Potential Snow, Parking Issues

 We hope everyone had a great holiday season! With potentially heavy snow next week with some forecasts calling for more than 5 inches, here are a few things to keep in mind.

(However, we are near the boundary to snow-sleet so the actual outcome could be very different.)

1. Please remember not to block the gutters or storm grates (ideally leave a shovel's width of clear space at the curb). 

• After heavy snows it's important to leave a channel for the melt-off to reach the drains, or else we can end up with large puddles in the street that freeze over at night.

2. It's also important not to block the streets so emergency vehicles can get through.

• We need to remind everybody that the Howard County Fire Marshal made the traffic islands "No Parking" zones (and they are marked as such).
• This is to allow the emergency vehicles to get through, and also because it's necessary for the fire trucks to set up outriggers to stabilize them to reach the third stories.

This can be a critical safety issue, so please don't block the ambulances, fire trucks, and snow plows!

3. If we do get a heavy snow, trash and recycling collection may be impacted, and might get delayed and slide to another day.

Everyone stay safe and stay warm!

Public Info Session: Gorman/Skylark Roundabout 10/22/24 @ 5 pm

Howard County has scheduled a public information session for the proposed Gorman/Skylark Roundabout, on Tue. 10/22/24 from 5-6:30 pm at Murray Middle School.

This is what you will find if you go to the link and search for 09J under Public Works:

https://apps.howardcountymd.gov/Signcode/

Sign Code: 09J

Project Name: Gorman Road/Skylark Boulevard Roundabout
Project Request: The goal of the project is to enhance traffic operations and safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists in North Laurel by converting the stop-controlled intersection to a single-lane roundabout. The project also includes marked crosswalks and bicycle treatments, which provide cyclists approaching the roundabout the option to exit at bicycle ramps and use the proposed pathway. The preliminary design plans will be available for public viewing, and County staff will be available to answer any questions and gather public comments. There will not be a formal presentation.
Project Address: Gorman Road/Skylark Boulevard Intersection
Project City: Laurel
Project State: 
Zipcode: 20723

Meeting Date: 10/22/2024 12:00:00 AM
Meeting Time: 5-6:30pm
Meeting Place: Murray Hill Middle School
Meeting Address: 9989 Winter Sun Road

DPW Bureau/Division: Engineering/Transportation & Special Projects
Contact Name: Caitlin Kovel
Contact Phone: 410-313-6142

Please Moderate Your Speed

We have been asked to remind everyone to moderate your speed as you drive down our street, as many small children live here and we have a bit of a blind turn in the middle of the block.

We know that none of us wants to see an accident occur here, especially if a small child were to unexpectedly run into the street.

Thanks, and enjoy our great Spring weather!

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

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.

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:

"No Parking" Signs

The Howard County Fire Marshal is expected to install "No Parking" signs along the traffic island within the next month. This will create fire lanes to ensure that emergency vehicles can get through.

Once the signs are installed, cars can be ticketed for parking along the islands.

Emerson February 2016 Town Hall Notes

Howard County's Chief of the Traffic Engineering Division was the special guest at Emerson's February 2016 Town Hall on February 22, 2016, attended by approximately 30 residents.

This division, within the Department of Public Works, is responsible for engineering traffic solutions (to include signals and traffic calming) as well as for operational functions such as snow removal on public streets.

 The topics covered that evening:

• Parking problems within Emerson
• Snow removal
• Traffic and speeding issues

The highlights were:

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

Howard County Zoning Director Meets Community in North Laurel (Dec. 2015)

Howard County's new Director of the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) Valdis Lazdins was the primary speaker at the December 1, 2015 open forum of the Southern Howard County Civic Association (SHCCA) in North Laurel, MD.

Howard County's DPZ has a very large effect on many of the quality of life issues in our area, to include the potential redevelopment of Route 1.

They manage the zoning regulations in Howard County, and review developer proposals for their impact upon schools, the environment and congestion (traffic).

DPZ's Approach to Development in Howard County

Mr. Lazdins spoke about his philosophy for the zoning process and his belief that engagement with the community was essential for successful outcomes.

He stated that any community will always be going through a constant state of change, and that there are three components to creating great design that is a good fit for Howard County:

1. Preserve: Identify the the things that the community values, and that you want to write zoning regulations to keep
2. Enhance: This is more difficult, as you have to define what it means -- housing? streets? sidewalks?
3. Transform: The toughest part, especially if an area hasn't hit bottom yet where it has become clear to everyone that radical change is needed

Mr. Lazdins cited his broad and diverse background, including in the public sector (Chief of Special Projects for Montgomery County, and City Planner for Grand Rapids, MI) and as a partner in a professional planning firm (with other partners from the Rouse Company in Howard County) where he worked on projects across the country, to include the 3-year effort to replace the Woodrow Wilson Bridge outside of DC.

