December Newsletter & Meeting.

A copy of the December Newsletter is linked to below. Our December Meeting will be held at 7:45 PM at Harbel (5807 Harford Road) on Wednesday, December 4th.

December Newsletter

Ignite Education 6:30pm 11/21 @ City Neighbors

Biddison Cemetery Cleanup

Thanks to everyone who helped clean up the Biddison Cemetery at 3821 Forrester Ave over the past week.  Below are before and after pictures of the condition of the cemetery.

It was suggested making this an annual cleanup on the first Saturday in November.

Waltherson November 2013 Newsletter & Meeting

A copy of the November Newsletter is linked to below. Our November Meeting will be held at 7:45 PM at Harbel (5807 Harford Road) on Wednesday, November 6th.

November Newsletter

Frankford & Corse Redesign

The Department of Transportation announced that construction on the reconfiguration of the intersection of Coarse & Frankford Ave will start in the summer of 2014. Below is the latest plan from DOT.  A high resolution PDF is available on our NextDoor site.

Belair Road Streetscape Plan

Yesterday (Mon. October 21) there was a meeting to discuss preliminary plans for the Belair Road Streetscape plan for Baltimore City focusing on the nodes of Belair-Edison (at Belair & Erdman), Gardenville (at Belair & Frankford) and Overlea (at Belair & Fleetwood).  They are currently looking at two concepts, bumpouts or medians.  Sample drawings of the Gardenville node along of both concepts are below.

Bump-Outs Concept

Median Concept

This Saturday: Waltherson Block Party

Belair Road Streetscape Community Open House

Please join the Baltimore City Department of Transportation for a special community open house to discuss the future of Belair Rd. 

Streetscape enhancements and traffic calming are planned for three intersections on Belair Rd. at Erdman Avenue, Frankford Avenue, and Fleetwood Avenue. 

This open house will help guide long range transportation improvement for the corridor, so your feedback is especially important. 

The open house will be on 

Monday, October 21, 2013, 

6:00PM to 7:30PM 

at 

St. Anthony of Padua/Most Precious Blood Church, 

4414 Frankford Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206. 

October Newsletter & Meeting

A copy of the October Newsletter is linked to below. Our October Meeting will be held at 7:45 PM at Harbel (5807 Harford Road) on Wednesday, October 2nd.

October Newsletter

Special Meeting: Review Changes to Zion Christian Gym & Classroom expansion (4515 Holder Ave)

W a l t h e r s o n   I m p r o v e m e n t   A s s o c i a t i o n,  I n c

Invites all for a neighborhood meeting to discuss

PROPOSED CHANGES

to:

    Zion Christian Middle School

@ 4 9 1 5   H O L D E R   A V E

GYM & CLASSROOM BUILDING

Please come meet with the Mt. Zion School to hear them present updates on the Zion Gymnasium. Per the Waltherson communities requests, they have some proposed changes to the Gym and Classroom Building as well as traffic changes to present to us. Your input as a community member and neighbor is needed.

MON   9/16   @  7 PM

(@  Harbel, 5807 Harford Rd, Balto, MD 21214)

If you have concerns, please contact:    Helene Quinn / President WIA:  410-917-0628

Or go on our website at www.waltherson.org, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waltherson,

or Nextdoor website at https://waltherson.nextdoor.com/ to read more about it. 

You can email us at mailbox@waltherson.org  or tweet us @WalthersonAssoc

Waltherson September Newsletter

A copy of the September Newsletter is linked to below. Our September meeting will be at a different time & location and will be held at 6:30 PM at Faith Community Church (5315 Harford Road) on Wednesday, September 4th.  The meeting will be a presentation on Human Trafficking.

September Newsletter

September Community Meeting: Human Trafficking Presentation

Please join us on Wednesday, September 4th at 6:30 PM at Faith Community Church (5315 Harford Road) for a special presentation on Human Trafficking. Human Trafficking occurs in every county in Maryland and can occur in all communities and income levels. Join us to learn more about this problem, how to recognize it, and how to fight back.

Street Robberies

Please be careful with your electronics and personal items. You may have seen reports over the past week or two about joggers being robbed of cell phones.

We have heard from a neighbor that a man was attacked in a similar fashion on Harford Road near Southern Ave yesterday morning around 7:15am by a group who stopped in a car, attacked the victim and stole his cell phone. 

Please be on the lookout, stay aware of your surroundings, and try to avoid using your cell phone when out on foot.

Zion Christian BMZA Hearing

Under appeal number 2013-262 Zion Baptist Church is appealing to the Board of Municipal Zoning Appeals (BMZA) to construct a detached gym and classroom building for the existing middle school at 4915 Holder Ave. The BMZA will hear this appeal on Tuesday, August 20, 2013 @ 1 PM in Room 215 at City Hall. 

