Charles Village Civic Association, Baltimore, Maryland

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CVCA Safety, Traffic, & Land Use Committees: Description

The Satefy Committee, currently chaired by Sharon Guida, meets as needed with Northern District Neighborhood Services Officers and CVCBD Community Safety Coordinator, LaTonya Brooks, to address crime prevention and law enforcement issues in Charles Village; attends the Northern District’s Community Council at 2201 W. Coldspring Lane (just west of 83) held on the 3rd Wednesday of each month; coordinates community participation in National Night Out vs Crime on the first Tuesday of August in each year; handles community complaints and hands out Northern District’s Crime Watch applications; coordinates with CVCBD, JHU, Northern District Police, and Union Memorial Hospital to maintain Neighborhood Walkers on Patrol Program; administering $3,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention for “Light Up the Night” project to improve lighting in targeted areas of Charles Village.

CVCA Committee Meeting Dates (as of Oct. 15)

For the Archive of 25th Street Development Issues and Documents (May 2013 and earlier), click here.

Fall 2014 Updates



CVCA's National Night Out on August 5 a Big Success!

Big thanks to all who came out for the CVCA's NNO celebration -- big crowd! Great thanks for generous donations of food and drink to St. Mary's Restaurant, Tambers, Meet27, American Wings & Pizza, YUM's Asian Bistro, Insomnia Cookies, Parts & Labor, CVCBD.

Special thanks to many CVCA Board volunteers: Sharon Guida & John Henderson for organizing the event. Reggie Parker for coordinating lots of food and drink donations. John Spurrier for DJing. Sandy Sparks & Jennifer Erickson with community volunteers for managing the abundant flow of food and drinks throughout the evening. John Fink & Carlo Carlini for grilling all evening.

Big thanks to SS Philip & James and Dee Dee Clark for using the beautiful St. Patrick’s Garden for the event. CVCBD for supplemental Sanitation & Patrol support. Northern District Police Officers for continuing support of this annual event.


Fall 2013 Updates

25th Street Development

25th Street Station PUD, November 2013
25th Street Station Retail Wish List, 2011
25th Street Station Minutes October 2013
25th Street Station Slide SHow of Proposed Construction October 2013


"3rd Reader of the PUD legislation, as approved by City Council on 11/22/2010 and signed by the Mayor on 11/24/2010"

Third Reading of 25th Street Station PUD


Proposed Amendments presented by developer on 10/10/2013 for review and comment by UDARP based on comments received from UDARP on 9/26/2013 (See minutes from 9/26/2013 UDARP hearing) and the Community Meeting on 10/7/2013. Send comments to guidahome@comcast.net no later than 10/31/2013 .

There will be another Community Meeting on Thursday, October 24, 2013 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the St. Phillip and James Catholic Church located at 2801 N. Charles Street. to review the most current set of Plan revisions available to us at that time. The CVCA will present formal comments to the Developer and to the Planning Commission on or before November 4, 2013 ".

Expansion of Purple Line of Charm City Circulator from Penn Station to University Parkway

From: CVCA Traffic Calming/Pedestrian Safety Committee

On September 18, 2013 Barry Robinson, Chief , Transit and Marine Services for Baltimore City Department of Transportation updated us on the timeline for the expansion, presented maps showing the route and proposed stops (see attached route map), and explained the process for community input on the expansion. More posters, drawings, and information will be available at the CVCA Annual Meeting on Wednesday September 25 at 7 p.m. at SS Philip and James Church basement at 2801 N Charles and at future committee meetings.

The expansion will not begin until Charles Street reconstruction is completed which is projected to be by the fall of 2014 (although Charles Street will be open for full traffic in Mar 2014. ) The expansion will begin operation in Fall 2014. The Fiscal Year 2014 did not contain funding for the expansion to happen this year. We have been promised that the Purple Line expansion will be in the City budget for FY 2015.

13 new stops are being proposed, 7 going north, 6 going south, and were chosen because of their access to Points of Interest to tourists and travelers. ... View more DOT will maintain a 10 minute headway between stops. The Purple Line currently runs from Penn Station to Federal Hill.

The hours of operation will be the same on the expanded Purple Line as they are now, which include Sunday hours.

Barry Robinson is seeking input about the proposed stops, where the benches and shelters should be located, and on revisions to the marketing brochure to describe Charles Village Points of Interest. The Traffic Calming/Pedestrian Safety Committee of the Charles Village Civic Association will be leading the collection of this information for delivery to the DOT in writing and follow up with the answers. DOT reps will meet again with the Committee to collect community input and to answer questions as they arise. Please send your comments, suggestions, and questions to the CVCA Traffic Calming Committee c/o guidahome@comcast.net. At the next committee meeting we will review comments ... View more and suggestions received, and discuss in more detail with DOT the proposed stops, the promotional materials and the signage they plan to accompany the new route. We have some time but it is nice to be started. CVCA will notify the community of the date and times of those meetings. If you would like to join the CVCA Traffic Calming/Pedestrian Safety Committee, please contact guidahome@comcast.net to express your interest.

