From Presbyterian Home of Maryland:
[Towson, Maryland] December 3, 2013 – Presbyterian Home of Maryland, a faith-based not-for-profit organization, plans to develop the first continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Harford County on a property located on Fountain Green Road in Bel Air.
The new Presbyterian Home community will offer residents ages 60 and up a variety of living choices ranging from apartments to single villa homes in a neighborhood setting. All residents will enjoy access to dining, housekeeping, maintenance and grounds keeping services as well as scheduled transportation to area shopping and activities. Planned amenities include multiple dining facilities and a pub, a wellness and fitness center, a convenience market and billiards, cards and library areas.
Unlike other senior communities, a CCRC provides a continuum of care on one campus including independent living apartments and villas, in home care, comprehensive nursing services, assisted living and memory support. Dietary and healthy-living counseling and case management services including supportive care, visitation and counseling will also be available to residents. Visit Carlton Senior Living to get all the details.
“Presbyterian Home of Maryland has a strong legacy of providing compassionate care for seniors for over 130 years,” said Susan Shea, president and CEO of Presbyterian Home of Maryland. “We look forward to creating a new community to meet the evolving expectations of today’s seniors and to expand our mission to Harford County, which we believe is underserved in retirement living options.”
Director of Harford County Economic Development Jim Richardson is an enthusiastic supporter of the project, saying, Presbyterian Home is an outstanding organization which has been working for several years to bring their first class facility to Harford County. I couldn’t be more pleased that our citizens will have the opportunity to stay near their family and friends as they move into retirement, and know that Presbyterian Home will provide a quality, caring and healthy venue. You can visit https://www.wilshirehomehealthcc.org/home-health/ to get more information.
To learn more about Presbyterian Home of Maryland, please visit www.presbyterianhomeofmd.org.
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About Presbyterian Home of Maryland, Inc.: Since 1883, Presbyterian Home of Maryland, a faith-based not-for-profit charitable organization, has served adults of all faith by providing retirement living and health care through a continuum of life in a warm and caring environment. Headquartered in Towson, Maryland, Presbyterian Home of Maryland is dedicated to superb service and the values of dignity, trust and independence.
I hope this isn’t a tax exempt organization. They need to pay the county taxes same as everyone else.
Yes it is a tax exempt organization. The same one that wanted to build in Aberdeen but pulled the project because they could not get additional tax breaks.
This is clearly a press release written by the CCRC. The whole story needs to be told here. There is much much more. Key facts missing:
1. The CCRC will have nearly 700 units contained in four story buildings on only 58.5 acres. In addition to the CCRC, there will also be 120 single family homes on lots less than 1/4 acre in size. There will be in total over 800 residential units.
2. The CCRC is a major commercial operation (in middle of residential neighborhoods) that will bring increased traffic from among other things visitors, employees and delivery trucks.
3. Two purely residential streets, previously dead ends, will be opened: Falstaff Road and Cloverfield Court. While Falstaff is proposed to only be opened to emergency traffic, Cloverfield Court will serve as a shortcut for CCRC traffic seeking to avoid already congested Route 22 and Route 543. There are no guarantees that Falstaff will not suffer the same fate.
4. A nursing facility is planned to be built a mere 80 feet from residential homes with little buffer.
5. The single family homes will be conveniently placed right next door to homes on .5 to 1 acre lots again with little buffer.
The bottom line is that this project, while noble in its goals, is not the nice little senior home as portrayed above. This project, as currently laid out, will significantly impact the property values of the homes surrounding it and only add to traffic headaches that already plague Route 22 and Route 543 as noted in County traffic studies and reports. Public safety is a major concern at many intersections along 543.
The high density project is able to build where it is due to inexplicable zoning regulations that carve out specific exception for CCRCs on low density zoned property such as the farm in question which is zoned R1. Actually they are not inexplicable once you get to know the players involved and the politics.
The surrounding neighborhoods are intensely opposed to this project and are mobilizing an effort to contest it.
Finally, there is a Community Input Meeting on Monday, December 9th at 6:00 pm at Southampton Middle School the one and only chance the public will get to voice concerns about the project.
I remember when the stretch from Fountain Green to Hickory was farm and forest on both sides of 543. Seems rather hypocritical for nearby residents of places such as Tudor Manor, Amyclae, Hampton Ridge etc. to be complaining (many of whom are doing so with thick Baltimore city/county accents).
