Neighborhood News Summer 2009 Summer
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Neighborhood NEWS Summer 2009 Summer Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Improvement Association Lake Roland & Robert E. Lee Park The Dawn of a New Day INSIDE By Jeffrey Budnitz Robert E. Lee Conservancy, began to assess what Hello Mr. Fox I have frequently been asked by members of the had worked and what had failed regarding previous Page 3 community, “What has the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Park-based initiatives. The primary objective chosen Summertime Roland Area Improvement Association done for me was to restore the Park to its former glory—a and the Livin’ and my family?” Well, let me give you an example place everyone in the community could enjoy. In Is Easy…? that goes a long way to answering that seemingly addition, we focused on the replacement of the pedestrian bridge, significant capital maintenance, simple yet complex question. Page 4 beautification initiatives, general Park restoration, Robert E. Lee Park and Lake Roland are often and environmental remediation, to name a few. In Happenings referred to as the ‘hidden jewels’ of our community. 2001 RRLRAIA developed a Community Plan, which in Towson The Park represents 453 acres of wooded park was adopted as part of the Baltimore County Master land with the lake at its heart. Lake Roland is an Plan, in which many key Park-related issues were Page 5 approximately 100 acre man-made lake created by incorporated. Project Clean damming the Jones Falls in 1861 to serve as one As a strategy, the Committee decided to take a Stream of the first municipal water supplies for Baltimore Sponsors Most City. The City stopped three-pronged approach. Initially we would focus Successful using the lake as a source on working with Cleanup Yet! of drinking water in Baltimore City, then Baltimore County, and approximately 1915. Page 6 finally with the State One of the most of Maryland. The Going Buggy significant complexities long-term outcome that has plagued the area we hoped for was a Page 7 for decades has been new custodian for the Crime Tips the status of the lake Park. being a reservoir that no Page 8 longer provides potable In August 2003, the Park Committee Delightful drinking water. Further Devon Hill compounding the problem invited key is that the Park and Lake individuals from Page 10 Roland, Baltimore City- the Baltimore City Alex Shchetinkin and his dog, Jack, cross the pedestrian bridge Department of West Towson owned assets, are located in Robert E. Lee Park that has been closed because of structural Recreation and Parks, Elementary in Baltimore County. It is damage. Sun photo by Lloyd Fox / July 22, 2008 School Update understandably difficult Roland Park Civic League, Robert E. Lee for Baltimore City Parks Page 12 and Recreation, an agency that has significant Park Conservancy, economic pressure placed on it regarding the assets Mount Washington Association, and Baltimore Your House May that it manages, to justify allocating resources to County Police for a roundtable discussion on a Be Historic broad range of issues impacting the Park. The issues an asset located in Baltimore County. As a result, Page 13 Robert E. Lee Park and Lake Roland, in essence, ranged from environmental erosion, criminal activity have been relegated to second class status. in the Park, the state of existing structures and Home Sales the capital improvements required to restore them, In 2000, RRLRAIA’s Robert E. Lee Park Committee off-leash dog issues ranging from community-driven Page 15 established an initiative and agenda for the long complaints to potential health and environmental term rehabilitation and stewardship of the Park and Lake Roland. The Committee, building on the Continued on page 14 significant works of another organization, the Ruxton-Riderwood- Lake Roland President’s Letter Neighborhood NEWS Dear Neighbors: setting lack of community input during the site selection phase of this project. As I am pleased to announce that we have Summer 2009 an organization, we have long supported begun the major task of revising the 2001 other neighborhood efforts to enforce RRLRAIA Community Plan. This living public procedural standards. Knowing the Table of Contents document was created by the Association intensity of feelings about the new school, 1 Lake Roland & almost ten years ago and was adopted by the the RRLRAIA Board solicited members for Robert E. Lee Park County Council into the County Master Plan in their opinions. More than 35% of members 2 President’s Letter 2001. It is referenced by County elected officials responded and the results indicated that two 3 Hello Mr. Fox and staff, the development community, the thirds of the respondents favored supporting 4 Summertime and the RRLRAIA Board, and members of our community Livin’ Is Easy the legal action. 