

To try and help alleviate the issues. Sound um noise venues, those sort of things we're in the.

O

Middle of almost everything and anything that's out there to try and keep from enforcing anything.

O

Writing tickets locking people up but to try and get people working together as opposed to bringing.

O

The police into doing anything extreme so but overall, I think and unless you guys have questions.

O

For me, uh issues here are very, very limited, very limited. I'm extremely concerned with growth just.

O

Like all of you are no, I don't live down here anymore. I live in the northern part of the county.

O

But I'm extremely concerned with growth because it does tax our resources, fire ems, first responders,.

O

It taxes, our resources and so yeah. You can put an assisted living facility in or over 50 or over 60.

O

Whatever you want and it still taxes our resources, we may not be going there as a law enforcement.

O

Agency but fire and that's going to be going there and they're going there all too often, and so.

O

We work closely with fire ams uh to make sure that we have the resources available to respond with.

O

Them and so anytime things go through zoning. We also participate in signing off on whether we have.

O

Adequate services to cover whether it's a housing, development that goes up assisted, living or any.

O

Sort of development that goes up we've got to make sure that we have adequate services. So I'm very.

O

Keenly aware of those issues, not only just in the southern edmonton county, but all over the county.

O

I don't have a lot of deputies, I don't we've increased manpower significantly, since I've became.

O

Chair but we've also got a lot of responsibility. I have deputies in every one of the schools now.

O

um Which is working marvelously, they they do extremely well there um and again I've got people.

O

Embedded with federal agencies- and so I'm stressed in and so anytime they decide that they're going.

O

To put up a development, I'm very interested in how I'm going to cover that development.

O

And the resources there and it could be- I don't care if they're half a million dollar houses.

O

Or assisted living anytime, people move in there's always conflict and there's always.

O

A need for law enforcement fired ems, there always is, and so um I will tell you that I.

O

Work closely with the five commissioners, although I don't work for them, I get funding from that.

O

I don't I don't know what your opinion is of commissioner ross or the other four, and I I will.

O

Tell you that, regardless of what you think about how they vote on whether it's zoning issues or.

O

Any other issue in the county: they always always support public safety without a doubt anytime. I.

O

Go in and ask for something, and I can justify it, uh there's no, no issue with it and the this.

O

Group and the group prior has been nothing but supportive of public safety. It is his and my it.

O

Is our number one responsibility? If public safety doesn't exist, schools don't exist. Commerce, don't.

O

Exist, housing. Nobody feels comfortable if you don't feel comfortable and you don't feel safe.

O

Show me a community: that's growing in population where crime is going through the roof.

O

um And if it is it's only because it's out of necessity, people have to move there and live there.

O

And you're right people come out here because it's a bedroom community. My father moved this out here.

O

And drove straight back to baltimore the second. He moved us out here, because this is where he wanted.

O

To be, it was wide open and he loved the landscape, and so I'm with you, I want to keep it that way.

O

But make sure that we control the growth and as a sheriff, I've got a huge responsibility for.

O

Keeping all of you safe and- and I take it very seriously, so a woman right there- you got.

P

Situations that we're not used to having, because so many people come into the.

P

Area and as you're saying and there's noise issues in a variety of other different things.

P

When we have something that we're faced with okay and we find out.

P

That there's no easy resolution, we came through the police and you know it is a problem.

P

Generally, I overlook a lot of different things. They mounted the ksl spotlights on the top of.

P

The 16 foot high shed those spotlights they aimed down to take a light into an area where they were.

P

Playing four shoots and things of the snake: well, as soon as it got dark, I have an enclosed.

P

Back porch that has sliding glass doors across the entire front. Close the back of my house.

P

Those spotlights are all over the back of my house over the doors over over my windows.

P

Everything across the back and, of course, they're, not gonna, shut those spotlights off.

P

Because and and I attempted to get the owner of the property to get that spotlight, you know.

P

All um so when I had the next problem and got into a a bit of a shouting match: okay with the.

P

People that were over on that piece of property, I called the police up both county sheriff's office.

P

They sent out a deputy and the deputy said I'll go over and I'll talk to him. Okay, so he went.

P

Over and talked to him, I guess he indicated to him hey, you know they were having a party. They.

P

Didn't want to do anything and he came back to me and said I can't enforce or make them do anything.

P

With those lights, because there is no sony ordinance covering the lights in carroll, county.

P

I couldn't believe it there's sound okay, but for carroll county there's, no light now, they're in.

P

The municipalities, you know, I don't know, I don't- have any orders about lights. Quite honestly,.

O

I've never seen an ordinance about lights and I can tell you there is an ordinance about sound.

O

But my office in the seven years I've been sheriff, has never written.

O

uh I issued a ticket for it before that and typically, if it's a persistent issue and I've.

O

Got one down here now in fact, earlier today I've sent a captain and a lieutenant over to a.

O

Development, where they had a community meeting to try and mitigate certain things that were taking.

O

Place we have had issues I'll, give you a quick example of that in the western part of the county.

O

Out here taylorsville we had a guy that was on his own property, several acres, shooting off a cannon.

O

He wasn't, nothing was coming out of it, but it was making dogs in the house.

O

Germany on the floor, it was so loud from a half a mile away. We went out after numerous complaints.

O

With him he wasn't real cooperative with us. We asked him to stop explain to him that you know.

O

This is disturbing the peace he was doing at all strange hours. Finally, after persistent.

O

Complaints we went and explained to him again that we were going to arrest him. He didn't listen to us.

O

And and so we arrested him served a search warrant on his house took his canyon.

O

And um and he moved to west virginia so he didn't show. So that's because of you. No, but okay,.

P

Okay with this, including doug howard, I went up to see him at the end of his. You know: administration.

P

I took him pictures of everything that I had the shining off of the lights and so forth, because the.

P

Police had said to me follow which I did. I went up to the courts bombed the peace bomb, the guy next.

P

Door to me came up, he you know was up in front of the judge. I was up in front of the judge. The judge.

P

Said there's no zoning ordinance. I can't make them okay not do whatever, and the guy said. Meanwhile,.

P

The guys were only complaining recently, you know: we've had these lights up for a couple of months.

P

Well, I was a nice guy then, and then I got tired. What happened? huh Well, nothing happened. Okay, so.

P

You know talk about that; they didn't do anything about it. I called up you know, like I said the.

P

County doug, howard right and they said, okay- well we're going to have a change in the zoning all.

P

Right, the residential zone- we're going to you know, have issues where you can, then you know appeal or.

