ECO-City Farm: The First Urban Farm in Prince George’s County

With only 2 years since it’s beginnings, ECO-City Farm, located in Prince George’s County, has seen great success in “growing great food, farms, and farmers.” The non-profit farm is well-known for growing and selling vegetables at the Riverdale Farmers Market, as well as hosting a farming summit, and engaging it’s community through a volunteer program. Interestingly enough, the farm is located specifically in an area where obesity and poverty are a familiar sight and healthy food is difficult to come by. It is exciting to see how these urban farms are sprouting up and succeeding throughout the country. We wonder, what positive ideas may come to fruition in our county in this new year?

Please read this encouraging Washington Informer interview with ECO-City Farm CEO Margaret Morgan-Hubbard here.

112th Audubon Christmas Bird Count

Each year the National Audubon Society gathers experienced and beginner birdwatchers for an annual bird count. This year marks the 112th season of the monitoring of bird health and conservation. Recently Ira Flatow of NPR, hosted a piece about the event on Science Friday. In case you missed it, click here for the link.

There are countless locations for the Christmas Bird Count throughout the country, including right here within the Agricultural Reserve. In fact, because of the variety of habitat, the Hughes Road Polo Fields are one of the most productive parcels of land, year after year, for counting birds. See the list of what was seen in Seneca, MD below, and grab your binoculars to observe for yourselves!

To learn more about the Audubon Christmas Bird Count and find ways to get involved, see their website here.

Global Mission’s ReZoning Quest: Update

Mountain in Fall - Hilary Schwab

Update 2/28/2012:

Despite the efforts of MCA and Frederick County Groups, the Frederick County BOCC has continued to re-zone vast swaths of land for development outside County growth areas as they undo many of the common sense conservation measures of the 2012 Comprehensive Plan. In particular, an area owned by GMC that buffers Little Bennett Creek where the church proposes to build a large bridge to access their very large proposed building has been reverted to its old zoning as the church had requested.
The 2010 Comp Plan changed this land to Resource Conservation (RC) from an Ag designation because of a change in the floodplain. On the 23rd, the current board changed it back to Ag. The board has been inconsistent in overturning RC zoning as it applies to areas in the flood plain and we have to assume it is because they would like to see this proposed building built.

Planning staff has made the point that GMC would be able to put a road and bridge through Little Bennett’s fragile shores under either zoning classification, and yet the BOCC still allowed this change, just as they have overturned almost all the zoning of properties that applied to be re-zoned, regardless of where they lie in relation to growth areas, flood plains, etc.

Next steps include working on the Montgomery County side of the property to find some protection for Little Bennett and remaining vigilant for new site plans from the Church. Montgomery County’s County Executive Ike Leggett should press for the church to seek more appropriate location for a project of this scale.

Help Give Voice to The Sugarloaf Region:

Update: 1/19/2012

MCA delivered testimony at last night’s BOCC hearing. Numerous Frederick County residents spoke to the imporance of the 2010 comprehensive plan and the inequitable nature of the peace-meal rezoning that the BOCC is undertaking.

GMC’s attorney spoke and asked that the Resource Conservation zoning from 2010′s comprehensive plan be removed from the parcel that includes Little Bennett Creek because:

“we believe the areas in question will still have to be protected in the development process just like they would under Resource Conservation.”

We heartily agree- so why are they insisting that Resource Conservation Zoning is “inequitable” and “unfair”?

Update:  1/18/2012

Re:  FC BOCC is now hearing the requests for rezoning 194 parcels that, if granted, will promote greater density of development in areas outside of growth centers- including the Global Mission Mega Church

The FC BOCC is undeterred by law and common sense so – we should write and remind them of both. In addition to information about the public hearings (including tonight’s hearing on the Urbana area requests) FC website says:

NEXT STEPS AND SCHEDULE
Written comments via e-mail or regular mail will continue to be accepted throughout the process. All comments received to date will be forwarded to the Board of Commissioners for their review.

That would mean that everything that we sent to the Planning Commission will be forwarded.  Yet, I think we should err on the side of caution and send our emails  directly to the BOCC.  Note also that staff says that public work sessions will be scheduled for February.  This dates will be made available soon.  MCA staffer Kristina Bostick will present testimony tonight (1/18/2012) on the rezoning process and GMC’s requests specifically.  Scroll down for our partners at Friends of Frederick County’s action alert.  They have been tirelessly working to counter the attacks against the newly minted comprehensive plan and the law.

Your Action – send quick, respectful emails (sample follows) to addresses below:

Email Contact Information:

Blaine R. Young
C. Paul Smith
Billy Shreve
David P. Gray
Kirby Delauter

or

E-Mail All Commissioners

BCC:  info@mocoalliance.org

Sample Email with suggested subject line (please personalize):

Regarding: Global Mission Church (GMC) Requests for Zoning Classification Change (UR 41 – UR 42)
Dear Mr. Gugel and Members of the Frederick County Board of Commissioners,
Thank you for the opportunity to write in support of the current Urbana Area Comprehensive Plan, in general, and in opposition to two zoning classification changes in particular.  I am deeply concerned that GMC now seeks to change the classification of two particularly sensitive parcels along Little Bennett Creek. I respectfully oppose the reclassification of those parcels and ask you to do the same.

