2007 NEWS

11/13/07

Court OK's Senior Homes in South County

A ruling from the state's highest court could reinvigorate efforts to build a long-delayed senior apartment complex in south county.

8/26/07

Anne Arundel General Development Plan Available Online

Information regarding the Anne Arundel County General Development Plan 2008 can now be found online at the County's web-site. You can also keep track on the progress of the plan by signing up for email alerts, also on the web-site. Public hearings on the plan are scheduled for Spring 2008.

8/3/07

WRYR's Ownership Transferred

WRYR-LP 97.5 FM is now owned and operated by WRYR Community Radio, Inc. WRYR-LP was birthed as a project of the South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development (SACReD) as a creative means of reaching out to the Chesapeake Bay communities. The ownership transfer was approved by the FCC last month.

5/23/07

Presentation of SACReD Resolutions to Severn Bank Online

You can now view online SACReD's presentation of resolutions to the Severn Bank shareholders meeting. The SACReD presentation starts at about 1:30 into the file.

5/5/07

Crofton First Presents Michael H. Shuman on May 8

Crofton First is presenting an evening with Michael H. Shuman, author of The Small-Mart Revolution, How Local Businesses are Beating the Global Competition.

                                 Where: Community United Methodist Church
                                               1690 Reidel Rd., Crofton, MD 21114
                                 When:    Tuesday, May 8, 7:30 pm

5/4/07

Wal-Mart scraps Crofton Plans

After a year of unified opposition, Wal-Mart has decided to nix its plans for a controversial new store in Crofton.

5/3/07

County to Purchase Waysons Target Property

The Baltimore Sun reported that Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold struck a deal yesterday to have the county buy 30 acres that abut a wetlands sanctuary for $6.1 million from a developer that planned to use it for a shopping center.

4/29/07

Maryland Daily Record Reports on SACReD Proposed Resolutions for Severn Bank

Severn Bancorp Inc. will do its best to find common ground with environmental advocates on its lending policies for property near the Chesapeake Bay, officials said, after a proposal to curtail such lending was defeated at the company’s annual meeting.

4/27/07

SACReD Asks Severn Bank to Cut Lending Near Bay

At the annual meeting of Severn Bancorp Inc., parent company of Severn Savings Bank, members of the South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development presented two resolutions that they said will preserve the bay's critical area, the designated area within 1,000 feet of the shoreline.

Don Avery, president of SACReD, presented the first resolution to roughly 200 shareholders, saying the bank must stop extending loans for residential and commercial development projects in the bay's critical area land.

4/26/07

Benefit Dance and Dinner for SACReD Junior Eco Program Returns!

Please join us for a Contra/Square Dance and Potluck Dinner to benefit SACReD’s Junior Ecologist Program:

                                 Where: Galesville Memorial Hall, 952 Galesville Rd, Galesville, MD
                                 When: Saturday, May 12
                                                        5:30 Potluck Dinner (bring a dish to share!!!)
                                                        7:00 Contra/Square Dance
                                                        Music by: Ruben's Train
                                                          Featuring: Leah Weiss (fiddle), Gary Wright (guitar),
                                                                            Ruben Dobbs (mandolin), Jenn Reichwein (bass)
                                                                  Caller - Ann Fallon

Donation: $10:00 adults, $5.00 children 10-18 years, children under 10 free

For more information call Karen at (410) 867-9126.

4/25/07

Severn Bank Urged to Support the Environment

SACReD has bought 100 shares in Severn Bank and plans to address its executives tonight in an effort to persuade them to stop making loans in environmentally sensitive areas. Members of SACReD will attend Severn Bancorp Inc.'s annual meeting tonight armed with two resolutions. The first commits the bank to declining any loans within environmentally "critical areas," which generally border the bay or its tributaries. The second measure commits the bank to reviewing all previous loans in those areas and extricating itself from those deals.