P

Ask for them to come in with the county-wide, because I was going to say: can I just submit this.

P

To the county commissioners, right, okay, so from the beginning, when this presidential, you know rezoning.

P

Went into place, I've been following that and I've you know watched it at the beginning, where.

P

Everything was handled in every zoning. Is people asking for resentment on their personal properties.

P

Right so I got something that came in the mail because I was I mean not in the open email.

P

Right and it said hey basically, you know if you have any concerns, you know make comments.

P

I put a comment and I put the whole thing in there about. We need to have okay lighting, because.

P

You know if you have a problem with lighting. It's it's it's an issue all right, so I I said.

P

Would you please respond that you've received this, never heard anything back all right, so.

P

You know I'm here tonight specifically, for you know some information about what is the intention.

P

In the new zoning laws, in order to get a zoning ordinance for carroll county that allows the.

P

Police officers when they come in and they see an issue. You know this guy said to the police officer.

P

We shut the lights off, you know when we're done well, you know what they did on purpose.

P

They left the lights on all night; they never shut them off. You know when he was there, so you can't.

P

Get the judge to issue anything because they say well. I have an ordinance to issue it all.

P

So I'll be honest with you, this is the first time in 33 years that I've ever had anybody call about.

O

Likes under on your property, I don't know that I've ever or we've ever received a complaint.

O

Like that, I've never responded to a call where someone's had light shine yeah so so.

A

So, just as I did but okay, but once I had you know 40 people over there, you know right and everything.

P

Else in the morning and the lights were on the back of my house right, you know it's a sunday.

P

Night, I'm going to work the next day you know, and so I sent a guy. I put a mail thing in his mailbox.

P

I asked him if you please turn your your spotlight down and it wasn't until after he had the next.

P

Thing and the lights were on the house again then I then called the police. You know and and like I.

P

Said the officer went over, he agreed to you know he said: okay, well, we're done playing horseshoes.

P

Well, if they play groceries till two o'clock in the morning, who's going to keep the lights on and.

P

I'm telling you these lights are on a 16 foot high thing directly shining across the first hit area.

P

Which, if he wanted to have that that was fine, put a spotlight on something that shines down.

P

From your angle, you know on to that not from this 16 foot high thing at which you know reflects on.

P

The on to my house, so you know to me it's pretty damn frustrating, because if I walk out my back.

P

Door, I can't see: is that still happening today? huh Is that still happening? Is that why those.

P

Lights still exist there I mean it goes on from time to time, I'm not in the same way, but but.

A

The light's still there is that still happening every I mean yeah, but that's due to the covenant.

A

Okay, so so a couple things one, you know we'll look into this specifically and he addressed.

A

What I felt is when problems happen and folks reach out to me a lot of times about noise dirt.

A

Bikes and things like that, I turned to the sheriff said: hey, you know: what can we do about this.

A

He then takes it from there, and common sense prevails where they go to the neighbors and.

A

They go around say what's going on and it's not necessarily about, I won't say the law, but it's.

A

About common sense and courtesy, and that's what I appreciate with the sheriff and his folks- is.

A

That's how they're approaching the folks when they knock on the door, it's common sense and.

A

Courtesy, you know this cannon is a great example. I think there was a policewoman down the street from.

A

From that cannon- and I remember because I was on a drive with uh one of the deputies and this.

A

Cannon goes off, it's like, are you kidding me and uh they finally did what you know.

A

After so many times, common sense and courtesy doesn't work, then they're going to take action.

A

No, I get, I see, information on social media. I do not go back and forth on social media, but.

P

You're emailing, I mean the requirement there is: is that people who want to do something with you.

P

They have to look to a social media. Oh absolutely, not facebook. No, I absolutely know you can reach.

A

Me anytime no, but I'm saying if you said you're interacting you know I I must assume, even when.

P

You said social media, you were talking about, have a facebook page or something like. Oh, I do no, no.

A

What I apologize, what I was sharing is there is activity on social media that I see, and it says.

A

Reach out to me- and I said well, I'm not going to reply back I'm going to here's my email, but you.

A

Can reach me anytime, 24 7. I'll, give you my card as well, where my contact information is. Is there.

A

And anybody who knows that has emailed me or reached out to me I'm very responsive. They call.

A

The office and you want a phone call, I'm typically calling you within you know. Definitely that day I.

A

Won't say definitely, but almost always that day, um but I try to be very responsive. Let me take. Let me.

P

Tell you how this escalates, how this escalates is, is that, once that happened, and I went for the bomb.

P

They didn't get it all right and then he was having the next party. I have a boat that I.

P

Have out of our property line, I have two big spotlights to go down towards my boat, my area.

P

You know so at nighttime, when I come back to the boat and park it I can see it. I took the.

P

Spotlights that are along the top of my hole, okay, which is 12 high, and I turned them facing his area.

P

Where his people would sit and enjoy their night, you know and full so when he flipped his spotlight.

P

On the top of his shed, I put the spotlight on that was now on his house and his property.

P

So we got spotlight wars going on, so so as this year. What happened? He then had his 20 people all.

P

Lined up along my fence, okay and cat called me and everything else, and then what he did was.

P

He took a piece of plywood that was four foot by four foot and took a pole, okay and put it up.

P

In front of my spotlights, which was like right next to this property, so it did then block. I.

P

Mean there's a whole lot of work being done and with any white on the plywood nice. Try listen so.

O

Really a deputy coming out is one thing: if we get persistent calls, we see a report. Every 12.

O

Hours that the colonel and I get- and we see persistent issues at a particular address.

O

He and I are starting to ask our command staff. Why are we there what is going on and how do we.

O

Stop this from the the services going back and forth, where we've got to be there so email me.

P

If there was an ordinance, I don't know man we'll follow up so so so we will follow up absolutely.

A

And I apologize, but as the sheriff shared most of the work he's been doing especially down here.

A

Has been that type of mediation and so common sense, let's common sense prevail and you'll.

A

You'll follow appropriately when you say colonel. I thought you told me. Yes, sir.

C

O

Yeah I'll give you my card and what I'll do is I'll? Have my traffic enforcement group put.

O

Out some their signs on snowden run, I can get a count uh or snowden parkway. I can get a count of.

O

Vehicles of speeds that sort of stuff that go through there. I have a lot of that.

O

The one of the biggest issues I have is 97, coming from pennsylvania down to 140.

O

And all the traffic that tries to bypass that state highway did a good job of opening that up.

O

um But still like locoball and some of these other roads, they're getting 12 000.

