Stephens Road Bridge Construction

The construction of the new Stephens Road Bridge, which raises it 8-10 feet out of the floodplain, is nearing completion.

Stephens Road will be closed during working hours 7 AM - 5 PM the next two days (Wednesday and Thursday, 11/3/21 - 11/4/21) for construction of the new traffic medians. Information is available on a voice recording by calling Howard County at 410-313-3638.

Photos of the construction are also available on Howard County's Web Site:

• Stephens Road Bridge (Project J-4202) Construction Photos (10/7/21)

From Howard County Transportation Department Web Site:

Content

Update (Aug. 2021)

Phase 2 of the capital project (construction of western half of the bridge) is currently underway. The bridge deck concrete pour is complete; remaining work includes: superstructure, roadway fill, paving and sidewalk along the southbound portion which is to be completed by the end of August. 

Vehicular traffic is scheduled to be shifted to the newly built portion of roadway in early September to allow the contractor to build the sidewalk along the northbound portion and finish grading of the shoulder areas.  In early October, the contractor will complete the concrete median areas. This project also includes rehabilitation and grading of the existing storm water management facility behind the Hammonds Promise Overlook community. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021.

Recent construction photos can be found here:

• Stephens Construction Photos

Replacement of the existing bridge over the Hammond Branch of the Little Patuxent River.  Included in the project is continuous sidewalk construction along both sides of Stephens between Whiskey Bottom Road and Gorman Road.  Bicycle accommodation along roadway is also included.

• Estimated cost of project: $5-10M
• Actual construction start: Summer 2020
• Estimated construction completion: Fall/Winter 2021

Displays presented at 3/7/2018 public meeting can be found here: 

• Display 1: Stephens Road Improvements
• Display 2: Stephens Road Typical Section

Howard County, MD Ranked #8 in US Healthiest Counties

US News and World Report has ranked Howard County, MD (where our Autumn Walk at Emerson community is located) as the #8 healthiest county in the United States, from among almost 3000 communities rated in 2021.

This is the highest ranking in Maryland with Montgomery County coming in second at #65. (Though two counties in Northern Virginia, Falls Church and Loudon are #3 and #4 respectively.)

To read more:

• Howard County, MD at US News & World Report
• Howard County Ranks #8 as 2021 Healthiest Community (Patch.com)

Columbia, MD #5 on Money's Best Places to Live for 2020

Autumn Walk at Emerson is located adjacent to Columbia, MD which has perennially been a top pick in Money Magazines "Best Places to Live in America" lists for more than a decade, including taking the top spot in 2016. Columbia and Howard County define much of the quality of life for our community including the top-rated schools, a safe environment, and a diverse community.

For 2020, Columbia was ranked #5 in the US (and tops in Maryland). Their introduction to Columbia states:

"A mainstay on our Best Places to Live list, Columbia ranked 20th last year and took the top spot in 2016. This suburban town’s enduring appeal is the result of its racially and economically diverse population and its proximity to both Baltimore (15 miles away) and Washington, D.C. (22 miles). It helps that housing in the community is relatively affordable for the region."

These factors are among the reasons many of us chose to live here: proximity to jobs and amenities in a welcoming community with good schools.

Autumn Walk at Emerson News 8/24/20

1. Stephens Road Bridge Project: Closure next week o/a 8/30/20
2. Night Hours: After 10 PM
3. Welcome new neighbors!
4. Landscaping & Maintenance
5. Clubhouse Plans Revealed 8/27/20
6. Emerson Food Trucks: Wed, Fri, Weekends
7. Emerson Upgrades & Initiatives (driven by Emerson Community volunteers)
8. Hammond High School: $76M Renovation/Expansion Has Begun

News Items August 2020:

1. Stephens Road Bridge Project: Closure on/about Sunday 8/30/20 

• Stephens Road to close for about a week to relocate water/sewer lines during work hours (7 AM - 4 PM)
• Afterwards, construction of new bridge to begin, may take as long as 2 years
• Project lifts the bridge out of the floodplain (raising it 7-8 feet). Will also widen Stephens, add sidewalks, and add a median for traffic calming.
• Will have two spans, so for the most part should always have one span open without major detours
• Full info at bottom

2. Day/Night Hours: After 10 PM

Howard County Charter Review Commission

Although the Howard County Charter seems like a dry topic, there are a number of important items being considered for possible inclusion on the ballot in 2020, including:

• Changing the number of Howard County Council Districts (for example, from 5 to 7)
• Giving the Council the ability to delete, or increase or decrease, line items in the Executive's budget
• Requiring that the County either limit future proposed projects to the funding projects for future years (such as schools and swimming pools), or at least state what the expected revenue will be in those years

Input can be provided directly to the Charter Review Commission at any time via email:

• charterreviewcommission@howardcountymd.gov

The meetings are also open to the public and there may be an additional 4th Public Hearing later this year.

