Carroll County, MD Commissioner Ed Rothstein- District 5, 29 Jun 2021

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From YouTube: District 5 Town Hall with Commissioner Rothstein June 29, 2021

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I'm going to use the pronoun I and me a lot, but take it for I and me as us, and.

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We, when I talk about the commissioners and the board of commissioners, I'm ed rossi, I'm your.

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Commissioner, here in district five, I'm one of five commissioners, we are the decision making authority.

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For carroll county and we're going to talk a little bit more about that in a couple minutes.

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Do does everybody get my newsletter? Does anybody not get my newsletter? Okay,.

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We'll make sure that you get the newsletter and it's easy to sign up for this last newsletter.

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I put out and really that's what I'm going to go through and I'm not going to get through the whole.

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Thing because I said I only talked 30 minutes is about 10 10 pages of stuff and I'm really proud.

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Of the a lot of this stuff- that's in here, because a lot of the stuff that's in here has to do with.

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You we're getting to a level of normalcy back to a place of normalcy, whether it's going out to the.

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Dog park out here, which is awesome, and I really applaud, parks and rec for uh putting that together.

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um Along with the community on uh showing the need for that dog park, but also.

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Putting the rules in place to wearing the mask, putting the rules in place to staying a social.

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Distance during this pandemic, the bottom line it it stunk, and we all know that we are now at a.

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Place where I can see faces- and this is really cool and I'm getting to a point where I'm no.

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Longer just kicking knees or elbows or fist bumps, but I'm handshaking and hugs, and that's really.

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Cool when I talk about you know my family, I'm able to do that. I believe I'm able to do that because.

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Of you, you know we can give guidance all we want, but it's the community that has to be committed.

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To doing the right things also doing the right things is the vaccine. So if you have taken the.

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Opportunity to get the vaccine- that's great! If you have the opportunity, have not taken the vaccine.

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I ask that you consider it. I think, personally, from everything that I've learned there's more value in.

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Taking a vaccine than the risk in not taking a vaccine or the risk that people associate with.

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With that vaccine, the more folks that take the vaccine, I think the better off we're going to be.

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So that's my plug for covid 19 and where we want to go past this pandemic. The one thing we learned.

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During cobit 19 is how to work in different um different environments.

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You know, telework is a great example, how much work we're able to do via telework.

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Is just been phenomenal teaching our kids, although not optimum, was uh used. You know virtually.

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I didn't like that and a lot of parents didn't like that. But again the intent was to safeguard.

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Our kids and to put them in an environment where they can best learn, while keeping them safe and.

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Healthy, along with the teachers administration, decisions were made, they weren't our decisions.

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From the board of commissioners they're, the decision from the board of education and ccps.

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And the state- and we respect it, but what we learned was what were some of the needs with.

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Teaching virtually one of the big needs that we learned challenging teaching virtually.

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Was the need for broadband we're pretty good down here in the sitesville eldersburg area,.

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There's a you know: few pockets here and there, but we are really challenged up in the northern part.

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I represent you, but I represent this county. I want the folks in manchester and tawny town to feel as.

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Valued, especially with their children, to feel as valued as we value our children here in eldersburg.

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And sykesville so getting them the broadband up. There is very important and I'm just throwing two.

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Names out, but it's across the county um yeah. So so so we learned a lot from the pandemic.

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We learned how to take care of each other. We learned to respect each other. um We learned.

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How to do things innovatively, through virtual telework and all that kind of stuff? Another.

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Thing I want to talk about, and I think a lot of you have heard me use the words. Listen, learn, lead.

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I believe in that- and it was a mentor of mine years and years ago, while in uniform.

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That shared that with me, I've taken it a step further by saying listening to you, that's why.

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It's only going to be a one-third two-thirds, learn from you and then lead together with you.

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I am definitely not a fan of social media, it can really be a pain in the neck, with social media.

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And but I will share with you, there's some value that comes out of social media. One of.

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The values that came out of social media was the piney run watershed project piney run the dam.

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Well, we hired aecom, which is a contract or a contractor, to look at the dam.

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At piney run because it's a dam, that's failing, and how are we going to fix that dam, so they gave us.

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A solution how to fix the dam, it's the dam of the piney run reservoir reservoir is the key word in.

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That how do we now make that area suitable for a secondary source of water as it was designed to be.

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Initially so now we're looking at the dam that has to be fixed.

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Now we're looking at the reservoir that was designed to be used as a source of of water.

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As we're moving forward and thinking about how to deal with these two projects,.

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Social media really lit up and what I mean is you did it's about the community and you started.

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Talking to each other, and you started saying you know, we understand the damn issue and you're right.

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That has to be fixed, but the water we have water already. Can we figure out how to continue to take.

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Care of our community the way it is right now, but my maintaining the culture and the beauty of what.

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Pioneer reservoir provides and the nature center all that, because, if not, we were going to have to.

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Drain the reservoir. It was going to take two three four years by time. Everything was said and done.

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Within two three days there was a couple thousand plus folks on social media. You know.

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Not just save the reservoir, but given us reasons on why the reservoir should not be touched.

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That is a great use of social media. It gave us an opportunity to listen. You know, via that, to.

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Learn the the why and then lead together with the community that we're going to fix this damn, but.

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We're not going to touch social media or we're not going to touch the reservoir. Excuse me so.

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To me, there's ways to do things and sometimes not the best ways to do things uh another. um You know.

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Way that I applaud very much is the fdca, which I always mix up the the words I know freedom.

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District as freedom district citizen, citizens association, I don't know why. I always mix that up.

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Freedom district citizens, association, if you're, not part of it, I recommend that you become part.

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Of it that you get on their mailing list, you get on their social media sites and you learn.

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The focus of the of the fdca- and it is: how can we best take care of the freedom district in concert.

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With taking care of carroll county, and that's going to lead me into this, my guiding principles.

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This is my guiding principle. This is my responsibility. When I say mine, I mean the five.

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Commissioners- and this is the budget- the operation budget- that's uh about 480 million dollars.

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The capital uh community investment plan- it is uh projects that we are funding.

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Within carroll county, this is our job. Our job is about 90 95 executive. How do we develop.

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The budget and then throughout the year, how do we execute the budget? I am a resource manager.

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By looking at the time, people and money, this specifically with money people, because that's in.

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Here as well, how do we fund and compensate people, and then we execute it? That's really our role.

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The key there is to execute the budget to ensure you have the best quality of life that we can do.

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There's what's called discretionary, undiscretionary dollars. That's within this budget.

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I haven't, I do not have the breakdown, but I would say roughly 85 percent.

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Give or take is non-discretionary dollars out of the operational funds, 15 being discretionary.

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In other words, over 50 percent of our budget goes to the school system. That is because of the.

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Measure of effectiveness that have been determined that that money must go by law to the school.

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System so take that off the table. There are other funds that we need to then just take off the table.

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And not make them available, uh you know within our budget. That then gives us a chunk of money.

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That's discretionary and we try to figure out how to best use that discretionary funds that suit you.

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And you meaning you eldersburg sykesville, our community and carroll county, an example of that.

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Is ag preservation well, there's not a whole lot of ag preservation.

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Down here in eldersburg and uh in district five there's a lot of agricultural property.

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In the north right now we have 76 000 acres of preserved agricultural property in perpetuity.

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Our goal is to get to 100 000 acres. This goal was put in place in around 1980, so we're about three.

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Quarters away there and we're going to celebrate that this fall. It may not be a goal and objective.

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Of carol of eldersburg, but it absolutely is a goal and objective of carroll county.

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Another area is roads, you know in order to maintain uh suitable roads in carroll, county.

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We still have 59 miles of unpaved roads in carroll county in eldersburg sykesville zero. We are all.

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Hardened roads in carroll in eldersburg and sykesville 59 miles mostly up north. We put.

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Funds and set them aside to ensure that they can be used to harden those 59 miles of roads. Most.

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Of them are in district 4, the woodbine area and north going up to uh to manchester and tawny town.

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Now, when we do that, it's like what are some of the needs that we have here.

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So one of the ideas was ryden hour and georgetown right now, we're by nells acres and georgetown.

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That hairpin turn, which I can't stand. Okay. So how do we fix georgetown put in a circle there.

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And reinhauer which parallels 26 because it's very dangerous going off of nells acres. I think that's.

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Like um fallon have or something on to 26. why we talked to state highway, they were not going to.

