Residents of Ellicott City want to know more about the plans of Friends of the Patapsco Valley and Heritage Greenway Inc. before that group seeks state certification of an effort to develop tourist and recreational opportunities in the Patapsco River valley.
Members of the Ellicott City Residents Association, an umbrella group of homeowners and residents organizations, want the group "to get the plan out in the public so people can make an informed decision," said Daniel Murray, its president.
But leaders of the Friends say they do not intend to seek state certification until public sentiment toward the group - and its organizers - improves.
"It's in limbo until there's a better attitude than what's been generated in response to what's already been out there," said Charles Wagandt, president of the Oella Co. and past chairman of the group.
The standoff means that a proposal to use tax credits and state grants to preserve historic buildings and improve business opportunities in the valley is not likely to become reality anytime soon.
The proposed Patapsco Heritage Greenway, which includes much of Patapsco Valley State Park as well as the historic districts of Ellicott City and Elkridge, has met more opposition to designation as a heritage area than any other within the state, said Elizabeth Hughes of the Maryland Historical Trust, which administers the state heritage-areas program.
At public meetings about the proposed Patapsco heritage area and the extension of the Grist Mill Trail along the river in the valley, residents and environmental activists raised concerns about the number of additional visitors the area can support, as well as the effect of extra visitors on the watershed area.
There are five certified heritage areas in the state, and two more areas are expected to complete certification by the end of this year, Hughes said.
Local governments or third-party groups, such as the Heritage Greenway Inc., which includes residents and representatives from businesses near the borders of Howard and Baltimore counties, may apply for the designation.
Third-party groups, however, must seek approval from all local governments within the jurisdiction before applying for certification by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority of the Maryland Historical Trust.
Members of ECRA, who are worried about an influx of tourists and environmental effects on the park, want to be sure that they have an opportunity to weigh in on the plan before it is endorsed by local government.
ECRA has passed a resolution calling for a public hearing on the plan before the Friends group seeks support from the Howard County Council, to be held no sooner than one month after the plan is made public. ECRA members brought this issue to candidates for County Council and executive during election forums last month.
The Patapsco Heritage Greenway Committee of the Ellicott City Restoration Foundation began work to establish a recognized heritage area in 1998. After receiving recognition, the group received matching grants from county governments to conduct a management study.
The proposed boundaries of the heritage area shrunk over time because the homeowners associations of Oella, Relay and St. Denis in Baltimore County voted to remain outside the area.
In 2000, the committee spun off and merged with the nonprofit Friends of the Patapsco Valley, renaming itself the Friends of the Patapsco Valley and Heritage Greenway Inc.
ECRA heard a general overview of the heritage proposal from the Heritage Greenway organization in January. Members of the community group also heard from representatives of the Sierra Club, which has been very vocal in protesting the trail extension or any additional development of the valley.
"The Friends group gave a rather lengthy presentation, but what was lacking was the substance," said Murray, who also belongs to the Worthington Community Association.
"We heard a lot of what we can do" but didn't hear many specific proposals, he said.
Other members of ECRA have said they are concerned about the accountability of the private Heritage Greenway organization.
"It should be a county-state project," said Norm Powell of the Patapsco Scenic Triangle Neighborhood Association, part of ECRA. "They're outside of public input. It just is a suspect thing."
If and when Heritage Greenway decides to pursue state certification, a public hearing held by the County Council would precede one conducted by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, which considers responses from such meetings when reviewing certification applications.
ECRA members want to register their concerns before the plan is finalized.
Heritage Greenway members say they will continue to work on their plan, although they do not intend to submit it for certification soon. The opposition has been helpful in a way, said Kit Valentine, its president.
The grant to complete the management study was "money well spent in terms of being able to identify what's important to the community," he said.
For now, the organization says, it will concentrate on other ways to promote the historic legacy of the Patapsco Valley. Last year, the group helped publish The Patapsco River Valley: Cradle of the Industrial Revolution in Maryland.
Members also have organized an oral-history project and recently presented a watershed symposium that brought together county agencies that manage the Patapsco River Valley.
No residents attended the conference. David Catania, ECRA treasurer, said he found out about it too late.
"If it's good, then get the word out," he said. "This is a large, long trail, and we here in Howard County cannot tolerate any additional development that will decrease our quality of life."