June 2013 Updates



May 2013 Updates


VCA Traffic Calming Committee Update

The Traffic Calming/Pedestrian Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 21 at 6:30 pm was devoted to the introduction of a proposal to install a bike lane on Maryland Avenue from 29th Street to Mount Royal Avenue with Nate Evans of the Dept of Transportation and Chris Merriam of Bikemore Baltimore making the presentation. It will be held at Miller's Court Conference Room 2601 North Howard Street (enter at Northwest side of building). Anyone interested in joining the Traffic Calming Committee and attending this meeting should contact Sharon L. Guida at guidahome@comcast.net .

The committee summarized the presentation at the CVCA General Membership meeting on May 29 at 7 pm at Sts Philip and James Church Basement, 2801 N Charles Street.

February 2013 Updates



January 2011 Update


If you are interested in participating in the Charles Villege Residents Track Court Cases project, please contact Sharon L. Guida at SLG2700@cs.com. The application has to be filed by January 15, 2011.

December 2010 Update

JHU NEIGHBORHOOD FUND GRANT: The CVCA Safety Committee will be applying for additional grant money to fund its LIGHT UP THE NIGHT project to encourage more homeowners to install and maintain adequate exterior lighting in both the fronts and backs of their properties. If you are interested in participating in this project, please contact Sharon L. Guida at SLG2700@cs.com. The application has to be filed by January 15, 2011.

National Night Out a Big Success

in Charles Village

On August 3, 2010, Charles Villagers gathered on Maryland Avenue to mark the 27th annual National Night Out Against Crime. The program, sposored by the National Association of Town Watch, has recruited more than 36 million people to participate in the event, with an aim to

  • Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness;
  • Generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime programs;
  • Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships; and
  • Send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

Sharon Guida, chair of the CVCA's safety committee, made two important points: "We need to take this opportunity to remind residents about Neighborhood Walkers on Patrol and how eyes and ears on the street can prevent crime. They need to pay attention to crime prevention efforts 24-7 and not just when an incident occurs. Residents can be of assistance by joining walker groups....

"We also need to remind residents that the Police have told us to be vigilant as we walk at night so that at we can avoid suspicious persons before they get too near to us to avoid. We have been told on numerous occasions not to talk on the cellphone as we walk and not to have earphones on listening to music. We should be ever aware of our surroundings and stop into one of the local establishments if we see suspicious persons following us. Criminals look for the most vulnerable to attack."

Governor O'Malley stopped by to take with Villagers and show his support. Spirits were high and turn-out was healthy. For a schedule of neighborhood walkers, click here.

 

Safety Summit Gives Charles Villagers Focus

On August7, 2010, Charles Villagers gathered in the basement of the University Baptist Church for a "Safety Summit" to address concerns in the wake of Hopkins researcher Stephen Pitcaim's murder in July. More than 70 attendees showed up, representing all stakeholders -- from the mayor's office to the Northern district police. David Hill, director of the Charles Village Community Benefits District (CVCBD), and Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke organized the meeting. The CVCBD hired Odette Ramos to conduct the session with an aim to organize concerns and suggestions in the most constructive manner.

Among the suggestions offered were a need for more neighborhood walkers, better lighting on streets and sidewalks, and more police foot patrols. Some suggested that the CVCBD's budget be relegated wholly or mostly to safety. Others noted that this had been tried already. It seemed that most agreed that no single organization or entity could do it all. And most agreed that everyone should be open to discussing the possibilities. Ms. Ramos promised to circulate the list of ideas and Councilwoman Clarke has promised follow-up.

 

25th Street Station Development Archive and Newsheet

from Sharon Guida, chair,
CVCA Land Use Committee and Traffic Calming Committee.

May 2013 Update


On May 16, 2013 Bruce Mortimer, the owner of most of the properties that make up the 25th Street Station PUD, invited reps from Charles Village, Old Goucher, and Remington to a meeting to update us about that development. Matthew Compton, Reggie Parker and I were there to represent the CVCA Land Use Committee.

In March 2013, Bruce told us that he had terminated his agreement with the developer, Rick Walker and WV Developers, for 25th Street Station project in October 2012 and that he had filed suit to have the contract declared terminated because the developer was disputing Bruce’s interpretation and considered the contract still active. Bruce said he was looking for other developers and would let us know when he had made other plans.

Bruce has now signed an agreement with Seawall Development, the developer behind Miller's Court at 2601 N Howard Street, Miller’s Square in Hampden, and the forthcoming theater/restaurant/butcher at 2600 N Howard Street. Instead of only redeveloping his properties south of 25th Street, Bruce will also sell to Seawall two properties: the old Honda Service Center at 2607 N Howard and the body shop at Remington and 29th Street. There are two other properties at 24th and Sisson which are owned by a 3rd party, who may still be in contract with the original developer, and which are included in the 25th Street Station PUD. Seawall plans to purchase those two parcels as well. Bruce's one condition under this expanded redevelopment is that he wants to continue to operate a body shop, although it could be anywhere in the redevelopment. He would lease the property from Seawall, not own it.