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Modify the highway for ingress egress, so the best next step was to look at ryden. Our ave, uh which.

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Parallels we put funds to do that, so it's not just. How am I taking care of the 59 miles up north or.

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Looking at the broadband up north, but what are the needs also down here in development and growth.

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The other thing I want to share, not quite the bible.

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I'm a jewish guy, maybe that's the torah, and this is the prayer book I don't know, but uh this is.

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More the direct use or um the the projects that we're focused on in the development and the land.

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Use here in the freedom district, uh if some of you have heard some of you may not have heard.

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The freedom district, in other words, the area that is around us right now, is the largest designated.

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Growth area in carroll county, the other growth areas in carroll county, are the municipalities.

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We have eight municipalities and then this the designated growth here. This is.

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Much larger of a growth area than all the others, maybe even all the others, combined.

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um So this was developed over years. It was accepted. It was approved in 2018.

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And now it's time to continue to look at it and execute it. Like I said, my role is to be an.

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Executive with the other four commissioners is: how do we execute this best? The way we execute this.

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Best is the exact same way. We execute the budget fest, that's by listening learning and leading.

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It's continuing to listen and participate with the fdca is continuing to learn on what is best.

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For the community and then develop the plan and moving forward- and you know- we've talked.

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About this, it's not linda's plan or it's not jeff's plan with dpw with the roads.

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It's our plan, it is the commissioners. There are certain things that we do not delegate down.

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One of the things we don't delegate down is the budget and the other thing we don't delegate down.

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Is the execution of these type of plans we're blessed to have, I believe, an incredible staff.

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We have our chief administrator, roberta who's, been here quite some time, linda.

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Eisenberg, director of planning, we have jeff castaway director of dpw.

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We have colonel hart, who is the two ic for the sheriff's department, as uh the sheriff.

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Is sunbathing in south carolina somewhere, and I can't remember your name what's that.

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And tiffany's the boss, so now tiffany just came on board a month ago, working for uh linda and I think.

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I just met her earlier today, so um so welcome again, uh so we are we're very blessed to have the.

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Staff, in order to allow us to make the decisions that are appropriate on how to execute the budget.

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And how to move forward with the comprehensive freedom plan? There's other projects going on.

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Across carroll county across eldersburg and sykestone, we'll talk about that in a few.

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Minutes because I'm going to hear from you and uh you know, listen to you on some of those ideas.

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And the other thing you can use with this white card, I'm easy to find. I am so easy to find. I.

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Mean typically, I give my cell phone to anybody who needs it, but my uh my email is very easy.

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To find- and I try to be very responsive- a guy called me yesterday and was concerned about the.

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Old pizza hut, um the the weeds and the grass and all that junk. That was because it looks it's an.

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Eyesore so I was like okay, so I happened to be driving down 32. I saw I said man. This looks like.

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uh Really not nice, so I call roberta burger calls jeff. The guy calls me back today and.

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Says, thank you. I said what I do and they're cutting down this grass. I was like that's.

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Cool now, whether it was coincidence I'll take the I'll take it, but um I try to be responsive.

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And um we will follow up on any action that you may have. uh Sometimes the answer may be no.

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Sometimes the answer may be: we don't have the resources at this point to do it, because.

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Again, there's only so much that we have, but you know we'll work through that.

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I'm going to stop talking in a second and what I want to do is hand it over to colonel hart, because.

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One of the concerns is dealing with safety and dealing with um you know.

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Police presence dealing with.

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Speed control and there's been a couple of horrific actions over the weekend.

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In carroll county I mean just horrible horrible accidents. When the sheriff called me yesterday, it.

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I mean when the sheriff calls me: it's never a good thing and when he calls me when he's on vacation.

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It really is not a good thing and I just was really taken back. There was a couple bad ones.

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You know so, I will say: uh summertime pool safety is very important as well. I will say, speeding is.

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Not the way to go in any direction, um but what I want colonel hart to talk about is um how does.

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Eldersburg look right now: how does district five look right now as far not just the stats and he'll.

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Tell you the stats, but what are we doing really well and what are some of the things that we.

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Should pay a little bit more attention to okay, so colonel good evening, I'm colonel rich hart, I'm the.

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Chief deputy here at the sheriff's office um with me is major dave stem he oversees all of.

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Our law enforcement operations for the sheriff's office so he's got a big old chunk of cheese to.

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Bite off every day, here, a quick overview. We have 132 sworn law enforcement officers within the.

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Sheriff's office, we have 92 correctional deputies and we have 52 civilians, so sheriff dewees is on.

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Vacation right now and he sends his love but he's sunbathing and much needed vacation he's.

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There for two weeks, so I met with for you this evening, um so within the sheriff's office we have.

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Primary law enforcement duties, we have a primary law enforcement agency within carroll county.

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But we also have the detention center, that's also under the sheriff's responsibility. Now not.

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All the sheriff's offices in maryland are like that a little trivia. We are the carroll county.

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Sheriff's office there are, there are sheriff's departments within the state of maryland. Also.

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So this is a little bar trivia for you. So if you want to win some money one day, um ask somebody.

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What the difference is so a sheriff's office is responsible for the detention center. That falls.

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Under their hospice now, sheriff's departments is separate. Baltimore county howard, montgomery.

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Prince george's county, their sheriff's departments, because they don't control the detention center.

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Just to throw that out there, if anybody's wondering why they called the sheriff's office.

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So start talking about, you talked a little bit about the pandemic. That was a huge, huge struggle.

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For us in public safety across the board, it was a challenge that we have never seen. I've been doing.

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This 36 years dave's been doing this for tons of years. The sheriff's been around forever we've.

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Never had a challenge like that that we faced that we started a year and a half ago, so we had to.

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Get ahead of this the curve and figure out how we're going to tackle the pandemic, we had a lot.

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Of deputies get sick, we had some get very sick, but thank goodness, everybody survived, and we.

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Made it through it, but our deputies, I can't be more proud they face this head-on. They never.

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Missed the day they came to work every day. It was really really tough for us in the detention center.

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Because that's a big hotel, where people can't leave, I mean basically, is what it is.

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So we had to manage that because we had folks coming in constantly and so the sheriff offered.

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Was able to get with health department who we worked with very closely and they were phenomenal.

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And to get employees vaccinated as soon as we could, and he also offered vaccinations.

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For the inmates they caught a little bit of flack over there from some citizens and.

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Sure you know these, the inmates are sitting there, they're people too. They deserve to get.

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Vaccines, if they were out in the public, they would be able to get a vaccine plus they were the more.

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People we got vaccinated in the detention, the better off everybody was, it was safer for them.

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Safer for the employees, so it worked out: okay, but public safety across the board. I we never.

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Backed down between us fire rescue, we were there for you every day and I'm very proud of my people.

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And we made it through, thank goodness everybody made it through, and here we are so statistics.

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You folks are in patrol area nine, you have nine patrol areas, so congratulations, you're, number, nine.

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That's the eldersburg sykesville area. We have five deputies, that's our minimum staffing for this area.

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Every day you have to have five deputies, there's six municipalities and maryland state police. That.

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Are also within carroll county, they also the state police help us out. They patrol the state.

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Roads here and they're always they're a great ally, so they come down and help us. So we have a lot of.

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Police coverage here, sykesville police they'll, come out of their town. We go into their town.

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Sheriff dewees has deputized every law enforcement officer with the exception.

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Of the mayor of state police because they have jurisdiction, but every municipal law enforcement.

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Officer within the county is deputized, so they can come out and help us whenever we need it. So.

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We have very good coverage, you are definitely the busiest most populated patrol area. We have.

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And with that being said year to date, um our crime is down 16 in your patrol area, so.

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And historically, in the last four or five years it's been low, we are the safest county in the.

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State of maryland we've been that way for several years, but 16 is very good. It's down. We don't have.

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Compared to what's going on 30 miles east of us, this, we live in a great great community.

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And the reason for that is I'd like to take all the credit and say it's law enforcement.

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And I'll give some kudos because it's definitely we have a very robust and progressive, proactive.

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Law enforcement agency, but it's the folks that live here. We have great citizens and we have.

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A very good relationship with the citizens, so it really helps us in policing um some statistics off.

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The top of my head, I can tell you in your patrol area and we've had one homicide in five years.

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One is way too many, but we've had one in five years I mean that was we made an arrest on it and.

