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Your Letters Against the ProposedDevelopment of Baltimore Country Club Land |
On this page you will find e-mail letters written to us protesting the proposed sale of 17 acres of currently green, open land owned by the Baltimore Country Club to Keswick Multi-Care Center for development as a continuing-care center. Scroll down for newer correspondence. RolandPark.org is not responsible for the content of the letters, which reflect the views of their authors and not necessarily those of the Roland Park civic associations. To return to main letters page, click here. |
Against the Development Letters to RolandPark.org _____
Greetings from Ground Zero (Hillside Road). Clearly the scope of the BCC development project is dismaying. The first order of business is to be united, obviously, about what we don't want and, with more difficulty, on what we do want. Starting with what we don't like, this is a very large project, way out of scale to the neighborhood. We also need to be constantly mindful of Roland Park's landmark status. If this planned residential community were built in Roland park's midst, it would change the unifying aesthetic of the neighborhood forever. It seems a bit inconsistent that I need to have the Civic League approve a change of light on my front walk but that Keswick might be able to put up some architecturally anomalous monstrosity across the street. Moving on to what we all would prefer to see, while we agree that green space would be ideal, we are not sure that's the position that will carry the day. Would we seem more reasonable if we said that we are a residential neighborhood and that we would be OK with some residential development that comports with style (and lot size) of the original Roland Park plan? This would reinforce the fact that our first priorities are aesthetic and historical concerns, while recognizeing BCC's rights, without looking like we are simply being obstructionist. The two flashpoints are the July BCC vote and the fall city zoning vote. We need to find away to communicate as best we can, to as many BCC members as we can, the opposition we have to the plan. It will be the BCC's legacy and will have a significant and permanent impact on Roland Park. The short-turnaround timing of the BCC vote suggests that we may need to rally to do this individually unless we think the Roland Park Civic League efforts that will be so critical to the zoning fight will be far enough along by that time. One role that the RPCL may want to play is to volunteer to address (in writing or in person) the BCC membership. Or perhaps they can find away to formally communicate to the membership independently. As for the zoning vote, clearly the local councilwomen are the place to start. We should also reach out to other policy makers and thought leaders as well. We suggest adding the offices of the mayor and U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, and the Maryland Historical Society and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The list of Maryland Historical Society trustees includes the mayor and John Sarbanes as ex-officio trustees (http://www.mdhs.org/about/trustees.html). If you can get the Historical Society to write a letter, so much the better. Scott and Virginia McLucas June 16, 2008 _____
We have been carefully reading various views about the intended developmet of the BCC's 30-acre green space. We have a few suggestions: It might make sense to try to create a legal fund to support this effort [of those opposed to the development]. If so, we should explore whether this could be run through either the Civic League or the Community Foundation so that these donations would be tax deductible. Having each household contribute a starting donation of $100 to $500 would send a strong signal to both the BCC and Keswick that we will present an organized and spirited opposition. The residents' ad hoc committee currently organizing opposition should request that the BCC brief it on all of the potential land uses it considered and why others were rejected. If it did have a thorough process, our efforts could build upon anything it has already done. If not, knowing this information would weaken its position in the re-zoning debate. Does it make sense to send copies of the letters and e-mails to one person to create a catalogue that can be used for the rezoning efforts, etc? Would one of our plat representatives be willing to serve as that person? Steve and Amy Lutzky June 18, 2008 (In fact, all e-mails sent through the BCCSaleAgainst@ RolandPark.org and BCCSaleFor@RolandPark.org e-mail lists accomplish this. All such e-mails are cc'ed to the editor of this web site, who archives each. — Ed.) _____
By now, all RP web-site readers will probably have heard the news about the upcoming vote of the Baltimore Country Club to sell 60% of its land to a developer who plans to level 17 acres of trees and green space to build a large 323-resident retirement facility with 400 parking spaces. This is one of the last big open spaces in Roland Park. We think this would be a huge loss for the community. Instead we would gain a whole new micro-city — a residential/ commercial facility with all of its food, cleaning and service needs, and the associated traffic. People already speed through Roland Park and this would increase traffic and speed all the more. A number of people in the community have rightly (we think) said that this would be the most serious single adverse change to Roland Park in a generation. If BCC must sell this land, it is our view that the Roland Park community should have been invited to submit an alternative proposal on how this would proceed. But the Roland Park community has not been invited to engage in this decision at all despite multiple attempts by the Civic League to provide input. Lynn Heller and Tom Inglesby June 19, 2008 _____
I oppose the BCC land sale for the following reasons. I am sure that any development of this land would result in tree loss, along with the associated wildlife and birds. The Baltimore City Master Plan sets a goal of expanding the city’s open space and tree canopy. This part of RP is already subject to an enormous amount of “cut through” traffic that travels at high speeds. Adding 400+ residential units (250 independent living) and 150 employees is going to add to that “cut through” traffic. Although the entrance will be on Falls Road, people will be coming from all directions and many of the new residents will shop at the stores, go to the library etc. on Roland. Our street will provide the most direct route. Should this development move forward there must be a plan to limit the traffic on Harvest and Hillside Roads. I am also concerned about the potential noise (a la the RPCC air handlers). To insert a condominium development (that is what this really is) into the neighborhood will have a negative impact on property values. Many people on Hillside, Harvest, and Edgevale will now be in the situation where in spite of their initial investment and the thousands of dollars of improvement and maintenance costs their houses will drop in value. While I recognize that the club has kindly allowed the neighborhood access to this land, it is sad to see this beautiful land that so many of our children have enjoyed and has made this corner of the city truly a Park become just another condo development. Laura Grier _____
With so much of Baltimore blighted, even in areas as close as one mile away from the BCC property, why destroy this extremely valuable green space? Also, I have never in my life seen a community develop around a health-care facility, only the opposite. The employees, patients and vendors are transient in nature. We, as the residents of Roland Park, must fight this transaction with every fiber of our being. In fact, I think we should publish the names of every BCC member who lives in Roland Park, Guilford and Homeland and encourage them to vote against the sale. We should leave no stone unturned. Tim Askew June 22, 2008 _____
Whenever I walk by or through the Baltimore Country Club property, I get a vivid mental picture of the 1899 U.S. Open being played. I feel I can hear the voices of the players, most of whom were Scots, talking to caddies, competitors and spectators. These grounds are an honor to a great sport and the early professional golfers who pioneered a tradition of honorable competition. For the preservation of these memories alone, I believe this green space should remain untouched.
June 30, 2008 _____
We have lived in Roland Park 35 years and love it because of the abundant green space. Please do all you can to stop the use of the BCC land for a continuing-care residential community. Such institutions always take more space and generate more traffic than anticipated. Lynda Burton June 30, 2008 _____
If I and many hundreds of my neighbors move out of Roland Park in order to avoid the infrastructure disaster that the construction and operation of the proposed Keswick facility would create, what would happen to property values in one of Baltimore City's few surviving desirable neighborhoods? What would happen to the overall city tax base? Who would be blamed for the resulting decline of high property and high income tax revenue going into city coffers? Keswick's expansion could not possibly make up for this shortfall in future city revenue. The city gains nothing from this loss of yet another attractive historic city neighborhood to live in. The only benefactors would be the building contractors and the right powerful people. John Dunning (Roland Park resident, 47 years) June 30, 2008 _____
I oppose the sale of the BCC property. I think it is outrageous that negotiations have been ongoing for 5 years without ever informing neighbors or the community of the intention to sell and develop the property, even though the community has contacted BCC on numerous occasions seeking to determine the club's intentions. Michael W. Lower July 1, 2008 _____
I am very disappointed but not surprised by the BCC vote [to sell its land to Keswick]. The reaction of the club membership highlights the fact that the property is not our “park” and when we speak of it that way we sound a little self-indulgent. We in Roland Park need to emphasize some of the things people said at the July 1 community meeting: the impact on the Chesapeake of runoff that otherwise would have been absorbed into the ground; the lack of infrastructure to support 400 people; the undeniable traffic increase on already narrow streets; and, most of all, the plain inconsistency of this project with the stated intent of the zoning laws and the long-term goals the city has espoused regarding preservation of green space. I thought one person said that zoning changes can be justified by changed conditions — demonstrating such changed conditions should be BCC’s burden to bear. New BCC tennis courts in the county is not the “change” the law contemplates and some landscaped paths cannot compensate for a high-density development. But frankly I get squeamish when I see these “park" signs. We are not going to win a zoning fight just because some of us went sledding there, or walked our dogs there, or can name the wildflowers. I hope the lawyers we have going to bat for us take a forceful but measured and analytical approach. We have the law on our side. Donna Triptow July 15, 2008 _____
Just a note to point out that, while having other neighborhoods involved in our fight is great, we cannot then try to foist the project off onto them — like the proposal for having the Keswick at Cross Keys. This is the exact sort of thing that helps the newspapers prove their point the Roland Parkers are NIMBYists of the worst kind. Moving the facility across the road would still cause the traffic problems, ambulance noise and such that Roland Parkers have expressed concern about. I think we should be really cautious about getting involved in trying to find another place for the facility — that shouldn't be our goal. I think it's impossible to do so without sounding patronizing, given the impressions that folks already have of Roland Park, and especially given that Keswick hasn't asked for our help in finding another place. What we don't want is to be the rich neighborhood that foisted the project on some other neighborhood. We really have to stick to the green space and historical nature ends of the argument.
Holly Coleman July 16, 2008 _____
I grew up in Roland Park and am in favor of the preservation of the BCC property as neighborhood open space. In a relevant case, Cleveland Park, a National Historic Register neighborhood in Washington, D.C., spent the last 30 years in court to prevent development of the Tregaron estate, whose previous owners had permitted the neighbors to access and enjoy the landscape. The Tregaron Conservancy is a non-profit organization founded in January 2006. As the property steward of thirteen acres of recently protected and donated land, the Tregaron Conservancy will restore and maintain an important historic landmark. The nonprofit organization that preceded the Tregaron Conservancy is the Friends of Tregaron Foundation. Who are the Friends of Tregaron? The Friends of Tregaron is a community organization that was started more than 30 years ago by citizens concerned about the future of historic Tregaron Estate. Over the past three decades, the Friends of Tregaron and other civic organizations, have banded together to stop many massive developments that have threatened historic Tregaron Estate. Thanks to overwhelming community support, we successfully fought off projects that ranged up to 200 houses with multiple roads and parking lots cut into the beautiful landscape. For more information, see http://tregaronconservancy.org/about.html. David H. Bennett Washington, D.C. July 16, 2008
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