O

Cars in the morning, 12 000 in the afternoon on a road that really is only capable of handling.

O

Two three thousand wasn't designed for that by any means, and it's then forcing.

O

The county to come in and look at whether it's four-way stops and increasing our presence. There.

O

So we do have that, but I'll give you my card I'll, have some signs put out we'll talk about the data.

O

And see if that's actually it's a good segue as well for traffic mitigation, so the sheriff's.

A

Department has the ability to get folks out there a lot of times. That would be a quick fix.

A

For a problem, uh what would say a tactical fix so right away fix, but to get the strategic fix to.

A

Look at the problem in its entirety. We may want to look at the road itself and whether that road.

A

Needs to be modified, whether it's speed, bumps or other ways to modify the road stop signs are not.

A

Ways to modify traffic as far as speeding but ways to modify it and we're looking at that.

A

Throughout the county, specifically here in southern part of county, I got two roads that we're.

A

Looking at specifically, one of the challenges is the fire apparatus getting over those speed bumps.

A

It could take 30 to 40 seconds additional time for a large fire apparatus to get over that speed bump.

A

Which would then cause too much of a delay, because the fire department needs that eight minutes from.

A

Call to you know, incident or somewhere around there that they want to make sure.

A

That they can get to that instinct in a quick enough time, so we're actually looking now at.

A

Okay, if we can't use speed bumps what other ways can we modify the traffic um and there's uh it's.

A

On the website, there's criteria to look at what type of roads should be modified or eligible to.

A

Be modified, the county will outsource traffic studies and engineering to come up with ideas.

A

And then work with us to implement those ideas, we see a lot of engineering issues and we work with.

O

Chris nochen is the traffic engineer for the county. We work very closely with them to to look.

O

At these issues I will tell you there were two petitions down in this part of the county to put.

O

Calming devices in I went out and looked at it and I signed a petition saying yeah. I believe.

O

There should be traffic calming devices here in this particular neighborhood, because I believe.

O

In that- and I think that does slow vehicles down, stop signs, don't because what happens inevitably.

O

Is we throw stop signs up and then you call me because people are blowing the stop signs and then.

O

I still have to come out and I'm writing. Tickets to people who live in the neighborhoods are not.

O

Stopping at the stop sign so there's engineering mechanisms that do things to slow traffic and.

A

Believe it or not, many of the incidents that happen on these roads and speeding on these roads.

A

Are folks that live on these roads? So if you want me to do it on your own, that's just that's the.

G

Fact we might get you so yes, sir, so I'm on one of those roads. You probably don't recognize me under.

G

The mask, but I'm on band: where do you want to I'm bandy so so so so I got to tell you the perception.

G

I don't know if this is reality, but the county's looking for a no we're not going to do this.

A

No we're not going to do what modify the roads correct, no we're! We are looking for yeah, correct.

A

Go ahead, yeah! So as a what two three weeks ago, we had all the degrees and now all of a sudden.

G

Additional studies are required uh whether or not they're legitimate. I don't know um the.

G

Fact that we're dickering over a few seconds on houses that have sprinkler systems in them is a.

G

Little irrational- um and you know it's funny that you bring up that most of the people that I are.

G

The source of these infractions live on the street right just this. Last weekend we had a drone go.

G

The real answer, for you know a lot of these streets and and similar to him. He had two very.

G

Distinct issues with very distinct solutions. You have a speed issue which is traffic calming and.

G

You know speed bumps and you know the use of stop signs or not whatever the case may be, but.

Q

In in our case, and I can't speak to his like yeah closed the end of the road.

G

Which our road was closed so, regarding bandy, I understand regarding bandy specifically.

A

Is we paid for a traffic study to be done and engineers to study the road on how to modify it?.

A

Appropriately to meet the requirements, speed homes were decided that that was going to be the most.

A

Efficient and I'm sharing this with everyone, we discussed this with the community. They said yes,.

A

We put the speed bumps in place or to put the design in place. We had the expert in my view, which.

A

Is chief rock from the fire department? Because I'm not an expert in firing ems just like being.

A

A doctor, I don't play one on tv, I've owned fire departments. When I ran in installation. He came out.

A

And it was on monday and he determined that it was not appropriate to put a speed bump because of the.

A

Delay of the fire apparatus, it's very difficult for me to go back to chief ruck, who that's his.

A

Responsibility and say you're wrong or say we'll take that risk. So, alternatively, so so I apologize.

A

No so, alternatively, we're going to be responding back to you as a group saying this solution.

A

Does not is not uh eligible to fix the problem so now, let's look at other potential solutions.

A

For the problem and that's what we're going to do and that's exactly what happened on today's.

A

Whatever day today is, but it happened yesterday monday and we're coming back to the group in.

A

Bandy but that's that's exactly what happened. I lobbied to get one road shut down and um similar.

O

To what you're talking about little did I know that there was a school bus that needed that road.

O

To cut through, there was no way for it to turn around. It would have been too deep into.

O

Development and they wouldn't have been able to turn around so yeah. I get all that, but those.

G

Things, you know don't happen overnight, and so I agree with the commissioner that there's always.

O

It always just calms it for a little bit right, there's got to be an engineering or.

O

Some sort of solution to it and the key is, and I apologize ma'am is you know, we're relying on.

A

The community to say what your needs are, but then, in order to come up with the right solution,.

A

We're relying on experts that we are looking to to come up with the best solutions and.

A

Personally, chief ruck eddie ruck is one of the best of the best that I know, and I've been around.

A

Fire fireman for quite some time and when he says this is my concern, and this is why I do not agree.

A

That weighs a lot on me and uh so we're not moving forward with that type of solution. But we're.

A

Coming back to you as a group to say, here's the situation so you're right, I didn't recognize you.

A

But that's what's happening in bandy and that's the information I received yesterday morning so.

G

So uh so to take it further, I don't know yet here we are from yesterday to today. So why was.

G

The road opened up in the first place. It was part of the master plan to open up that road. I'm vandy.

A

And when was bandy, I think that came about maybe in the 2000s.

D

I can't take this out of the 77. okay, so before an iphone even exists.

A

I I don't know we can get more into, but it was, and we've already gone through. The road is open.

A

And this is why the road's open, but we'll come back on the results of the situation and.

A

Work through involved in coming up with what is the best solution for the problem set that we have.

A

In front of us, but what we do know is that speed bump is not the solution that we were looking.

A

For and trust me that was the solution I wanted, because it was the least expensive and it would.