This location is, after all, within the county’s designated development envelope. Certainly there are traffic concerns that would have to be addressed here, and if they can’t be adequately mitigated then by all means deny the project. But I always get a kick when people in developments complain about development.
I don’t live there but I do understand your suggestion with a caveat – google map that area and look at the way the neighborhoods are aligned. I doubt the neighbors would care if it were development something akin to what’s there already and I’m sure they all expected it would eventually go that way, but what we have here are a series of 4 story seemingly commercial sized structures housing 650 apartments. That is apples and oranges on steroids.
Of course commercial structure would look out of place… till of course you look at the county building on the adjoining property with it’s neighbor the verizon building not to mention the shopping center and currently remodeling burgerking, WAWA and royal farm with C Milton Wright just a few hundred yards in the other direction.
Yes, it is obvious you don’t live there.
We’re talking about the neighborhood here – you know the actual property surrounding the proposed site that actually touches and borders here. The shopping center is nearly a mile and the high school half a mile. With all due respect that makes no sense.
One more time dolt…. the county building “ACTUALLY TOUCHES” the proposed site and is next to the verizon building with all those tree trimming trucks in the parking lot with the booms extended . And you might want to check your ability to measure things the shopping center is maybe 100 yards from the property being divided….
You really are clueless.
Verizon building and county building are not obtrusive, both being single story brick structures that can be blocked by clever landscraping. Kinda hard to block a 4 story building. Even you as argumentative as you are have to recognize there’s a world of difference between a 4 story vs. 1 story building.
Yes a 1 story existing ugly commercial block building is much more appealing than a structure you have no clue of it’s appearance but you are sure it’s gonna be uglier.
Clueless….
TR…what accent do you speak with? Either way, anyone with an intelligent mind can see that cronyism was at play here. Further, said intelligent minds also realize tat the area us simply not suitable to such a large scale endeavor, this would fit better in areas with far less congestion/traffic.
Be careful, if you mention traffic concerns, many people who troll this board will accuse you of being a socialist, against the rule of law, against private property rights, afraid of development etc.
However, if the die has already been cast, and it sounds like it has, your only option may be to bring your concerns to the State Highway Administration, as that body is the one responsible for turning your bad situation into something less bad, at least as traffic is concerned.
Good luck.
community input meeting is January 6 at 6pm at Southampton middle school
If you want to make a comment get there early to sign in
I want to emphasize that there is a Community Input Meeting on Monday, December 9th at 6:00 pm at Southampton Middle School the one and only chance the public will get to voice concerns about the project. And anyone who lives along or travels along Routes 543 and Route 22 should be concerned.
We need people to show up beyond the lady from Friends of Harford. Citizens need to band together even in cases where the development won’t directly affect them. It’s our county, these are our neighborhoods and we owe it to our neighbors to help in these situations. When the rules are being stretched to shoe horn these projects where they don’t belong it’s up to us to stop it.
All of the Tudor Manor folks need to remember that their hundreds of homes took Harford farmland also. This is a great use for this property zoning despite what the nimby folks are saying. I want to retire here in the County.
And nobody is stopping you as there are already plenty of housing options and given a more appropriate location this project might still be built. Ruining the neighborhood for everyone that lives there so that you have a crappy boxed sized apartment one day is selfish. It’s out of scale to the surrounding neighborhood, in an already overly taxed traffic area, and only apparently legal due to a glitch in the zoning status. Maybe move it over to the Walmart site on Plumtree where it would be more appropriate.
Why would someone build on valuable business zoned property something that can be built on less expensive residential zoned?
You are a dolt.
And you are clearly associated with either a developer or working inside the current administration’s corrupt planning and zoning department.
Been going on in zoning for years in many more places than Harford county. Take a ride down lovely rural Glen Arm Rd and check out Glen Meadows in the middle of farm country another Presbyterian community. It’s an absolutely beautiful place impeccably maintained. Your conspiracy mental condition makes reality your enemy.
Dolt.
So to date we know you like 650 apartment in the Amyclae subdivision and a Walmart smack dab in the middle of another neighborhood and out of scale to it’s neighbors. The landscaping or maintenance done at Presbyterian has nothing to do with it’s appropriateness in that location.
What you should know I like capitalism and small government 2 things you know nothing about.
As do I but at the same time an unfettered free for all when it comes to development and that ignores the appropriateness or the affect on the quality of life of citizens helps no one. Question to ask yourself anytime you support a project is if you would want it next door. If not, then to crow about it is hypocritical and disingenuous. Used to be developers and builders came from the towns they developed. That way they were impacted by activities, had to face their neighbors and so citizens had a say and a voice in what happened around them and generally approved. Today developers seldom live where they build and frankly don’t care what they leave for the people forced to look and live at what’s left behind.