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It hasn't gone to trial yet, but it was a a co-worker of the victim, so it wasn't a stranger.

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Homicide we've had three commercial robberies in five years, so we've had three commercial.

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Robberies where somebody held up a wendy's or the bank in five years look around. That's really good.

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Our violent crime is next to nothing and we have some misdemeanor crimes going on or our big box.

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Stores to walmart it's it's a problem. The ulta is a problem with shoplifting. We've had problems with.

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That I think we've had 14 or 15 theft from autos since the beginning of the year, where somebody.

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Stole items out of cars, majority of them are unlocked, so please lock your cars. It really.

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Deters crime, um but really that number is very insignificant to what's going on in the region.

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Again, one crime is way too many. We understand that, especially if you're the victim of that crime, but.

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Just to give you some perspective, this is a very safe place to live.

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We, um unfortunately, our overdoses are up 23 year-to-date, um a lot of those.

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Opiate overdoses, that problem- I don't we don't we're scratching our head. How do you fix it.

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When the stimulus checks came out, the two times it came out, our overdoses went up.

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Obviously, there's more money, it's it's! It's we try. Our best. We've been working with the.

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Health department, the state's attorney's office, we can't arrest our way out of this problem, but.

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um Our deputies and the fire ems folks are seeing some tragic, tragic things in the last.

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Couple years, especially with our overdoses, there's a lot of people that are suffering from that and.

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We don't really know how to fix that problem. I don't know so again, working with mental health and.

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Health department trying to figure that out we're very proactive. We stress to the deputies, they.

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Want I want them to be seen, I want them to drive in neighborhoods that definitely reduces crime.

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It makes our folks feel good that they see our police cars driving around, but we also are do a.

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Lot of data-driven enforcement, so we have a crime analyst and she works very hard. So she will look.

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A date every day, every day and she'll say she'll call the major or one of the captains and say look.

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We've had two or three death motors in this area and the numbers are going up so right away, we'll.

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Put people in that area we know the times are happening. We can figure out what areas we'll put.

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Folks in that area, whether it's marked police cars for to be um out there, so people can see them or.

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We'll put our undercover detectives out there, so that's that's what we do we, we are very proactive.

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But our data-driven enforcement is also very important, so we know what's going on.

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um Speed enforcement huge problem, huge problem everywhere, but I get asked a lot by citizens.

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Say why do I see your deputies doing nothing, but stopping people? That's all they do well.

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It's not all they do, but they're going to do a lot of it and I'm going to make sure they continue to.

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Do it because the chance of you getting injured or being a victim of something violent in this county.

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Is not very good, but the chance you've been in an accident getting hurt in a traffic accident.

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Could happen, I mean it's much more likely that that's going to happen than you'd, be you know and.

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The victim of violent crime in other jurisdictions, they have different priorities. Traffic safety is.

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Huge here and we continue to enforce and the speed we have 150 speed enforcement areas, complaints.

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177, when people call and say.

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There's so many speeding on my road constantly there's always car speed on my road. Can you come.

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And do speed enforcement so we have 177 of those throughout the county so that took you know we.

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Have a lot and it's it's a problem everywhere, but it's a problem here also- and we have our share of.

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Very bad accidents and we have much more than I think we should so we are definitely we push our.

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Deputies, we have a traffic enforcement team that highlights those areas, but our deputies that are.

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Assigned to certain areas are responsible for sitting at those areas and watching.

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To make sure that we can fulfill the speed enforcement complaints that we get. So that's why.

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We pull people over. That's why our dui enforcement is important. Our speed enforcement is important.

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We target reckless driving, we just we're out there. We have to make sure that you folks are safe.

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And basically, the only way to do it is to stop people, and you know people also ask me well.

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Do these deputies do have a quota, we don't have quotas, we don't tell a deputy, they have.

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To write 15 tickets a day or 14 warnings when they gets when you get pulled over it's the.

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Deputies, discretion; what they do, they give you a warning if they give you a written citation and.

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It's up to them. We certainly would never dictate to them and give that discretion.

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Take that discretion away from them, so our job is to change bad behavior. Our job isn't.

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To penalize people or punish people, that's the court's position. We are to change bad behavior.

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If we can do that by writing a warning to somebody and they understand that what they did was wrong.

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That's fine and if not, if it's an egregious really something terrible and you get a traffic citation.

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So be it, but if you guys, anybody in the room has any problems or have any issues or have any.

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Speed problems in the neighborhood myself and the major are going to hang around afterwards.

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Just come see us we'll talk to you about it and we'll have folks out there and the speed signs.

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If you've seen the speed signs, we put up that show how fast you're going they also will um they.

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Correlate data force so they not only show your speed but they're, not taking pictures of your cars.

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Or anything but they'll show us. You know how many cars went through at 10 miles over how many cars.

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Went through it 20 miles an hour over what time of day what day. So we can also use that data driven.

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Material and information for enforcement, any questions I can answer for anybody, I'm here.

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If not we're going to hang around, I appreciate it and.

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Like I said, I can share information for an hour and a half, I'm not going to do that.

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It is going to be 1 3, 2 3, with a little bit of flexibility, so bear with me.

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Just a couple more minutes and then I'm going to turn it over to you.

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But I want to share, I talked about broadband and I know this is difficult to see.

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But this is a map of carroll county and also that you see is the other colors that orange colors.

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And if you see those orange colors up top and if you can they're all north and that's why the.

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Focus you know of broadband, and we learned our lesson during uh covet on how many kids could not.

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Be taught because they didn't have coverage to look at uh look on the computer screens.

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One way we're fixing that problem is one. We did a study to figure out exactly where those.

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Problem areas are, and two federal funds uh have recently come into carroll county.

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We are uh authorized to be getting a little over 32 million dollars. We got a little over 16 million.

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Dollars kim that came into the county, the staff is now coming to us us being the county commissioners.

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With a laundry list of projects- and I expect those projects to be about 60 million dollars worth of.

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Projects and we're going to be pairing it down to 16 million dollars on what needs to happen. I.

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My expectations, our broadband, is going to be a large part of that, along with any other dollars.

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That we can find, because I love using other people's money. You know to fix our problems.

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On stuff, like this another way of using other people's money and I'm very, very proud of.

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Is taking care of our veterans? Most of you know I am a veteran for a long long time we were able to.

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I would say convince, uh I guess, convince uh maryland secretary that the new charlotte.

A

Hall, the new veterans home, which will be 120 bed home, will be located in carroll, county.

A

Not baltimore county or montgomery county, where we were competing quote unquote against, but here.

A

In carroll county- and it's going to be, if you know slacks road above american legion,.

A

Across the street, from the horse, stables kind of in that area, that's where it's going to be 120.

A

Bed, just like charlotte hall on the eastern shore, the best part about this. Besides just.

A

Taking care of our veterans, 65 percent is federally funded. 35 percent of state funded.

A

Zero percent is locally funded and it was brought to my attention discussion. This.

A

Morning, it will also to highlight it will also bring jobs into carroll county. So those are some.

A

Good news uh stories I just want to share um and then the last thing I just want to share.

A

Is again some of the highlights that are happening if you hadn't gone to the sykesville carnival.

A

What an awesome time it was record-breaking, I think everybody wanted to get out of the house.

A

For um the carnival to just get out there, I'm a lion, I'm a proud lion, we're able to.

A

Sell record-breaking amount of french fries, my job was to cut the fries from the potato, putting the.

A

Thing go like this, that's all I did. They kept me away from anything hot and greasy, not that I'd be.

A

Dangerous to somebody else well, I probably would but that's what I did and uh it was amazing um not.

A

That but selling so many fries and seeing so many people when I walk around july 4th, is coming up.

A

On sunday, we're going to have the fireworks out at the farm museum, pretty exciting that that's.

A

Going to be opened up july 3rd down in sykesville, will be a parade at 10 o'clock. I am very proud.

A

That the new mayor stacy link and uh that she is the new mayor of sykesville and congratulate her.

A

um Which is gonna finish up my talk, and that has to do with partnerships and communications, as I.

A

Partner with you and listen to what you have to say, it's also very important important to partner.

A

With my fellow commissioners on what they have to say on their priorities, but also on sykesville.

A

And their priorities, warfield being part of sykesville along with main street, which is.

A

A state highway we have three state highways uh main street um 26 and 32 in uh in district five.

A

So knowing that relationship is or having, that relationship has been really really important.

