Say It Ain’t So, Says Southern Arundel
Dear Bay Weekly:
Why don’t outsiders just let South County be? In the Safeway fight, four North County councilpeople tried to ram Safeway into Deale. Now, per redistricting [Dock of the Bay: Vol. X, No. 4, Jan. 24–30], we’re to be divided at Route 258. As I understand it, that means that in electing delegates, 9,000-plus of us south of Route 258 plus 6,000-plus in northern Calvert County will be at the mercy of 52,000-plus of them in Prince George’s County. We’ll never be heard from again.
Where is Senate president Mike Miller, our erstwhile champion, when we really need him? Say it ain’t so, Mike, and it won’t be. Keep South County together!
P.S. Dottie Chaney would still win.
— Chris May, Deale
On the Hot Seat
Dear Bay Weekly:
In her commentary “Nibbling Away at Calvert County” [Vol. X No. 2, Jan. 10-16], 1998 county commissioner candidate Susan Ellsworth Shaw brought up the issue of the Owings Town Center development. It was a very controversial issue, and there were certainly good people on both sides. But I voted against extending the sewer lines out to Route 260 because to do so would have allowed more extensive commercial development outside a town center. My decision was consistent with the comprehensive plan.
She also mentioned the land on the west side of Boyd’s Turn Road at Route 260, which also did not get sewer lines. However, due to previous zoning of that property, the county commissioners did not stop development from proceeding when the Board of Appeals granted approval. While the majority of the county commissioners did not support downzoning the property during the last comprehensive rezoning, I have tried to respect private property rights.
Ms. Shaw also mentioned the Lusby Town Center master plan.
I supported the town center master plan. It had considerable public input and was developed over an extended period. Unfortunately, two town center landowners, one with approximately 50 acres and the other with approximately 14 acres, were caught in a debate over which landowner’s property should get the grocery store and become the core of the town center’s retail commercial district.
I voted for the master plan, and so did every planning commissioner and every county commissioner. The master plan directed the grocery store and retail development to the larger parcel of land in the town center core instead of to the outskirts of town next to Route 2–4 and Coster Road. The village-edge Coster Road property can still be developed; it just won’t qualify for a grocery store. The majority of the county commissioners did what the citizens of Lusby told us they wanted.
As a county commissioner, I’ve tried to be responsive and accountable to the citizens of Calvert County. Until someone has sat in one of those five seats, they don’t know what it’s like to have to make some of the tough decisions we have to make week after week.
— John Douglas Parran, St. Leonard;Calvert County Commissioner
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