Seawall has only been discussing this new arrangement with Bruce for a short time and plans to spend a lot of time in the next two weeks gathering information. When the litigation with the current developer is concluded, Seawall will begin regular meetings with the community to discuss its plans and to obtain more community input. They will consider having a special website dedicated to collecting resident comments. Once that process is completed, Seawall will know whether to amend the PUD, apply for change in current zoning by City Council Bill, or to request a change in the Comprehensive Rezoning Map and Ordinance currently before the City Council. The 25th Street Station PUD remains in effect until amended or terminated by City Council.

Since Seawall has really only just started, all they could tell us was that they intend to create some mix of residential, retail and office uses, and do a combination of rehabilitation and new construction. They asked me to provide them with a copy of the current developer’s agreement, the traffic calming matrix, and our retail “wish list” so that they could review those documents to get up to speed on what the community has invested its time in over the last 3 ˝ years. Seawall plans to reach out through its contacts and to hire a Realtor to locate prospective retail tenants for the 25th Street Station. I will circulate that retail “wish list” with Patty’s next CVCA email update so to solicit comments from the broader community, and report back to you before delivering it.

December 2012 update:

Development plans have been on hold while litigation (in opposition to the development) continues. The two Court of Special Appeals cases were heard in January 2012 and decided in March 2012 in favor of the City and The Developer. Both Armstrong/Hicks and Benn Ray/Coyne filed petitions for Writ of Certiorari in the Court of Appeals in April and the orders denying one and granting the other were received last week. very likely, it caught the City and the Developer by surprise when the Court of Appeals granted Cert on the Benn Ray/Coyne case. Therfore, rather than being able to move forward to the next phase of the development, the Developer must now wait until the Court of Appeals case is decided. The hearing was set for October and it will take at least 2 months for the Court to render is decision and written opinion, which brings us into 2013.

December 2010 updates:

25TH STREET STATION JOB OPPORTUNITIES: There will be a job fair open to all city residents hosted by Councilwoman Belinda Conaway and the Mayor's Office of Employment Development on January 13, 2011 at a location to be announced. Residents of Charles Village (including Abell, Harwood, Old Goucher, and Barclay) and Remington will be permitted to enter early from 8:30 to 10 a.m. It is important that residents of Charles Village who are interested in pursuing jobs complete the MOED survey which can be found at links below. This must be mailed to MOED as soon as possible. MOED has services to provide to improve a job candidate's job readiness.:

  • Employment Survey Application (MOED)
  • Employment Survey Application Explained
  • Employment Opportunities Plan

    • 25TH STATION PUD DESIGN COMMITTEE: The City Council approved the PUD on November 24, 2010 and that ordinance becomes final in 30 days. The Development Team has presented to the Community Reps a revised signage plan and final design plans in advance of the hearing before the Planning Commission on December 16, when the final design plan will be approved. The Community Reps are reviewing the signage plan and latest design for comment and it can be found here -- Signage Plan -- for your review and comment. Please send those comments to Matthew Compton at compton.m@gmail.com.

    Traffic Calming note: Although the CVCA Traffic Calming Committee had made a deal with the DOT to remove the Rush Hour Restrictions on Howard Street from 25th to 29th by the completion of the 25th Street Station Project in December of 2012, Frank Murphy of the DOT has agreed to explore the possibility of removing them sooner in light of this new discussion about St. Paul Street. See traffic calming page (tab on the right) for more.

     

     

    From the CVCA Land Use and
    Traffic Calming Committees, Nov. 20, 2010

    Dear Charles Village Residents:

    By email and by unidentified robocalls, a recent torrent
    of misinformation designed to create a groundswell of
    opposition to the 25th Street Station PUD has been
    circulating. The Charles Village Civic Association's
    Land Use and Traffic Calming Committees would like
    you to know the following:

    1. CVCA volunteers have met with the Department of
    Transportation and the Developer on more than 12 occasions
    over a 10-month period to negotiate more than 54 traffic-
    calming and pedestrian-safety measures, including noise and
    light issues, to alleviate the negative impact on residential
    areas of the increased traffic that this development will
    bring. The Developer has agreed to pay a total of $260,000
    toward these improvements. Those agreements and details
    can be found below -- on this page. There is no factual
    basis for recent hysterical claims that the Project "will
    create traffic nightmares" or"wil lcost taxpayers MORE
    MONEY for traffic mitigation and other city and state services."

    2. The location of the 25th Street Station PUD spans the area
    between Maryland Avenue and Huntingdon/Sisson Street
    between 24th Street and 25th Street, and is partially in
    Remington and partially in Charles Village, specifically in
    the historic neighborhood of Old Goucher. Since late
    November 2009, the CVCA has worked in partnership with
    the Greater Remington Improvement Association and the Old Goucher Community Association to evaluate negative and
    positive impacts of the proposed project and to negotiate improvements.