Just a sampling of the topics that have been considered this year are listed below:

Special Emerson Town Hall with HoCo Executive 9/24/19

Emerson held a Special Town Hall with Howard County Executive Dr. Calvin Ball in the Emerson Clubhouse on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 from 7 PM to 9 PM.

Dr. Ball also brought many of his senior leadership team and Department Heads with him to answer a wide-ranging set of questions (posted below for easy reference).

The video feed was also broadcast live to the external Emerson Facebook Page and to the Emerson Forum:

• https://www.facebook.com/emersoncommunityassociation/videos/2317221785208611/

Some highlights:

Emerson Community Facebook Forum

Did you know that Emerson has a Facebook Forum, a closed group open only to residents and owners, that has become the place to go to get recommendations, find out what's going on in the community, and do a little buying and selling?

Join in the fun! You'll be asked to provide an Emerson address.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/emersonhomeowners/

Autumn Walk (Early) Spring Update

80-degree days in February make it feel like Spring has already arrived, so here's a quick (Early) Spring 2018 Update:

• Autumn Walk Welcome Committee
• Spring Clean-Up
• Autumn Walk Entrance Sign Construction
• Stephens Road Bridge Project

If you have any other ideas or see issues that need to be addressed, please contact us at autumnwalkhoa@gmail.com.

1. Welcome Committee

The new Autumn Walk Welcome Committee put together a lovely basket for our newest neighbors Melody and Jim, to make sure they are welcomed to our community.

Howard County Performing Comprehensive Review of Zoning Regulations

Howard County Department of Planning & Zoning (DPZ) sponsored a very informative session on the comprehensive review of Zoning Regulations on Wed. Mar. 29 at North Laurel Community Center (NLCC).

There will be a year-long process of public engagement and feedback sessions, plus written input will be welcomed.

More information (and eventually a feedback submission link) will be at:

https://www.howardcountymd.gov/regulationassessment

• In Phase 1, zoning documents will be examined over the next year with the intent to recommend ways to:

- simplify the code,
- make it easier to read and understand, and
- make sure it has the right tools to either preserve the existing character of zones (e.g., the rural west) or help a zone achieve its intended goal, as defined in Howard County plans approved by the Council.

• In Phase 2, the regulations would be rewritten.

• Specific to our area, a Route 1 planning study will also be done at the end of the year running concurrent with the zoning regulations review.

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Details:

1. HoCo will conduct a new Route 1 study to plan revitalization in late 2017 or early 2018. 

Overview: Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) Recommendations

One of the topics of the November meeting of the Southern Howard County Civic Association (SHCCA) covered the recommendations provided to the Howard County Executive by a task force convened in 2015 to consider changes to the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO).

APFO was enacted in 1992 to slow the exploding growth of housing in Howard County, and to ensure that public infrastructure (schools and roads) were capable of handling growth.

It defines criteria ("tests") for determining when developers must provide funds or mitigations to prevent school overcrowding and road congestion.

There wasn't sufficient time to completely cover the topic, but highlights are provided below and Howard County's Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) Jeff Bronow is willing to meet with the community again if there is interest.

Highlights:

Howard County Officials to Discuss Route 1 Revitalization and APFO on Nov. 1

(Please note that although both topics are on the same agenda, APFO addresses congestion from new housing in all of Howard County and not just the Route 1 Corridor.)

Howard County officials will be the guests at the next meeting of the Southern Howard County Civic Association (SHCCA) on November 1st at 6:30 PM in the North Laurel Community Center (NLCC).

• Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) 
• Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) Task Force 

There will be two topics:

• 7:00 PM: Route 1 Revitalization
• 7:45 PM: Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO)

Date: Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016 [add to Facebook calendar]

Time: 6:30 PM

Location: North Laurel Community Center (NLCC), 9411 Whiskey Bottom Road, Laurel, MD 20723

At this meeting Howard County will provide an overview of the review committee's recommendations for the first major changes to APFO since 1992, which govern what contributions developers must make for schools, roads, and other public infrastructure to account for the increased burdens created by growth.

The committee spent hundreds of hours over the course of 2015-2016 discussing the changes and this is your chance to understand the recommendations in a condensed form.

These recommendations are expected to form the basis for discussions between the Howard County Executive and the County Council when they consider making changes to the law over the next year.

To learn more about APFO, go to Howard County's web site at:

https://www.howardcountymd.gov/About-HoCo/County-Executive/Adequate-public-facilities-ordinance-task-force

Related Posts:

• Howard County Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) Overview (1/12/16)

Halloween Lights (Odenton, MD)

For a little Halloween fun, the 2016 Halloween Light Show will go live on Ice Crystal Court in Odenton on Friday, October 21 from 6:30 PM to 9 PM! The show should stay up through Halloween.

See the linked article about last year's show, and go to the family's Facebook page to see the rules for visitors (which essentially ask you to be courteous to the neighbors and to be safe).

This is the fifth year the family has created a light show, and they usually do one for Christmas as well.

• Odenton Man Attracts Hundreds for Annual Halloween Light Show (The Capital Gazette, 10/28/16)
• Thousands of Lights Sync to Halloween Music in Odenton (WMAR ABC2News, 10/21/15)
• Lights on Ice Crystal (Facebook)

Columbia, MD #1 in 2016 Money Magazine Best Places to Live in America

Columbia, MD is #1 on Money Magazine's 2016 Best Places to Live in America list!

This is the sixth consecutive time that Columbia has been in the Top 10 of this biennial ranking, and the first time that Columbia has taken the top spot, with the publication citing good schools, a strong business climate, economic and social diversity, and relatively affordable housing for this region.

This year's rankings emphasized the economy and jobs.

Other Top 50 communities in DC-MD-NoVA were Ashburn, VA (#22) and Hunter Mill, VA (#28, incorporating parts of Reston, Herndon, Vienna, and Tysons Corner).

As you know, Emerson is on the southern boundary of Columbia and shares the same top-rated Howard County school district and library system.

Emerson National Night Out - Food Drive for Ellicott City

Emerson's National Night Out (NNO) will still continue as scheduled tomorrow night, but appearances by Howard County police, fire, and government officials have been cancelled due to the recovery efforts from the devastating floods in Ellicott City this past weekend.

One of Emerson's residents has arranged for a Food Drive for Ellicott City in conjunction with the Howard County Food Bank and the Grassroots Center. Donations can be brought to a dedicated area at NNO.

Date: Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Time: 6 PM - 8 PM
Location: Emerson Clubhouse

1. National Night Out Events:

Emerson Is Official Howard County Kick-Off Site for 2016 National Night Out!

Emerson's Ice Cream Social will be the Official Kick-Off Site for the National Night Out (NNO) party in Howard County for 2016, with many local dignitaries in attendance including the Howard County Chief of Police!

NNO is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live.

In support of crime prevention efforts, thousands of communities across America will be turning on their outside lights and stepping outside to take part in neighborhood events and block parties.

Date: Tuesday, August 2, 2016
Time: 6 PM - 8 PM
Location: Emerson Clubhouse

Note: There will be no parking in the Clubhouse Parking Lot on Tuesday August 2nd from 7am to 7pm

As the lead site, Emerson will host many dignitaries and special events.

Special Guests and Dignitaries:

Early Voting in Primary Elections Starts April 14

Early voting locations can be found on the web page of Howard County's Board of Elections.

You can vote at any early voting location in the county where you live from Thursday, April 14, 2016 through Thursday, April 21, 2016 from 10 am until 8 pm.

Any registered voter can vote in the non-partisan School Board elections. To vote in the Presidential Primaries, you must be a registered member of that party.

The schedule for the 2016 Election Cycle:

Primary Election:

• Early Voting: Thursday, April 14, 2016 through Thursday, April 21, 2016 from 10 am until 8 pm. 
• Primaries Election Day: Tuesday, April 26, 2016 from 7 am to 8 pm

General Election:

• Early Voting: Thursday, October 27, 2016 through Thursday, November 3, 2016 from 8 am until 8 pm.
• 2016 Presidential Election Day: Tuesday, November 8, 2016 from 7 am to 8 pm

Howard County Board of Education Candidates in North Laurel on April 5th

Come meet the candidates!