In what world is the new Walmart smack dab in the middle of a neighborhood. The current Walmart has more houses around it. The Harford mall is closer to houses. Not one residential property touches the new Walmart site. No residential zoning touches this property. The nursing home is the closest residents and it’s not in residential zoning.
Bet you used to hold your finger an inch from your little sister’s face and taunt her such as “not touching” but we all know as did she that it was just as bad. Surrounding proximity and inability to move freely without said finger being in the way is about the same thing. You need to be sent to time out in your room once again.
Mmmhmmm, ill take bets there won’t be any shortage of those who refuse to get Maryland LISCENSE plates for their big fancy, stylish foreign automobiles buying up those “starting in the low 300’s,” quickly built, and crammed in somewhere its hard to fit a pushmower between to mow the grass.
I’ll venture to assume these are those same out of staties who fly up behind you on a back road put of nowhere and ride 2″ behind your rear bumper, who cut through parking lots at intersections because the traffic light is too slow, who refuse to switch lanes when a line of cars are trying to merge. Don’t forget about ignoring traffic signal colors.
Somebody go ask the Aberdeen City council what developed there. By the time they were finally told no for the last time Pres Homes tucked tail and ran. It was a lousy use of land then and it is a lousy use of land now. There may well be a need for more Assisted/nursing care in the county but we can do better that Pres Homes. Susan Shea was a very smooth talking agent for this then and is certainly no better now.
I would like to clarify the position of the surrounding neighborhoods. I think we get that the farm is not going to remain a farm forever. The problem we have is that the proposed development was basically shoved down our throats. To PHM’s credit, they do show some willingness to trim around the edges. However, this plan requires a complete overhaul to protect property values (Purpose of the zoning code as stated in the preamble) and to minimize traffic and safety issues (another stated purpose of the zoning code).
What is being rejected by the neighborhoods is the plan as currently presented. NOT necessarily the concept of a CCRC. The plan as represented is a complete and total disaster for the surrounding community. Could the community embrace a revised plan? Maybe. But it will take significant changes not just trimming around the edges.
The community representatives need to be invited to MRA, sit around the table for eight hours or whatever it takes, and redraw the blue prints in such a way that this project is not a lopsided loss for the surrounding neighbors and a huge win for the landowners, developers, and David Craig & co. Good faith dealings require as much.
This does not have to be a Walmart type fight.
At the end of the day, the biggest losers – 1. PHM and the seniors who are going to be demonized if the project goes through as planned and 2. David Craig who is running for governor with his ties to the project. He WILL lose several thousand votes if he allows this as is.
Here is a FACT that is NOT widely known. On October 1, 2013, David Craig introduced a seemingly random bill at the time that changed the maximum allowable height of buildings for CCRCs from 50 feet to four stories. That bill became law on November 5th. On or our about November 5th, the same day that change became law, plans for the CCRC became public as the lawyer for the project filed notice of the Community Input Meeting. Low and behold the plans for the CCRC call for four story buildings. Coincidently, that lawyer who also happens to sit on the board for the Presbyterian Homes is David Craig’s campaign advisor. Hmmmm!!! Think about that. And you wonder why the neighborhoods are so upset.
Again I want to restate my last paragraph. This is verifiable fact:
On October 1, 2013, David Craig introduced a seemingly random bill at the time that changed the maximum allowable height of buildings for CCRCs from 50 feet to four stories. That bill became law on November 5th. On or our about that VERY same day, plans for the CCRC became public as the lawyer for the project filed notice of the Community Input Meeting. Low and behold the plans for the CCRC call for four story buildings. Coincidently, that lawyer who also happens to sit on the board for the Presbyterian Homes is David Craig’s campaign advisor. Hmmmm!!! Think about that. And you wonder why the neighborhoods are so upset.
Nothing is ever random when it comes to David Craig and his administration. I recall some legislation passed a few years ago that was introduced without a governing board’s knowedge under the guise that it was just “clean up.” Needless to say, it was a lot more than that. If Harford Countians only knew the kind of business that is conducted by our elected officials and their appointees they would be sick.
David Craig has been running this county under the delusion he’s some sort of boss hog. I’m embarrassed that this is the best we as republicans have come up with. Please Mr. Glassman reestablish some standards and ethics in our government.
