Editor:
I do attend church, I know I need to; I am not anti religion. I am aware that front men promote wants and causes they hope will produce big bucks for themselves and their sponsors. Religious promotions are some of America's biggest recipients of money. Religion sells well on TV and in other public arenas. Some religious promoters become rich and some do go broke.
Here in Harford County prayer is banned from public schools during the school week, however some of Harford's Public Schools become Churches on the weekend. Separation of State and Church was one of the founding principals of early America, yet here in Harford one Church Group has been using a public school for approximately 14 years as a place of religious worship!
The leader of this group is now requesting a large property that is owned by his church and developers be granted a zoning exception and the property be placed into the development envelope. A huge dairy farm adjoins the property and people living in the existing community have expressed their opposition to the request.
Several years ago, a former County Council President was the promoter of a failed attempt to have this property re-zoned. The religious leaders and others who represent the property recently appeared before the County Council requesting that their property be given an exception and be placed into the Development Envelope. I failed to understand the religious leaders reasons as to how this request, if granted, would be in the interest of the existing community. The religious groups present meeting place, a public school, is miles away from the property.
A current development plan for this property has been released to the public, however, the plan apparently is not a final plan. Development plans are like a magician's bag of tricks and only the magicians knows what will finally come out of the bag.
Hopefully the entire County Council will be involved in examining all the facts about this property before a decision is made. One or two council members in favor of the appeal should not be allowed to affect an impartial decision by all of the council.
Near this property is the Route 543 area that a prior county council allowed to be included in the development envelope. This property is still vacant! The economy does impact present and future development plans. The best laid plans of men do often go astray.
Curtis Pace
Joppa