4/23/07

SACReD Annual Meeting

South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development, Inc., (SACReD), will hold their annual meeting Thursday, May 3, 2007, 7:00 p.m., West River UM Center, 5100 Chalk Point Rd, West River, MD. For information call 410-867-8605.

3/29/07

County Sues Huge Marina Owner

The county filed a lawsuit yesterday against a prominent businessman, alleging that he violated a half-dozen building and environmental rules by constructing buildings and piers without permits at one of his two marinas.

The civil lawsuit filed in county Circuit Court targets the county's largest marina, Herrington Harbour Inc., and seeks to raze buildings and restore the shoreline in Rose Haven, which was altered sometime over the past five years by its owner, E. Steuart Chaney.

It alleges that Mr. Chaney built a party house and bath house, plus a bulkhead, walkways and a pier into the Chesapeake Bay at Herrington Harbour South without proper permits.

3/16/07

Benefit Dance for Junior Eco Program Makes Front Page News!

Last Saturdays benefit dance for the SACReD’s Junior Ecologist Program was a big hit. The dance was held at the Galesville Community Hall and good fun was had by all while raising money to send kids to camp. Check out the pics from today's front page of The Capital.

3/1/07

Severn Bank Chairman Speaks to Severn River Association

Mr. Alan J. Hyatt, Chairman and President of the Severn Savings Bank, was the featured guest at the February 20th "Save Our Severn Speaker Series" hosted by the Severn River Association in Annapolis. Mr. Hyatt was speaking about the "green roof" on the new Severn Bank Building and addressing corporate environmental responsibility. Severn Bank has recently partnered with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to support their mission to improve the health of the Bay. There was a good sized contingent from South County and many, many environmental colleagues in the audience. An important issue raised in the meeting was the fact that Severn Bank was investing in development projects located in the Critical Area of the Chesapeake Bay. Mr. Hyatt seemed receptive to the points the South County contingent were making in regard to this contradiction. WRYR was present and recorded the event. The recording can be heard in it's entirety by clicking on the button below. There is also a shorter edited Highlights version of the presentation and questions also available by clicking the button below.

Pictured below is an aerial view of Franklin point, including the area where the PROPOSED project "Run Turtle Run" is to be located. This photo was shared with the audience and is referred to during questions and at the end of the event in regard to Severn Bank's involvement in projects in the Bay's Critical Area.

2/26/07

Benefits for SACReD Junior Eco Program & West/Rhode Riverkeeper

Please join us for a Benefit for SACReD’s Junior Ecologist Program:

                                 Where: Galesville Community Hall
                                 When: Saturday, March 10
                                                        5:30 Potluck Dinner (bring a dish to share!!!)
                                                        6:30 Contra Dance (everyone welcome, family friendly energetic FUN FUN FUN!!!)
                                             Door prizes!
                                                        Musicians - Leah Weiss, Gary Wright and friends
                                                        Caller - Janine Smith

$10 donation per couple, $5 for singles, kids under 12 free

The West/Rhode Riverkeeper Program will sponsor a casual cocktail party to support the Riverkeeper program, with live music and hosted by Galesville resident Ava Hill .

                                                    Where: West River Sailing Club, Galesville
                                          When: Saturday, March 17
                                                       7 - 11 pm

The Galesville party is part of a series of West/Rhode River resident-sponsored events to broaden the support of the Riverkeeper program. "Foundations have been very generous in supporting our work but they want to see community support," said Bob Gallagher, West/Rhode Riverkeeper. "This continues our effort to grow that support.

The waters of the West and Rhode rivers and their tributaries are as polluted as they have ever been, he said. The best, if not the only, chance for saving the rivers lies in direct action by the community.

"The most important thing is getting the community behind us," Mr. Gallagher said. "We can do all the shoreline restoration we want, but it's not going to save the bay without a community that cares."

The West/Rhode Riverkeeper, Inc. is a community-supported environmental organization with a focus on enforcement of environmental laws. Riverkeeper Bob Gallagher patrols the West and Rhode rivers and the nearby waters of the Chesapeake Bay, identifying sources of pollution and working to reduce sources of illegal pollution through advocacy, education and watershed restoration.

