Valleys Planning Council Annual Meeting – Online September 15, 2020 Annual Meeting Agenda Welcome and Acknowledgments Chris Bennett, VPC President Business Meeting Motions, Finance Report, Board Nominations Director’s Report Easements, CZMP decisions, studies and issues update Guest Speaker: Justin Harrison, President, Baltimore County Farm Bureau Other Business Elected Officials Baltimore County Administration Congressional Delegation County Executive John Olszewski Senator Ben Cardin Senator Chris Van Hollen Baltimore County Council Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger (District 2) Izzy Patoka (District 2) Congressman John Sarbanes (District 3) Wade Kach (District 3) Congressman Kweisi Mfume (District 7) Maryland General Assembly Senator Chris West (District 42) Senator Delores Kelley (District 10) Senator Shelly Hettleman (District 11) Delegate Benjamin Brooks (District 10) Delegate Jay Jalisi (District 10) Speaker Adrienne Jones (District 10) Delegate Lisa Belcastro (District 11) Delegate Jon Cardin (District 11) Delegate Dana Stein (District 11) Delegate Michele Guyton (District 42B) Delegate Nino Mangione (District 42B) Nominating Committee 2020 Board Slate for Vote Our Thanks for Service Reappointments Term Expiring John Beckley Vicky Collins (1998) Gaylord Clark III Paul Wooden (2002) Will Cook Peter Fenwick Mary Louise Foster Executive Committee Don Kirson Don Kirson Meriwether Morris Ned Worthington Nominations for New Board Members Annie Darrow Michelle Naish Motions ▪ Dispense with reading of the minutes ▪ Required for testimony before the Baltimore County Board of Appeals: • Resolved that responsibility for review and action of all zoning matters is placed in the Zoning Committee • Zoning committee consists of President, Director, and Assistant Director who can testify on positions adopted by the board/EC ▪ Reaffirm the VPC mission: • Conserving open space; protecting Baltimore County’s agricultural, natural, historic and scenic resources; and working with stakeholders to promote a balanced and rational use of land for the benefit of present and future generations Summary of Conservation Easements Easements Settled in 2019 and Settled to Date in 2020 2019 Road Acreage Program Scott and Moira McGill Stablersville Road 84.13 acres MET Keyser Run LLC Keyser Run Court 8.657 acres LPT Cockeys Mill Road 4.313 acres LPT Kings Eye LLC Butler Road Extinguished LPT overlay of MET Density Henry S. Clark Butler Road 62.63 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy Thomas and Ashley Cole Mount Carmel Road 55.704 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy George and Amanda Mahoney Kemp Road 115.6297 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy Harry and Jacqueline Morfoot Trenton Road 29.896 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy Michael Lang Home Road 58.931 acres Gunpowder Rural Legacy Edward Bosley Ensor Thornton Mill Road 101.852 acres MALPF Leoinel Kem Ensor, Jr. Residuary Trust Sheila A. Hewitt Revocable Trust Resh Mill Road 76.128 acres MALPF Billy and Kristy Whipperman Oakland Road 21.128 acres MALPF Johansson Family Trust LLC S. Ruhl Road 78.04857 acres MALPF Dorothy White Hydes Road 78.384 acres MALPF Nancy DiPaula Pleasantville Road 119.924 acres MALPF Glencoe Properties Glencoe Road 181.058 acres DNR – State Side Program Open Space Total Eased Acres 2019 1076.4092 acres Settled as of 9/2020 Donald and Crystal King Dover Road 64.50 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy Mark and Jean Duvall Brick Store Road 100.32 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy Robert and Stacy McHugh Yeoho Road 67.8 acres Piney Run Rural Legacy Mays Farm LLC Mt. Carmel Road 106.16 acres MALPF Total Eased Acres as of 9/2020 338.78 acres Land Preservation Trust Shout Out In recognition of the importance of protecting large contiguous areas LPT established the goal of protecting 20,000 contiguous acres in 2020. - There is currently a block of over 18,000 connected acres Thanks to MET, MALPF, Baltimore County and all the programs and people that are helping LPT reach this goal Financial Report Financial Summary 2018 2019 As of 8/31/2020 General Fund Income Annual Giving 267,556.00 273,560.00 125,981.00 Other Income 46,384.00 54,782.00 16,686.00 Total General Fund Income 313,940.00 328,343.00 142,667.00 General Fund Expenses 310,716.00 357,040.00 239,719.00 Net General Fund Income/Loss 3,224.00 (28,697.00) (97,052.00) Net Events Income/Loss (1,143.00) (1,307.00) 35,478.00 Net Special Projects Income/Loss (3,219.00) (5,463.00) (3,090.00) Net General Fund Income/Loss (1,138.00) (35,467.00) (64,664.00) Development Director Report VPC Income Sources: • Annual giving ▪ New annual giving committee: Liz Blue, Stiles Colwill, Will Cook, Mary Louise Foster, Lucy Goelet, Laurie Hooper, Carrie Montague, Gail