    3. When it files a proper request with the Maryland
    Department of the Environment to be so approved, the 25th
    Street Station PUD will be compliant with all State storm
    water laws effective at the time the Developer began its
    planning two years ago, pursuant to a regulation that
    permits such grandfathering" of projects. It is inaccurate for
    any one to claim that the Project is "NOT compliant with
    current MD Stormwater laws."

    4. The Developer intends to apply for an Enterprise Zone Tax
    Credit to which it is entitled to do because the Project Area is
    in an Enterprise Tax Zone which includes Howard Street from 25th Street to 28th Street. Because any owner of business property is permitted to apply for the same tax credit in the same Enterprise Zone, this tax credit is not peculiar to the 25th Street Station PUD. The Enterprise Zone Tax Credit allows the developer/owner to pay Property Tax based upon the most recent assessment that applied to Anderson Automotive until the construction is completed, to pay additional property taxes on 20% of the increased assessment caused by the completion of the improvements for a period of 5 years after that, and for the next 5 years to pay an additional 10% each year.

    At the end of 10 years, the Developer/Owner will pay
    property taxes on 100% of the assessment on the land and improvements. Therefore, any claim that the "developer is getting HUGE tax breaks" is inaccurate to the extent the claim suggests that this developer is receiving special treatment at the expense of the city taxpayer. Furthermore, as a result of negotiations in which CVCA volunteers participated, the Developer/ owner of the 25th Street Station PUD Project has agreed not to apply the Enterprise Tax Credit to the benefits district surcharge that would otherwise be due to the Charles Village Community Benefits District, Management Authority, from the Project Property. For more information about how Enterprise Zone Tax Credits work go to the Maryland Department of Busines and Economic Development

    5. Our Councilpersons, Mary Pat Clarke, Belinda Conaway,
    and Carl Stokes have met tirelessly with residents in the
    community, and with special interests who oppose the
    development. If they conclude, as we hope they do, that the
    potentially positive impact of the 25th Street Station PUD
    clearly outweighs the potentially negative impact, it will be
    due, in large part, to the work they and the CVCA, GRIA and
    OGCA volunteers have done, and will continue to do, to limit
    the negatives on behalf of Charles Village, Old Goucher, and Remington residents and small businesses. Any claims to the contrary are erroneous and/or disingenuous.

    Jennifer Erickson, President, Charles Village Civic Association, Inc.

    5th Street Station Development Update, 11/2010:
    from Sharon Guida, chair, CVCA Land Use Committee.


    Pertinent Documents

    The Charles Village Civic Association, in partnership with the the Greater Remington Improvement Association (“GRIA”), and the Old Goucher Community Association (“OGCA”) have been working throughout the design process of the proposed 25th Street Station to ensure that this major development is an asset to all the surrounding neighborhoods.

    In late 2009, the development team convened a Task Force with representatives from all of the impacted community associations, including representatives from CVCA, GRIA, and OGCA, as well as the recently-formed Old Fawcett Community Association. The CVCA Land Use Committee was represented by three members with professional experience in the field of architecture, Matthew Compton, Alexandra Hoffman and Sandra Sparks, who attended numerous meetings of a Task Force to proactively incorporate community comments throughout the development’s design process.

    The Task Force allowed for an interactive design process between the development team and the impacted communities, providing us with the opportunity to have substantial input before Councilwoman Conaway’s introduction of the project’s enabling Planned Unit Development legislation on April 19, 2010. Throughout the Task Force, CVCA representatives worked collaboratively with our counterparts at GRIA and OGCA, allowing us to make a strong stand on those issues of concern for the General Membership of all three organizations. The contribution of the CVCA and our partners has been beneficial to the project’s design, improving how the project relates to the adjacent communities, both architecturally and in plan.

    Concurrent with the intensive Task Force process, the CVCA Land Use Committee made regular reports on the project’s status and their ongoing work, soliciting input from the General Membership in order to provide direction for the input of the Charles Village Task Force Representatives’ efforts. A further opportunity for input from the General Membership, as well as a direct a question and answer session with the development tam, was provided at a presentation by the developer at the March 24, 2010 CVCA General Membership Meeting.

    After collating the broad community feedback received from the General Membership, CVCA, GRIA, and OGCA spoke in a unified voice throughout the Task Force process, submitting joint comments to the developer after lengthy collaboration. This cooperative relationship culminated in a Joint Statement that was submitted to the Planning Commission at their August 5, 2010 hearing for Final Site Plan Approval for the Planned Unit Development legislation required to enable the development. The Joint Statement provided support for the development site plan conditioned upon the following outstanding design issues being addressed:

    1. Activate the Maryland Avenue frontage with strengthened pedestrian access from this direction in order to improve the front of the development to the Maryland Avenue neighborhood 2. Remove bike lanes and reverse angle parking on 25th and Huntington to address safety concerns 3. Streetscape both sides of all streets bordering the project to ensure a unified appearance with the surrounding neighborhoods 4. Bring the building proposed at the southwest corner of Howard and 25th Street to the corner in keeping with the traditional urban fabric and reinforcing the pedestrian environment 5. Develop the entire project in one phase

    A hearing was held before the City Council’s Land Use Committee on September 15, 2010 and continued to September 28, 2010 at which CVCA, GRIA and OGCA submitted a second Joint Statement which repeated all of the above conditions to support except #2 which had been resolved with the Department of Transportation. The City Council’s Land Use Committee voted to approve the first stage of the PUD design process.

    Since then, a revised design scheme presented to the Baltimore City Department of Planning’s Urban Design and Architectural Review Panel incorporates many of these requests made in the Joint Statement, including the further articulation of the Maryland Avenue façade with the potential for storefronts or secondary entrances and the revision of the site plan to relocate the building at Howard and 25th Street to the corner with the elimination of one of the proposed drive-through facilities. Minutes of the UDARP meetings can be found on www.charlesvillage.net. Another meeting is scheduled for October 28, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Department of Planning downtown. The CVCA reps will meet with the Developer’s Project Team on November 10, 2010 at 6 p.m. at the Department of Planning.

    While we continue to work with the development team to address all of the design concerns included in the Joint Statement, the cooperation of the CVCA, GRIA, and OGCA must be credited with our success in achieving these concessions from the developer that have contributed greatly to the improvements of the design for the proposed development. We look forward to continuing this relationship as we move into the Final Design Approval for the Planned Unit Development, including issues such as architectural detailing, materials, signage and the final landscape plan.

    To learn more or to stay informed about the 25th Street Station development, please see our periodic updates available on the Charles Village Website (http://charlesvillage.net/honda.php) or contact the CVCA Land Use Committee Members and Task Force representatives Matthew Compton, Alexandra Hoffman and Sandra Sparks, or the CVCA Land Use Committee Chair, Sharon Guida. Please send your outstanding comments and concerns regarding the design of the 25th Street Station Planned Unit Development to Matthew Compton at: compton.m@gmail.com. Thank you to the many dedicated community members who have worked hard ensure that our community’s voice is heard throughout this involved design review process.

    25th Street Station Development Update, 8/2010:
    from Sharon Guida, chair, CVCA Land Use Committee.

    The "joint statement from neighborhood associations" is the most recent document that articulates the CVCA's stance on the 25th Street Station project.

    Pertinent Documents

    25th Street Station (Anderson Honda) Development Update, 5/19/2010:
    from Sharon Guida, chair, CVCA Land Use Committee

    After careful consideration of all community comments both at the March 24th general membership meeting and those submitted via e-mail the CVCA Land Use Committee’s three designated representatives to the Anderson Redevelopment Project working group, Matthew Compton, Alexandra Hoffman, and Sandy Sparks, worked closely with the representatives from Old Goucher Community Association, and Greater Remington Improvement Association to formulate a joint response to the Planned Unit Development (PUD) legislation introduced by Councilwoman Belinda Conaway on April 19th, a copy of which is attached. Also attached is a letter which was recommended by the Land Use Committee on April 29, 2010 and approved by the Board on May 3, 2010. in order to make Councilwoman Conway aware of our outstanding concerns regarding her legislation and the Master Plan.

    While the Planned Unit Development (PUD) process allows for significant input into site design, PUD and Master Plan does not address concerns regarding proposed operators and their wage rates and hiring practices, as well as broader workforce development issues. The CVCA’s Land Use Committee has formed a separate working group with representatives of Old Goucher, and Greater Remington to pursue a Community Benefits Agreement to address these concerns, with a preliminary draft forthcoming. The CVCA representatives are Shaun Carrick, Brian Owens, Reggie Parker and Wanda Holmes.

    Due to the number of questions regarding employment opportunities and the impact of the proposed big box retailers on the surrounding community, the CVCA has arranged for corporate representatives of Wal-Mart to answer questions at the upcoming May 26th CVCA General membership meeting. Another ongoing component of the CVCA’s review of the proposed Anderson Redevelopment Project includes the forthcoming Traffic Impact Study commissioned by the Department of Transportation at the developer’s expense which will be presented to representatives of the CVCA’s Traffic Calming Committee and the three designated representatives to the project working group on May 25th. A copy of the Traffic Impact Study will be posted on this website once it is received.

    A final position on the PUD legislation which enables the Anderson Redevelopment Project is still forthcoming, so please send your outstanding comments and concerns to Matthew Compton at: compton.m@gmail.com.

    All of your comments and concerns will be carefully considered by the Land Use Committee before any recommendations to the Board are made.

    Pertinent Documents


    25th Street Station (Anderson Honda) Development Update, 3/26/10:
    from Sharon Guida, chair, CVCA Land Use Committee,


    I hope you were able to attend the presentation of the proposed development known as “25th Street Station” at the March 24th, 2010 General Membership Meeting.  In addition to the presentation of updated schematic architectural renderings, community members had an opportunity to ask questions of the development team.  Highlights of the question and answer session include:

    Q: How can we ensure that the employment opportunities generate by this development go to area residents?  Will these be union jobs?  Will the jobs provided by Wal-Mart be high quality employment opportunities?