A

Have met the needs of the community, putting one of those gates in is less expensive than a bunch of.

G

Speed bumps, I'm not sure about a gate, and maybe we can ask them. But I don't know anything about.

A

The gate so yeah, I'm sorry, was the proposal. I couldn't hear opposing the clothes mandy again.

A

No, no, no, no, no, the the community was looking at closing bandy. There was never.

A

A proposal from the county, too close yeah, there was never a uh neighborhood people.

G

Were under the impression that it was going to stay closed, it was just it wasn't, because.

B

Where the circle is where the bus used to turn yeah right right by the stop sign, one stop sign.

B

So the people who bought down didn't think it was ever going to open everybody exit through sherlock holmes and then right. But it is open and even on upward.

G

Most people who bought the new development I bought under the assumption that that road.

G

Wasn't going to open back up so it was just dead end, but there'd still be a house together.

B

But but but but it is open and the request is to look at how to modify the road and we came up with.

A

A couple solutions: one was much more feasible and we said: okay, let's figure, you know, move forward.

A

Go through the criteria, one of the criteria was fire ems and they said no and.

A

I know, oh, I know and.

A

Well, the community believe that that is not sufficient and we want to respond to the community.

A

Saying if you say it's not sufficient, let's look at a problem. Let's come up with a solution.

A

And that's where we're at but understood yes, ma'am.

A

So the answer is: identify the problem and we've identified a problem. The road's not.

A

Closing so that's not part of the problem. The problem is, like you said, the speed.

A

And the density- it's not it's not because it's part of the plan and it's data.

G

I mean come on. You can't stick this to a decision you make 20 years ago and say that this is going.

G

To be the right thing, well, you know you want to be able to stick to a vision that you made 20 years.

G

Ago this is highly tactical. Okay, and what we're going to do is we're going to look at this road.

A

And come up with the best solution, that's what I can stand up here and tell you right now.

A

So yours is not retired. Yes, I'm sorry! I apologize never too tired for what I want to bring up. I'm.

F

Concerned about the shared roads and the speed and the traffic concerns with something like.

F

Marriageville two years in marriottsville, which is in our county you're talking about.

F

With these two developments, maybe if yeah 467 more houses, eight to nine hundred more.

F

Cars people are passing me on marriottsville too, and slacks road yeah, and I don't know.

F

We're I don't know what I don't know what you all can do about marriage too. It's not like.

F

We can expand it or whatever I mean you you're, looking at him like he's going to.

A

Find me, but and I'm familiar with marysville to control that and slacks and.

O

Finding the appropriate place and safe place to stop. It is dangerous.

O

You can you can turn on vehicles and do those sort of things we're always out there. I mean I keep.

O

Really good notes of the traffic statistics down here, what we're doing enforcement wise.

O

We'll keep pounding away at it, I mean I mean: there's got to be some personal responsibility.

O

With people yeah, but if you're adding another yeah, it concerns me too yeah.

A

And I feel the same way I mean we're looking at building a 128 bed veterans home on slacks road.

A

Just down the road from american legion- and I'm really excited about doing this, because it's fully.

A

Funded by the state and federal while we were looking at this with um the deputy secretary of.

A

Veterans affairs, a road or a scheme abroad, a car took the turn um too fast crossing the bridge on.

A

Slacks and he was on two wheels: if not you know uh one and came slashing. Unfortunately, he didn't.

A

Go over um and he came back down but uh completely trashed. The vehicle was a suv and um he just took.

A

It too fast, I mean slacks road is very dangerous, especially at high speeds. Coming down that way,.

A

I I agree, I mean so so again the way I started this. I am part of this community and I want to.

A

Do what's best for this community and I will do everything I can to ensure that things.

A

Are not built until infrastructure like that is coming up with a plan.

F

There's nothing you can really do to marry us built to well or not build if the feeder goes.

A

Into marriageville, too, I mean that's part of this. You know we look at all.

A

The the um the infrastructure, not just the schools, which we talked a lot about, but yeah.

M

Several neighborhoods over a thousand homes removed from priority on older lots on septic.

M

So I'm wondering what the driver was for. That decision was that, knowing, when the freedom plan.

M

Was being worked on that you still have limited capacity at some point, you're going to run out.

M

Even with new development- and it's first come first serve- is that to sort of save.

M

The capacity or is it more, the driver was you forced people to.

A

No not to connect, but to the the driver was you. The driver was that we don't. If you don't.

A

Want to connect you shouldn't have to be forced to connect, so does that mean you might revisit.

M

The sewer allocation for older communities so that people can decide if they want to.

M

Connect when the infrastructure is put in and then later, if they do have an issue, and it's.

M

Way too expensive to put in an alternate system that they could then connect to that line.

M

Without their front door, do you know yeah, I'm not sure? Well, that's now.

A

Let's, let's follow up on that specifically, but I was I was coming with. I thought really good news.

A

Because what you know you and I have talked about but and I'm not I'm concerned about having are you.

M

On something having to connect, there's something yes, I'm like well, it's right, I'm getting looking.

F

At retiring early and that's a huge cost right: well, you have to cause infrastructure right.

M

Subject is sewer is the limiting factor in freedom right right and the reason why we're fighting all.

M

The freedom plan you know, decision making process, they decided to remove several older neighborhoods.

M

On very small lots that are on septic that were planned to connect the county plan to connect them.

M

Since the 70s six of these neighborhoods, some that I passed on the way here are documented to have.

M

A history of septic issues: they did a survey that they sent out in april to 850 homeowners.

E

Correct we need to capture everyone that was removed, sixty percent more than sixty percent.

M

Said they were interested in connecting, but the county made the decision, the board of county.

M

Commissioners discussed in july and made the decision that it was complicated. It was gonna cost.

M

Money and some people didn't respond, so that probably means their septic systems are far.

A

Well, most people most people responded. We made a decision as commissioners not to act on that study.

A

At that time, activity that's happened since then is what I share with you as far as not having to.

A

Pay for connection fees where you do not want to connect if a sewer line's being put through you.

A

Passed a big argument for not doing anything even those more than 60 respondents and they.

M

Had a good response rate it did, it did wanted to connect. They were interested in connecting itself.

M

But if the thought was we don't want to force anybody to do anything, correct you're, making that.

M

Decision does that mean that you will go back and look at the consumer capacity and reserve that, as.

M

You did for 40 or 50 years so that way, let me I failed they're in the priority funding area.

A

I believe I understand what you're saying. Let me follow up on that, um but yeah, but.