A

Regardless of who the mayor is and the council, it's the same with the administration, I'm going.

A

To have meetings with a lot of the administration, the state administration, because partnerships are.

A

So important to get things done and we'll we can talk a little bit more about that. Like I said.

A

I can go on and on, and um I want this to be your time and I did bring my staff last time. We did.

A

This they spoke first, I'm like nope get off to the side. Let them answer some of the questions that.

A

You may have and we'll go from there, so what questions may you have? Who wants to be? First.

A

There's always somebody that'll be first and then we'll open it up, and everybody will start talking.

A

Somebody's got it: okay, yes, just go forward, so tell me what's happening with ryden.

A

Where is it gonna come out that it's that it's.

A

A

Okay, I apologize if you want to talk, you got to come here for that, so.

A

And also just let you know, rules of the rules of engagement on this when we have somebody.

A

Asking a question: the odds are, I will repeat the question because again this is going to be.

A

Televised whatever and kept for others that aren't here today and the only way to pick it up is for.

A

Me to repeat the question: okay and then we'll go through answering just let you know so go ahead. So.

C

um At fallon and maryland 26 right, there is ryden hour, you know by the physicians pavilion and then.

C

You have the senior living on the left. There it'll connect going across that property to the west. I.

C

Think it's a good day care center now and then we'll hook up to the old liberty, road road bed.

C

Okay, so then you have two entrances on liberty, road. The first one, I believe, will be closed.

C

As part of that construction and then it'll terminate at the end of old liberty, road coming.

C

Out, I believe it is panorama jeff. Is that what are you looking at the map.

C

Yeah, I'm gonna give it a second yeah. It's panorama april yep.

D

Yep panorama and I'm not a hundred percent sure if a light is going to be there and I.

C

Think that is the intent um is to have it uh in the future is to have a signalization there.

A

Okay: okay, now understand signals are not used for traffic calming they're used for able to.

A

Start and stop vehicles on intersections and the reason I'm sharing. That is.

A

We were talking to state highway on how to modify the traffic and get trump traffic calming going.

A

On to 26 from uh nells acres is very difficult and we couldn't get there. State highway did not.

A

Want to modify the traffic going westbound from the bridge, so we had to come up with.

A

An innovative way of doing it, jeff and his team said this is the best approach in order to keep.

A

Safety and flow of traffic, and that is to modify ryden hour in order to do that, we made that a.

A

Priority because also in nells acres, there's a development, that's going to be happening.

A

uh Over there, as well and uh more growth of homes, uh senior homes in that area, what else come on.

A

This morning yes ma'am, so I'm robin warren and I'm secretary for the fdca. And if anybody wants.

E

Any information, then we we had some information. We came a little prepared. Thank you very much for the.

E

Plug um but I I did uh take your advice and wrote down on my little cards. Some good and bad and ugly.

E

So I wanted to um uh just to highlight a couple of them, um so the good is uh decrease. Ag funding.

E

For next year, I I heard when that that that may be in the works, hopefully that funding decrease.

E

Ag press decreases so let me take this a little bit at a time: okay, okay, because again.

A

To ensure folks can hear the questions for all of you, but also those that are listening. um Some of.

A

The ideas about decreasing ag funding so when we went through the budget process- and this is also.

A

Important everything we do, we really try hard to do everything in open meetings, one because.

A

It's law so anytime, there's a quorum of three of us out of the five. We must have an open meetings.

A

We must publicize it and then be available for the community to listen and to comment afterwards.

A

Not necessarily come in during but comment afterwards ag. Preservation was definitely.

A

A topic that was discussed during the budget discussions deliberations debate whatever word.

A

You want to use after budget conversations amongst the five commissioners. I was often bringing it up.

A

On the table to determine whether uh we had the appetite to either decrease it or or change it.

A

And at this point in this budget right now that was, you know approved it was.

A

Not touching it's three million dollars still every year for ag preservation from the county.

A

The reason that also is important is it helps us match. It helps us.

A

Promote ag preservation, but it also works to get matches from the state for funding next year. My.

A

Intent is to bring it back on the table and say: where are we at and what's the appetite for either.

A

Changing ag preservation, funding or not change, preservation funding. I don't want to say I'm.

A

For changing this or not because right now, the way it's accepted is you know we're.

A

It's part of us right now so ag. Preservation funding is still there, but the last point of.

A

This and I apologize going so long that is discretionary. That is money that we do.

A

Have the ability to determine whether it's right or wrong to have in place so? Okay, the other half.

E

Was that, hopefully extra funds will come for infrastructure here? uh So another thing I wanted.

E

To bring up that is, I think, of as a as a good thing here um is the patapsco regional greenway.

E

Project that are coming out of linda's plan, if you all don't know about it, this is a 40 mile, rail.

E

System to connect sykesville to baltimore's inner harbor, and so the plans for on.

E

Carroll county's two segments should be finishing up in this in december, 2020 and hope. It'll get.

E

Funded for the next year too, I actually think right and- and I want to uh linda, if you can share.

A

Where we're at with that- and this is going to be for the definitely for the good of the group.

A

One thing is: um how does and it leads into how does carroll county tie into the region we're.

A

Not an island we're definitely a part of a region. I serve on a couple of.

A

Business consortiums uh the economic alliance of greater baltimore.

A

uh One of the other commissioners lance serves on the greater baltimore committee. He serves on.

A

Shock trauma board. I he serves on the board of maryland association counties. We are not.

A

A stand-alone county in the sense that everything we do and just push everybody out absolutely not.

A

It's all about partnerships and relationships. So anytime we get the opportunity to.

A

Spread our wings and participate in things like this. It highlights the importance of carroll.

A

County and brings opportunities into carroll county because that'll feed right into main street.

A

You know where it is so, linda yeah, thank you for bringing that up. That is a project we are.

C

Very excited about one that we're very proud to what is the project again, uh it is the patapsco.

C

Regional greenway and, as you said, it is a 40-mile contiguous, greenway segment that will start in.

C

Sykesville at its western end and end up in the inner harbor, um the section that we're referring.

C

To currently the carroll county section, the sykesville connection right now, they're looking at.

C

Different alternatives for connecting sykesville area to the main stem of the regional greenway.

C

The design that we're working on through a consultant through baltimore metropolitan council.

C

It's all being funded through them as part of our partnership within the region with howard, county.

C

um Baltimore, county and baltimore city, so this part will be a 30 design and we're looking at two.

C

Alternatives for connection, um so no construction dollars are funded through this. That would be next.

C

Phases as we move forward in the process and the current concept is to go from freedom park.

C

And cross over raincliff and then have a path. The shared use, path down, buttercup.

C

Is one alternative to get into the town of sykesville and then another alternative is.

C

To look at an upgrade crossing um at 32, I'm gonna escape where that connection would be, but.

C

That is not necessarily preferred because 32 is a really challenging uh road to cross, but.

C

The idea is, we want to try to get into downtowns, like so through various spurs along the regional.

C

Greenway and so the comment period for that just ended, that's not something we control. This is part.

C

Of this federally funded grant opportunity that we're all cooperating with on the region, but I.

C

Would encourage you to go to baltometro.org, which is the website? That's hosting um the storybook.

C

Is what they're calling it for the green white stuff and all the different connections within.

C

The sykesville area, but it's a really it's going to be a great project and you're going to sit over.

A

Here, I'm tired of hop along going back and forth. So, okay, I hear you two with softballs. Do I get a.

E

Hard ball now go for it. Those were good softballs. I I appreciate it. um So freedom has a dga. Can we.

E

Begin looking at just concept of it's a huge area, the growth, the astronomical growth that we're.

E

Getting off of yeah, it's still freedom, but it's not sykesville poplar. But it's part of sykesville.

E

uh I mean it's starting to explode. Does the entire area really deserve to be a dga or is.

E

It best better served to you know yeah, so that all of freedom, at least, is not considered a dga.

A

You know it: okay, it's a good question, um as I shared you know, and, and you know this and.

A

I've shared this before is um I inherited this I own this I embrace it and the reason I'm able.

A

To embrace it and work with it is because of you collectively um that was not brought.

A

Up that way before, which makes it interesting, I don't believe, and neither should you or anybody.

A

In here have any thoughts that everything in here is going to happen by a flick of a switch.

A

You know it's, it will not. It will take a lot of time. It will be a process in place.

A

The timeline associated with the development of it um is a really good question and can be really.

