Action Alert: Sugarloaf Management Plan Hearing

9/23/2022

The following is an important action alert from our friends at Sugarloaf Alliance.

Sugarloaf-Alliance.org

It’s Up To Each of Us!
Stop Data Center and Dense Development
Near Sugarloaf Mountain and Monocacy National Battlefield

PUBLIC HEARING on 9/27 at 5:30pm
Winchester Hall, 12 E Church St, Frederick
Come early!! Gather out front at 5PM.

On Tuesday, September 27, the Frederick County Council will hold their formal hearing on the Sugarloaf Plan and the amendments that have been introduced. This is the night when public comments are the primary focus of the meeting. An overflowing room of Sugarloaf preservation supporters, clad in green shirts*, will tell a story like nothing else can. Remember the gun range plan? Residents prevailed, and it was the overflowing Council space that made the difference. We need to do that again.

Why?
The Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan is a once-in-a-generation plan to protect almost 20,000 rural acres in Frederick County - including Sugarloaf Mountain and the area around Monocacy National Battlefield - from dense residential, commercial, and potentially industrial development. Such development now threatens to cross from the east side of I-270 line to the rural west side.

The current Sugarloaf Plan boundary (I-270) is opposed by an influential developer who owns over 600 acres in the Sugarloaf Plan area along the west side of I-270 near the Monocacy National Battlefield and Thurston Road. In the map below, the yellow dashed lines are developer property.

Data Centers?
Sugarloaf Alliance has information from our public information requests that strongly suggests data centers have been under consideration for the developer's acreage

Data centers or any other dense development being considered there would cause irreversible damage to the Plan region. Constant noise, 24/7 lighting, enormous electrical and water demands, and monolithic buildings would cause serious reduction in property values, farming activities, natural resources, and rural life. Residents would move and - without the Plan - development would creep closer to Sugarloaf.

Council Member Dacey has proposed a Plan amendment that would re-draw the Plan boundary and remove 2,600 acres on the west side of I-270 from the Plan’s protection (the red line in the map above). That acreage includes the developer-owned property and rural properties near Monocacy National Battlefield. We believe it would be irresponsible and short-sighted to sacrifice these 2,600 rural acres to allow dense development here and pave the way for sprawl.

Proponents of development cite windfall revenues for the county, but Sugarloaf Alliance research shows that data centers offer few jobs. Unlike Virginia (“Data Center Alley” is in Ashburn), Maryland does not tax business personal property, including computers. The beneficiaries of intense development in the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape would be in profits for non-resident developers and corporations.

What about Sugarloaf Mountain?
The board of the nonprofit organization (Stronghold, Inc.) that operates the 3,400-acre mountain also seeks exemptions from the Sugarloaf Plan. Members of the board have gone so far as to threaten to close the mountain to the public if they don’t get what they want.

Sugarloaf’s roads, trails, and picnic areas operate under a trust set up in the 1940s by Gordon Strong. The park has been a Registered Natural Landmark since 1969, and the trust preserves the mountain as a private park for the “benefit of the public.”

SHOW UP ON TUESDAY!

There’s no going back: If commercial interests prevail, if the Council does not hold the boundary line at I-270 and/or does not fully support the preservation overlay, the west-side sprawl will begin. The Sugarloaf Plan becomes a development plan, not a preservation plan. PLEASE ATTEND THE HEARING on 9/27!

* SUGARLOAF ALLIANCE HAS T-SHIRTS!
The Sugarloaf Alliance now has beautiful t-shirts, green of course! And perfect for supporting the Sugarloaf Plan on 9/27! You can get yours for a minimum donation of $20. We will have them in front of Winchester Hall on 9/27. If you like to get yours sooner, we’ll meet folks on SATURDAY, 9/24 between 10-11am, in the parking lot behind the Urbana Library (not the shopping center side).

The Sugarloaf Alliance represents over 500 stakeholders in the Sugarloaf region. The Alliance’s mission is to protect
the unique natural and historical aspects of the Sugarloaf Mountain area and its environment through education and
initiatives in support of watersheds, streams, meadows, forests, and historic sites. Working with volunteers, civic
groups, and local, state, and federal agencies, the organization’s primary goal is to preserve the unique character and
serenity of the area for future generations. Sugarloaf Alliance is a 501(c)(3) organization. Sugarloaf-Alliance.org
Steve Black, President
Sue Trainor, Vice President
Nick Carrera, Treasurer
Johanna Springston, Secretary

Ride for the Reserve Route Reveal

9/9/2022

Want to get a look at the routes on the Ride for the Reserve? We went through them, plus safety and all the info on rest stops with MCA staff and ride chair Vivien Bonazzi.
Want the presentation - find the PDF here

There is great information throughout the video and all registered riders (and those considering registering) are encouraged to watch the whole thing, particularly the safety sections and ride times leading up to the routes themselves - but here are the time stamps for where you will find each route in the video:
6 mile Family Route- 26:00
18 mile - 30:00
26 Mile - 31:00
- the prior routes will have leads and sweeps and be "no-drop" rides, the following will be on your own for more experienced riders (SAG support is available should you run into problems)-
34 Mile - 33:00
46 Mile - 35:30
62 Mile /Metric Century - 37:00

Registered riders will get an email with how to access to the Ride with GPS link, GPX files for bike computers and cue sheets. Riders can make their mind up that very morning on which ride suits them best.
Many hands make the ride work - you can volunteer to help out with the ride (we have SSL hours!).