The most insulting thing about that revelation is the arrogance involved. It did not take a lot of digging to verify that comment. The whole thing was done in plain sight. Those two clearly gamed the system to their benefit and to the detriment of the public they are supposed to serve. Changing the zoning code on the eve of announcing plans for a development that those code changes benefit is not in the spirit of fair dealing among other things to say the least. Shame on them!! Shame on us for trusting them and not following mundane things like zoning code changes!!!
I hate to say it but you have to look at the elephant in the room – why would Craig risk his reputation pushing all these development projects if he wasn’t getting some personal benefit?
Who has deeper pockets for campaign funding—developers or ordinary citizens? And is there any politician that really worries about his reputation? Doesn’t seem like it in Harford Co. when they so brazenly push through their own agendas.
Does anybody know whether this project will be a a TIF or just an extension of the no property tax process that was pursued in Aberdeen? Just curious how much it will cost the taxpayers of Harford County for this wonderful opportunity.
Why can’t Harford County attract a business that comes in and volunteers to help out by paying more in real, personal and income taxes than they ask residents to give them to move? Just wondering?
John P. Malllamo
We do not know of any tax credit help requested at this time. That will come from two places:
1. The state – Wayne Norman has some say in that aspect. Nothing there yet.
2. The County – Guess who is involved with that David Craig and Richard Slutsky. The good thing here is that if it gets brought up in the council, the people will have an opportunity to speak. Nothing here either yet.. . .yet.
Keep in mind that the Aberdeen project was entirely dependent on the state promised tax credits that were subsequently pulled by Mary James Dulaney. This is all per news stories from the time and the feasibility study for the project filed with the MD Department Aging.
The tax credit issue is going to be a major MAJOR issue with the surrounding residents who would be essentially subsidizing that with reduced property values. That said, the entire county should take issue with it.
Mary James Dulaney?
I stand corrected – Mary-Dulany James. Almost had it. Sorry.
Mr./Mrs./Ms/ Tudor Manor
Sir, Ma’am thank you for the information on Tax Credits.
The TIF is entirely local. Looking at the situation it would certainly fit within the Harford County’s use of the TIF process.
It does seem more than just curious that the President and CEO of Presbyterian Homes stated that it is too early to determine whether tax credits will be pursued. Odd, too, that the Harford County’s Director of Economic Development is quoted this early in the process, on the benefits of the arrival of Presbyterian Homes to the County. It would seem to be more than just coincidental that counsel for the project has a successful track record at securing County funding for developmental projects.
Seems that the decision has already been made, only issue is when to announce to the public that we will be paying and how much we will be paying.
Your thoughts, please.
John P. Mallamo
Mr. Mallamo, I believe you are far more in tune with the TIF process than we are at this point judging from your excellent contributions to other pieces on the Dagger related to the mysterious inner workings of our county government. Unfortunately, we have not been paying as much attention to our government and now find ourselves in this predicament. Lesson learned. Shame on us. We are now getting a crash course and getting up to speed. I would love to enlist your expertise in what I think is going be a lengthy fight that will benefit no one in the end.
To top it off, Craig just appointed the project’s attorney’s wife to a position in his administration. Between the Water Street property buy at top value for his supporters and this, I am suprised the Baltimore press has not caught on to this O’Malley-like corruption.
Can you point me to some sources on the appointment and the Water Street deal? Can’t seem to find that in print anywhere.
I did find where the wife is an assistant to the director in the County procurement department if you look at the employee directory. Surely there was some nepotism there. Not sure how much power she actually wields. Although in that position, I am sure she is privy to information that could be helpful to certain individuals.
More from David Craig & Co. The change to CCRC zoning code was NOT the only beneficial zoning change they pushed through on the eve of announcing the development plans. They also changed the code section dealing with Natural Resources Districts. Under old code, if 30% or more of a property constituted an NRD, then for certain purposes the usable land could be bumped up to the next designation of density. In this case from R1 to R2. WELL now Craig & Co. reduced the percentage to 25%. And you guessed it . . . the developer is seeking just such a bump up on this property. Hmmm. . I wonder if the percentage of NRD on the property is a number between 25% and 30%.
But wait there is more . . . they also changed a third zoning code section, presumably for their own benefit. Why stop at just two??? They extended the time plan approvals were valid to three years.
Joking aside this is a serious serious ethical issue. Coming from a man who has his sights on running for governor. I want to write more but I am absolutely speechless on this.
Some one said, build it & they will come. It’s time to stop building & they will quit coming.