A

Looked at well, uh you know because we're looking at large parcels, you know whether it's disabled.

A

Property or the the bd property or any other large there's not that many large residential.

A

Properties, but also the commercial and other things that we've done. It's not all happening.

A

Overnight, looking at a realistic, a realistic timeline of how things will develop, I think it's.

A

Going to be important, I don't think partitioning this out is the right way to go right now.

A

It can be, we can I'll put this way I'll bring it up. I will discuss it with the.

A

Fellow commissioners, with uh the planning team, I I know their recommendation is no. You know.

A

Up front, but that doesn't stop me from looking further into it. I've also asked often what, if.

A

We open this up and change a b and c, and they said well, if you open it up change a b and c.

A

You're opening it up to change the rest of the alphabet and you have to be prepared.

A

So we got to be careful. What we ask for the question is: are there things in here that are.

A

The golden nuggets that we want to accomplish like what are the the 10 things in here that we say yes,.

A

These are things we want to accomplish over the next three to five years. What are the things that.

A

No matter how hard we work, they're not going to be completed for the out year, say 20 years.

A

And then everything in between we could look at that. I I didn't. I never thought of looking at.

A

The comprehensive plan that way, um I don't know have you, have we developed it that way and in.

C

The last plan um for the 2018 update the freedom area was contracted because the outlying areas are.

C

Preserved, it's morgan run it's the reservoirs, it's patapsco valley state park, so we did decrease it.

C

From like 26 000 acres to 19, 000 acres contracting it more, I mean that's something that if the.

C

Commissioners choose to do so, and they want us to look at. We can look at it, but I would not contract.

C

It beyond or further in than what the water and sewer areas and what the sykesville municipal.

C

Growth area is because that is where we have the infrastructure for additional development yeah, but.

A

But more important, also, I think, is also the timing timelines associated with it right, not just the.

A

Property itself, but it's 2040s before uh I mean the highway. According to our transportation plan,.

E

That just went out it's going to be 2040 before we get any state funds to help out with highways 26.

E

So you've got all the traffic that's going to be associated with that.

A

So I love plans. I mean, I lived 30 years of plans, um you know in uniform.

A

And every plan is great: until you cross the line of departation, then plants change.

A

Plans are very important and I understand the 2040 and I've definitely heard that a lot. It.

A

Doesn't stop me from talking to state highway administration which changed hats recently, it's.

A

Terry seuss she's the district engineer and we have anytime. I want. I give her a call say.

A

Here's my concerns, we're talking to uh secretary slater, who is the secretary of transportation.

A

And we're gonna meet with him in august uh at mako. Unfortunately, we received this on june 24th. This.

A

That I'm holding on june 24th is a letter saying that funds from department of transportation were.

A

Moved to department of health from the pandemic, and it takes away a lot of the work that we had.

A

In priorities, you know for upgrades of those three highways, so now we have to continue to work with.

A

Him and say: okay, we understand the funding is gone. How can we get either get it back or.

A

Focus on uh parts of 26 and 32 and 851 main street in sykesville, um I'm going to do that. I'm going to.

A

Continue to do that, there's a couple projects we put a grant in for 851 down sykesville. uh It's.

A

Like three weeks ago, yeah around three weeks ago, for a million or two million dollars for upgrade.

A

32, you know- or many of you know by the national guard- readiness center- that big.

A

Freaking, building on the right on the east side of 32, that's going to be open soon. They widened.

A

32 from there to macbeth, um 32 and uh johnsville and bennett is finally getting to a point of.

A

Supposed conclusion and uh we're talking to them- and I put that in the newsletter from.

A

uh State highway on when they expect to feel comfortable, saying that that job will be concluded.

A

I'm talking to state highway a lot about 26 about especially the suicide lanes. I'm I just don't like.

A

Them I they're very dangerous, especially with the elderly communities. I mean if we're growing.

A

Nils acres, you know, and yes, we're moving right now, it's still very dangerous as a high-speed.

A

Avenue approach going east to west, so yes, projects won't be done by 20. You know until 2040, according.

A

To some plans, but that's not going to stop us from going after other dollars. You know there's money.

A

From uh federal dollars uh for infrastructure that we we go after as fast as we can.

A

I know it's not the best answer, except that we're working towards fixing things that we see.

A

Our problems and not waiting for a complete solution, because you wait for completion.

A

It's going to be 20, 50 and then it'll be 2060. You know, as things push out, um did you want to.

A

Add to that, or I mean that's just um the way- I'm going to continue to be aggressive in going after.

A

Especially 26 and 32., I can't talk about 30 and 97 and all the other 140. I don't have as much.

A

Situational awareness on that, but I definitely have it from you collectively and definitely with.

A

The ftca on those two on those two roads because um yeah it's dangerous and especially 26, so.

A

What else, yes, sir, what are the benefits of being a dga? What are the benefits to the people who live.

F

In this area right now, what does it bring us? I think it's, uh it's not necessarily a.

A

Benefit to you as more of it's a benefit to understanding from where we're putting our.

A

Priorities and our attention on growing carroll county uh within the municipalities within.

A

The uh you know with within the freedom district, how does that help carroll county or the freedom.

F

District, how does it help what's it? How does it help those of us what the freedom does well.

A

It it, it designates certain areas where growth, um where we want to control growth, where it's.

A

Not going to be growth everywhere, but there are certain areas that we say. Yes, this is suitable.

A

For growth, yes, this is suitable for growth, because we have the infrastructure in place.

A

Or we have the infrastructure capable of being put in place for that type of growth.

A

But it prioritizes, I apologize it just it prioritizes our focus on the growing areas.

A

um And that's what the way I understand it. I mean if I see it differently, I'm more than happy to so.

E

uh I think so it's prioritized for uh yeah as to where, like sewer and water will grow, but is there.

E

Is their priority in the budget to also increase the schools increase the roads.

E

Increase uh police increase other types of things that will have to also be put in place.

E

In order to really take care of that is that automatically in the budget at if you are a dga.

E

Or is it just ordering to a sewer to ensure that you can get occupancy permits for the houses.

A

It's a great question. um I will never say automatic, because the budget is determined.

A

Every year and where we're at right now, just to let you know our budget five years.

A

Out we're about 16 million dollars uh in the hole in the red, we're not in a good place.

A

We passed the budget to get through for the next few years, but again this is that discretionary.

A

Non-Discretionary dollars, so it's very difficult for me to say something will be automatic.

A

But I will say if we look at a resource from a resource management approach,.

A

It is the priority of our people and our folks in our time to ensure that the infrastructure is in.

A

Place um the sheriff's department, the partnership with the sheriff's department, ensuring he has.

A

Presence where they have presence down in the uh destiny growth area um is very, very important.

A

You know the water sewer that's already in place. What else needs to be put in place before we.

A

Determine there needs to be more growth schools the same way now. Schools is an interesting one.

A

Because, as you know, the southeast part of the county, I'm looking this way, I apologize.

A

The southeast, the southeast part of carroll county, is becoming very congested when it comes.

A

To schools, you got freedom, elementary carrolltown, elementary oklahoma mills. I mean they're getting.

A

They're getting very crowded uh and they feed into liberty. I requested from the school system because.

A

We don't we can't do that. We don't do that that the school system and board of education stand.

A

Up a redistricting committee to look at how they should move the schools and redistrict schools to.

A

Allow for either further growth or determine there will not be any ability for growth in that area.

A

They started that way. They took a pause they're going to reconvene and start again when property.

A

Is determined that it's allowed to be developed? A developer comes in.

A

In simple terms- and I don't want to make this too simple for you- because you probably know this but.

A

In simple terms, the developer says I want to build so many homes or so much whatever. It is.

A

It's a checklist and does it meet the criteria on the checklist if it doesn't meet the criteria.

A

On the checklist, then the answer is no or unless something could be waverable, but when it comes to.

A

Like fire ems schools, infrastructure roads, if the answer is no, the answer is going to be no.

A

Then a decision has to be made. How do we get to yes- and you know over so many years or over so.

A

Much you know: does the developer put money into a road or into a school? If the answer is continuing.

A

To be, no, the answers can end up being no, you know, um but that's the priorities of the designate.

A

Growth here that's the value of the disney growth theory. It puts more attention from us and our.

A

Focus on those growth areas to ensure we do it right um beyond that, uh I really can't tell you.

A

I mean trust me, I I've read this a few times and uh it's very nice and says we're going to.