    A: The development team is working with the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and established employment development programs of the anchor tenants (Wal-Mart and Lowe’s) to engage area residents in job training and job placement programs.  The development team’s stated goal is for 85% of the jobs associated with this development to go to area residents and would like to a subcommittee of community representatives to work on this issue.  The decision regarding unionized labor will be made by the respective retailers.  Regarding the jobs provided by the Wal-Mart in particular 80% are full time positions and the compensation is 20% above the area’s living wage.

    Q: How much of the retail space will go to local businesses or non-profits and how will this impact local business districts?

    A: The development team anticipates that approximately 10% of the total retail will be local businesses.  Since many Baltimore City residents currently go to the county to shop at retailers such as Wal-Mart and Lowe’s currently, the development team believes that creating a “big box” retail destination in the city will support local businesses in the area.

    Q: Will affordable housing be provided?

    A: The development team will be complying with the Baltimore City Inclussionary Housing requirements.

    Q: What elements of green design will be featured in the proposed development?  What improvements to the streets can we expect as part of this development?

    A: The proposed Wal-Mart will feature a green roof covering approximately half of the building and day lighting through the use of sky lights.  The project is required to meet the Baltimore City Green Building Requirements of a LEED Silver certification or its equivalent.  The development includes the installation of street trees and pedestrian scale lighting along the perimeter of the site for a total net gain of 179 trees.  The site will also feature micro bio retention rain gardens.

    Q: Why is a Wal-Mart proposed instead of the grocery store that was originally discussed?
    A: The development team met with representatives from both the Shoppers and the Shop Rite grocery stores and was unable to attract these businesses to the area.  Forty percent of the 90,000sf proposed Wal-Mart will meet the grocery need within the community at competitive prices.

    Q: What assurances does the community have regarding commitments by the development team once the project is approved?

    A: The development will require a Planned Unit Development (PUD) which is essentially a master plan for the proposed development that would be adopted by City Council as law.  Any changes to the PUD would require a public hearing process.

    Q: Is the inclusion of Wal-Mart a “done deal”?

    A: No other tenants are in consideration for the large box above Lowe’s.

    Due to the number of questions regarding employment opportunities and impact of the proposed retailer Wal-Mart on the surrounding community, the CVCA will arrange for corporate representatives of Wal-Mart to present at an upcoming meeting of the CVCA to address these concerns directly.  However, it should be noted that while the Planned Unit Development (PUD) process allows for significant input into site design, the master plan adopted by the City Council would identify only land uses rather than particular retailers.  Therefore the focus of the Land Use Committee’s review continues to be site design and traffic concerns associated with the proposed development at this time. 

    Despite concerns and questions about the mix of retailers that may end up in the final development, the Land Use Committee’s continued involvement in reviewing and responding to the proposed master plan is important to ensure that no matter which retailers eventually occupy the tenant spaces, the design is one that most benefits the community in the long term.  These design elements include not only the physical appearance of the buildings, but also the vehicular, pedestrian, and service traffic, the project’s sustainability (both ecologically and financially), and safety issues, amongst others. The CVCA Traffic Calming Committee has been working with the Baltimore City Department of Transportation to institute some long awaited traffic calming measures in connection with the proposed development and surrounding areas.

    The Land Use Committee is considering alternative means to address issues raised by the community that are not enforceable in a PUD.  These issues include wage rates, hiring practices, and workforce development, none of which are traditionally part of a master planning effort.  Community representatives have been involved in meetings with the Greater Homewood Community Corporation and the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development and are evaluating the best options available to address these additional community concerns (e.g. Community Benefits Agreement, etc).  The Land Use Committee will be making a recommendation to the Board at its April 21st Meeting regarding the most effective approach to take.

    There continue to be a number of opportunities for community input on the proposed development through the PUD process. Although the PUD legislation has not been introduced at this time, introduction by Councilwoman Belinda Conaway is anticipated by the development team in April.  The process associated with the adoption of a PUD by City Council includes review by the Urban Design and Architectural Review Panel, the Planning Commission, the Land Use and Transportation Committee of City Council and the full City Council.  Each of these hearings provides the opportunity for community participation.

    The CVCA Land Use Committee’s three designated representatives to the project working group are Matthew Compton, Alexandra Hoffman, and Sandy Sparks, who are directing community input to the development team and coordinating with the representatives from Old Goucher, Charles Village, and Greater Remington to determine a common strategy for responding to the proposal. While a recommendation to the Board is still forthcoming, a full report will be made to the membership once a recommendation to the Board has been made.

    Please send your comments and concerns to Matthew Compton at: compton.m@gmail.com

    All of your comments and concerns will be carefully considered by the Land Use Committee before any recommendations to the Board are made.

    The following documents pertain to the issues discussed. The Charles Village Civic Association offers them here as a courtesy to the neighborhood. The CVCA has yet to take a position on the development project:



    Anderson Honda Site Development Update, 2/26/10:
    from Sharon Guida, chair, CVCA Land Use Committee,

    By now, many of you have probably read in the newspapers that additional information regarding the proposed redevelopment of the Anderson site was presented by the developer at a February 23rd meeting of the project's working group which includes three representatives of the CVCA. The second iteration of schematic drawings provided by the Developer will be posted to the CVCA website shortly. These drawings, while substantially similar to the first iteration shown at the CVCA's December 2nd, 2009 General Membership Meeting, include the following changes which should be highlighted:


    • The number of residences has been increased from approximately 50 to 90 (dependent on the unit mix)

    • In order to accommodate circulation on the site, the church building on 24th Street cannot be retained in its current location. However, the development team proposes to reconstruct one wall reusing the historic materials as part of the garden center

    • A one-story retail building is proposed along Huntington Avenue that would be accessible both from the street and the parking lot, shielding the view of parking from Huntington, activating the street frontage and providing commercial space that is an opportunity for small businesses

    • The "medium box" retail and parking on east block of development site have been reconfigured such that structured parking no longer fronts on 24th and Maryland, but in order to accommodate parking above the "medium box" stores a large exposed vehicular ramp is proposed along the Howard Street frontage

    • The loading dock on east block along 24th Street has been enclosed and window articulations added

    The developer also provided additional information regarding the grocery tenant proposed above the Lowe's home improvement store, which has now been named as a 96,000sf Wal-Mart Superstore. While the developer had attempted to retain a grocery tenant, they were unable to do so, but they believe that a smaller scale Wal-Mart Superstore will be able to meet the immediate need for a grocery store.

    Please be aware that there continue to be a number of opportunities for community input on the proposed development. The CVCA Land Use Committee has designated three representatives to the project working group (which includes Old Goucher, Charles Village, and Greater Remington), Matthew Compton, Alexandra Hoffman, and Sandy Sparks, who are working to channel community input directly to the development team.

    They continue to coordinate with the representatives from other community associations to determine a common strategy for responding to this new proposal, with the entire range of options to be explored. Matthew, Alex and Sandy will report to the CVCA Land Use Committee on Tuesday, March 2 with a full report and recommendation to the Board forthcoming shortly thereafter. A full report will be made to the membership once a recommendation to the Board has been made.

    The proposed development requires the introduction of legislation to City Council in the form of a Planned Unit Development ("PUD") which must be approved before the development can proceed. We have had a preliminary meeting with Councilwoman Belinda Conaway, who is expected to be the one who would introduce any such legislation, and continue to keep her abreast of our community's concerns. The legislative process affords the community many opportunities to voice their opinion and positively impact the development, so please make sure you have weighed in on this significant development proposal.

    Please send your comments and concerns to Matthew Compton at: compton.m@gmail.com

    All of your comments and concerns will be carefully considered by the Land Use Committee before any recommendations to the Board are made.

    Anderson Honda Site Development Update, 1/2010:
    from Sharon Guida, chair, CVCA Land Use Committee,

    The Charles Village Civic Association is actively participating in the development review process for the Anderson Redevelopment Project. Since early December 2009, representatives of the Charles Village Civic Association Land Use Committee, Matthew Compton, Alexandra Hoffman, and Sandy Sparks, have attended several meetings held by the Developer, reviewed the Developer's initial plans, and attended several meetings held by various City agencies. Additionally, the Committee's activities have included the following:

    Collecting and reviewing suggestions, comments, and concerns about the project from residents and local businesses,

    Meeting with the Land Use Committees of the Greater Remington Improvement Association and the Old Goucher Community Association, and with Councilwoman Belinda Conaway, to coordinate the process for communicating with the Developer and clarify the legislative process, and

    Reviewing information about the Developer's past urban development commercial projects in other states and the District of Columbia and Lowe's corporate policies and history in other urban locations.

    In mid-January 2010, the Committee submitted an initial list of suggestions to the Developer for inclusion in its second draft of development plans, which are expected to be completed soon. When the second draft of the plans are completed, the Developer will meet with The Committee and representatives from the other impacted neighborhoods to review the revised plans. At that time, the Committee will call a community meeting to review the revised plans and to solicit suggestions, comments and concerns. The Committee will continue to meet with the Developer and various City agencies for as many drafts as are needed. The CVCA will not take a formal position on the development until the Planned Unit Development legislation has been introduced to the City Council. Please direct any requests for additional information or comments on the Anderson Redevelopment Project to Matthew Compton at compton.m@gmail.com.

    Plans to Re-Develop the Anderson Honda Site:

    On 11/18/09 3 members of the CVCA's Land Use Committee, Sandy Sparks, Alex Hoffman, and Sharon Guida (Land Use Chair) attended an invitation-only presentation at The Anderson GM Showroom by Developer, WV Urban Developments LLC (Rick Walker and Lawrence Cager); Architect, KANN Partners (Donald Kann and Shaw Rahman); Engineers/Planners, STV Incorporated (Anthony J. Corteal, Jr. Susan Williams, Jennifer Leonard, Donald Sternat); Financial Consultant, Resznick Group (Ira Weinstein); and, Attorney Jon Laria of Ballard Spahr LLP.  Our city council representatives, Belinda Conaway, Mary Pat Clarke, and Jack Young were also in attendance.

