From: Janna Jarvis
Columbia
I was really impressed when I read "Wake Up, Harper's Choice" in the Oct. 20 issue.
As an alumna of Harper's Choice and of its gifted and talented program, tri-ed, I was happy to read about the success of its morning television show.
As a staff member of a high school newspaper, I think it is important for students to be interested and involved in journalism as soon as possible. I feel it is a very worthwhile project and I wish all the students involved with journalismprograms such as Harper's Choice television well.
(Janna Jarvis is a junior at Centennial High School.)
DO SOMEONE A FAVOR
From: Jennifer Hargett
Ellicott City
Until recently, I haven't given much thought to things going on outside of my daily life.
I haven't really looked around and noticed what's going on in our world. I've been so preoccupied with my life. I haven't thought about how other people are doing. A lot of Americans are becoming like me, totally preoccupied with ourselves and not caring about others.
As I was walking down the street one day, I saw a woman in her 70s mowing and raking the lawn. Nothing's wrong with this, as I am fully aware that our elders are fully capable of taking care of themselves. What got to me was when I saw her own grandchild playing football with his friends and not even paying attention to his tired grandmother.
When was the last time you took the time to help a friend by doing a favor for him or her? I bet most of you would say something like, "I don't know."
My point is that we, American citizens, can sometimes be too caught up in our own lives to worry about others. Everyone, at one time or another, needs help. I think if we tried not to be as self-centered as some of us are now, we'll be rewarded with the fact that we actually did something good for a friend or a person.
It would make myday if I were hugged or thanked for doing something good for someone. It would probably make your day, too.
(Jennifer Hargett is a freshman at Centennial High School.)
RESIDENTS BALK AT PLAN
From: Richard and Susan Randt
Ellicott City
An unfortunate situation hasarisen which has once again fanned the flames of friction between Columbians and other Howard countians.
Last month, it was discovered, almost by accident, that the Columbia Association had a plan to move its current vehicle maintenance facility from behind the Banneker fire station to a recently undeveloped site wedged between Route 108 and Edgar Road. Its entrance would be off Edgar Road, the same road used by 235 families as the sole entrance to their community, Columbia Hills.
At a meeting of Columbia Hills residents and other interested parties on Oct. 22, CA briefed its plan and a representative of Howard County Planning and Zoning presented a synopsis of the progression of events and milestones already accomplished.
It turned out that the approval for the use of the piece of land in question was given back in February of this year, on a rather routine basis, without benefit of notification to adjacent residents.
It seems that everything met the letter of the law, including the non-notification, because of a quirk in the definition of "open space" (credited vs. non-credited), which no one at the meeting seemed to have ever heard of.
However, now that the plan has become public knowledge, there are several hundred rather angry citizens facing the prospect of having a garage and a parking lot and all the attendant detriments placed at their front door.
When asked the hypothetical question, "If the same plan were submitted by a commercial enterprise for implementation on the same piece of land, would it receive serious consideration?" the answer from the Planning and Zoning person was an unhesitating "Certainly not!"
I paraphrase the Bard: "A garage is a garage is a garage." What makes CA sacrosanct? Do they get everything they ask for?
The truth is that they received the site form HRD, cost-free. Therefore, that apparently makes it the best possible location! It would seem that the proposed site is far from being centrally located, a prime consideration for the type of operation being conducted. Why can't HRD direct its generosity elsewhere? No one believes that there is only one suitable site in all of Columbia.
Let the message be loud and clear: The Columbia Hills residents do not want, do not need, and will not tolerate the proposed facility.
It is patently inappropriate despite the technicalities of the law. We sincerely hope that HRD, CA and appropriate county officials can get their heads together and formulate an alternative plan with significantly less impact on theadjacent residents.
KEEP CA SITE IN COLUMBIA
From: Adrian Gravelle
Aleta Gravelle
Ellicott City
Can you believe that the Columbia Association cannot find 4 1/2 acres anywhere in Columbia to build a new maintenance facility? Instead, it has selected a site betweenRoute 108 and Edgar Road outside of Columbia.
This site is near the busy, hazardous intersection of Route 108 and Bendix Road, and is located at the only permanent entrance/exit to the Columbia Hills/Meadowbrook Farm community.
When CA learned that a small parcel of land it owned, zoned as open space and located on Edgar Road, was no longer designated for the Route 100 project, it went quietly to the zoning board in February and requested authority to build a new CA maintenance facility on this land. Since this land is designated New Town Open Space, the zoning board decided no public hearing was required to act on this project.
Our county's zoning board determined that amaintenance facility is legally permissible for this parcel of land.Without contacting anyone in the Columbia Hills/Meadowbrook Farm community of 237 families, the zoning board agreed that CA could build amaintenance facility on this open space. During this entire process,apparently no thought was given to the interests of the Columbia Hills/Meadowbrook Farms residents.
Why was this closely guarded project permitted to proceed through the planning and zoning process without contacting anyone in this community?
After seven months of thisunpublicized activity, Councilman Darrel E. Drown (R-2nd) (who apparently was unaware of all this until just recently) called a communitymeeting on Oct. 22 to inform the community about this proposal. At the meeting, a representative of CA informed the community that the Rouse Corp., CA's landlord, is evicting it from its 2 1/2-acre facilityon Banneker Road behind the fire station.
It is understandable that, because of growth within Columbia, the CA needs a larger facilityfor its mowing machines, tractors, trucks, trash compactor, buses, and supplies. CA probably needs the planned facility with its five-baymaintenance garage, covered sheds, large underground gas tanks, 265 parking spaces for their employees and vehicles, and additional office space.
But why is it necessary to move the "clutter" and "housekeeping functions" for nine Columbia villages outside of Columbia to asmall neighboring community's front door? Has anyone considered how this project affects the property values of this small, quiet family community or how it affects the community's highly treasured wildlifehabitat at its only entrance?
Even though the CA expects traffic to be heavy only twice daily, mostly around 7:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., hasany consideration been given to the school buses passing through this area during these specific times? Even assuming that the CA trafficprojections are accurate, any new construction on this quiet, tree-lined, sole entrance to the Columbia Hills/Meadowbrook Farm community will aggravate an already congested entrance every morning and evening.
Can't CA find additional space in Columbia? If the Rouse Corp. is evicting its tenants from the present maintenance location to makemore money from the commercial value of this space, it should be obligated to assist CA in relocating elsewhere inside Columbia.
The planning and zoning boards, county political leaders and a large organization like CA should understand that CA's small neighbors across the street in Columbia Hills and Meadowbrook Farm need and deserve a voice in the planning decisions that affect their community.
These issues and concerns of the Columbia Hills and Meadowbrook Farm community must be addressed before final approval is made on this CA maintenance facility by the planning and zoning boards.