A

But I apologize real fast, just reach out to me make sure I'm catching it, because I want you.

A

Tonight that you're gonna, oh, I know, I'm and I was pretty happy to share that with you.

A

Yeah we we passed it into law three weeks ago,.

A

Maybe- and it makes sense, because that is your most valuable infrastructure right so.

M

In order to do higher density.

A

Follow up with me make sure I capture what you're sharing again.

A

um But to me the cup is half full by by doing this action. You know right now, but I will.

E

Right and if I had my old property right right right and somebody just this morning, said the.

A

Exact same thing so but I'll, but make sure you send me a note, so I can follow up with jason.

A

So yes, sir one of the things you just talked about and it's interesting when you have these.

P

Conversations because you thought that you talked about how dangerous slack's root is.

P

And I got here mentioned divider lane markings on slack grove from macbeth to freedom, park area and.

P

Inside are not consistent, there is no double yellow. You go down the road and right when.

P

You get pissed, okay, there's no yellow divider line. Do you ever take that one at nighttime.

P

Like I come back from freedom park being down there, when the kids are out- and you know.

P

And then come down and you can't tell where the middle of the road is. I absolutely agree.

A

So we're well, it's been like that forever yeah um I'll follow with dpw about the yellow lines.

A

Specifically, uh we are looking at different ways and what we need to do to slacks road, especially.

A

If we put that va home uh up there and it's going to be kind of where you're talking about.

A

um I'm saying these are the kind of things that no, I I got you. Okay, there's no easy way for us to.

P

You know get a fix on some of this. Well, you can reach out and he knew it was dangerous.

P

So I mean you know, and can you reach out I'll tell you, I don't know if you remember okay, but I called.

P

You up probably about two months ago, okay and said to you: there's garbage bags out on liberty, road.

P

And they've been laying there for six to eight weeks right and I called up the highway department.

P

I spoke to people at the sheriff's office. I called the state police. I couldn't get.

P

Anybody to move those backs, and where are they? They were right across the street from the police.

P

Station on liberty, road, there were 40 bags out there. So when you called, I call I talked to my dpw.

A

Doug brown and he reached out to and he reached out to state highway because it's a state highway.

A

And we're look, you know, that's what I do is you reached out. I went right to my uh public works and.

A

It went right to uh state highway. I know you did what I'm saying I contacted you know five or six.

P

Different people, including the state highway who said okay, we'll take care of it and they never did.

P

Yeah, I'm just saying they're producing problems. I understand the county as we have more and more.

P

People and everything else going on, I mean 30 40 years ago. If I called up you know the county, they.

P

Take care of a lot of issues right away. You know I'm going to have donald delkin down to my house.

A

Once again, you called me: I called doug brown, he called state highway. That's exactly the.

A

Way it happened so I I can't I can't say well I can't I can't say more than what I what I do.

A

And I will be responsive to you when every time you reach out to me and that's what I did.

A

um Specifically on that action, so yes, sir.

A

On the disabled property.

E

A

So go ahead, why don't you take this one? First.

D

So again, I think commissioner osteen passed out a sheet of paper to you that.

D

The timeline of events moving forward so on the front sheet of the paper is the residential text.

D

And maps on the back side of the paper, what we're doing with the conservation.

D

And they'll talk about disabled property in terms of its rezoning and that will go to.

D

Public hearing on november 18th, so currently the property is at r40 000 in conservation.

D

The request is r20, fast and conservation, and so that will be discussed throughout this process.

D

The planning commission already went through their steps and made for a record.

D

Positive recommendation for the resonance of the board of county commissioners again.

D

We'll discuss it probably toward the latter day uh before the 18th.

D

And again that on the 18th is the public hearing to get additional public comments.

D

From the community and then at some point we have a tentative date in december for.

D

The decision for those properties and the text, but that's just a placeholder, I mean if they.

D

Want to come back in an additional discussion based on what they heard from the public hearing. That would happen for both the text and the maps at that point in time.

D

In 2018 that was looked at and again this is in 2018. We only have the best crystal ball. We.

D

Have you know we don't have um you know eyes on the future so to speak, but we make the best.

D

um We use that information to make the the best plans that we can, based on the information at.

D

That time and so disabled property, when that plan was done, concurrency management.

D

Everything checked off so I think even sheriff deweeson mentioned and we look at roads. We look.

D

At adequacy for fire for ems for schools at this at the time of the plane, because the plan is.

D

You know a wide view, then now the zoning is a little more fixed in so the recommendation in.

D

The 2018 plan, which was able to go from our 40 000 to our 20.. What was the motivation.

D

Motivation for making that change. It was a review of the plan we're supposed to do it every 10 years.

D

By state law and through our discussions and looking at the housing needs for carroll county.

D

The thought was for that plan to make it our 20 000 to increase the density, so we can get.

D

Some additional housing, because that is a need for carroll county having a wide variety of.

D

Housing choices and opportunities: we are a very homogenous county with a large lot subdivision.

D

We have to have a variety of housing types to make room for all people who all but all.

D

Different types of housing and land choices, so that was one of the premises of the plan, was.

D

That there are demographic shifts where we do need more housing, we're trying to serve young.

D

And old families, families that have children, families that are we'll have children one day.

D

Aging in place, and in order to do that, we need to have a variety of zoning and a variety of housing.

D

Tips that are all out for on that temperature, at the cost of the roads in the schools which.

L

Is unacceptable? No, no! So no disrespect, absolutely faithful road marriageville, two class, all those.

L

Roads cannot handle the amount of traffic. That's going to be coming into this area based off of.

L

300 homes on that property estimated you figure two cars per household. How many is that and where.

L

Are they going to go, there's no way those roads? Okay and I understand development- will not occur.

A

Development will not occur unless the infrastructure allows it to occur. Development.

L

Development structure say again: are there plans to change the infrastructure.

L

Are we going or is it based off of development? No, the the development will not incur.

A

Until the infrastructure is in place same thing with the schools same thing with fire ems same.

A

Thing with uh the sheriff's department there, like you mentioned, is there a checklist? There is.

A

When the so when uh the freedom plan was discussed debated, however, you want to say it and came to a solution.

A

In 2018- and it was before my time here as a commissioner- they weighed all of the different.

A

Parts of carroll county on where growth should and should not occur, where housing opportunities are.

A

Specifically in the designated growth areas, this being a large design growth area that.

A

Was determined and they came up with this freedom plan and came up with the numbers that.

A

You know that show I then came in and I took it and I inherited that. But now it's.

