New Sewage Plant Proposed at Doughoregan Manor

[treetoptom]

Development pressures in Howard County are nothing new. The quality of life enjoyed by residents is among the highest in the United States. Such pressure leads to innovative development proposals, one of which is playing out in Ellicott City; the rezoning request and Planned Service Area Amendment on Camilla and Philip Carroll’s property at Doughoregan Manor. Or, as the Carroll’s development team like to refer to it as, “The Deal.” Their deal goes something like this: If you rezone the easternmost 221 acres of our property to quadruple the number of houses we can build on it, we will allow the taxpayers to give us more than $18 million for the development rights to most of the remainder. Of course, we will continue to own that portion and collect rent from our tenant farmers. But if you don’t do what we want, we’re going to do something really bad to you: Develop the entire 817-acre site by right with over 400 one-acre lots served by well and septic. The last time most of us heard that kind of “deal” was on a schoolyard playground. This isn’t a case of having your cake and eating it too, the Carrolls want to have their cake, eat one, and have three more waiting for them in the butler’s pantry. What a deal!

We have heard many times in the course of the dialog about how important Doughoregan and the Carrolls are and how their family patriarch, Charles Carroll of Carrollton (“The Signer”) was instrumental to the founding of our country. He was, after all, one of four Marylanders to sign the Declaration of Independence. And we don’t dispute that. But that is just as irrelevant to the matter at hand as the fact that the Carrolls also happened to be one of the largest (if not the largest) slaveholders in the State or that The Signer’s Grandson, Col. Charles Carroll, sent two of his sons to fight (and one to die) in defense of the genteel plantation lifestyle made possible by human bondage as officers in the Army of the Confederacy.

According to the Carrols, the only way to save Doughoregan Manor from the ravages of time is to approve the deal. But there is one hitch: In order to accommodate that great an increase in development, they would be required to hook up to the public sewer system. Unfortunately, according to the County Department of Public Works, the existing treatment facility would not be able to handle the additional nitrogen nutrient load. The solution? Build a sewage treatment plant on the site, naturally. So we lucky neighbors not only get four times the traffic and school impacts, we also get the toxic chemicals and odors of a sewage treatment plant in our neighborhood. And how will the plant get built? According to the Carroll’s development team, “that will have to be negotiated” but they are willing to pay “their fair share.” This deal just gets better and better!

Fear not, you might say, there is no way the Howard County Council, acting as the Zoning Board, would let this happen. But in an article in the Baltimore Sun when the “deal” was first reported (“Carrolls Propose a New Plan for Doughoregan” September 20, 2009), our elected representative sounds less like our councilwoman and more like the spokeswoman for the developer:

“It’s not a question of whether homes will be built there, but how they will be built,” said County Councilwoman Courtney Watson, a Democrat who represents the area. “I’m glad there is a viable option on the table for a comprehensive solution.”

Of course, now that her constituents are contacting her with their concerns, she is unable to comment on the case.

We owe the Carrolls a debt of gratitude for their stewardship of the land. But we do not owe them, or any other private property owner, zoning to ensure financial certitude. If the $18 million from the taxpayers of Howard County is not enough, let them develop the 221 acres under the existing zoning, without the sewage treatment plant. Otherwise, we fear what started as a discussion about saving “The Carroll’s Doughoregan Manor’ will become an abject lesson in saving “The Carroll’s Dough-raking Manner.” The citizens of Howard County deserve better than this “viable option” and “comprehensive solution.” And the voters in the First Councilmanic District will be watching whether our elected officials can tell the difference between a good deal and a bad one. Do we have a deal?

[independent]

This deal is quite typical of the Rutter type developers. The Mangiones did the same thing in Turf Valley and succeeded in dividing neighbor against neighbor as they frightened the Legends community into submitting to and even supporting one development plan in return for the developer not building several storied buildings behind the resident’s back yards.

People have tried to be respectful of the Carroll’s wishes but hiring a mercenary like Rutter was a mistake. We appreciate the history that Doughoregan offers, but we are not participants and after all, we are all equal and no special treatment or tax dollars should enter the plan as a septic system would require.
The county has a horrid record for building alternative septic systems. Cattail properties became worthless when their system failed. Now the residents live with predictable stench, after it was “fixed”.

Absolutely the council will pass anything Joe Rutter puts in front of them. Until we vote every member out of office - possibly several times – the message will not be received. Our votes put these people into office, but per the news this morning we’ve never experienced a time in history when voters are so angry with both parties. Locally, candidates have depended on party line voting in the absence of candidate information, but maybe those days are numbered. Some are working toward this end, a blogger hocorising.com has started an anti-incumbent movement very much in keeping with the national mood.

[mdcommish]

The answer is simple...seize the whole property via emminent domain and turn it into a National Park so people on this board like David and Nonsense can have cultural things to do with their kids, while exploring the true reasons this Country declared independence. I'm against building in that part of the county, primarily because the infrastructure has nor been upgraded. Too many people already are getting killed on 99.

