The following letter was sent by Carolyn and Charles Hicks of Joppa to the Harford County Council. A copy was provided to The Dagger for publication:
Dear Members of the Harford County Council,
Last night, my husband and I attended the Joppa-Joppatowne Community Council meeting at JT High School. There were approximately 90 people in attendance. The main reason for the large turnout was the communities’ concern for the possibility of a solid waste transfer station being built in Joppa. The proposed location would be the former Coleman Plecker’s mini-golf site on Rt. 7; 814 Philadelphia Rd. The property consists of 22.02 acres much of which is wetlands–unbuildable lands–and slopes. Rt. 7 (Phila. Rd.) is a 2-lane road at this location that has a fair share of traffic, especially when there is an accident on I-95. Building such a facility at this site would/could become a traffic nightmare with all the trucks, etc. entering/exiting from this location.
According to an email sent to a Joppa resident by Mr.Thomas C. Hilton, Deputy Director, Harford County Department of Public Works on Monday, September 12, 2011, the site could be used to dispose of “household trash, recyclables, white goods, electronics, and yard waste.” The residents of Joppa told Councilman Guthrie that they are strongly opposed to this possibility. Someone even suggested that the site would be an excellent location for a Senior Center in Joppa.
We hope that when this issue comes before the Harford County Council in the form of an amendment to the Solid Waste Plan, that you will vote against any form of waste transfer station being built on that site. Thank you for your consideration and attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Carolyn and Charles Hicks
Joppa residents
p.s. The County Administration purchased this land on July 15, 2011. The people didn’t find out about this until Sept., 2011.
First, let me say I appreciate your concern, and I congratulate you for being involved in your community.
However, I think the only legitimate point you’re making here is about traffic. The land is perfectly suitable for this use and the stated intent as a transfer facility should pose no health risk or unsightly degradation of the community.
I think it is fair to point out your unspoken complaints, which are the potential decline in property values and generalized NIMBY.
While I agree traffic can be heavy at times in that location, it does not appear to be a issue, generally speaking. Pragmattically, we can’t plan everything around the non-periodic traffic accident on the nearby interstate.
Route 7 is essentially identical to Route 1 in Dublin and as such, is a perfectly suitable road for whatever volume and type of traffic the facility would incur. I would suggest, though, that you demand that the County provide all manner of road improvements in that section to alleviate as much as possible any traffic concerns. Further, this location is about as close as possible to other main roads, Route 152 and I-95 as you can possibly ask for. Keep in mind that if another site is chosen that is further from those main roads, there will be increased traffic even deeper in the community.
Finally, I would like to see two things: 1) I would like to see the community around the Scarboro site provide feedback on their experience with the facility in that location, and I would advise you to seek them out for ideas on what worked for them and what to ask for now 2) I would like to see people of the Joppa community find a better solution than “No.” If you can recommend another site that meets the same needs for the County as a whole, and is better suited and preferable to the Joppa area, that would give your argument more credibility and the County another viable option
If most of the property is wetlands, can it be developed for anything? Just a comment for clarification
I wouldn’t know how to find that out. But the onus is on the Hicks who have made that assertion.
My strong guess is that they are basically making it up in an attempt to strengthen their case.
They’re not lying, mind you. I’m sure the land is wet. But there’s likely nothing protected about it, which is what they are implying.
I saw a real estate listing for a house near me several months ago that said it “backed up to protected wetlands”, which I knew to be a total fabrication. Behind the house is some boggy wooded common land that nothing will get built on anyway. Protected– yeah.
Noble: I’m looking at a Forest Conservation Plan dated 8/05/98. It’s from Campbell & Nolan, Civil Engineers, Land Surveyors, Geotechnical Engineers. The plan is for the “Golf Learning Center of Joppa”, the Plecker’s are the owners….does Coleman Plecker’s World of Golf ring a bell?
On this plan there are listed “Non-Tidal Wetlands”. This is not something we made up. If they have old records, you should check with the dept. of planning and zoning to see a copy for yourself. And maybe you should move in across from 814 Phila. Rd. in Joppa to see how wonderful a solid waste facility will make for a wonderful day in the neighborhood!
You should also check with some people who live on Oak Avenue in Joppa to see how they like having a fire-breathing methane vent pipe sticking up out of the ground near to where they live.
Mrs. Hicks, thanks for taking the time to respond and provide details.
…”I’m looking at a Forest Conservation Plan dated 8/05/98. It’s from Campbell & Nolan, Civil Engineers, Land Surveyors, Geotechnical Engineers. The plan is for the “Golf Learning Center of Joppa
On this plan there are listed “Non-Tidal Wetlands”. This is not something we made up. If they have old records, you should check with the dept. of planning and zoning to see a copy for yourself…”
Note that I didn’t dispute the status of the land as being wet. I questioned whether or not it is (or should be?) protected in anyway, which is the implication when you mentioned “wetlands.” You didn’t address that point.
