Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about these two proposed developments. I have no doubt that receiving notice of these two developments was a shock and surprise for many people. I can completely understand your concerns about the impact that these proposed developments would have on your families, your quality of life, your environment, your safety, your children, your property values and so much more. I share your concerns with these proposed developments and am extremely worried about how they will negatively impact the community. This area was zoned industrial decades ago (and that zoning would support warehouses like this), but over time the zoning was changed, especially in the 2009 GDP to residential. To me, the character of the community has changed significantly (to primarily residential) and warehouses like this do not mesh with the character of the community as it exists today. I will be sharing those comments and concerns with the Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ).
I have reviewed all of the emails you sent - thank you. In terms of ensuring that I continue to hear from the community, I plan to attend both of the Pre-Submittal Community Meetings that are being held on Dec. 2 and 3, 2020 at 6pm. You likely have this information already but, just in case, here is the link for the County's website that has all the Community Meetings listed, as well as the meeting information: https://www.aacounty.org/departments/planning-and-zoning/development/community-meetings/community-meeting-calendar/
Minutes from the Community Meetings, as well as comments from the community, are required to be taken by the applicant and submitted to the OPZ. These meetings typically proceed with a presentation by the developer, then a Q&A session. Often, the community's concerns are simply noted by the representative in the meeting. It can feel - many times - like not much happens at these meetings. No one from OPZ typically attends (which I do not like and am looking to address legislatively). Those concerns, which go into the minutes, are then able to be reviewed by OPZ in considering the applications.
In addition to attending the Community Meetings to make your concerns known in the meeting minutes, you can also reach out directly to OPZ with your concerns. The person in OPZ to submit comments to is: Mrs. Sterling Seay, pzseay16@aacounty.org. I've seen that there is an online Petition - that is great. Sharing that Petition with OPZ helps them understand how the community feels about these proposals, the number of community members who share those concerns, and the impacts these proposed developments will cause. If you need help sharing with OPZ, or would like me to share the petition with them, please let me know. I am more than happy to help.
With all development applications, it is OPZ in the County Administration (overseen by the County Executive) that reviews and approves or denies these applications. I have reached out to OPZ to obtain more information from them on these applications. The Council does not actually oversee, approve or vote on any development applications. We set the land use designations in the County every 8 years (though the last time this was done was 2009) via the General Development Plan (GDP) and then after the GDP is approved, we review and edit zoning classifications to ensure they are consistent with the GDP (Comprehensive Rezoning). We are actually in the midst of the GDP now and expect that the County Executive, through OPZ, will be submitting the GDP to the Council to consider late this year or early next year. Here is a link to that information on the County's website as well: https://www.aacounty.org/departments/planning-and-zoning/long-range-planning/general-development-plan/
I will continue to stay in contact with OPZ about their review of these applications, as well as share with them the concerns that I hear at the Community Meetings next month.
If you have any additional questions, or follow up concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Nathan
--
Nathan Volke
Councilman, Third District
Anne Arundel County Council
P.O. Box 2700
Annapolis, MD 21404
Phone: 410-222-6890
Facsimile: 410-222-1755
Email: Nathan.Volke@aacounty.org