Riepe, Betsy Wilmerding ▪ New member campaign • Events – cancelled for 2020 • Grants - The Ludwig and Nancy Sternberger Charitable Foundation VPC Endowment 2019 Strategic Plan – Highlighted Need for Planned Giving Campaign • Encourage friends to remember VPC in estate plans • Valley Visionaries Executive Director’s Report Solar Siting Study Chesapeake Conservancy – Grant from Ludwig and Nancy Sternberger Charitable Foundation Optimal Solar Siting Vs. Vegetated/Open Land/Prime Soils Parking canopies Amazon Solar “Farm” in VA Closed landfill Community Solar Project Old Court Road Large rooftops Solar Siting Study Chesapeake Conservancy – Grant from Ludwig and Nancy Sternberger Charitable Foundation Maryland’s Renewable Portfolio Standard: 50% of electricity from renewable energy by 2030, with a 14.5% solar carve-out • Translates to 9,000 GWh or 8,946 MW of installed solar capacity needed statewide • Baltimore County’s share of state RPS goal = 1,057.5 GWh Ample Optimal Sites for Solar Identified Baltimore County Potential Power Generation % of Sites Needed to Reach Goal Optimal Sites - Parking 6,904 acres 3,949 GWh/yr 25% of parking - Rooftop 14,405 acres 9,762 GWh/yr 11% of rooftops - Degraded land 1,116 acres 1,719 GWh/yr 62% of degraded lands Total Optimal Sites 22,419 acres 15,431 GWh/yr 6.9% of optimal sites • Study also identifies over 3,000 acres of open land as a second tier of potential sites for solar that would not utilize the best farm and resource lands Solar Siting Maryland Community Solar Pilot Program • Extended from 3 years to 7 years • Program capacity increased from 200 MW to 400 MW and may go higher • Lack of siting guidance and varying county regulations putting pressure on Baltimore County farmland Prepared by Advocates for Herring Bay Solar Siting Goal: Use results of our Solar Siting Study to get siting guidance incorporated into state and/or county regulations Fall rulemaking session Phil Vanderheyden, Maryland PSC [email protected] Steve Lafferty, Sustainability Chief, Baltimore County [email protected] Holly Springs Solar Project 18627 Falls Road VPC, North County Community Group, and neighbors opposed this community solar project – Baltimore County Board of Appeals DENIED the project One of 3 site plans submitted and denied Holly Springs Solar Project 18627 Falls Road PowerFactor proposed constructing a groundmounted solar array on two adjacent parcels of 26.39 acres and 6. 12 acres, with an underground connecting cable beneath a forested stream In a unanimous decision, the Baltimore County Board of Appeals found many issues of concern with the proposed solar facility, including: The Board finds the potential impact to the natural resources … is significant and, as such, there is no amount of landscaping or other safeguard which could be imposed as a condition in order to accomplish the purpose of the solar facilities law in this case. • Motion to reconsider was denied • Petitioner has filed appeal to Circuit Court • Property was rezoned in 2020 CZMP Donations needed for VPC legal costs I-83 and Belfast – SHA Lighting I-83 and Belfast – SHA Lighting SHA: Justification for Additional Lighting • Lighting at existing intersections and interchanges is a standard safety feature that should be provided when warranted; • After a complaint from a motorist, a traffic safety study was conducted and found that “lighting at the interchange would be a beneficial safety improvement based on the significant percentage of crashes occurring during nighttime hours” Local Residents’ Review of Accident Data • In the five and a half years of accident data presented by SHA on August 13th, there were no nighttime crashes on the ramps themselves • There were just three nighttime crashes on Belfast Road at the interchange at I-83 I-83 and Belfast – SHA Lighting Data analysis by Matt Johnson Although Belfast is second highest in total ADT and is the only rural intersection on north I-83 with no lighting: • Belfast has second to lowest percentage of nighttime accidents per 1000 volume • Belfast has lowest % of nighttime accidents with injury Next Steps: • SHA re-evaluating and revising plan to minimize lighting/impacts – revised plan in October • Many residents calling for plan to be shelved • VPC and Sparks-Glencoe have requested 106 Review process and consulting party status I-83 and Belfast – SHA Lighting Wendy Wolcott: [email protected] Cedric Ward: [email protected] MDOT 2020 SCHEDULE ANNUAL CONSULTATION MEETING October 1, 2020 – 9 a.m. http://www.mdot.maryland.gov/newMDOT/Planning/CTP/CTP_Tour/Final_CTP_Tour_Fall2020.pdf Broadband Access in Rural Area Informal survey by North County Community Group identified 1900 residents in need of broadband service Broadband Access in Rural Area Baltimore County’s 10-year contract with Comcast is up for renewal • Hope to have an agreement