A

Grow irresponsibly and we're going to keep certain things intact, you know and we're going to always.

A

You know look out for the community to do it right, and I agree with everything. That's.

A

In there, the way it's written that way and we're gonna continue to work through it.

A

It's not easy one area, you know that was a challenge was um on the the bd property, whether.

A

Commercial industrial, whatever we determined it to be, I stopped it because I wanted to put it.

A

Together with the rest of the property, because we got to get it right and I stopped it in the board.

A

Of commissioners put it back to the planning and zoning, you know saying: hey, let's get this right.

A

Before we piecemeal and approach and then all of a sudden, we have two separate things going so, but.

A

That's also where you come in, you know, and that is where you come in. This is not confrontational.

A

Whatsoever, this is like, I said this is partnership, and sometimes it's gonna be tough partnership.

A

But you know you know we're resourcing our folks to you. You know with the meetings and everything.

A

Else um is there anything else you think of okay. I think that's where we're at with it so and and.

A

Honestly, the conversation doesn't stop here. It never stopped here and it better not stop.

A

Here, because if it does, then we're just never going to get things done so what else? Yes, sir.

G

So in listening to a fairly lengthy response, it sounds to me like, at the first part of that.

G

Response you're saying that we have the necessary infrastructure for the dga, but in the second half.

G

Of your response, it sounds like we're not meeting some of those critical points, so where does that.

G

Look like where, where does that leave us? Where are we headed? You know if we're at capacity on some.

G

Of the schools, if we have problems with the roads- yes there's water and sewer, but you know fire ems.

G

Police, you know those seem like easier things to me at least, but where do we put another school.

G

If we're already at capacity, where do these kids go, why are we still looking at building.

G

In the dga, if we don't have like redistricting, schools sounds good, but where do you put them.

G

Where do you put the kids and then, if we don't have anywhere to put them? Why are we still looking.

G

At building on these properties, I that that's like it seems like there's a disconnect like.

G

I think you have valid points in both of those sections of your response.

G

But they don't collectively mesh to me what I'm hearing so I'm just I'm like I'm, I'm confused.

G

And and to add to that I understand the freedom plan like we've, a lot of us in.

G

This room we've been watching. This we've been going all the meetings, you know we we started.

G

Before the commissioners took the plan back and and.

G

We're still kind of waiting for the definitions to be updated. The zoning definitions.

G

Like status on that it, it still to me, seems a lot like the carts in front of the horse.

A

Some sometimes it definitely feels that way, and you know let me unpack a few of the questions.

A

That you uh asked- and yes it can be definitely confusing. Everything you said is legitimate.

A

Sometimes I feel who has more rights, the property owner or the community that surrounds the property.

A

Okay- and that is also something that has to be discussed um just because it's able to be.

A

Developed and zoned a certain way if the criteria doesn't allow it to be developed. That way, then.

A

It will not be developed because it has to have those services, so in other words again, if, if it's.

A

Allowed to have 200 homes on a piece of property, but the infrastructure doesn't allow it to include.

A

Schools or emergency services or roads, then it cannot be developed by our standards by our law.

A

By our rules, so something has to change that could be redistricting to moving kids from one.

A

Community to another, if they went from freedom to mechanicsville mechanicsville to up that way,.

A

To westminster, winners mill, okay or if it goes to the left and west from you, know, carrolltown to.

A

Piney elementary piney, elementary sexville middle and then feed into century. You know or all the way.

A

To and then some folks from there go to south carol, it's not just one move and that's what I.

A

Deliberately told the uh the schools, you can't just look at one piece of this part of the county.

A

You know you've got to look at the entire part of the county if you're looking at the redistricting.

A

That is very complex and I don't want to go any further than that, because I I'd really get myself.

A

Stuck um but one thing uh you said and you're you're 100 correct, um well everything you said.

A

Was correct but there was uh okay. What else did you you talk about because I you brought it up.

A

It was, I know, like me personally, something that affects my website. Our property is is just where.

G

That's right and that's something that concerns me and, and it should absolutely and you do you. It is.

A

The cart before the horse, uh whatever that analogy, is um in many cases and we are playing catch up.

A

And the zoning definitions were very much antiquated like decades and decades right.

A

I mean they were really old, so we had to start somewhere, so we determined to start at commercial.

A

Industrial and employment campuses there's one employment campus in the southern part of.

A

The county in our district, so we went through the process of defining the planning and excuse me the.

A

Commercial industrial, employment campuses that took, I don't know, half a year.

A

Longer, okay, it took a long time because it went through a lot. It went through a handful.

A

Of steps it went through uh the staff and went through community went through. I think, planning.

A

And zoning yeah we had work sessions because I was on planning and zoning back then, as the ex.

A

Officio and then it went that's right because I was a non-voting member because linda corrected.

A

Me I'm not allowed to vote when I'm going to be making decisions later on, and then it went to the.

A

Board of commissioners with staff through multiple work sessions- and they were all open work sessions.

A

And there were folks that were there for the work sessions and then we finally came up.

A

With defining planning uh defining the zoning for commercial and industrial and employment campuses.

A

Then there were requests from the community carroll county entirety.

A

What properties now did not fit in those different zoned areas.

A

And they were requested to be changed, and then we were determining whether it was a valid.

A

Change or not, and we made those determinations that happened now, we're in a position now to.

A

Looking at the residential definitions and then it'll be agriculture, residential definitions.

A

The first step, again is the planning department working with planning and zoning sorry gone. Some.

A

Where is it at so so to give you the timeline, because it's not a flick and switch, and it is.

A

A really important question to understand, so I appreciate you asking so absolutely so we are.

C

Catching up now to the freedom plan. That's part of this implementation process that commissioner.

C

Rothstein had said so, we did the commercial industrial employment campus. We updated the.

C

Definitions or the code of rules and regulations that are in line with the freedom plan and the.

C

County master plan, the zoning code affects all of the county, not just one particular area, but all of.

C

The unincorporated areas of carroll county moving forward now we're working on the residential.

C

Districts I'm going to make a plug for tomorrow evening. I know we sent this to tim, pasarella who's.

C

On the fdca that we are having a community engagement, virtual meeting with planning and.

C

Zoning commission tomorrow night, we've received a lot of written comments. We're asking if you.

C

Want to speak and talk about what your concerns are with the proposed draft residential text for.

C

The our 40 000 district, the r20 r10 and r7 500 to please sign up on carol rezoning.org.

C

And just it has a little sentence. Is click here to sign up so that way we can call speakers in an.

C

Orderly fashion and since it will be remote, it's a little bit hard to call out people when they're on.

C

The phone, so we will be doing that so please give us your comments, all the text as where it stands.

C

Today, with planning and zoning commission is on our website after this meeting tomorrow night, we.

C

Will be meeting again with planning and zoning commission to come up with perhaps their final.

C

Recommendations to the board of commissioners that yet to be determined if they feel they've made.

C

Their way, through all of the comments and text and address things how they would like to address.

C

Them because they make a recommendation they're a recommending body, then some point in the future.

C

Hopefully, this summer that will be forwarded to the board of county commissioners for again.

C

Their review we'll work with them in work sessions all on the public, as we did with the commercial.

C

Industrial employment campus districts prior to adoption, no residential property has been rezoned.

C

Yet we are waiting, we held back those zabel and baity properties, purposefully to wait for the.

C

Text so we were not putting that cart before this, because they understood that that was an issue.

C

With the community- and we were getting pushed, you know from both sides, because there was a lot.

C

Of want on one end to rezone those properties and then a lot of one on another and not to so.

C

This is a middle ground for for that and we're going to be moving forward in concert with both.

C

The text first, then, the mapping changes just just one. Second, I just want to add just real quick. You.

A

Get to stay because I'm sure this can be to you. um I appreciate the question because again, town halls.

A

A lot of times is me feeding information, town halls, you're, going to get a lot of information.

A

Getting this dialogue is so important, because this is a complex problem um when we went.

A

Through the definitions of commercial industrial, employment campuses, there was absolutely no rubber.

A

Stamping whatsoever involved, this was multiple sessions and multiple conversations amongst the.

A

Commissioners and the staff to get the the best answers we could and then it came down to us the.

A

Commissioners to say yes, this is what we agree with and then, even after that, we made changes.

A

Because again, I'm not going to hold a deaf ear to the community and the community came to me.

A

Because it had to do with a c1 property, a c1 issue about gas stations- and you know.