Zion Christian took notes of neighborhood concerns about this plan at our a special meeting with them last month and were going to see how those concerns could be addressed. In light of this, we wrote a letter to BMZA asking this hearing be postponed until Zion Christian is able to get back to us.

Royal Farms Opposition: CIRCUIT COURT APPEAL FROM BMZA APPEAL 2013-29

Below is an update from the Royal Farms Opposition regarding the proposed Royal Farms gas station at Harford Road & Glenmore Ave in Glenham-Belhar to our north.

PRESS RELEASE

A group of neighborhood associations and individual residents of northeast Baltimore City have filed a zoning appeal to Baltimore City Circuit Court to block a proposed Royal Farms mega gas station, which would have 12 gas pumps and remain open 24 hours a day/7 days a week. The appeal was filed in July by attorney John C. Murphy, representing the associations.

            Royal Farms had requested a zoning variance to purchase a building at 5901 & 5915 Harford Road to build a new station, razing the exiting office building on the site in an established residential area. Five neighborhood associations in northeast Baltimore City—GlenHam/BelHar, Hamilton Hills, Lauraville, Westfield and Waltherson—voted at membership meetings to oppose the proposed megastation and filed an appeal to the Baltimore City Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals (BMZA).

The original BMZA decision was made on April 2, 2013, when residents of the area packed the City Council chambers to argue against granting the zoning variation to Royal Farms. The residents, many of whom took time off from work to appear at the hearing, argued both about the strict application of the zoning code and about the general disruption and nuisance that the proposed megastation would create in the residential neighborhood. Residents stressed the location of the building, directly across the street from an Enoch Pratt library, at a dangerous 5-way intersection and challenged the proposed megastation, under the Zoning Code, for “the proximity of dwellings, churches, schools, public structures, and other places of public gathering.”

“This station is just bad all the way around,” said Julie Saylor, an irate resident of the area. “It’s right across the street from the library, it’s near public schools. We have set a goal of the Harford Road corridor to reduce auto traffic and emissions in favor of a walkable and family-friendly district—and the megastation ain’t it.”

With no discussion, the BMZA unanimously approved the zoning variance. A critical aspect of the hearing was City Councilman Robert Curran, who sent a letter to BMZA on the morning of the hearing endorsing the variance—even though all of the neighborhood associations had voted to oppose it—and who sat with the Royal Farms attorneys during the hearing and who testified at BMZA in favor of the megastation. At the August, 2012, meeting of the GlenHam/BelHar Association, Curran stated that he would support whatever the community supported. Curran declared personal bankruptcy in June 14, 2013.

This court appeal has two important provisions:

1.      Contesting the decision itself      and

2.      Challenging the procedures of the BMZA, accusing the board of violating the state’s Open Meeting law when it issued a second Resolution on June 13, 2013, without a public hearing. The new appeal also claims that BMZA had no authority to issue a second resolution on June 3 when its initial decision was being appealed. The appeal also accuses the BMZA of “Ex Parte communications” violations (or for the layperson, speaking to one attorney/party without speaking to another party on issues relating to both).

Opponents of the proposed megastation note that under the new proposed zoning code for Baltimore City, a station of this size would not be allowed. Residents of the area testified at the meetings of the City Planning Commission against such stations and a representative of the Commission attended the hearing on April 2nd to inform the BMZA of the proposed changes, which will—in the future—block such a megastation in a residential area.

The protestors also note that Royal Farms has been involved in a series of “bad neighbor” legal cases. In May 2013, Royal Farms agreed to pay a penalty of $600,000.00 for fuel leaks from underground gas tanks in Rosedale and in Cecil County that contaminated drinking water systems.

In another incident, a Baltimore County Circuit Court jury awarded the owner of the Bengie’s Drive-In $838,000 in June, 2012, agreeing with his contention that lights from a neighboring Royal Farms convenience store were a nuisance that interfered with his business.
        In addition to the court appeal, residents of the surrounding neighborhoods have been picketing on Harford Road, marching down from the proposed site to the existing Royal Farms store at the corner of Harford Road and Echodale. The movement has also developed yards signs, bumper stickers and NoRoFo T-shirts and the members say that the response of people has been great. Several people turned away from the Royal Farms store after getting an explanation from the picketers about the proposed mega-station and there is a move to expand the picketing to other Royal Farms stores.

