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26
AND 32 ABANDONED BUILDINGS TORN DOWN
At
long last, the abandoned buildings that have stood for over
a decade, vacant and without any active commercial enterprise,
have been torn down. These buildings over the course of years
have been allowed to deteriorate and have stood as an ugly
greeting to those driving into our community. All that changed
by November 2, when the Korner Karry Out Building was torn
down by its owner, albeit with considerable pressure from
the County.
 FACC,
we are proud to say, led the fight. FACC has once again succeeded
in achieving one of its most important goals for the community.
It was not easy.
The
fight to have the buildings either restored or torn down took
several years. It also took the involvement, at the urging
of FACC, of the State and County governments. In the end,
it was the County's recently strengthened abandoned buildings
ordinance that enabled the County to put pressure on the owners
to come forward and do the right thing: take down the structures.
It was FACC that suggested and put pressure on the County
to change the ordinance. Previously, the ordinance classified
an abandoned building eligible for a County demolition order
only if the building was structurally unsafe, that is only
if the building were in imminent danger of falling down. Due
to FACC's persistence, the ordinance was changed to broaden
its coverage to buildings that presented other dangers, such
as fire hazards. As a result, the County had the ammunition
with which to demand that the property owners take down these
eyesores that they had abandoned for over a decade and left
simply to deteriorate.
If
it sounds like FACC deserves a pat on the back, you are absolutely
right! FACC has its critics, to be certain. Why has FACC stayed
around despite seemingly endless and unfair attacks by the
"usual supects"? Two reasons come to mind. First,
FACC's focus has and will always be on the betterment of the
community. Second, FACC achieves results!
Much
hard work went into achieving this success. Many in our membership
have been fighting this battle for literally years.  Many
thanks go to them. Many thanks go to our Commissioners and
the County staff. Thanks go to Delegate Krebs as well, without
whose support this result would not have been possible.
We
have included in this edition photographs of the demolition.
Those of youwaiting for this moment should enjoy them. We
now look forward to a day when the corner of 26 and 32 can
be in a sense reborn. November 2005 was a good start.
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT FORUM
Please
join the Freedom Area Citizens’ Council when we host
a forum on economic development at 7:30 pm in the Eldersburg
library on Thursday, Nov. 17th. Invited guests and speakers
will include: Lawrence Twele, Carroll County Director of Economic
Development, Mayor Jonathan Herman of Sykesville and representatives
from the Maryland State Department of Planning and Department
of Health and Mental Hygiene. In addition, elected state representatives
Del. Sue Krebs and Sen. Alan Kittleman will be on hand as
will Carroll County Chief of Staff, Steve Powell and Director
of Planning Steve Horn.
The
primary topic will be the comprehensive planning process for
the Springfield Hospital complex as it slowly begins its transition
into becoming the premier economic development destination
in Carroll County. For about 10 years, the Town of Sykesville
has been incubating development plans for this complex and
with the opening earlier this year of the new Maryland State
Police Training Facility, the Warfield business complex and
groundbreaking on the new Route 32 interchange together with
the road re-alignment, long-range plans for Warfield and the
Springfield Hospital complex are finally starting to take
shape.
Attendees
will discuss the steps in the comprehensive planning process
and inform the public about the complicated nature of turning
unused and surplused state property into vital commercial
office and industrial capacity for Carroll County. Planners
hope that as the complex is re-developed over the course of
the next 10 years, it will become one of the regions largest
employment engines, creating well over a 1,000 new jobs and
attracting both large and small employers.
While
many may think of Eldersburg and Sykesville as sleepy bedroom
communities with little in the way of business appeal, this
is soon going to change. Make the time to tour the grounds
of the Springfield Hospital complex to soak-in the potential
of this premier economic development site. This historically
significant and architecturally beautiful complex will one
day offer a wonderful blend of commercial, industrial and
retail office space in a park-like setting conveniently located
in Sykesville, just a few miles north of interstate 70 and
a two minute drive from Eldersburg.
FACC
TO HOLD 50/50 RAFFLE
FACC
will be holding a 50/50 raffle. The drawing will be January
19, 2006 at our regularly scheduled meeting. Tickets go on
sale immediately and can be purchased for $1 a ticket, or
$5 for 6 tickets by contacting Tom McCarron at mmccarron@semmes.com
or 410-549-3809, or by contacting any Board member of the
FACC.
The Freedom Informer
Published by the Freedom Area Citizens’ Council
P.O. Box 142
Sykesville, MD 21784
EDITOR:
Nicole Musgrave-Burdette
PRODUCTION:
Deborah Dugan
TECHNICAL/DISTRIBUTION:
Dan Bicking
E-MAIL:
editor@freedomareacitizens.org
Visit our Website www.freedomareacitizens.org
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