    The Developer has scheduled a Community Walkthrough for Saturday, December 5, 2009 between 10-12 a.m. and has invited any interested members of the community to attend that presentation.  Location: Anderson GM showroom at Howard and 25th where the development team will present initial plans for the site and include time for community questions and input.  In addition, the development team expects to take a walking tour of the site and neighborhood.  This is the community's opportunity to see preliminary plans for the project and provide input at an early stage.  

    The proposed plan is to convert the use of the 11 acre site bounded by 25th Street/Huntington Avenue on the North, Maryland Avenue on the East, the CSX tracks on the West, and 24th Street on the South to an urban mixed-use complex that is compatible with the scale and character of the surrounding neighborhoods and that takes advantage of the unusual topography of the site, permitting multilevel construction.  The proposed uses are Lowe's Home Center (first in Baltimore City), a full-service supermarket, midsize retailers such as Staples, Anna's Linens, Marshall's and smaller shop specialty retailers.  The Lowe's would be on the lower level and the supermarket would be on the upper level of the site west of Howard.  A parking garage is planned to serve that portion of the site.  The Real Estate would be owned by Lowe's and by the supermarket user. The midsize and smaller retailers would be located on the portion of the site between Maryland and Howard as would the residential use.  That real estate would be owned by a partnership including the Developer and Bruce Mortimer, among others.

    None of the proposed retailers have signed binding contracts but the Developer has worked with the Lowe's National Real Estate and Operations Teams on a preliminary design that would be compatible with the site.  We were told that Lowes would not have put this much time and energy in to the preliminary planning if it were not committed to this market and that without Lowes the entire project fails to attract the other retailers necessary to make it successful.  Lowes was portrayed as having a greater than average commitment to community involvement and is willing to work with the communities during the design phase and afterward through its Charitable & Educational Foundation.  When asked, the Developer said that there were no other large users interested in the site other than Lowes.  Lowes needs the plan to be approved before it will sign a contract.

    The Developer had statistics to suggest that the population of the Charles Village, Remington, Old Goucher neighborhoods, could sustain a second supermarket as compared with other similar urban environments which support 3 or more.  But it was too early for them to identify a potential user.  Once Lowe's commits, finding a supermarket to commit may be much easier.

    The Developer showed those in attendance a very preliminary site plan to demonstrate the proposed location and size of the proposed uses.  They stressed that the community's input is being sought on the preliminary plan and on the proposed uses.  The Developer wants the community to provide a wishlist of potential uses to assist it in locating retail tenants. Using the downgrade from Huntington Avenue/25th Street to 24th Street, Lowe's plans for its building to be below street level to reduce any negative impact on the residential areas. The Parking garage was shown as fronting on Howard Street below 25th Street and the supermarket was shown fronting on Huntington Avenue.  The midsize and small retail between Howard and Maryland was shown to be the same height as the surrounding residential properties, with the entrances fronting inside to a courtyard type parking area so that there would be no entrance impact on Maryland Avenue. The residential area would be on top of the retail space.  There would be truck delivery issues that would have to be resolved under the current configuration which showed delivery trucks accessing the project from 24th Street.  The truck delivery location is below grade west of Howard but on street grade between Howard and Maryland.  The plan now is for delivery trucks to come from North Avenue and turn north on Howard to 24th Street.

    The next step is for the Developer to meet with the Planning Department the week of 11/23 to chart the course for the process to be followed.  Because the zoning east of Howard does not permit the proposed use, the Developer will need to prepare a Planned Unit Development document to be approved by City Council which will give the community many chances to review and give input. The Developer will also order a required traffic study through the Department of Transportation which will also be vetted in the community.  The CVCA's Traffic Calming Committee will take an interest in this study  in light of its current efforts to remove the rush hour restrictions on Howard Street north of 25th Street. 

    Those attending the meeting were each given a booklet containing letters and articles attesting to the expertise of the Developer in urban marketplace development, the commitment of the developer to community involvement at the earliest possible stage, the availability of New Markets Tax Credits allocated to be allocated by investors interested in participating in the project, retailer expressions of interest, and information about Lowe's community commitment.  The Developer plans a "Green" development with a LEED Silver rating per Baltimore City Code, which will cost an estimated $65 million dollars, create 400 construction jobs and 800 permanent jobs, with groundbreaking in the Fall of 2010 and an Opening in Fall of 2011. 

    The Developer has asked those in attendance to identify community contacts for a planning group that it wants to create containing representatives of all community associations.  They plan to respect whatever process each community association puts in place.  The CVCA Land Use Committee will discuss this at its December 1st meeting and will make a recommendation to the CVCA Board on how to proceed, including the possibility of inviting the Developer to make a presentation to an upcoming CVCA general membership meeting  in 2010.   

    The CVCA Land Use Committee will discuss various areas of concern which include traffic impact, street frontage impact, and whether Lowe's is a good fit for the neighborhood and make recommendations to the CVCA Board.  

    PDF download of the proposed redevelopment plan

     
    Please contact Sharon Guida, CVCA Land Use Chair if you have any questions (SLG2700@cs.com).


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