“We are not opposed to any development of Harford Road,” said Dell Hagen-Rhodes. “There are already too many vacancies but this type of megastation is not what we need. Royal Farms is opening a megastation out on Pulaski Highway and that’s where this kind of station belongs—not in a residential neighborhood. There are also a number of gas stations on Harford Road already, as well as an existing small Royal Farms store, so the proposed megastation adds zero to our area. In fact, it could close up some existing businesses and create more vacant storefronts. We don’t need that. ”

For more information, contact

Sheila Ebelein GHBH.Sheila@gmail.com,

Roop Vijayan roopvijayan@gmail.com

August 2013 Newsletter & Meeting

A copy of the August Newsletter is linked to below. Our August meeting will be at Harbel at 7:45 PM on Wednesday, August 7th.

Waltherson August 2013 Newsletter by Waltherson Improvement Association

Hamilton Street Festival Road Closures

The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists of the road closures in effect for the 20th annual Hamilton Street Festival which will be held on Saturday, July 27, 2013.

In preparation for the event, the following streets will be closed on Saturday, July 27, 2013 from 2:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. with detours and parking restrictions in effect:

• Harford Road between White and Echodale Avenues
• Hamilton Avenue between Hampnett and Richard Avenues

Motorists traveling in this vicinity should be on the watch for pedestrians and are encouraged to use alternate routes.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stop by and enjoy the Festival!

4915 Holder Ave

Plans are moving forward for the expansion of Zion Christian Middle School at 4915 Holder Ave.  We are having a special meeting on Monday, July 22nd at 7 PM at Harbel to discuss these plans with a representative of the school. 

Waltherson Community Meeting Minutes 6/5/13

1.       Regina and Mt Zion Hill Baptist spoke of plans for parking lot.

a.       It will need to be repaved

b.      There will be a fence

c.       Greening is mandated

d.      30-50 parking spaces

e.      A vote of support was called for and approved unanimously.

2.       Councilman Brandon Scott

a.       Shootings on Glenmore, Southern Ave, & Perring Manor Rd on 6/5/13 were noted

b.      Working to get more resources for the Northeast District

c.       Mentioned to use online police reporting when possible

                                                               i.      http://www.baltimorepolice.org/our-services/file-a-police-report-online

d.      Question raised about a Church on Ailsa Ave in single family home.

                                                               i.      Waiting for Health Department to gauge sound complaints

                                                             ii.      Call for police / 311 for parking complaints

3.       Police Department

a.       Burglaries

                                                               i.      Criminals entering from rear or kicking out air conditioner

                                                             ii.      Call 911 for suspicious activity or unknown cars in alleys

                                                            iii.      Burglary patrol is focused on high call areas

b.      Shooting on 3700 Glenmore on 6/5/13

                                                               i.      Individual shot in car

                                                             ii.      Bullet was still inside car

                                                            iii.      Money was still present in the car indicating it was not a robbery

                                                           iv.      Neighbors did not report hearing shooting

c.       Shooting on 4300 Southern on 6/5/13

                                                               i.      Police mentioned two individuals shot in car

                                                             ii.      Due to argument that began at Mirage nightclub

                                                            iii.      Victim broke his ‘burn’ phones after being shot

d.      Arrest was made in the barbershop shooting on 5/11/13 on 4900 Belair Road

e.      No arrest in shooting at 4900 Belair road on 5/10/13.

f.        Question was asked about the raid on 4900 blk of St. George's Avenue but police could not provide additional details on the case other than was already in the media.

4.       Mike Hilliard

a.       2^nd Annual North Baltimore Public Safety Summit

                                                               i.      Saturday June 15^th @ Morgan State U Student Center Auditorium

                                                             ii.      Registration begins at 8 AM

                                                            iii.      State’s Attorney Gregg Bernstein to kick of meeting at 9 AM

                                                           iv.      Workshops topics on Cyber Safety, Bullying, and Personal Safety

                                                             v.      RSVP @ http://northbaltimorepublicsafetysummit.eventbrite.com

5.       Woman was concerned about parked cars in Moravia-Walther.

a.       Mike Hilliard mentioned the cars had illegal / counterfeit tags

b.      Brandon Scott is investigating.

c.       We referred her to the Moravia-Walther community association.

d.      Note was made about parked cars on Belair & Southern that may be unlicensed / missing tags

6.       Cory McCray mentioned he is running for the 45^th District MD House of Delegates

a.       More info can be found at www.electcorymccray.com

7.       Announcements

a.       Recommendation to do something for our 70^th Anniversary on October 19^th.

b.      Discussion of changing date/ time / frequency of our meetings

                                                               i.      It was noted that this requires a change in bylaws

c.       Kick off meeting to plan a Waltherson Block Party

                                                               i.      7 PM Lost Amigos | Saturday, June 8^th

Dress for Success getting more closet space in new Northeast Baltimore digs

"The local affiliate of Dress for Success is moving to 5525 Belair Road in June, an expansion that will give the nonprofit more room to outfit low-income women with gently used professional clothing.  Dress will occupy about 1,300-square-feet on the lower level and first floor of a rowhouse in the city’s Waltherson neighborhood in Northeast Baltimore."

Read more at: http://www.bmoremedia.com/devnews/?page=all&tags=community

Tuesday Farmer's Market Starts Today!

June Newsletter and Meeting

Our June newsletter can be found at the link below and our community meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 5th at 7:45 PM at Harbel. We will have Mt Zion Hill Baptist Church to discuss plans for a parking lot at 4803 Harford Road (vacant lot at Southern Ave).

http://www.scribd.com/doc/145319107/Waltherson-June-2013-Newsletter

We have no community meeting in July.

Community Play School

Community Play School is currently enrolling three and four year olds for the 2013/2014 school year. Our twos program is fully enrolled. Please contact us if you are interested in getting on the waiting list or scheduling a visit.

 

We are a play-based preschool for children ages 2 through 5 located in Faith Community United Methodist Church in Northeast Baltimore's Hamilton Community. We meet September through May, Monday through Friday from 9am to 12:45 pm with 2, 3, 4 or 5 day schedules. For more information please send an email to director, Courtney Gardner atcommunityplayschool@gmail.com or call 443-814-1211.

The Community Play School is designed to provide a child-centered and individualized arts-enriched program inspired by the Reggio Emilia method. Our philosophy is characterized by these developmental education principles:

- Children learn through play, interaction, problem solving, exploration, and discovery.
- Cooperation is more conducive to learning than competition.
- Children learn best when they can make choices and set their own goals.
- Each child is unique.
- Education is an on-going process which is enhanced when the child, teacher and family work together.

At the Community Play School we value a child’s right to a quality education that celebrates who he or she is, while providing tools to support ongoing emotional, intellectual, and creative growth. Our program is designed to deepen and enrich children’s encounters with the world, their community, and each other.

We are an affordable, community-based preschool dedicated to inclusion and diversity.

May 2013 Community Meeting & Newsletter

A copy of the May Newsletter is linked to below. Our May meeting will be at Harbel at 7:45 PM on Wednesday, May 1st.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/138411631/Waltherson-Newsletter-May-2013

Homicide in the 4000 block of Ridgecroft Rd.

Hate having to share news like this but there was a shooting in the 4000 block of Ridgecroft Rd last night at 12:49 AM that resulted in a homicide. Major Worley tells us "Homicide is investigating. The suspect was a black male light complexion with possibly curly hair. They do not have any info on motive at this point." If you have any information on this please call the police.

Waltherson April 2013 Newsletter

A copy of the March Newsletter is linked to below. Our April meeting will be at Harbel at 7:45 PM on Wednesday, April 3rd.

April Newsletter

Gym/Classroom Development proposal for 4919 Holder Av

Zion Christian School would like to build a gymnasium and 2 classrooms on the field at 4919 Holder Ave (between Walther and Holder). DOT has contacted us asking if there are any traffic issues that need to be addressed. We don't have much information yet but please let your friends & neighbors nearby know. We've put a note about it on our NextDoor page for feedback.

Waltherson Community Meeting Canceled

Waltherson Members,

Baltimore City schools have closed today and we are canceling our scheduled community meeting tonight.

If you are faced with an ice or snow covered street and you would like the City to plow and/or salt, please either call 311 or make a request via 311 online at: https://baltimore.customerservicerequest.org/web_intake_balt/Home.mvc/Index. Please ensure you convey the entire portion of the street you would like plowed and/or salted. I.E. if you want the 4500-4800 Blks. Harford Road plowed and salted you need to indicate that in the request. If you merely input the 4800 Blk. Harford Rd., they may only salt and/or plow that block.

Additionally, we have launched a private social network for Waltherson using a website called nextdoor.  On our site, neighbors can share community events, recommendations, items for sale/free, crime/safety concerns, ideas about how to make our neighborhood better, and more. 

https://nextdoor.com/invite/1g34aps7dzxe8n5fjvqo

2nd Saturday Open House Tour 12 - 3

There are some spectacular homes on the tour this month.  Homes are selling fast.  Don't miss this opportunity to see what Hamilton-Lauraville has to offer.  Tell your friends and family to come and find the home of their dreams this Saturday, March 9 from 12 - 3 pm

View 2nd Saturday Open House Tour 12 - 3 in a larger map