After listening to several residents express their concerns, he stated that it was clear to him that the Route 1 Corridor needs more attention in the 2016 DPZ work plan presently being put together.

Assessment of the DC-MD-VA Region

Notes: Howard County Officials Talk About Route 1 Revitalization

HCEDA CEO Larry Twele
[from HCEDA's web site]

Larry Twele, the CEO of the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) was the featured guest at the October 6, 2015 monthly meeting of the Southern Howard County Civic Association (SHCCA).

Other officials included Mark Thompson of HCEDA as well as Erik Gillenwater, who is the Howard County Police Department (HCPD) Community Resource Officer for our area.

The focus of the meeting was upon redevelopment in Southeastern Howard County (in particular, the Route 1 Corridor), with Officer Gillenwater answering questions about crime as well. 

Southern Howard County Civic Association (SHCCA)

SHCCA meets on the first Tuesday of each month in the North Laurel Community Center, hosting Howard County officials in an open forum discussion with residents and business owners.

Upcoming events:

• Tuesday, November 3, 2015 @ 6:30 PM: SHCCA Meeting, Howard County Executive Alan Kittleman 
• Tuesday, December 1, 2015 @ 6:30 PM: SHCCA Meeting, Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) Director Valdis Lazdins 
• Saturday, December 5 @ c. 5:30 PM: Savage Holiday Bridge and Tree Lighting (with cider, Santa, and caroling) 

North Laurel Community Center (NLCC)

Highlights

Mr. Twele talked about the tools available to Howard County and HCEDA to promote development, as well as the constraints the County faces in redeveloping Route 1.

• Howard County has two primary tools: zoning and tax policy 
• Need for a long-term plan for the entire area 
• Responded to concerns about the impact of the Coastal Sunbelt facility being built on Whiskey Bottom (especially on traffic) 

Mr. Twele encouraged the audience to return on December 1st when DPZ will be able to address the long-term vision more directly. HCEDA will also return at that time.

Officer Gillenwater answered questions about crime in the area, and talked about HCPD initiatives to address muggings in Columbia and Laurel with the increased use of plainclothes officers on footpaths and on bikes.

HCEDA’s Mission 

According to Mr. Twele, HCEDA’s mission is to promote business in Howard County. To that end he has a small staff of 17 that administers small business loans and tax credits, helps with marketing, and has a business development team that just increased from 2 to 4 staff members.

Papal Visit Expected to Impact DC-Area Traffic 9/22-9/24

AAA Mid-Atlantic is warning residents that Pope Francis' visit to the United States is expected to impact traffic in the Washington, DC area next week (Tuesday, September 22 through Thursday, September 24).

Pope Francis arrives at Andrews Air Force Base on Tuesday at 4 PM and will visit the White House on Wednesday, followed by a parade down Constitution Avenue in the Popemobile to St. Matthew's Cathedral. On Thursday, the Pope will be on Capitol Hill.

The effects of the visit are expected largely to be due to some security closures in DC and New York City.

However, Philadelphia is expecting 2 million visitors from across North America during the Papal Visit on Saturday and Sunday (September 26-27, 2015) with major disruptions to traffic.

• DC Government:
• Papal Visit 2015
• Maps of Road Closures
• AAA Papal Visit Page
• Unofficial Papal Visit Schedule for Washington DC
• Road Closures in Washington DC (WUSA 9/10/15)
• Additional Road Closures (WUSA 9/16/15)

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An excerpt from an email sent to AAA Mid-Atlantic members on 9/16/15:

In the coming week, nearly two million people are expected to travel from around the country and throughout the world to take part in Pope Francis' first visit to the United States.

Whether you plan to take part in the Papal Visit events or need to adjust work and/or leisure travel accordingly, as a AAA Member, you can count on us to help.

Know Before You Go - Papal Visit Cities/Dates 

Meeting Notes: Emerson Town Hall #2 on 8/24/15

The second Emerson Town Hall was held on Monday, August 24, 2015 in the Clubhouse.

Emerson HOA Board President Jack Jurgensen and the Emerson CMC managers (Channel and Steffanie) attended, as did a light turnout of 5 residents (perhaps because it was also the first day of school).