[commonsenseplease]

Commish, you haven't been on this board very long so you might not know that I've spoken out against this project. You are 100% right that more building in the west and suburbs is unwise because it costs the most for the county to provide services in those areas. We have plenty of houses in the suburbs our west already. keep asking what's in it for the taxpeyers to preserve this property and nobody can say other than it makes us feel good. Not enough in my opinion. As for my wanting culture and things to do, I assume you're talking about downtown. I'm a conservative republican so don't act like I'm some liberal nutcase. I'm support that project for the jobs and effective tax base expansion that that will come with the new downtown. Focusing expansion there we help us prevent projects like this one in Ellicott City. Unless you think Howard Co is going to stop growing and building houses, you might want to start thinking about where it makes the most sense to build instead of just opposing everything. And we do agree on Doughoregan Manor.

[mdcommish]

nonsense- thats one of the most disturbing arguments I've ever heard... Supporting unsustainable growth in other parts of the county to prevent growth in YOUR BACK YARD. That self-centered thinking is the reason Liberal Wing Nuts dominate politics in MD and this county. I'm not inherently against growth, but the current county infrastructure doesn't support it. This belief that expanding the downtown will bring about jobs...what type of jobs are you envisioning? Pushing keys on a register for minimum wage? Jobs are leaving MD, because it is much less expensive to do business in VA, DE, and PA. There's no hidden county income taxes on the employees of those states. My argument is about thinking as a whole county, not supporting growth in one community so a housing project won't go up in my back yard as some have done on this board. If growth is demanded, we can focus that to village centers which need revitalization, Oakland Mills, Wilde Lake. Until then, it makes no sense for building mass developments any where, be it to line developer's pockets or to satisfy some ludacris belief that Columbia will finally realize the city aspect Rouse never envisioned.

[commonsenseplease]

Gosh you never stop with the "uncontrolled growth" fear mongering. The growth in the Columbia plan will be the most heavily regulated project ever approved in Howard Co. And it has nothing to do with not being in my back yard. I live lots closer to Town Center than you might think. The whole county benefits if it has balance and we have plenty of suburbs. We need some decent urban living that young professionals want and a place that will attract the best restaurants and shopping that people in the suburbs want to visit. If you don't like going to places like that, that's cool, you probably don't like Columbia very much now anyway. And the villages, they can't even get a new village center built in Wilde Lake. No way will those people let businesses come in to build new office buildings and night life. You and I will never agree and you'll continue to call names so let's let just it be.

[mdcommish]

I enjoy Columbia for its close proximity to the big cities while affording its citizens a high quality of life and a small town feel. The people in your camp are intent on destroying that reality by making false promises and mocking anyone who can actually comprehends basic mathematics erode public opposition. 5500 units adds roughly 15,000 to 20,000 full time residents to the downtown area. From public safety to utilities, the current infrastructure cannot support that growth. Do I think Columbia won't grow? No, but I'd like to see the County Council approve a blanket moratorium on any building of residential units, because the market doesn't demand that right now. The majority of people believe Columbia needs some revitalization, but just ramrodding some plan down everyone's throat accomplishes nothing. I'm sick and tired of the argument "well it's been debated for 5 yrs," when we all know GGP was the only voice that counted, and much of the plan is still in secrecy as to specific details. This plan very much relates to the Carroll property, because the county initially only approved putting an Erickson retirement community there until that company ended up in bankruptcy.

[david14750]

I don't have a strong opinion on Doughoregan, but I do want to chime in on the Columbia plan that noew seems to be the topic. The estimate of 15,000-20,000 residents in the 5,500 proposed units is being inflated by opponents to scare people. The right number is 10,000-12,000 people (over 30 years). The new residences will will be 1 or 2 bedroom condos that are designed for singles, young people with a room mate or empty nester and young professional couples. The factor commish is using is the county-wide factor which assumes families of 4-5 people living in suburban homes. The assertion that only GGP's voice was heard during the 5 years implies that GGP spoke in favor of the plan and most of the citizens who spoke were against it. Thousands of residents took part in the 100+ community meetings, work sessions, hearings, etc. The plan changed dramitically over the five years it took to develop based on input from citizens, planning consultants and the county planning staff. What happended is that the Council listened to lots of citizens, took their input and crafted something it could support. Now the people who didn't get their way will say nobody listened to them (sounds like my kids). Every leader of every credible established community, business or non-profot group in Howard Co has expressed their support for this plan.

[citizentaxpayerjane]

A new septic system in Ellicott City should rouse every citizen who owns real estate there, considering what the county allowed Rutter and cohorts to do out in the west county. Imagine living with sewage smell every day and not being able to sell your home. Thank you elected incumbents. And be realistic common nonsense, as soon as taxpayer money runs out to support Columbia development, you will all be infecting density westward. What am I saying, it's already happenning.

[independent]

Can anyone confirm that the coucil unanimously passed the first level of this ill-advised direction?