A

It's ours, you know it's the community's freedom plan, but just because it is a plan doesn't mean.

A

That growth will occur, you know- and I I try to foot stomp that and not be parochial about it, but.

A

We can't you're absolutely right, we cannot absorb the housing, you know or absorb the growth if it.

A

Does if the surrounding area doesn't allow it to so? Yes, the residential text, amendments.

F

Then that greatly increases the likelihood that the development will happen. That's what we're.

A

Same people so you're saying the county, I mean how smart is that.

A

Actually, it's um no, so I understand exactly what you're saying and I personally I think it's a very.

A

Good location for a veteran's home to be put into carroll county being the center of uh the state.

A

It's not it's not necessarily, next to a shooting range, it's up from the shooting range.

A

I understand what you're saying I do it's going to be 128 beds.

A

It'll be two floors to include dialysis. It's going to have state-of-the-art um rooms in it and.

A

I'm just very proud that the maryland va has selected carroll county to have.

A

A va home here in carroll county, taking care of our veterans. So I'm and it is a concern but.

A

I understand yes ma'am. I uh get you back disabled, so there's questions. So we don't.

J

Quite understand, um there's zappos is not in the priority funding for sewer.

J

I, in order to get priority funding, then there's there's there's something: there's like three and.

J

A half dues per acre requirement in order to get priority funding is that going to be enforced for.

J

Table is able not going to be developed without priority funding. Can you address that or yeah.

A

That's what I typically do, it's not in the priority funding area. The minimum density is.

D

Dwelling units per acre as it's currently zoned, it's two units per acre if they were to come in.

D

With a clustered subdivision, let's just say you know, that's a dirty word for a lot of people, but.

D

That density, then, would meet the pfa criteria and if we wanted to go ahead and have the priority.

D

Funding area boundary adjusted. We could at that time um priority funding area doesn't give you.

D

Money for suicide, I'm going to say here, quick, sir: I'm going to give you money for it. What it.

D

Does- and it is benefits if there was a issue, let's just say that um cyborgs were put in for whatever.

D

Reason then we wanted to go to the state for the grant for sidewalks being a priority funding area.

D

Gives you the ability to tap into those state funding sources? I it was our understanding that.

J

If it's a priority funding area for sewer, there's no funding there for sure, let's just be clear: okay,.

J

Okay, if it's a priority funding area, then the developer can get some reimbursement for his fees.

J

For connecting to the county's infrastructure, if it's in the master plan for water and sewer, then.

M

They can get reimbursed for the lines to bring it to the development. I mean, if that's something they.

D

Work out for the state, we don't do that. We don't give money for that party funding areas. We give.

D

You money the pfa, I'm sorry, it's not for the pfa, but in order they would get reimbursed if they're.

M

In the master plan, if they're shown reimbursed from home from the county using the county.

M

Connection charges it's on page 180 of your. It is an enterprise fund, so that's not reimbursement.

D

It is a self-sustaining system through those enterprise dollars, but it's not like a program.

D

I'm getting real, no, it's it's so so that actually- and I I'll get you ma'am is enterprise. Funds is 10.

A

And it's not eligible dollars that we're going to move around that are operational from the budget.

A

They are their fence dollars for specific purposes. So that's that's how the enterprise funds work.

A

We will but.

A

So it's not about okay, okay, so it's not about necessarily shining brightly, but it is about.

A

It is about having the majority of which it has the ability to count to three.

A

That's what it is and I have the ability to count to three and I do have opportunities to talk.

A

As much as I can to my fellow commissioners one at a time- and I believe I can count to three on this.

A

So what I need, so, what what I just need from you and I apologize now, can you office was.

A

That you collectively continue to share your thoughts. You'll, never spam me you'll, never.

A

You know, don't let anxiety and angst get in the way of reaching out. You know reach out.

A

And let me carry that for you, whether it's to reach out to the sheriff get the information.

A

From linda from dpw from uh chris hind, um you know and that that's what I do, ma'am.

L

I believe it's, the original builder also.

H

H

As to what I would like to see, because at that time we were looking forward to us being over 55.

H

So I know that that's the plan I do agree with having over 55. I also hope that we can get some.

H

Apartments in this area for the young kids, who grew up here, who can't afford to live here, my.

H

Children don't even well, they live here, but I know many people right live in this area because.

H

They can't afford it. I love the fact that we're getting some 0.55 because we desperately need it.

H

But what we don't need are town houses that are going to cost 450 000 or more.

H

Because that's exactly what you're gonna get with this housing market, so I hope tomorrow.

H

When you have a vote, you vote tomorrow right. No, no, no, the the board of zoning appeals, it'll.

A

Be discussed with them and the 450 000 are those lennar town homes at warfield. So I'm I am familiar.

A

Oh yeah so yeah right right, that's exactly what you're going to call it! Who can afford that.

H

At over 55., the sheriff- I don't know, yeah.

A

So I so honestly, I I don't know what their intent is and price.

A

Tags on what they're about to build, I I haven't had those conversations so.

A

And I agree, and um I think enough was the sheriff now somebody I was having a.

A

Conversation about owings mills, about how it's growing on lions mill and all that.

A

I I agree, and I don't want us to look like that. Overcrowdedness and I do not believe we.

A

Will we have three specific larger areas that we're looking at with freedom grant.

A

Zabel and beatty, you know um and then sprinkling of homes in different areas.

D

There's no rezoning on on the freedom's grant. I thought they were asking for more homes, they're.

D

Asking for permission for age restricted, so it goes back to what tim was saying. Is you know.

A

If it quacks like a duck, call it a duck type thing. So if it, if you allow for r20 000, but then.

A

You say I want a variance to build this and it actually is only built well eligible built in r 10.

A

000 and call it what it is and it's our 10 000, even though you're calling it this.

A

I understand that and I definitely understand what you're coming from that's. Why they're.

A

Going to the board of zoning appeals to say we want this variance because we're authorized our.

A

20 000, but we want to build these town homes and although town homes like this in this nature, are.

A

In an r10 000, you know community. This is what we want border zoning appeals. Do you agree or.

A

Not agree, and it is their responsibility to make that decision and that's where it is right now.

H

A

I got zero yeah, but you've heard us through facebook. Oh, I know oh I I do.

A

No not not to the boys owning appeals, but um I did. I do read facebook and you know.

A

Don't give me I'm not going to respond, but I do talk to folks once I see things and I try.

A

To get as much information as I can typically again doing that due diligence reaching out.

A

But um when it's asked reach out to me and people don't that's where my comment was.

A

Well, no, the board is only imposed you can see. So tomorrow is a it's a quasi-judicial hearing.

D

So it's like a hearing process, so you have an applicant and you have defendants who can come.

D

In which would be like if a citizen wanted to maybe protest, what's happening.

D

You can write comments to the board of zen appeals. There's three independent bodies. If the planning.

D

Commission that makes decisions on certain things: they're, independent from the board of county.

D

Commissioners, which can make decisions on certain things and the board of zoning appeals, which is.

D

Independent, so this is an independent party. So if you're interested in commenting on freedom's grant.

D

Specifically, which is a case being heard tomorrow, you can watch you can write in and you can.

D

Come into the building, they are doing in-person meetings in room. What time is that? I believe that.

J

Starts at 9am and is it in person or is it they're doing it in person it's in person? No, I think.

A

They're still doing hybrid, but I'm not positive. Are they doing? No, they do not do hardware. Oh okay,.

D

Appeals does not work in a hybrid environment, given the like, as I just said, the big word.

D

Quadra judicial nature because they have to hear testimony and you have to be sworn in.

D

So that's why they don't do it that way. So if you are coming in and if you are giving testimony, you.

D

Have to be sworn in and then that is your segway into that, but that's how they rank they run. It.

D

Like it's a court, let's just say, but it's not, and it is the responsibility of that panel to listen.

A

To everybody, that's coming in front of them so and I've seen and it's not a rubber stamp. I know.

A

What the sheriff shared earlier saying that he gets everything he wants. He gets everything.

A

He wants not through a rubber stamp. It is absolutely through the conversations.

A

And discussions and him making the appropriate arguments on why things should go in a certain.

A

I way absolutely I I do understand, but that's also why I have this town hall. That's also why I've.

A

Been doing newsletters from day one, you know in office um to get the gist of what you're sharing.

A

So I can push it along and what incentivizes me I should not expect, should incentivize you. You know.

A

And vice versa, that's why these are very important. It happens at this horizontally.

A

Appeals meeting is tomorrow, you know, and that's kind of where we're at I apologize. I.

A

Didn't schedule this a week earlier, but that's kind of where we're at today. So what else? Yes.

I

So have you spoken to anyone in the community? That is supportive of this reason.

G

And anyone at all from the local community that lives here in the area.

E

N

No you've mentioned several times that the.

N

Development will won't occur unless.

A

Well, the first step is for them to look at the rezoning of that property and whether it should be.

A

Eligible to be rezoned or not, I think that's going to be the first step and that's going.

A

To come in front of us and then we'll make that determination, then it'll go to the next step. So.

A

You know and that's where joanne talked about the r40 000 to r20 000 and where it should lie.

A

At that point, um after that point, the owner and developer again, I'm giving you kind of a.

A

Simple version of this come to a determination on what they want built, whether it's going to.

A

Be sold and then to somebody else and developed, and then they go through the planning process.

A

It goes to the planning commission and it kind of works its way through there.

A

If it's eligible in accordance with the planning, commission and or uh you know, our zoning.

A

Allowances then it will move in the right direction and be permitted and.

A

Created and all that kind of stuff, if it doesn't, but they still want something done.

A

It'll, then, go to board of zoning appeals to appeal a decision made and look at it.

A

For whatever they want done, but but the first step.

A

You know was discussed earlier and that's going to come to to me to us. So what would be.

N

The ultimate time frame hypothetically, if all that stuff happened and everything that what.

A

To have that development started is really what you're saying.

A

You know it's really difficult to say and I threw a swag out there this morning, so I'm gonna say.

A

The same swag out um this evening, three years, you know, um is what I'd be throwing out there.

A

By the time it got to all the processes, that's what we would be looking at so and I think that's.

A

Fair to say, but you can't really hold me to it, because that's really just one of those.

A

You know looking backwards planning what it would take. Yes, sir.

R

R

The fact gentleman you said nobody that you've spoken with so far has supported.

R

This project, what good are these meetings if we express our content and when an earlier.

R

Meeting you said that you believe that a buyer property should be able to do what he chooses and.

R

I know that soybeans are not going to continue to be grown in disabled fields. Something will be.

R

Filtered, but my concern is the way it spills over into the forest hill road community. This plan to.

R

Bring this brain through and everything there are times in the morning when it's difficult to.

R

Get out of forest hill road on the marriage level, two and in the afternoon, that's what he progressed.

N

That's a progress for me. Yes, but.

E

R

Is there any event any chance that this part of the thing I can understand.

R

Them developing putting something right.

E

Right, but the problem is: where is there any way that this can be circumvented connecting.

A

Right, you're talking about that dashed road that goes through the property, that's prospero,.

A

Extension, that is a dashed line. That is a dashed road that would be modified appropriately to.

A

Where the development would lie before they make a road you're not going to make the road, then.

A

You know figure out the development, it's all going to kind of work together. Now.

R

I believe at the meeting we have at the library.

R

Said when I asked about that, no it'll come out on the marriage bill. 2 from that developer.

R

But now I'm hearing that there's about 40 houses that might be rallied through forest hill. I.

F

So so I know, representatives was told that by the developer I believe that kristen.

F

Morinelli talked to the developer and that's what they said: okay, maybe they did, but it's.

A

Like an acre field, that's about our property. I believe that may have been done from a developer.

A

Somebody, I don't know if linda would have said that I do remember the library meeting.

A

Very well, unfortunately, the yoga ladies came in and we had to get out of there too fast, but.

A

Now I lost my train of thought um so and christian was here this morning as well.

A

What was the gist of your question? What was the very beginning of it? Is there any way that this.

R

Projected routing of traffic from the other end of the development.

R

Down foreign development, you stay here, you go out on the marriageville room, which still leads.

R

To the problem, this gentleman was talking about the infrastructure, marysville road.

R

Is not set up to handle that kind of right. Another thing out of food for thought on bennett, road, you.

R

Had told us there had been a moratorium put in place a while ago about some projected buildings.

R

Was that still in place, and if it's still in place, what was the criteria for it? Was it the.

R

Law enforcement, fire, ems, the schools, all that infrastructure, growth on bennett, road.

D

I think you're referring to oklahoma road oklahoma. No, I don't think they're talking.

A

About, I don't think it's talking about um beatty. I think that's what I think he's talking about.

A

And that had to do with school, yeah so yeah, so that has to do with the school and that.

A

That had to do with the school, because I was on the board during that and we brought that up.

R

Basically, we have about four elementary schools in this area. We have tiny run right here where.

A

So developments will not be built unless the schools.

A

Have the capacity to allow for those schools to be built or for allow the uh the homes to be built?.

A

The original comment you made, which I think was very important and that goes back.

A

Who's, you know come to me and says we want to do this and.

A

Not not not not necessarily so.

A

Well: okay, it's easy to say things like that, but it's not necessarily just as quick as that. The.

A

County is making a determination on where the best growth is within the county and they came up with.

A

The determination of these properties and how they should be planned out, uh it came from the master.

A

Plan and then kind of in a funnel went into the freedom plan, along with the municipalities along.

A

With the vision of ag and everything else, so that's all part of the county planning.

A

The community um it could be building the appropriate homes for a larger workforce. You know.

A

An innovative workforce, uh a community that's going to bring more into carroll county.

A

There could be lots of reasons why homes like this could be the right things to do now should.

A

They be done here or not. You know, like I said, the community anybody on the outside. No nobody said we.

A

Want to build this right now. Does the property owner want this done? I believe they do, but I.

A

Haven't talked to the property owner and I haven't talked to any developer so um I've I've heard you.

A

Know we're in developers, pockets and all that that makes absolutely zero sense to me. Zero, because I.

A

Haven't talked to any developer and I know a lot of them: okay from previous jobs, um I don't know.

A

Disabled no and very little comes out of the tax revenue like it was shared earlier. Maybe we should.

A

Look at raising taxes uh as a whole for carroll county and I'm not saying that we should do that.

A

Especially I'm not saying that, while I'm on camera saying that we should be doing that because I.

A

Don't believe, that's the right answer right now. I do not believe that's the right answer right now,.

A

The tax base does not increase from 200 homes that dramatically when we have a 500 million.

A

Give or take budget the uh but but yeah developers, I don't know I haven't, met.

A

With property owners regarding this, I haven't met with the baby property owners. I know uh the women.

A

We talked to and I think they were participants on the fdca meetings. I know that was a while ago.

A

And I think I talked to them early before that ftca meeting and yeah the other property.

A

Freedom's grant I have, I don't know, I don't know the property owner, I don't know the develop. I.

A

Know who the developer is, you know as far as the company, but that's as far as I know, um so what.

A

I do know, is you, you know and that's where I'm getting all this information from go ahead. John.

M

And because of the additional use to go to three and a half.

M

Dwelling units per paper and then the residential text amendments are including the retirement.

M

Village concept they could certainly if it gets rezoned to r20. They could certainly request to do.

M

The three and a half, so it would be higher than that- and I agree with you- tax revenue.

A

Yeah and that's what a lot of folks think is by building homes we're going to get so much tax.

A

Revenue, that's going to go right back into the roads into the schools and everything else that.

A

We need to do um it really is not necessarily even a zero-sum game. In many cases, it's much less so.

M

But if you re-zone it, then the developers are going to say.

A

I understand you're right yep and it goes right back to the conversation we had. I I.

A

So I could have dropped a mic about an hour ago. I could have dropped the mic about an hour ago.

A

Again, it's not voting against something, don't rezone it and don't approve.

J

The huge uh density bump for uh retirement villages so that sorry.

A

That's moving into the border zoning appeals, so two different things. The other piece.

J

Is what I'm talking about that's tomorrow morning, I've written my letters.

E

Okay, if joe gives it to the rest, gives it to them that they get it and she doesn't give.

J

It to him, I can't be there more mortally, okay, a couple of um just closing thoughts.

A

Do you have something more on the properties.

A

That was go that was going in their direction as well. We received about 45 million dollars.

A

Of coveted relief money for the county and we're figuring out how to give you up that money across.

A

The county, the municipalities also received money about 32 million in total for the municipalities.

A

One of the highest priorities: uh well, one of the priorities is a 3d. You know uh whatever it is.

A

Yeah 3d surveying tool for the sheriff's department uh that we approved, um but.

A

A large priority is broadband and is again infrastructure. We are moving forward. We.

A

Got about 18 million dollars to looking at broadband and putting more broadband.

A

In place in carroll county we're also looking at state funds and more federal funds to do that.

A

I'm bringing this up to you as well, because if you have further ideas on what are the needs reach out,.

A

To me after this meeting, so I can capture it because it's important so some of the activities.

A

Have to do with dpw, citizen services and I.t are the three hot issues right now.

A

During covid, we gave over 10 million dollars to small businesses across carroll county.

A

As covid first hit, eight hundred thousand dollars from carroll county.

A

uh Coffers went right to small business and were able to get it out within two weeks down.

A

In sykesville, one business shut down during covet 19 and had nothing maybe it's time for me to go.

A

And had nothing to do with uh coven 19, with that one business. Shutting.

A

Down, I know it must be time to go, but um the important part is you know if you have ideas.

A

Share them with me directly and let me carry that to where they need to.

A

Go: um that's! Okay, I'm good! It's all good! You got it on this. Don't you, okay! So.

A

Okay, I think I covered a lot and, more importantly, you covered a lot as well in the military. We say.

A

You don't train to time, you train to standards, and I think we covered the standards, because this was.

A

Supposed to be an hour and a half town hall that lasted a little bit more than an hour and a half.

A

So I appreciate your patience at doing this and I'm going to continue to do this. I do.

A

Provide a newsletter, and I try to post it the best I can, if you get it great, if you don't, please sign.

A

Up for it, it's relatively easy to get to and try to get as much information out there as possible.

A

Does anybody have anything for the good of the group senior? uh Yes, sir,.

A

So, on slacks road, um you know where the american legion is.

A

So you're coming from freedom uh park and american legion's on the right you go past.

A

The american legion, um basically across from the horse, rescue the third yeah across the street from.

A

That on the same side as the american legion, and um uh it is state, property and uh state.

A

Dgs, no it's, it is a. It is on the one-yard line: okay and um yeah they're they're pretty pumped.

A

So dgs transferred it uh the governor has it in a line item and has already allocated the money.

A

And maryland va is working the funds with uh federal but it'll, be 128 between independent.

A

And assisted living for our veterans, similar to uh charlotte hall, so yeah, it's pretty exciting.

A

Okay, anything else, the goo group thank you and just have a great night thanks. Thank you. Yep.

Q

Can I give you this? This has got my contact information.

P

I'd like to know, if all of this stuff that I do that they added this office is still.

S

There, which is pictures and everything else on this light intrusion.

S

Because, like I said they, let me in this path: okay, I'm just grabbing something for you.

S

So that's just my contact. Stop it right.