Topics:

1. Fire Lanes - including our street
2. Emerson Draft Design Guidelines
3. Security Contract
4. Route 1 Revitalization Plan
5. Miscellaneous Q&A

Details:

1. Fire Lanes
1. Emerson's Board has decided to ask Howard County to designate fire lanes in the community
1. A list of problematic streets was provided to the Howard County fire marshal, who reviewed every street in the community on various days (weekdays, weekends, morning and evening) to gauge traffic load
2. Surprisingly, the fire marshal also added our street to the list and recommended that the inner curb on the large island at the end of the street be designated a fire lane (no parking)

Howard County Flood Information

Be careful: There have been two incidents of flooding in our area due to heavy rain, including a flash flood that led to a rescue from a stranded vehicle trapped by swift water from The Little Patuxent River near Savage Mill.

Stephens Road Flooding
The temporary flooding of Stephens Road on June 27th underscored the need for Howard County's project to raise the bridge out of the floodplain. That project is expected to begin preliminary work this summer and to be completed by the end of 2016.

The impact on traffic and the plans for any closures have not been announced yet.

For those interested in floodplain information from FEMA, you can go to Howard County's interactive map at:

• Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM)

Additional information is available from Howard County's FIRM page.

Some notes from the interactive DFIRM map shown above in the screenshot:

Maryland E-Z Pass and Toll Fees Reduced

The State of Maryland announced that reduced tolls and E-Z Pass fees took effect on July 1, 2015.

Notably, E-Z Pass no longer charges a $1.50/month maintenance fee to Maryland residents or those who had at least three trips in Maryland in the previous statement period.

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Below is the partial text from an email sent to Maryland E-Z Pass customers:

Successful First Emerson Town Hall!

The first Emerson Town Hall held on Wednesday, June 17 was a success, with approximately 40 residents engaging in a lively and informative session with three Emerson Board Members and CMC Management.

The meeting answered many questions and allowed residents to not only voice concerns, but also offer ideas for enhancing the community. Several audience members volunteered to help with community initiatives.

The next Town Hall is scheduled for August, with the precise date and time to be announced.

Alternate times (besides 7 PM on weeknights) will be considered to allow more residents to attend, especially since many have long commutes.

These notes are not in strictly chronological order because in some cases grouping topics made them more understandable.

Highlights

• Many questions answered about Emerson budget, Pool, capital expenses (major improvements), revised Architectural Guidelines, parking, traffic, Maintenance/Landscaping, dog waste stations, and safety
• Board wants to create FAQs because many of the same questions come up at every meeting
• List of the priorities of the Emerson Board of Directors handed out to attendees (reproduced below)
• Much discussion with all attendees about how to engage the community and involve them in both attending and helping organize committees and events
• Many are eager to help
• Attendees want a community where people know each other, not just a collection of homeowners

Details

Stephens Road Update

The following was sent by Emerson's Master HOA to the community email list on 4/24/15:

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Stephens Road Update

One of our homeowners was kind enough to contact Howard County and get an update on the status of Stephens Road resurfacing.  Listed below is what we were told:    


Howard County’s Transportation & Special Projects Division within our Bureau of Engineering has a Capital Project - J4202 to reconstruct this section of Stephens Road. 

The project entails widening of the roadway, raising the bridge out of the floodplain and add sidewalks where they are missing. 

Input on Local Emerson Traffic (Gorman & Skylark)

Emerson Master HOA sent a message to residents asking them to go to the Howard County WalkHoward wiki to click "agree" on suggestions to add sidewalks to Gorman Road on the stretch between Skylark Blvd and Leishear Road.

The deadline for this input is Thursday, April 30, 2015.

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The message from Emerson:

Emerson Residents have a voice with Howard County. There is a website where County residents can see projects being planned or request projects (like sidewalks where none are). Log into "Walk Howard" by clicking on http://wikimapping.net/wikimap/Howard-County-Ped-Plan.html. 

You will need to register if this is your first time; when a map comes up you can select the icons and "agree" with a proposed project. Right now we are asking our community to “agree” with the requests for a sidewalk/shoulder on Gorman road going towards Leishear.  

The county will address safety concerns on a scenic road. Putting in at least a shoulder is in the art of the possible.  

WE ONLY HAVE UNTIL APRIL 30TH

Notes: Emerson HOA Meeting & Elections 11/24/14

Highlights of the Emerson Board Meeting on 11/24/14:

• Elections
• Three new Board Members elected, very heavy participation in the election
• Howard County Officials in attendance
• Councilwoman Jen Terrasa (District 3)
• Howard County Chief of Traffic Kris Jagarapu 
• Extended Q&A Session
• Local road projects
• Wincopia Farms/Walden Woods
• Process for upgrading roads, adding traffic calming
• Open Resident Forum

Details:

1. Elected to the Emerson Board of Directors for 2-year terms: