Highlights:  GACA General Meeting

March 18, 1999

• Save Our Streams - Brion Townshend of Save our Streams described the Baltimore County Citizens for Stream Restoration Campaign.  The campaign is a cooperative effort by Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management and Save our Streams of Maryland. 

  Over 2,150 miles of streams in Baltimore County drain portions of the Susquehanna, Gunpowder, and Patapsco River areas.  The two major streams that pass through the Arbutus area are Herbert's Run and Maiden Choice Run.  Herbert's Run has not had a monitoring program for some time.  Maiden Choice Run, which passes primarily through Baltimore City, has suffered from a sewerage leak which Baltimore City has been unable to totally eliminate.

  Save our Streams suggests six activities by which citizens may participate in restoring waterways:

  1)  Storm Drain Painting - Save our Streams provides stencils to community, civic, and church groups to paint "Don't Dump - Chesapeake Bay Drainage" on storm drains.

  2)  Stream Survey - An observation of the stream area to look for adverse impacts such as sewerage outfalls, erosion, and barriers to fish migration.

  3)  Water Quality Assessment - Obtain and interpret stream water using guidelines provided by S.O.S.

  4)  Stream Clean-Up - Remove trash and debris from the stream and banks.  S.O.S. can provide some clean up materials and direct willing organizations to haulers and County agencies for debris removal.  GACA organized and participated in a stream clean up of Herbert's Run in October, 1997.

  5)  Tree Planting - Trees and shrubs planted along stream banks help to control erosion, but planting anywhere in the community helps to control storm water run off.

  6)  Watershed Survey - A survey of land use in the area surrounding a stream or waterway to identify potential sources of pollution and run off.

  Additional information about any of the activities mentioned above, or about Save our Streams in general  is available by calling 410/969-0084 or at their website at www.saveoursteams.org.

  Seeking Volunteers - GACA would like to incorporate some of these activities into our May 1, 1999 clean up.  We are seeking volunteers for storm drain painting and are looking into tree planting through Treemendous Maryland.

• Code Enforcement Officers - Also with us at this meeting were Ron Turner and Joe Glorioso, Code Enforcement Officers for Baltimore County.  Ron and Joe were recently rotated into our area from the Liberty Road corridor.  Baltimore County is rotating officers between communities to provide for a broader range of experience with zoning problems. 

Both officers provided some basic information about the code enforcement process, including the information that the County has streamlined the citation process to less than 75 days from citation to hearing, if a violation is not corrected.  Joe and Ron emphasized that the County does not typically seek out violations but relies on public complaints for action.  The Code Enforcement Office finds that most people are in violation due to lack of knowledge of code infractions.  (See a list of common code violations on the Zoning page.)  A common infraction relates to unlicensed vehicles, which are not permitted even if inside a fenced yard.  Repair work to vehicles is likewise not permitted.  500 complaints per week were reported last summer due to high grass and weeds. 

Ron and Joe advised that complaints about code violations are public record.  They suggest making complaints through a community association or by anonymous letter (followed up by telephone call) if there is fear of recrimination.  GACA's Zoning Committee independently verifies all complaints before passing them on Baltimore County for action.

• Reports from Elected Officials - Delegate Jim Malone and Councilman Sam Moxley provided information that the Streetscape project has been slightly delayed due to design problems.  Efforts to obtain a State grant for street lighting throughout the plan area are continuing and Del. Malone feels positive that funds will be available to order the twenty lights needed at a cost of $5,000.00 each.  The County is working with Amtrak to provide lighting and painting of the railroad overpass and Southwestern Blvd. over Sulphur Spring Road.  All painting and lighting enhancements will be done at the same time the Streetscape improvements are installed.

• Updates and Announcements

Rep. Ben Cardin's Town Hall Meetings - Rep. Ben Cardin is sponsoring a series of Town Hall meetings.  Details are posted on the What's New page.

Crime Prevention Day - The Baltimore County Police Department is sponsoring Crime Prevention Day at the Catonsville Armory, Mellor Ave., on Saturday, April 10, 1999, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.   Activities are posted on the What's New page.

Zoning Update - Public deliberations in the tow truck case #98-406a will be held on Tuesday, March 23, 1999 at 9:30 a.m. in the Old Court House in Towson, Room #48.  Additional details are available on the Zoning page.

Community Plan Update - Diana Itter, Baltimore County Office of Planning, announced that a meeting has been scheduled for the Community Plan Advisory Group on March 31, 1999, at the Arbutus Library at 7:00 p.m.  Group members will focus on devising a mission statement and information gathering.

April General Meeting - Our next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 15, 1999 at St. Stephen's Church. 

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