5 Happenings in Towson as a guide for decision making. However, I want to be certain that all our 5 Pet Laws We have retained the services of Al Barry, members understand that the subsequent 5 We Went to A Garden Party principal of AB Associates, a comprehensive support extended by the Association for 6 Stream Cleanup Most land planning consulting firm, to lend the plaintiffs should not be confused with Successful Yet! his considerable expertise and assist us negative sentiment on this organization’s 7 Going Buggy through the revision process. Likely topics 8 Baltimore County Crime Tips behalf toward the new school. We are in include traffic, public safety, education, 10 Delightful Devon Hill complete agreement that alleviating the environmental issues, and community 12 West Towson Elementary overcrowding which plagues the Towson revitalization. We anticipate a targeted focus School Update elementary schools is a top priority. on the Falls Road corridor as we usher in 13 Your House May Be Historic! Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge Michael the era of County responsibility for Robert 13 Summer Recipe from Finifter ruled that the plaintiffs had not Graul’s Market E. Lee Park and envision a revitalized sufficiently proven “irreparable harm” by the 15 Baltimore County Dog Park Falls Road commercial corridor. If you are construction of the new school. Bulldozers 15 Home Sales interested in serving on a committee that and pile drivers arrived at the Charles will investigate issues around each of these Street site shortly after. We were saddened topics, please contact the RRLRAIA office. that an opportunity to hold the School You are also invited to our September Annual Board accountable for its own policies was Meeting which will update the community lost. We will now support every effort to Board of Governors on our efforts towards this complex and hold the School Board to its offer for “…a comprehensive task. President – Kathy Palencar conversation about how we can have a good 1st Vice President – Scott Murphy 2nd Vice President – Barbara Guarnieri I encourage you to read this newsletter, relationship...” with the neighbors. We also Treasurer – Julie D’Ambrogi especially the wonderful article about Robert will look forward to creating and supporting Secretary – Judy Wright E. Lee Park. The Board is pleased that the a community school of the highest caliber. Steven A. Allen efforts of so many energetic community Francis D. ‘Fran’ Anderson While the Community Plan, the Park, and the members culminated in the transfer of Daniel S. Baird West Towson School have consumed many Deborah Burker responsibilities for the Park from Baltimore of our resources this spring, we have also Kris Culp City to Baltimore County. Their efforts will been working on other continuing efforts. Linda Eisenbrandt allow us to enjoy a safer and more attractive Frederick Hudson Members participated in Project Clean Stream Park in the future. We look for it to become Elyse E. Jacob with the Jones Falls Watershed Association Bliss McCord the jewel of our community as it had once in April. We meet regularly for requests from David Meese been long ago. Helga Morrow residents about zoning and design reviews. Kathy Mountcastle I also encourage you to read the article We continue to actively support efforts Keith Murray about the West Towson Elementary School. Rob Nelson that have a positive and lasting impact on Beth Purvis As you may know, RRLRAIA supported an all of our community. If you would like to Marsha Ramsay effort by neighbors of the proposed school contribute to our efforts, especially helping Kent Walker to suspend construction until a legal with one of the Community Plan committees, Nettie Washburn Tom Weadock determination could be made about the please call our office to volunteer. propriety of the School Board’s actions during Ande Williams Best Regards, planning for this school. Specifically, the Executive Director, Kathy Frederick Palencar Peggy Squitieri legal action sought to redress a precedent- Neighborhood NEWS is published quarterly by the Ruxton-Riderwood-Lake Roland Area Nancy Worden Horst – Editor Newsletter Committee: Mary Sue McCarthy Improvement Association, Inc., P.O. Box 204, Riderwood, MD 21139 Tel: (410) 494-7757 Julie D’Ambrogi – Advertising Barbara Guarnieri – Chair Bliss McCord Deadlines for copy, including announcements and calendar items, are February 1st for Spring issue, Graphic Production – Candice Dalrymple Kathy Mountcastle May 1st for Summer issue, August 1st for Fall issue, and November 1st for Winter issue. Advertisers DesignConcept Linda Eisenbrandt Nettie Washburn contact: [email protected] 2 Hello Mr. Fox By Dottie Dowling Hello! Allow me to introduce myself. I am I am primarily a nocturnal animal who stalks my your neighbor, the red fox, but you will prey for dinner around twilight. In fact, most of never meet me while shopping at Graul’s! my waking hours are at night. That is why you After all, I am a wild animal that forages might hear me “screaming” outside your window for my food in the woods.