After recent and thorough review and public participation, the GMC property has been appropriately zoned in the comprehensive plan for resource conservation:

-The designation properly protects the fragile, yet high quality, Little Bennett watershed and steeply sloped and ecologically diverse forest that lead to the stream.
-The parcels sits atop highly fractured geology that promotes greater probability of surface contamination of critical water resources.
-The area is rich in history, natural resources and is served by a federally designated sole source drinking water aquifer.
-The destruction of these resources would be a detriment to not only Frederick County but to the region.

Thoughtful stewardship of Frederick’s natural and historic resources is the responsibility of its planners and government. Please ensure that our region’s resources are afforded long term protection and deny both requests – UR 41 and UR 42.

Sincerely,

______________________________

Update:  11/18/2011

First, thanks to all who last week wrote in to protect the 2010 Frederick County Comprehensive Plan from assault invited by the FC Board of County Commissioners earlier this year. While a number of us were focused on the Global Mission Church property in our communications, the overall message that this rezoning process is not grounded in law/ fact and violates every principle of sound land planning- resonated. The volume and nature of our communications may have helped give rise to what happened last evening….

Last Thursday’s official hearing at Winchester Hall began and ended rather quickly. Planning Commissioner Catherine Forrence spoke passionately of the cost and inappropriate nature of this reasoning process, being conducted without study or data just one year after the full several year comprehensive zoning process was completed. Bob White’s motion to halt the PC involvement in the process and support the standing 2010 Plan without change passed and the hearing record on the matter was closed.

Nonetheless, the PC did hear comments from those in attendance. Dolores Milmoe spoke on behalf of Audubon, thanking the PC for standing up for proper process. She noted sobering statistics as to the taxpayer cost of new development. MCA spoke and stressed that planning is not a short sighted endeavor and that FC, in their 2010, rightly protected water resources, farmland, and sensitive areas- including Little Bennett. Former PC and BOCC member Kai Hagen calmly gave overview to the exhaustive process that resulted in the 2010 comprehensive plan. A number of FC residents spoke in strong support of their Planning Commission. Several attorneys, whose clients were seeking zoning changes, bluntly shared their unhappiness with the turn of events. No surprise there.

Friends of Frederick County and Envision Frederick are due big thanks for carrying big water on this issue. This has and will be labor and resource intensive. They could use donations to carry on this big war for the future of Frederick County.

We will let you know what happens next. BOCC (minus David Gray, who has repeatedly voiced his dissension) will continue to press forward…but this clearly marks a turning point in their attempt to ram the rezoning through.

A lawsuit has been filed- Gazette Coverage:

http://www.gazette.net/article/20111115/NEWS/711159945/1016/lawsuit-seeks-to-curb-frederick-county-zoning-changes&template=gazette

Frederick News Post Coverage:

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display_Comments.htm?section=a1&storyID=128474#postComments

_____________________________________

Most Important:  Comments via email (see below)

Public Hearing, November 17th, 6pm – Winchester Hall, Church Street, Frederick

Global Mission Church is one of 194 properties in Frederick County seeking  zoning changes in order to facilitate development of their mega facility (138,00 sq. feet 1st phase)  in land planned for conservation of farming and natural resources.  Should these applications be granted – over 15,000 acres of Frederick’s farmland and open space may be lost forever.

Please see the Frederick County website for more on this comprehensive re-zoning and review.  See these good 11/10/11 notes from MCA member Meg Menke. (Thanks Meg!)  See also MCA’s previous post for more on this development proposal and preservationists efforts to prevent the loss of treasured farmland and open space in the shadow of Sugarloaf Mountain and in both Frederick and Montgomery Counties.

What can you do?

sample letter zoning change request (for those of us who are pressed for time!)

Sugarloaf Mountain Speaks!

If you would like to testify contact:  caroline@mocoalliance.org

Help build a strong hearing record: Send comments by November 16th to: jgugel@frederickcountymd.gov
Copy us at:  info@mocoalliance.org

Suggested Talking Points:

-The Global Mission property has been appropriately zoned for resource conservation.
-The designation properly protects the fragile Little Bennett watershed and steeply sloped and ecologically diverse forest that lead to the stream.
-The area is rich in history, natural resources and is served by a sole source drinking water aquifer.
-The destruction of the resources would be a detriment to the region.
-Thoughtful stewardship of Frederick’s natural and historic resources are the responsibility of its planners and government.

Planning Manager Jim Gugel, Department of Planning and Development Review writes us in response to our inquiry that:

The upcoming  hearings in November are before the County Planning Commission.  The Commission will then have public work sessions in December to make any recommendations on the requests.  The Board of County Commissioners will have their own hearings and work sessions in the January/February time frame.

Please be aware that the hearing on the 17^th is specifically for the Urbana region requests.  A speaker sign up sheet will be available at 5 pm and the hearing starts at 6 pm.  Speakers are allowed 3 minutes though at the Commission’s discretion organizations may be allowed 10 minutes.

Comments may be mailed or e-mailed to me.  All comments will be provided to the Planning Commission for their December work sessions.

Jim Gugel, AICP

Planning Manager, Department of Planning and Development Review

Frederick County Community Development Division

jgugel@frederickcountymd.gov

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