“And maybe you should move in across from 814 Phila. Rd. in Joppa to see how wonderful a solid waste facility will make for a wonderful day in the neighborhood!”
You sound frustrated. Note that I suggested feedback should be sought from the residents in Dublin. Also note that as of yet, there is no plan really for which you can say you don’t approve. You have no interest in seeing what the County plans to do before you say no to it? Not exactly open-minded.
“You should also check with some people who live on Oak Avenue in Joppa to see how they like having a fire-breathing methane vent pipe sticking up out of the ground near to where they live.”
You didn’t mention a “fire-breathing methane vent pipe” in your letter to the Council. But again, what do residents in Dublin think?
Noble: I have thought about another viable option. As much as I hate to throw the “problem” into someone else’s backyard, but what about the Perryman area? Specifically back around the water treatment plant. The last time I was back in that area, there was a hub of commercial warehousing and distribution centers. The area is already accustomed to large trucks coming through, and it would still be along the Rt40 area as desired by the County. Just a thought…
As a Joppa resident though, I would like the County to be more transparent on their potential use of the land on Rt7. Instead of hiding things and doing deals without our knowledge, give the residents something to look at and understand. If this only proves to be a slight traffic issue, then what is there to complain about?
I for one think this could be a benefit to the residents if it is as benign as some representatives have stated. Think about this… now Joppa residents won’t have to drive 40 minutes to the dump! Sometimes it was worth paying to dump at the Days Cove dump.
But once again; Harford County needs to show their hand and let us make an informed decision as a community. This way we have a solid base for argument or acceptance.
That does seem like a logical location. I’m having a hard time seeing the requisite amount of available land, however. The empty tracts I see are either on APG or next to water– which would offer other difficult hurdles I imagine (for example, what happens if the area floods as it is probably prone to doing?)
In addition, you’d have to find empty land that is actually for sale. If you go further east/north you are getting closer to APG and the land value is going to go up and ultimately cost the county more money.
Overall, you couldn’t be more right. The County should have a firm proposal for the public to take a look at and comment on.
i for one was excited to hear of the possibility of a waste disposal center in the Joppa area. I do a lot of home improvement and therefore make several trips to the current facility each month. Given that Joppa is in the ‘corner’ of the county, I can’t imagine anything greater than a minor increase in traffic, since most residents would still be closer to the Scarboro facility. Perryman, although along the 40 corridor, is still at least a 30 minute drive from Joppa.
My only other suggestion would be for Harford and Baltimore counties to come to some sort of deal that would permit some Harford residents to use Eastern Sanitary landfill off of Days Cove Road, for a small fee. Lately, I’ve been having Baltimore county friends take my trash to that facility, and giving them a few dollars for thier kindness. This idea would not only give residents of Joppa, Falston, Edgewood and Abingdon somewhere much closer to dispose of their trash, but it would also free up the just-purchased land for other uses, perhaps a senior center or community center as suggested.
The senior center and other uses are great ideas, and surely needed amenities. My guess is though that those other suggestions can be put on other more suitable tracts of land.
Personally I’m not too concerned with what happens, so long as it’s sensible stewardship of the public land and funds. I’d just like to see anyone opposed to what otherwise appears to be a good idea, make a good argument, rather than a loud one.
Perryman is not a 30 min drive from Joppa….obeying all traffic laws and normal driving conditions, it is about 15 minutes being only approximately 9-12 miles depending on the area of Joppa you are in. It would be a much better drive then traveling to the north end of the county any day. I would much rather see that site turned into a community type facility.
There is more than “meets the eye” about this location and what the people have had to put up with in thie area for the last 20 to 30 years. How would you like to live near where they want to put the Transfer Station on Rt. 7 near Rt. 152 which has, in its area, an incinerator plan where about 66 trucks go in & out 6 days a week, a sand and gravel pit leaving dust and dirt everywhere, Oak Ave. Land fill with fire coming out of the ground 24/7, over 1000 wrecked cars in a car dump, a concrete factory, and a used tire transfer station where they shred tires. All within a mile of each other. I agree it should not go at Scarboro, it should go near the train tracks where the “trash” could be loaded on trains and sent out of town. There are several around the State. Where ever you put in a transfer station and not by the train tracks where you could get rid of the trash, you will be doubling the truck traffic in the County.
Because for every trash truck that comes into this area to dump its trash, another one has to come in to take the trash out. Give us a break in this area; we have had enough. How about let’s “share” the experience!
Well Mr. Guthrie you have succeeded in convincing me that the area you describe is pretty much a crap hole, and yes I would not like to live there.
Hey Neon Deon; Would you decide to be more in favor if the County were to require that all persons operating and using this facility were required to belong to a union. You are really very transparent.