From Friends of Harford:
Friends of Harford believes Bill 15-027 (Fallston Commercial Corridor Sewer Subdistrict) should be voted down. Its purpose is to “include additional properties within the Fallston Commercial Corridor Sewer Subdistrict”. The Bill expands the Fallston sewer subdistrict to add:
– some older residential properties whose septic systems may be failing, and
– a large parcel of Agricultural (AG) zoned land.
The first purpose is acceptable; the second is not. It sets bad precedent to allow AG land to hook up to public sewer.
This Bill bypasses the review processes of the Master Plan and Comprehensive Zoning Review. While the intent of this Bill appears to be to provide public sewer to part of an older subdivision, for the first time it would also extend sewer to Agricultural zoned properties. We see this primarily as another back-door benefit to a developer, allowing him to commercialize agricultural land and setting precedent that could affect farmland throughout Harford.
Don’t violate the planning process
To date, agricultural lands outside the development envelope have been prevented from tying in to county sewer systems, protecting them from development. For the first time, Bill 15-027 will set precedent by eliminating this protective policy, extending public sewer to agricultural land. Agricultural land is not supposed to be commercially developed and so does not need public sewer. Giving AG land sewer prepares it for intense use while avoiding all the proper reviews, including the ongoing revision of the Master Plan and the follow-on Comprehensive Zoning process. Decisions on whether or not agricultural lands should be developed must be made during these processes, not now via this Bill.
Not the way to help existing residents
The residential properties listed in this Bill are the western half of Bagleys Venture subdivision, with the larger eastern half being across Route 152. The eastern homes are within the Development Envelope, the western homes are not. These homes were built in the early 1970’s and may indeed have septic concerns. We respect the residents of this subdivision and will support this Bill if, and only if, the Bill is revised to continue excluding sewer from AG-zoned land. There are ways to provide financial assistance to residents without giving AG lands sewer.
If helping this older subdivision is truly the intent of this Bill, then include only residential properties and help the entire subdivision by running the new sewer line along the east side of Route 152 (inside the Development Envelope), with a connection to the homes on the west side of Route 152.
Bill 15-027 deserves to fail unless it is amended to remove all agricultural lands the bill adds, including the split-zoned property. Please ask all County Council members to vote against Bill 15-027 (because all vote on any Bill). You can email everyone at once via http://www.friendsofharford.com/legislators.html . Public testimony (3 minutes per person) will be heard on Tuesday October 20 at 6:00pm in the County Council chambers. Remember to sign up to testify before the hearing starts, and that’s the deadline for emails too.
Sadly, as we have so often come to expect in Harford County, Bill 15-027 indeed sounds like another of those “back-door benefit” to politically well-placed developers.
Not being content to have pushed up the schedule for revisions of the Master Plan, the moneyed interests of the county (within and without the Glassman/Boniface administration) have devised a scheme to ostensibly help residential property owners all the while setting up to line the pockets of their already bulging pockets.
How about a Bill 15-028 to extend sewer lines to Agriculturally zoned Sheep and Horse properties in the Deer Creek Valley and Darlington Road area. I always thought Harmony Church Road and Route 161 needed widening, a few cul de sacs, and a few roundabouts,
Let’s not beat around the bush here. The AG zoned property set to benefit from this proposal is owned by Michael Euler. Take a look at his campaign contributions over the years. $5,000 to Glassman, $5,000 to Craig and several thousand more to current and former Council members. This is absolutely as you say another back door under the radar benefit to a developer. You can’t blame the developer here. He is only playing by the well-established rules set up by our elected officials. They are the ones to blame for this. If you own land in this County and want to develop it, you have to pay to play. Bottom line. An average homeowner can’t get an exception to keep two ducks on property that is .02 acres too small BUT developers have the ability to get the zoning code changed at will and back door the land use procedures with a few well-placed campaign contributions. Again not the fault of developers. They are playing the game established by our morally bankrupt elected officials. Shame on us for putting these people in office election after election.
How much is it going to cost County taxpayers to run the water lines? How much will it cost the homeowners who allegedly need the hook up to connect from the street to their house? How many will actually pay the thousands of dollars to do the hook up? Point is that the economics of this do not add up providing further evidence that this is a back room deal for the developer.
Without this bill, the only way the developer could get County water onto his property and develop it is to first lobby to have the development envelope expanded to include his property and then second to apply for a zoning change from AG to something that would allow development. Now we are putting the cart before the horse. The Council is giving the him the water hookup first which then leads to the inevitable because why have this property sitting there with County water but no development. THAT is what makes the economics of this Bill work.
This is but one example of the County Council introducing bills to benefit specific developers under the guise that it is for the greater good. There is a clear pattern of this time and time again. People wonder why traffic congestion has gotten so bad around the County. This is why. It is death by a thousand cuts. One little favor here. One there. And all of a sudden the vision contained in the County Master Plan is shot to hell. That is just a guide though Slutzky loves to say, we don’t actually have to follow the plan. Well this is what you get when you don’t follow the plan.
Here you have another exception being made that will lead to development where it is not planned in an area that is already congested (Route 152 & Route 1 area). Development that will further exacerbate the problems in and around that area. Why? As a political favor for a significant donor. To heck with the impact on the rest of the County citizens!
Let’s be clear, the older residential houses cannot be sold because no bank will approve a loan given the current water/sewer situation. Not sure who the friends of harford hates so much that is living back there to come out against the proposal but this is not situation that I would ever wish upon my worst enemy. The willingness to be so cruel to these well meaning, tax paying families to not clean up the districting / bureaucratic legislative mess that the county and state placed them in tells a lot about the character of this organization.
What’s wrong with their wells and septics that they can’t be sold?
The Fallston Hospital changed the water table, and the ground is very dense clay in this area. Many have had to dig new walls. Most have expanded septic systems as much as possible but cannot expand further. Best available technology is prohibitively expensive, even with the possible grants. Only other option is a sand mound system, which can be prohibitive as well. Many folks have sold property for significantly less than it was appraised and many still can’t sell the property because of the water and septic issues.
You only need to expand your septic system when you’re adding bedrooms, otherwise you can keep the current system. Given the new laws pumping every 12-24 months is suggested to keep systems working longer, but that is for anyone in MD.
Fallston Hospital closed 15 years ago this month, if anyone had a serious well problem they would’ve dug a new well long ago so how does running new mains help them today?
Did you not read what they said? What is being opposed is the secondary effect of having the water and sewer lines benefit property owned by a well-known developer. What is NOT being opposed is providing access to County water and sewer to homeowners with a legitimate need. The solution is to bring the water lines in from another direction to avoid benefiting a property that is not intended or suitable for development but will be developed once it has water & sewer lines running through it. There is no hatred involved with suggesting an alternative way to provide the water & sewer lines.
I believe we’re talking about the baby and the bath water – yes you can separate those. If you read this release in it’s entirety FofH specifically addressed these residents with existing septic problems as opposed to changing the general “rules” regarding restricting development in line with the master plan. Changing all the rules under the smokescreen of protecting and supporting these few people is a dishonest attempt to open up development most likely for a project already discussed and as a favor to the short list of insiders that are always involved – of course we’ll know nothing about it until imagine that it’s a done deal. They play chess…don’t assume the move they make now isn’t more related to what they want 2 moves from now and in this case unrelated to the attention these few residents actually deserve or need – their plight is just a happy accident.
Its harford county government Money Tree. You dont need to be so paranoid, they dont play chess. Its not that calculated.
This stuff has been going on for decades. If the issue is these few residents why not deal with that specific issue – why make the “correction” so broad and sweeping that it opens up the ag properties to development not currently sanctioned by the master plan. That isn’t paranoia; that’s pretty obvious to me? Narrow the target and I have no problem with it.
You cannot be serious. It most certainly is that calculated. How old are you and how long have you lived in Harford County? But you’ll only get upset when they start digging for the new Upper Harford Wal Mart…
Mr. Jackson – Do not be so naive as to think our County officials do not play “chess”. They absolutely do and the game is largely orchestrated by developers and their attorneys, Joe Snee being the chief orchestrator. Look at the campaign contributions received by our elected officials over the past several years and then look at the all of the controversial land projects around the County. There is a very clear and distinct correlation between the contributions and what gets done. Open your eyes! If everybody in this County opened their eyes and got their heads out of the sand, none of our elected officials would be in office right now.
Public sewer is a nice backup to have on the table. I suppose these homes aren’t near a watershed of some sort that qualifies for state/county/grants/whatever to pay for their Best Available Technology Septic install (Nitrogen removal). Easy $12,000.
Probably cost a home owner at least $10,000 to hook to a county sewer main when its all said and done.
Of course its a free country, no one stopping the guy cranking up the backhoe after 3:30pm to dig and replace the tank himself. To ask permission is to seek denial.
This area has a history of being wet and it would probably be a plus for the environment to at least have sewage. While doing all the digging, it would be most practical to also do water. Also, a number of these homes were built in the 50’s and 60’s. There is only so much room on these small lots.
As for the property owned by Mr. Euler: This is a farm field that is pretty much surrounded by development of residential and commercial. I have farm property and wonder how many years there will be farmers in the area to rent farm land. Most of our children are not interested in farming since you have to be a large farmer to be able to afford equipment to farm. It is a very fragile situation since the weather is the key to whether you have a crop to sell to pay for all the seed, fertilizer, etc plus have anything left to live on.
Neighbors think our farmland is their park to use as they please. Personally I have had trouble with 4 wheelers running thru the fields and making ruts, someone redoing their roof and throwing the used shingles in our field, using it as a target practice for shooting and being near a neighbors horses scaring them.
It would be great to keep the farm land as is. I wish we still had the farm land where all the developments are now. However, the owners were not able to keep them due to health problems or no family members wanted to continue the operation.
When I was looking at a property, the county water/sewer lines ended two parcels down, about 100′ from where the house would need them. I asked the county how much those extensions would cost in case the house ever had a problem. They said $30k minimum, and that was just the work under the street, I would also be responsible for the $10-20k to hook up to it.
When projects like this are undertaken, everyone that has access is assessed their portion of the costs, even if they do not hook up to it. How many people that have functioning wells and septic are going to hook up, and what will the special assessment be for those that aren’t interested?
I forgot to add before that I think it may be a good idea to bring water and sewage to Pleasantville for the two school complexes.
As a member of the Fallston Advisory Board I smile at a distance and see yet ANOTHER failed attempt from Mr. Euler, Sr. to make something happen with his “Aumar Village Center”. The question from Fallston residents that I receive is, ” What happened to the beautiful shopping center that was originally proposed by Mr. Euler to begin with? ” – I am asked this question on a monthly basis as residents all over the county drive by piles of dirt and stone with no evidence of progress. Today however we see a proposal for a Sports Complex? Do we need yet ANOTHER Sports Complex in Fallston?….this one however with Sewer lines for….wait…not only HIS commercial “non-profit” (chuckle chuckle) business but for the many residents surrounding him that can pay to tie-in to the sewer line. This way he doesn’t have to endure the astronomical costs of a Septic Mound system that is un-sightly (hand over the tissue box). ALL this while being supported by our Fallston Councilman Joe Woods through the sanitary district expansion legislation? Lets follow the money and follow ME to the Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 20th. @ 6 P.M. held at the Bel Air Council Chambers. Let’s ask for REAL ANSWERS and find the REAL MOTIVATION for Sewer Expansion into Fallston!
“Today however we see a proposal for a Sports Complex?”
Yes, if by ‘today’ you mean 2013, when he first revealed his plans for the Fallston Fieldhouse.
Use the Google. The Google is your friend.
Thank you Phil for dissecting the word “Today”. My meaning of the word “Today” was not meant in any way as Mr. Euler’s Sport’s Complex plans or blueprint unveiling to be in (2015). It was introducing this to the public. Most in Fallston may or may not have even been aware of such a plan. We sit at our Board Meetings with 99% empty chairs. I look forward to meeting you at the Public Hearing.
I have no intention to attend. After the attitude shown by multiple Fallstonians (Fallstonites? Fallestinians?) toward Bel Air multiple times in the past, such as when Klein’s wished to expand there, I will let them fight their own battles and hope they get exactly what they deserve.
This type of back door corrupt politics goes on all the type with Baaaarrry Glassman and his worthless compadres. It also exists in small towns now- just ask the residents in Bel Air. Bel Air is slowly washing away.
I propose a section 8 housing apartment complex next to Assman’s personal residence.
On this very site, a couple years ago, it was noted that Mr. Woods introduced a rezoning bill into the council, and the next week Mr. Euler announced his intention to build a sports complex. Woods ended up pulling his bill, because the cat was out of the bag. They did it backwards. Euler blew it. Normally you get the bill passed before you talk about what it’s really for.
So this is round 2.
Game. Game. Game.
And yet again….no one runs against Mr. Woods. That will change after this. I promise.
For the uninitiated, this is what we call “legal graft”. You find something that otherwise appears to be public service work, and use it to complete the friends, favors, and donations cycle.
For reference, see the book “Throw Them All Out”.