Howard County Council District 5 News
March Edition
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David Yungmann
Howard County Council, District 5
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Thank you for signing up to receive our District 5 newsletter, which I hope will give you a better understanding of what’s happening in the community and government.
It will have overviews of development activity in our district, certain legislation being considered by the County Council and other significant projects. A government department or function will be featured each month to help you gain a better understanding of our local government. We will also feature community partners and let you know about community events.
Please share our newsletter and encourage others to sign up so they can also know what’s happening around the community.
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The
Flood Mitigation Assistance Pilot Program
is now available for property owners in the Plum Tree, Little Plum Tree, Tiber-Hudson, and New Cut watersheds. This program allows
property owners to apply for grants to assist in flood mitigation projects on their homes.
Since the funds were appropriated in July 2018, qualifying work performed after July 1, 2018, will be considered for an award. T
he maximum amount per project is $5,000. Projects will scored by county officials based on the following
considerations
.
If you wish to apply for this grant, applications can be found
here
. Applications are due on March 29, 2019 by 11:59 pm. All grants will be awarded on April 29, 2019.
For more information and to view Frequently Asked Questions about this program, please visit the Flood Mitigation Assistance Pilot Program's
web-page.
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I attended the County Executive's first State of the County address with some of my colleagues (Deb Jung, Christiana Mercer-Rigby, and Liz Walsh).
You can watch the County Executive's address
online.
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Council Bill 9
will establish an emergency medical services charge ("ambulance fee"). Howard County is one of the only counties in Maryland that currently does not require an emergency service fee. Under the proposed bill, the patient's insurance provider will be billed and any remaining balance passed onto the patient. However, Howard County residents' will not pay out-of-pocket because of taxes paid to the County. The purpose of this new fee is to capture available insurance reimbursements and recover costs related to running calls for non-residents in adjacent counties or on our roadways. The specific rate schedules will be established by the county council during the annual budget process. As my office continues to gather information on CB-9, we will share that with you.
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The Administration has pre-filed
Council Bill 10
granting the county the right to enter private property in order to repair and maintain privately owned storm drainage facilities located on that private property. As stated in this legislation, the Department
of Public Works may enter any building, structure or premises to inspect streams and other waterways for debris, or to remove natural and man-made obstructions due to the threat
of public health and safety. CB-10 also cleans up the requirement that property owners maintain the storm water management facilities on their properties and the resulting violations.
Following the catastrophic flooding the county has recently experienced, it has been recognized that many existing storm water facilities are inoperable due to obstructions and lack of maintenance. While I support the intent of this legislation, I have concerns about the government entering private property without due cause or imposing fines without due process. Testimony will be provided in the upcoming public hearing which I hope will clarify the various issues.
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Council Bill 11 creates additional requirements for new developments along scenic roads. This bill alters the minimum buffer of existing forest or wooded area between a scenic road from 35 feet to 100 feet. CB-11 also requires any new development that adjoins a scenic road to provide vehicular ingress and egress at a non-scenic road. If passed, any ingress and egress along a scenic road shall be approved by the Planning Board. The Department of Planning and Zoning develops and enforces the current guidelines for scenic roads in Howard County.
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Last month, the County Council voted to table
Council Bill 3. CB-3 eliminates certain exceptions that did not previously require a certificate of approval from the Historic Preservation Commission for new development projects within any historic district. CB-3 grants the Commission more authority over tree removal, construction, demolition, and installation of . The County Council held a work session on CB-3 in February. You can watch the work session
here.
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Have you missed any of the council meetings? Don't Worry! All live-streams are saved on the County Council web-page.
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Public Safety Issue Briefing
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The County Council held an Issue Briefing on Public Safety this past month. We had panel presentations from the Police Department, Fire & Rescue, Office of the State's Attorney, Department of Corrections, and the Sheriff's Office.
Video of the Issue Briefing can be found
here
.
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Government 101
Department of Recreation & Parks
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The Department of Recreation and Parks is responsible for over 9,000 acres of public lands, the maintenance and operation of 50+ parks, and over 7,000 recreation programs. The Department's goal is to deliver opportunities that will improve the well-being of all residents, while protecting, and conserving our resources for a sustainable future.
Rec and Parks offers thousands of programs for residents of all ages. Some of these programs include after-school care, sports leagues, living history and heritage programs, therapeutic recreation and much more!
The Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, comprised of Howard County residents, is responsible for providing recommendations on policies, and to review plans on the acquisition and development of land for public recreation and open space.
To learn more about the Department, visit their
web-page.
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You can find hundreds of classes, leagues, and events to sign up for in the
Interested in signing up for summer camps? Check out the
2019 Summer Camp Guide!
Online registration for Howard County residents opened February 6. You can receive a 10% discount if you register by March 8!
Don't miss out on Howard County's finest programs!
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Development in District 5
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District 5 is scheduled to have three pre-submission community meetings this month. The Bethany Glen pre-submission community meeting is for an alternative plan. In lieu of the proposed age restricted plan, the owners have filed for 112 single family detached homes. The owners will determine which plan they wish to continue pursuing at the end of the moratorium. The Bethany Glen pre-submission community meeting will be held on March 28 at 6:30 pm in the auditorium for Marriotts Ridge High School.
To view District 5's development web-page, click
here
. This page
provides up-to-date information on development plans and pre-submission community meetings. Residents can also view local development plans on Howard County's
Search Development Plans Website.
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Looking for something new and different to do during Spring Break? Still need to meet your service learning requirements? Do you enjoy being outside in nature? Are you concerned about the environment?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, join Howard EcoWorks for Alternative Spring Break 2019! Details can found
here
or contact Brooke Abercrombie at
[email protected] or (443) 518-7668.
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The Famous Pancake Breakfast & All You Can Eat Spaghetti Dinner!
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Mark your calendars! The Lisbon Volunteer Fire Department (LVFD) will host their famous pancake breakfast on
March 10 from 7:30 - 11:30 am. They will also host the All You Can Get Spaghetti Dinner on
March 27 from 4:30 - 7:30 pm. Don't miss out on a great way to give back to LVFD and help them raise money for their new fire house!
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Office of Veterans and Military Families
Veterans Resource Fair
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Join the Office of Veterans and Military Families in celebrating The Year of the Veteran on
Monday, April 8 from 4:00 - 8:00 pm
at the Howard Community College (Rouse Company Foundation Building). More than 40 government agencies, nonprofits, and veteran service organizations will be there to inform veterans and military families of programs available to them. This event is free & open to the public!
Through April 4, new and gently used professional attire and suits may be donated to help veterans in need. Donations can be collected at:
The Department of Community Resources and Services
9830 Patuxent Woods Drive Columbia, MD 21046
George Howard Building Lobby
3430 Courthouse Square Drive Ellicott City, MD 21042
Success In Style/Phil's Closet Savage Mill
8600 Foundry St. Savage, MD 20763
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Howard County Government Calendar
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County Council Legislative Session
When: Monday, March 4 at 7:00 pm
Where: Banneker Room, George Howard Building
County Executive's 2nd FY20 Citizens' Budget Hearing
When: Tuesday, March 5 at 7:00 pm
Where: Banneker Room, George Howard Building
County Council Monthly Meeting
When: Monday, March 11 at 2:00 pm
Where: C. Vernon Gray Room, George Howard Building
C
ounty Council Public Hearing
When: Monday, March 18 at 7:00 pm
Location: Banneker Room, George Howard Building
County Council Legislative Work Session
When: Monday, March 25 at 7:00 pm
Where: C. Vernon Gray Room, George Howard Building
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