It may surprise you to learn that because school systems in Maryland are set up to be largely independent, the School Boards have direct authority over the schools, not the elected County Government officials.

On Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 6:30 PM, the Southern Howard County Civic Association (SHCCA) will bring together the candidates for the upcoming Howard County Board of Education elections in an open forum at North Laurel Community Center (NLCC).

There are eleven candidates for the three openings for 4-year terms on the Board that are up for re-election in the 2016 cycle. The Howard County Board of Education has 7 full Members plus a Student Member (who can vote on all matters except the budget, personnel, or other restricted topics).

The primary election will be held on Tuesday, April 26, 2016. Because the School Board is non-partisan, any registered voter can vote in the primary.

Voters will be asked to select 3 candidates, with the top 6 advancing to the general election on November 8, 2016.

Howard County Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) Overview

On Wednesday, January 13, 2016, the Task Force chartered by Howard County Executive Alan Kittleman to perform the first comprehensive review of the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) will meet in Ellicott City for one of two remaining working meetings.

The Task Force plans to wrap up its discussion in the January 27th meeting two weeks later, with a final meeting on February 10th.

Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) Task Force
Date: Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Time: 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

So what is APFO, why should you care, and what are the issues being discussed?

What is APFO?

APFO was instituted in 1992 as a mechanism for Howard County to manage growth and the impact of new development on schools and roads.

Howard County did this by controlling the number of housing allocations. Developers are not able to build without housing allocations, and their projects must undergo a review to determine the cost of mitigating the impact on local school capacity and traffic congestion.

Developers have the option to either perform the required improvements themselves or pay into a County fund for that purpose.

(It should be noted that the courts have ruled, however, that the County cannot indefinitely delay development. If developers have housing allocations and the correct zoning for their projects, they can proceed after 4 years even without the improvements.)

Why should you care about APFO?

APFO attempts to establish reasonable thresholds for ensuring that funding is available to increase school and road capacity, to offset the impact of growth from new developments.

These issues have a major effect on quality-of-life issues in our community, especially in a place like Howard County that places high value on its top-performing school system.

What are the APFO issues being discussed?

The questions raised in the review revolve around the scope of what should be included (i.e., should the impact on more than just schools and roads be considered), what are "reasonable" thresholds and criteria, and how often the process should change.

Among the topics expected on tomorrow's agenda are:

Notes: Emerson Town Hall with Council Member Jen Terrasa (Dec. 2015)

Howard County officials were the invited guests at Emerson's December 2015 Town Hall in the Emerson Clubhouse. Featured were:

• Kathleen Donodeo, Transportation Planner in the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning
• Jen Terrasa,  Howard County Council Member for District 3
• Kate McLeod, Special Assistant to Ms. Terrasa

The primary topics for discussion were transportation issues (including the lack of public transportation in Emerson and traffic), the status of infrastructure improvement local projects (primarily the Stephens Road bridge and sidewalks), school funding, and zoning and development. 

Public Transportation

Cyber Security Preparedness Briefing by the FBI on 1/27/16

Howard County's Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will be hosting FBI Supervisory Special Agent Daniel Gray on Wednesday, January 27, 2016 in Ellicott City during the second half of their quarterly meeting to speak on the topic of Cyber Security Preparedness.

Mr. Gray is responsible for the management and coordination of all FBI Cyber Investigations for Maryland and Delaware, and was formerly the Assistant Section Chief of FBI Cyber Division’s former Cyber National Security Section.

To sign up, go to the LEPC EventBrite page: http://howardcountylepc.eventbrite.com/

Topic: "Cyber Security Preparedness: Best practices for individuals, and businesses to meet escalating cyber threats” with FBI Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) Daniel Gray

Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2016
Time: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM (the first hour will have brief outs from Howard County agencies, and the second hour will be Mr. Gray's presentation)

Location: 

Roger Carter Community Center
3000 Milltowne Drive
Ellicott City, MD 21043

Web Site: howardcountylepc.eventbrite.com

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Full Description from the Event Page: