Community group moves to block housing complex
Opponents of the Acton's Landing housing complex proposed for the former Anne Arundel Medical Center site in Annapolis' historic district moved yesterday to block the project from going forward.
In an appeal filed in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court, six members of the neighborhood group ALARM asked the court to reverse the city Board of Appeals' approval of the 114-unit residential complex proposed for the 4.5-acre site by a development group led by Virginia-based Madison Homes Inc.
Even if the court does not overturn the May 15 decision, the case will likely delay the start of the project, which is nearly a year behind the developers' original schedule.
"It will take time, and that may be the intention of the appellants, to cause a delay," said the developer's attorney Alan J. Hyatt. ALARM attorney Joseph F. Devlin declined to comment on the court action.
Edgewater toddler dies in hospital after crash
A 16-month-old Edgewater boy who was injured in a traffic accident last week in Davidsonville has died, Anne Arundel County authorities said yesterday.
James Miller died Monday at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, where he was taken after a minivan in which he was riding was rear-ended by a FedEx truck at Central Avenue and Ashland Drive on Friday evening, according to county police reports.
The boy's brother was treated and released. The driver of the FedEx truck was not seriously injured, authorities said. County police are investigating the crash.
Owens signs legislation for airport zoning changes
Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens has signed legislation approving zoning changes for Edgewater and Mayo that included commercial zoning for the Lee Airport property, a spokesman said yesterday.
The Lee family, which owns the airport, worked with neighborhood groups to draw up development covenants for the commercial area. But opponents complained that the covenants would not adequately protect Warehouse Creek from further pollution.
After the County Council voted 6-1 last week to adopt a new zoning map for the area, some residents asked Owens to use her veto power to block the airport development. But Owens signed the legislation late Wednesday, according to her spokesman, Matt Diehl.