Community Corner
Broadneck Council of Communities Meeting Focuses on Rezoning
Bakery at Brown's Woods and St. Margaret's Road could be affected if rezoning request is approved.
The Broadneck Council of Communities held its recent meeting last week, with the top agenda item focused on the current 49 rezoning applications before the County Office of Planning and Zoning.
During this meeting, the BCC and community leaders and members from the Brown’s Woods and St. Margaret's neighborhoods discussed strategy for presenting opposition to the requested rezoning application for a commercial C-1 status from the R-1 current status of the building housing the currently rented from the owner at the junction of St. Margaret’s Road and Brown’s Woods Road.
The owner of the property, who lives outside the country, wants to have the property rezoned for commercial use. There was discussion that the owner intends to open a liquor store where the bakery is currently located, and commercialize the house behind it.
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The BCC and community members want to do what they can to “protect” the bakery operator who is now left wondering what the future holds for his business.
Meeting participants were also concerned that a liquor store, or other heavy commercial business, will cause additional traffic in the rural area, and create an even more dangerous intersection. Others voiced concerns about loitering, littering, and increases in other types of crime in the area.
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The BCC also cited environmental concerns about further development at this location. While it does not seem to be in a designated “critical area,” the location is subject to extensive flooding during heavy downpours. Some meeting participants voiced worries after observing that the house behind the bakery seems to be “sinking.”
Further, the BCC members noted that many of the 49 County re-zoning applications are not in compliance with the County’s General Development Plan, or the Small Area Plan.
The BCC is planning additional meetings with the community potentially affected by rezoning applications on the Broadneck Peninsula, as well as County Planning and Zoning officials and County Councilman Dick Ladd who represents the Broadneck area. Check Broadneck Patch regularly for future meeting information.