Hi everyone,

  I hope you are having a great summer!...and have had a chance to look at the properties and meet with your team to discuss some of your district issues.  We hope that this research and neighborhood-level discussion will help to increase understanding of the land-use policies and critical zoning decisions that affect Harford's quality of life, and the future health of our communities.  At least 100 Friends of Harford (FOH) volunteers are working to ensure that the "citizens' voice for responsible land use" is heard during the 2005 comprehensive zoning review. 

  We appreciate all your effort!

  NEW TIMELINE

As you may know, the County Council and Administration have moved up the timeline on when they will consider the comprehensive zoning issues. The County Council would like the Administration to introduce the comprehensive zoning legislation by October 2005, so the County Council can hold public hearings by December, 2005. 

  The public participation process to hear from the citizens of Harford County will begin with a series of meetings held by the Department of Planning & Zoning (P&Z) and the Planning Advisory Board (PAB) at local high schools during the first week of September.  Friends of Harford encourages you (and your friends and neighbors!) to attend, to learn more about the issues and to let Planning & Zoning and the Planning Advisory Board know how you feel about potential impacts to your community from the proposed zoning changes. Now is the time to get involved, not when the bulldozers are coming down the street!  By then, it is often too late.

• August 31       Aberdeen High School, 251 Paradise Road
• September 1    Bel Air High School, 100 Heighe Street
• September 7    Joppatowne High School, 555 Joppa Farm Road
• September 8    North Harford Middle School, 112 Pylesville Road

P&Z staff and department directors will be available with maps, zoning issue lists (logs) and other resources to speak to you about your issues from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., and a presentation and public comment period will be held from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.  You must sign up before 7:00 p.m. to speak!  You may also submit comments electronically through September 9, 2005 at http://www.harfordcountymd.gov/PlanningZoning/ComprehensiveZoningReview/.

  NEXT STEPS

  After Planning & Zoning and the Planning Advisory Board consider the public's comments, they will make recommendations to the County Council on each of the zoning issues in the form of legislation by October, 2005.  At that time, the County Council will schedule at least 2 public hearings to hear testimony on the individual issues in December 2005 and then make their final decisions on the comprehensive zoning requests for each property.  The County Council can choose to: 1-approve the recommendation of P&Z or the PAB, 2-approve a different zoning classification, or 3-approve no zoning change at all on the individual properties.

  Friends of Harford will collect your team's issue review forms in September and compile them into a report for the County Council - FOH 2005 citizen's review of comprehensive zoning issues.  We will also send out e-mail alerts and flyers that you may e-mail to others, or copy and distribute to your neighborhood, community groups, PTA's, local shops, to encourage attendance at P&Z and County Council public hearings.

  We want the County Council to make responsible decisions during the comprehensive zoning review that protect our quality of life, and prevent further negative impacts to our historic and rural character, schools, existing shopping districts, traffic flow, and drinking water quality.  Several FOH volunteers are working on additional outreach suggestions, such as another Friends of Harford work session for all volunteers in September or October to regroup and share information, and refine our message as we rally to lobby the County Council.  I will let you know when specifics are worked out.

  Thank you for your participation!