A

We opened it back up and made we're going to make the right decisions the best we can.

A

It's not that I'm shy to open up a plan. You know, uh but I am designed to make decisions. The.

A

Best, assuming we can, through the staff and, most importantly through you with the input but doesn't.

A

Mean it's going to stop there or has to stop and that's why I appreciate you asking yes, sir.

D

Who's responsible for the zoning definition of that.

E

I am, and then who is pushing the rezoning is the the seller.

A

The the property are you about you're talking about right now. What is the situation.

D

Right who's pushing that for the result.

C

So it's an implementation process. So a following adoption of a plan, one of the.

C

Biggest implementation tools- you have is your zoning code and your zoning maps that are the.

C

Rules and regulations that govern the land and the map is tells you where the pieces are um and play.

C

So we opened up a comprehensive rezoning process. There's two ways: you can rezone.

C

Land in the state of maryland by law, I change your mistake that you had an issue.

C

Absolutely so it's not a pushing issue. What I'm telling you is, we are an implementation.

C

Comprehensive rezoning how we are handling it is that property owners in order to be in agreement.

C

With the plan are coming forward and asking their properties to be reasoned, so it's not a pushing.

C

So I want to be careful that it's not that it is an a process that, as the county, we are doing.

C

To implement the plan, property owners are coming forward and asking to go through a comprehensive.

C

Rezoning process to zone their properties to be in agreement with, what's in the adopted plan,.

A

Okay, I mean so, in other words, the property owner.

A

If they're initiating, no it's all good but but but but the challenge is and it's important, it's not.

A

As easy, it's just because there's so much that feeds into the decision making when somebody.

A

Comes forward and asks that it's not just, can I it's, how does it feed into the process.

A

Is there any other advantages to the county to rezone.

A

Again, I'm not looking at rezoning. I I'm not looking at any property.

A

To allow for more houses or development to for larger development, 16 million budget deficits.

H

You're talking about by drawing more tax or something like that, it would bring in some.

A

More taxes but you're talking it needs a lot more taxes than that. No, it would not bring in nearly.

A

Enough taxes, um you know that that's not even a consideration, it's not. The important thing is.

A

Do we want to maintain carroll county as carroll county in accordance with this plan.

A

And so I'm not looking at a specific property. I being a commissioner I'm looking at how things.

A

Should be, um you know, zoned and and pro you know put in place, but it's the it's a landowner's.

A

Responsibility to decide how they want to develop or sell it, and does it meet the criteria to be.

A

Developed um but it's not a favor to me or- and I'm not saying to me individually. But when you.

D

Read right, you're! Writing the definition for how it's going to be zoned. So, if you're, biased in.

H

Any way you're going to write that definition for how you want the definition to be written.

B

Correct! That's what I'm concerned about, because that's how you would bring legal recourse later.

H

On when this all goes down that that so that is correct and that's why so, you can't write it right.

H

And then just that's very tricky right. Well, it's so! Your point is really well taken and.

A

That is, we should not look at zoning definitions when we consider a specific piece of property.

A

That is not a good thing that causes a lot of problems exactly, and it's already.

H

In the forefront of everybody's mind, this is already out there, so you already have.

H

A conscious bias going about this right now, so it's very difficult to have you write the.

H

Definitions, I would think maybe somebody else should be responsible for in the definition.

A

First off I don't write the definitions you said you did about. I approve, I agree.

A

They're written by the planning department they go through the planning and zoning.

A

Commission I'm looking here because there's a member of the planning zoning commission.

A

And then they make recommendations to the board of commissioners. The board of commissioners then.

A

Consider the definitions of uh whatever you know, however they're defined, and then we approve them.

A

But I just think it's really funny that you're rewriting definitions at about the time you're.

H

About to go through an approval for a rezoning, so that's because we're not rewriting any definitions.

C

And I think that's you know, maybe just a misnomer or confusion of words. What is happening is we are.

C

Updating the current zoning code, we have these districts, the r4, which is one unit per one, acre.

C

Our 22 units per acre are 7 500, which is about 6 units per acre and our 10 000, which are four.

C

Units per acre there are no new zoning categories being added as part of the residential process.

C

What we are doing is we are looking, we be the collective county government, the people.

C

That are reviewing it. It's been out in the community, so you and the community have an.

C

Opportunity to review and comment on what's being proposed. We are looking at modernizing the code.

C

We are looking at things, for instance, in the r 20 000 district commercial. As far as dental practices.

C

Physician pavilions accounting offices, we're proliferating our r20 along the 26 corridor.

C

If you notice, we have a lot of those, those were changed to now commercial and that those types of.

C

Uses are being taken out of the r20 district to make it more of a residential district, so we're.

C

Not rewriting for a specific owner, you cannot do that. That's contract zoning, that's illegal.

C

What we are doing is reviewing and refining the existing code for the residential text.

C

That's already there, so I would encourage you go look online before any judgments are made about.

C

What's being really changed, and it very clearly highlighted what changes are being made in the.

C

Code for the residential districts and it's not a complete rewrite. It's a refinement, because your.

A

Question is really important and your comments are very, very valid and very important, because they're.

A

Absolute concern of me, and they should be of you and everybody else when it comes to ethics,.

A

And it comes to how we make our decisions and, like linda said, it is illegal to make decisions.

A

Based on a property owner and rezoning, something in favor or just favor of that.

A

Property itself, we will not do that um it, I won't even say it becomes tricky, but it does.

A

Become the only one it benefits is the seller right? We've identified that right. None I mean.

A

It's not necessarily benefits it's. um It defines what the property owner can and cannot do.

A

On that piece of property that they are that they own it's, um but but actually they as long as.

A

They stay where they are they're, they're. Fine. You know we don't when we when we move something from.

A

Residential to commercial- and there was a house there and somebody living there- we're not kicking.

A

Them out, because it's now commercial they can live there. Their whole life.

A

And they can sell it as residential actually, and they have so much time to do that.

A

Before it reverts to the new zoning commercial, but what we're doing is we are.

A

We're cleaning up the definitions of the residential zoning, just like we did with.

A

Commercial, we cleaned up the definitions of what commercial, what what type of businesses.

A

Belonged in commercially zoned areas, that's kind of what that's what we're doing so I.

D

Just want to make it on the record. We said that the town doesn't benefit from the reason correct.

D

Or the county does benefit from the reason it seemed to me, like the county does not benefit from.

H

The rezoning strictly, the seller is beneficial benefiting out of this. The county benefits.

A

From the decisions made for rezoning, because it will be in line with the county's vision and in.

A

In with the counties comprehensive plan here and what the county wants to do for its community and.

A

Quality of life, that's how the county benefits from these decisions. Every decision I make.

A

Has to do with you has to do with when that's not you know, I am, I won't say, I'm getting tired.

A

Of politics, because military leaders in politics don't mix so I'm just taking politics away from it.

A

And I'm looking at this from a leadership every decision I'm making has to focus on you as your.

A

Quality of life and has to focus collectively and uh collectively on you, um because, because.

A

It's a great question: it's: how are we making the decisions? It's not to benefit the county.

A

You know up in westminster is to benefit the county, the 168 thousand plus in the county.

A

To have the quality of life and the expectations that we have here in carroll county. That's why I.

A

Won't say it's difficult, but it's challenging it's a better word to develop the freedom district area.

A

Because there's a lot of opinions and ideas on how this area should be developed and what is.

A

In the best interest for the community, is it going to be overgrown too much traffic.

A

You know, are we focusing on the right areas and all that and that's why we get your input.

A

But it's not to benefit westminster is to benefit you and that's. Why I'm very much committed just.

A

To getting it right again, really good questions and really good comments. Actually, in statements.

A

Because you keep us in check, it's not about, you know up there, it's about here, so okay and we can.

A

Talk more, I don't want to take all our time doing this, but really good point. Yes, ma'am hi.

I

I have my um my positives and um I just wanted to um thank you all for your service to the citizens.

I

Of carroll county and your commitment, and I especially appreciate as a nurse the way um you.

I

Led us, through the pandemic, with the weekly updates with ed singer and um the startups.

I

Of the vaccination clinics and testing sites and yeah and just getting all the numbers going in the.

I

Right direction so that we can sit here tonight and see one another. So I appreciate that um I do.

I

Have a concern, a related issue. You may recognize my name, um I'm concerned about the zoning codes.

