From Harford County government:
County Executive Barry Glassman welcomes public input as his administration begins updating the county’s Master Plan, a public policy guide affecting the quality of life in Harford County. The update, entitled HarfordNEXT: A Master Plan for the Next Generation, will guide county decisions through the year 2035 on land use, public facilities, economic development, natural resources, historic preservation, transportation and public health.
“HarfordNEXT is an opportunity to shape Harford County’s future, not only for ourselves but for our next generation,” said County Executive Glassman. “I invite all citizens to share their ideas. My administration plans an inclusive and transparent process including public meetings and a new online forum to encourage community engagement.”
Unlike previous Master Plan updates, HarfordNEXT will be organized around several themes that incorporate one or more component elements of the plan, such as the Natural Resources Element Plan, Priority Preservation Area Plan, Historic Preservation Plan and Transportation Plan.
“Rather than ask citizens to fit their ideas into these separate elements, the themes are designed to reflect the comprehensive way in which people think about and use public services and public space,” said Department of Planning and Zoning Director Brad Killian.
More information about the themes, an overview of the planning process, and access to the public forum are available now by clicking the HarfordNEXT button on the homepage of the county website www.harfordcountymd.gov
The public forum can also be accessed directly by computer, phone or other mobile device via http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/opentownhall. Feedback provided online will inform county planners as they draft HarfordNEXT. Forum topics will also change periodically to promote related discussions.
Public input for HarfordNEXT can also be sent via email to P&ZHarfordNext@harfordcountymd.gov , by calling 410-879-2000, or by mail to the Department of Planning & Zoning, 220 S. Main St., Bel Air, MD 21014.
A public education and input meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the Chesapeake Dining Hall on the campus of Harford Community College. County Executive Glassman will offer opening remarks about HarfordNEXT, followed by an overview of the process by Planning and Zoning Director Killian. Attendees will then be invited to share their feedback in roundtable discussions led by county planners.
Citizens who cannot attend the meeting are welcome to provide input through the online forum and by any of the other available means.
The Department of Planning and Zoning will also be reaching out to the newly established Community Advisory Boards to arrange presentations where practicable. All citizens are welcome to attend the Community Advisory Board meeting in their area: http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/CAB/
Expected to be at least one year in development, HarfordNEXT will be subject to final approval by the Harford County Council. State law requires comprehensive plans to be updated at least once every ten years.
Here’s a plan. Stop by property you don’t need, can’t use,. Especially when buying it to benefit you or your friends.
The County Executive hasn’t bought anything ….Are you that out of touch!
Is this “update” required by law?, Or is the new administration somehow unhappy with the current Master Plan that apparently allows it to get rid of the Mount Soma property (originally marked for park land) in a Sweet Heart Deal that will allow the water company to sell the property sites to developers.
I caught that too. So the county very quietly relabels this property “excess” and sells for next to nothing this multi-hundred acre property purchased with the intent to create open space parkland in and along Winters Run (a watershed) currently underused by humans but occupied by deer, all manner of other wildlife, birds of prey, etc. Why? Belair needs more water…if you plan on continuing to shove thousands more houses in this county the environment be damed…fill Mt. Soma with water and call it a reservoir, but there will be lots of extra space beyond the needs for this reservoir…but we don’t hold onto what’s left and create a smaller park as was the purpose for this property in the first place? These new lots will be to the newly created Winters Run Lake Estates…where I come from they call that waterfront and it’s worth a fortune. Let’s play a game – how many McMansions can you fit on a postage stamp or better yet how many meeting have already been had by the water company, the chosen group on the council and the Snee law firm? So the taxpayers forked out the money to allow the county to “hold” the property until all these government parasitic developer types can get their ducks in a row. Funny how that worked out.
If this plan, by state law must be updated every 10 years, then how this revision take us through 2035?
I’m concerned our county is being directed to comply with Agenda 21. We need to decrease government control & expense in our county. The cost of Government & all its services is making the working class, slaves.
How the Mt Soma property reminds me of the Canadian Rockies.
Have you morons ever seen the property? It’s a piece of garbage. Park land costs the county money, if you want a park, buy it and turn it into one yourself, otherwise STFU.
We did buy it. It was purchased with our money and intended as park land. Why? I would assume because in and around Winters Run is watershed…considered sensitive and protected. Then it was sold pennies on the dollar to a water utility in our name with no discussion, no announcement, no consideration. Gosh…sure seems to me since we bought it and we owned it we were sort of owed at least an explanation in advance of a done deal after all we weren’t talking about 10 acres. No doubt that transaction had been in discussion for months if not years – the permits are already approved or this transaction wouldn’t have taken place. There is this pesky thing called “fiduciary” and you might want to look up what it means. Whether Belair needs the water is not at question…the question is how anybody representing us in local government thought something this significant, this impactful didn’t warrant advance public notification doesn’t pass the smell test and doesn’t so much fulfill this thing we referred to as a fiduciary duty. County could have sold just that portion intended for the reservoir but the fact they sold it all sets up the perfect scenario where they can wash their hands of any responsibility. Whether next year or the year after when “insert name of handful of local developers all working w/ the Snee law firm” wants to build “Winters Run Lake Estates” thereby cutting down every last tree in the watershed the old refrain “it’s private property, it’s in the watershed and the corridor along Rte 1 is in the development envelope” and gosh there’s nothing we can do” pretending this rouse wasn’t a set up in the first place.
I know! I know! Sell more land to developer buddies, host a banquet, pop the “bubbly” and do the Happy dance singing “we gone be rich.”
Build your cheap ass cookie cutter homes, then sit around with your sad face for years as they barely sell.
#morons.