A land swap needed for the construction of a controversial new elementary school in Mays Chapel is one step closer to fruition.
The Baltimore County Council Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution approving the swap of a 10-acre wooded property for an adjacent 10-acre property made up of ballfields that is owned by the Baltimore County Public Schools system.
The school system intends to use the newly-swapped property to build a new elementary school.
The swap still requires the approval of the county Board of Education. The state Department of Natural Resources must also approve the deal because of open space easements on the county's parcel. Those easements are expected to be transferred over to the new parcel.
Some residents who live near the proposed site oppose the new school and the land swap. Those opponents testified against the project last week before the county Board of Education as well as the County Council.
The funding for the school is part of more than $23 million already pre-approved by the state for the budget year that begins July 1.
In Other Council News:
- Unanimously approved a bill sponsored by Councilman David Marks that reduces the required number of parking spaces for an athletic club or health spa from 10 to three per 1,000 square-feet of floor space for any club located within the downtown Towson area. The move clears the way for a national health club to sign a lease for space within Towson Commons.
- Unanimously approved the appropriation of $3.4 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to purchase and demolish six properties: 10919, 10921 and 11001 York Road; 10, 13 and 15 Beaver Run Lane. County officials said the properties are subject to repeated flooding and the demolition would reduce the risk of flooding to surrounding properties. If the owners agree to sell, buildings on the properties will be razed and the land will be used for open space, recreation and wetlands.
Patch had an article on the schematic presentation for the new school which took place last summer, July 10, 2012. Here is the link to the slide presentation in the article. The fields remain fields, the woodsy area is where the school building will be built. http://timonium.patch.com/articles/board-of-ed-to-discuss-mays-chapel-school-update#pdf-10572833
A MORTON, 90% OF THE ABUTTING AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES ARE OVER 60 YRS. OLD. THIS INCLUDES THE CONDOS, TOWNHOMES, ADJACENT ASSISTANT LIVING FACILITIES & THE NURSING HOME. MANY, MANY OF THESE PEOPLE USE CANES, WHEELCHAIRS & MANY ARE ASSISTED BY CAREGIVERS. SAFETY RULES PROHIBIT NON SCHOOL PERSONS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY DURING THEIR HOURS. AS SUCH FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS A YEAR MANY RESIDENTS ARE LEERY OF WALKING IN THE DARK. PERHAPS IF MORTON WERE IN THE SAME BOAT HE WOULD NOT HAVE HIS SARCASTIC, UNREALISTIC ATTITUDE.
I'M GOING TO GO OUT ON A LIMB HERE AND VENTURE TO SAY THAT LILY IS NOT OVER 50 YRS. OLD & DOES NOT LIVE CLOSE TO OUR 1 & ONLY PARK. W.PADONIA RD. (PER POLICE STATICS) IS THE 12TH MOST DANGEROUS RD. IN THE COUNTY. IF LILY WAS OLDER & LIVED HERE SHE WOULD BE USED TO LEISURELY WALKING & DRIVING. WHAT A DIFFERENCE WHEN THE 700 STUDENT SCHOOL IS BUILT. MANY NOISY, POLLUTING SCHOOL BUSES & AT LEAST 1/2 OF THE PARENTS DRIVING THEIR CHILDREN TO & FRO. THAT'S 700 ADT'S (AVERAGE DAILY TRIPS..... EXTRA VEHICLES EVERY DAY .... SPEEDING IN & OUT TO DROP OFF THEIR CHILDREN & THEN GO TO THEIR JOBS, THE GYM, YOGA, ETC. THOSE DRIVERS & THE EXISTING NEIGHBORHOOD WALKERS & DRIVERS WILL NOT WORK. OIL & WATER DO NOT MIX.