Anyone interested in sponsoring an event in a West/Rhode River community or to learn more about the March 17 party, contact Amy Colhoun, program director at 410-533-9002 or amy@westrhoderiverkeeper.org.

2/7/07

Plans for Churchton Grocery Store Unveiled

At a public meeting late last month, owner Dean Monkelein, president of Amy Foods, had engineers run through the basic details of the company's plan to build an 18,000-square-foot grocery store, nearly four times as big as the current Deale FoodRite, but substantially smaller than the major chain grocery proposed years ago.

2/4/07

Deale Developer Moves Too Soon : Fined and Ordered to Stop Grading Work

Snyder Development was apparently grading on the former Deale Elks Club property without a permit, earning a county stop-work order that carries a $1,000 fine. Don Avery, president of South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development (SACReD), was driving by the site that sits between Owings Beach and Masons Beach roads south of Deale Elementary School and noticed the work.

1/18/07

Target Site Plan for Waysons Corner is Withdrawn

The developer seeking to build a Target shopping center in Waysons Corner has withdrawn its site plan application, but the project isn't going away.

Engineering Firm May Be Liable for Customer's Wetlands Violations

A Severna Park engineering firm may be required to remove the stone-and-soil embankment a customer built on Whitehall Creek after relying upon the firm to design the project and prepare the permit application.

1/10/07

EPA Reportedly Halting Wal-Mart in Crofton

The Environmental Protection Agency is slowly pulling the curtains on a controversial Wal-Mart proposed for Crofton, a senior aide for state Sen. Janet Greenip told area residents last night. "We have knowledge that the EPA is slowing it down to a halt. At this point it looks like it's not going to happen," Justin Ready, the Crofton Republican's chief of staff, said at a meeting of the Greater Crofton Council. The EPA has control over Wal-Mart's quest for a non-tidal wetlands permit, an authorization that is needed for construction to begin.

Pre-Submission Meeting for the New Food-Rite in Shady Side

A pre-submission meeting has been schedule for the proposed new Food-Rite at the old Miller's Sunoco site in Shady Side.

Meeting details from the County web-site:

            Amy Food Chains, Inc. Property (Posted 1/5/2007)
            Meeting Date: January 25, 2007
            Time of Meeting: 7:00 p.m.
            Location: Deale Elementary School
                            759 Masons Beach Road, Deale, MD 20754
            Tax Account Number: 7000-0318-3600, 7000-0318-2200
            Council District & Representative: 7 - Edward R. Reilly
              Tax District: 7
            Tax Map/Block/Parcel 74/2/14 & 15
            Property Address: 5570 & 5600 Shady Side Road, Churchton, MD 20733.

Property located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Shadyside Road (MD Rte. 468) and MD Rte. 256.
Project Description: Grocery, Pharmacy, and associated parking.
Owner: Amy Food Chains, Inc.
Developer: Amy Food Chains, Inc.
Contact Name: Michele Bennett, Wilkerson & Assoc.
Contact Phone Number: (410) 257-3332

1/8/07

Lee Airport Development to Monitor Stormwater

The community conservancy overseeing development next to Lee Airport has ironed out a first-of-its-kind plan where the developer will monitor stormwater quality leaving its planned shopping center along Route 2.

1/7/07

Development Plan Worries South County Leaders

As County Executive John R. Leopold's administration faces the daunting task of drafting a new 10-year blueprint for growth, south county residents have a bumper sticker for him: "Keep South County Rural."

South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development (SACReD), a
non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to work toward a
sustainable Southern Anne Arundel County,
Maryland community through research, education, and action.

Please email SACReD for additional information.

| Home | SACReD News | Junior Ecologists | SACReD History|
| WRYR-LP 97.5 FM | Donate | Small Area Plans |
| Links | Contact |