I

In the ag and conservation district regarding accessory dwelling units, our personal concern is.

I

The ability to be able to age in place with family- and um you know we we are bringing that to the.

I

Leaders, attention because of the the restrictive zoning codes are prohibiting us um with a an.

I

Accessory dwelling unit, one a pretty good size block, so I'd like to know how that might roll.

I

Out in the near future, how it can be made a priority and what I can do to help. So I think.

A

Without going into the specific detail, we can do that because we've been talking but.

A

Is understanding the process when things don't go your way when they're, not in accordance with.

A

Zoning, what is the appeal process? Is there an impeller process that we have in the county.

A

Linda um so I believe you've already been through all of that, so I won't go into that.

C

But I will tell you how to help in the future. Is that so much as we've done the commercial.

C

Districts and the residential districts we are starting on the ag and conservation districts.

C

We have received your comments. They are in our file to be one of the items to talk about.

C

For these accessory dwellings on ag and conservation land I'll give you my card.

C

Here at the end of the evening, we'll make sure that we're in touch and that you're part of our.

C

File to continue to contact and update, so I do have all your information yeah, absolutely.

C

Yeah, no, absolutely it's nice to meet you absolutely and also, if something doesn't go, your.

A

Way, we do have a board of zoning appeals that you can go to and ask for a change yeah. I understand.

A

But I'm just for the for the good. The group is the the borders only and they are independent. We we.

A

We, the board of commissioners, um identify and select them, but they are independent from us.

A

uh To allow them to make those decisions um and they they make the reviews. So yes, ma'am, so.

A

Because everyone wants to talk about learning, um the only thing that hasn't been mentioned so far.

J

Is the environmental impact I guess, of increased development in our area, our area, watershed.

J

Feeds into liberty reservoir, which is where people end and the other streams, their kids.

J

Wait in their streams my kids play in the streams people fish in the water.

J

People boat on the water and that's our drinking water in liberty reservoir. So my concern is that.

J

Inc more and if we all face the chesapeake bay, so more development equals more pollution and more.

J

Runoff and that kind of thing, so, in addition to I have two kids in the school system and I'm I'm.

J

Already very concerned about the overcrowding there, so um that was the only but um the other.

J

Issue I want to talk about was um completely not really deserving, so I hope that's. Okay,.

J

I'm unrelated deserted. Okay, so I hope that's! Okay! um It's just a concern. I have about.

J

Safety in my neighborhood and it's not deal with the police issue, because I think you.

J

Guys are doing great, I feel very safe from crime in my neighborhood, except for the dogs.

J

I have a dog and my many of my neighbors have dogs and they are frequently let out without.

J

A leash I have begged my neighbors to keep them indoors. I caught animal control on my neighbors.

J

Which I hate doing because it makes my neighbors not my friends anymore, but um but I'm not safe.

J

My dog is not safe, he's been attacked, he's been harassed, I've nearly been attacked by many results.

J

And there's just no respect for leash logs, I don't know about other communities, but in my community.

J

There is no respect for leash laws. I I people intentionally, sometimes potentially sometimes you.

J

Know some dogs are escape artists and but- and so I I understand they get out, but if you know your.

J

Dogs get out, they should be unleashed. Okay, so I appreciate it so. The first about the zoning and.

A

Again, I agree with you if there are concerns with environment, if there's concerns with any piece.

A

Of development that doesn't make sense, I won't say just because you can doesn't mean.

A

You will just because it can be zoned a certain way and developed identified.

A

They need to go through the process to determine whether it has the impact or not. If it has the.

A

Impact adversely on the environment, they will not be able to develop, they would have to make.

A

A change they, whoever they are, would need to make a change. We can get more into that, and and.

A

I don't want to go into circles about this, but that's kind of you know the the patented answer.

A

Right now about that, as far as dogs yeah, that that upsets me um in my community in my neighborhood.

A

We don't have that problem at all. I walk my dog often, and I see people walking their dogs and I.

A

Never see dogs off leash, where I am but yeah. So if you have an issue with dogs are running straight.

B

And they're threatening you or your dog call us yeah and we'll come out as deputies and we will.

J

Make sure that it's safe and then we get a hold of humane society right. Okay, I'll give you my card.

J

Thank you so much, and I know the director of the humane society. If there's an issue we'll take care.

B

Of it, thank you. They control the ordinances for that. But if there's an issue, call us please we'll.

B

Come out that is that that's pretty upsetting, because it's extremely dangerous and uh I've.

A

Been in situations like that, so I appreciate it, uh colonel okay, what else? What else is on your mind,.

A

One thing I want to make a plug for because again, I pointed in the back about planning and zoning.

A

Commission and the importance of our boards and planning and zoning commission being one of them.

A

Linda does incredible work with her team. She feeds as much information as she can.

A

With the recommendations to us, the board of commissioners to make our decisions.

A

Roberta has the great opportunity to herd all the cats heard, all the directors and put them.

A

All together in making uh the recommendations and prom you know going through the processes.

A

To, in my case, simplify it in many times to allow me to make the best decisions possible.

A

Regardless of how good they are along with jeff and everybody else, they can't do it on their own.

A

So what we have are extended outreach in certain areas, aging and disability,.

A

You're in one of the senior centers we have senior centers across the county. Are we doing it right or.

A

Are we can we be doing something better? We have a senior expo coming in the fall. You know, there's a.

A

Lot of opportunities taking care of our seniors and those that are disadvantaged and disabled.

A

Do we have the right mix of uh resources to service them veterans, advisory? Council? You know.

A

Again, do we have the resources available to take care of our veterans in carroll county? I sure hope.

A

We do I mean I talked about the veterans, uh you know facility, that's going to be built, but what.

A

Else needs to be done, what other resources and what other partnerships need to be built to ensure.

A

We're taking care of our veterans, so the veterans advisory council helps on that planning and zoning.

A

Commission is a very important one how, when people are coming through the concept plan and all the.

A

The processes to getting something developed, you know here in carroll county, are they meeting.

A

The criteria necessary to go to the next step to allow the board of commissioners to make decisions.

A

On something being developed here in carroll, county and there's others that are out there.

A

The reason I'm sharing this with you is, I ask that you think about the things that matter most to you.

A

And if you have the opportunity go on the website, look at those boards and commissions. I don't want.

A

To say we need fresh blood, but we always need more folks going on those uh boards and commissions.

A

And the more we the more applications we get, even if you don't get selected right away, the more we.

A

Have in our files the better off we're going to be? Because I want personally more representation.

A

From district five, you know: we've got a lot of things going on here in eldersburg and sexville.

A

I'm not this in the other districts. They're really cool, we're better, but they're they're, okay, but I.

A

Want better more, that's why I'm televised shoot anyway, um I want more representation.

A

From this area in the in these type of boards and commissions, so I ask that you uh do that.

A

The conversation doesn't have to stop here. You know, I hope this was informative for you and you.

A

Took away some new information, if you took away some frustration, I apologize come up to me. Let.

A

Me know, and let's continue to have that dialogue because we've got to work this together. We got to.

A

Lead through this together, we've got I'm so proud to be a carroll county for all the right reasons.

A

You know most recently, I saw an article and I'm going to finish on this, if not in another. Second,.

A

And it had to do with sros, and I went to the graduations of a couple of high schools. uh Liberty.

A

And century and the sro over at century who's, another big guy, okay, uh w harvey and um harvey.

A

Right, yeah, yeah, and uh I mean the story about this. Guy- is pretty amazing him, along with uh the rotc.

A

The junior rotc instructors and school nurse saved a young man's life that fell out during.

A

Exercises in the morning, like literally collapsed, got the aed performed the aed and got him via.

A

Woodbine ambulance to the hospital and saved his life. This kid typically was going to school.

A

Virtually some reason he went to school at century that day, going to school that day saved his life.

A

Going to school that day, with deputy harvey there saved his life, I'm so proud of our sros.

A

You know, unlike other places, you know they are doing, I believe, what's right, standing tall and.

A

Being present, you know in the schools and allowing our kids to respect them. The way.

A

They should be, um I I just I can't say enough about it's been, it's been tough, you know and.

A

You know that's just something I want to share with you. That's carroll county.

A

That's eldersburg: that's sykesville, that century high school and yeah. I think that's a pretty good.

A

Final thought to think of so pretty cool anything else for the good of the group.

A

I really appreciate your time and just have a great night: okay and stay safe.