Wednesday February 4, 2020 Craftsmen Developers’ nationally renowned land developer law firm Venable LLP crushed Fort Howard Community Association’s Baltimore County Board of Appeals attempt to stop further overcrowding at Sparrow Point Middle and High School from developer Craftsmen’s Country Club Estates Planned Unit Development generating more students.
A team of Venable LLP lawyers convinced the Board of Appeals Tribunal the community association of Fort Howard did not have the “legal,” standing in their courtroom and dismissed the appeal without hearing one word of the overcrowded schools from community residents.
Additionally, Venable’s legal brilliance also stifled Baltimore County School Board Members Mr. Rod McMillion of the 7th Councilmanic District and Mrs. Lily Rowe of the 6th there to present facts Baltimore County Agencies excluded in their September testimony before Office of Administrative Law Judge’s September 13, 2019 hearing that resulted in the Office of Administrative Law approving the development process move forward in spite of Administrative Law Judge Stahl’s Opinion and Order stating “Sparrows Point Middle and Sparrows Point high Schools are 115% and 118% above the State Rated Capacity,” which precludes residential development under BCC 32-6-103 titled Overcrowded School Districts.
Fort Howard Community Association is one on a long list of Baltimore County community associations cut off at the knees by Venable LLP and other developer law firms using this “lack of standing,” tactic underpinned by laws the County Council approved in 2006 favoring developer’s profits over the quality of life of the taxpayers and residents of Baltimore County.
This facet of Baltimore County inequity undermining our communities is being met head-on by the Baltimore County People’s Vanguards Senator Chris West Esq. (R) and Clarence Lam M.D. (D) with bipartisanship sponsoring Senate Bill 340 titled Baltimore County – Nuisance Actions – Community Association Standing.
Fort Howard Community Association is seeking support for SB 340 sending letters to the Baltimore County Council, County Executive, and the School Board, and the entire Baltimore County Annapolis delegation.
Please call, email, send a letter, or testify supporting SB340, your community, and children’s education.