Registration for the ride will include the picnic until September 21st. Registrations after that will be a higher price and riders are welcome to purchase lunch from one of the food vendors at the pop-up farmers market at rides end.

Landmark MD Court Ruling Ensures Forest Conservation Plans Can Be Legally Challenged

8/31/2022

A new native tree greets spring time at a forest planting as part of our Re-Leaf the Reserve Program. (Photo- Lee Langstaff)

The following is a email from our friends at Chesapeake Bay Foundation with some great news. Forests now have far better legal protections. This ruling comes at a time that Montgomery County is revising the forest conservation policies at the local level. This state-level ruling will help make local policies stronger. Forests matter in Maryland and MoCo - read and share MoCo forest stories here.

Dear Friend of the Bay,

Great news for Maryland's forests! On Friday, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that forest conservation plans for development projects can be legally challenged after being approved. From now on, forests will have the same legal protections as wetlands and waterfront lands in Maryland.
This ruling comes at a critical moment in our work to protect Harford County's Abingdon Woods, where a developer intends to clear about 220 acres of forests—including the removal of 49 large, old growth trees that are specially protected under Maryland law. Now CBF can move forward with plans to contest the developer's forest conservation plan in circuit court.
While this ruling came down through our work in Harford County, the ruling sets precedent statewide. The court recognized the importance of Maryland's forest protection law and ensured plans that fall short can easily be challenged in court by citizens, nonprofits like CBF, community organizations, and more.
For decades, CBF has prioritized forest conservation efforts to reduce pollution to the Chesapeake Bay. The work has taken on greater importance in recent years because forests are imperative in the fight against climate change. They help filter our waters, increase property values, reduce energy costs, provide clean air and wildlife habitat, and improve public health.
Thank you for continuing to stand with us as we work to protect Maryland's forests and the Bay.
CBF's Press Release
Bay Journal/ Maryland Matters

More You May Like:

MoCo Forest Stories - Forests loved - too often lost. What do forests (and their protection) mean to you?
Re-Leaf the Reserve- we've planted 25 acres so far - can your land host a forever forest?
Re-Leaf Honor Cards - give a meaningful, clutter free gift that grows
The way trees in a forest communicate and help each other will inspire you

Take Action: Developers Looking to Turn Frederick Farmland into Huge Data Center - Bore Under Potomac in 3 Places

8/30/2022

FredCo Councilmember Kai Hagen does a good summary of why keeping the boundaries of the protective Sugarloaf plan all the way to 270 makes sense and carveouts for heavy development are not forward thinking policy. Take a moment to sign the petition here.

The Frederick County Council has pushed the deadline for their decision on this plan until October 31. Read more in the FNP

The Sugarloaf Treasured Management Plan is poised to deliver Southern FredCo's farms and forests the protection they have long needed. Here at the finish line, the County Council seems to be bowing to developer pressure on amendments that would undermine the plan and allow massive development. Join our friends at Sugarloaf Alliance in signing this petition and calling or emailing the FredCo Councilmembers (Contacts Below). The next Council meeting is tonight (8/30) and the following one is scheduled for 9/6.

The Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Master Plan has been a difficult process. The original plan was going to protect the farms and open space of entire Sugarloaf mountain region - only to have back room deals lead to carve outs along the west 270 for a wealthy developer, Tom Natelli, who wants to skirt the more protective zoning on his 500 acre parcel (currently farmland and forests) (mapped in red below).

The Frederick County Planning Board chose good governance and transparency and added the carve out back into the protective plan, extending the protections all the way west of 270 and all the way east to the Monocacy River- the historical boundary of this region. Now that the plan is in the final phases at the FredCo Council, there are again machinations on the part of Mr. Natelli and others and a new amendment that will be introduced by one or more Councilmembers. This amendment would seemingly allow spot zoning changes throughout the protected area - seriously weakening the plan.

And what do they want to build?

A Texas-based company called - not making this up- Quantum Loophole (QL)- has already broken ground for a giant data center on a 2,000 acre site along 270 (outside of the proposed land use plan) that used to house the Alcoa factory but seemingly need more land east of 270 (within the proposed boundaries) and just happened to welcome Mr. Natelli to its board of directors last summer - hence the proposed...loophole...being proposed as an amendment to the otherwise solid land management plan in front of the Council this very week. But if the data center is underway in a redevelopment area, why do they need more land in Frederick County - land that is currently forests and farmland?

"Quantum Loophole’s first-of-its-kind data center campus offers city-scale infrastructure for hyperscale, colocation, and purpose-built data center developers. The more than 2,100-acre, master-planned site sits just 20 ms from the massive, but constrained, Ashburn ecosystem." - Business Wire

Frederick's QL data center construction is a sister to the one they have built 20 miles away. Too bad there was not more capacity to have all the cloud computing in one spot - no big deal, QL will just create a 40 mile pipeline through the Agricultural Reserve and under the Potomac River in 3 places - entitled QLoop to enable data transfer. And here we were told the internet was actually not a series of tubes.

What We Can Do:

(From Sugarloaf Alliance)

- Share this newsletter to your email friends
- Invite everyone to sign the petition - we’re over 1,000 - let’s get even more from Frederick Co.
- Share our website: www.sugarloaf-alliance.org
- Share our facebook page: Facebook@sugarloafalliance

Many hands, as they say…. We’re all volunteers. We do what we can. Even if you’ve commented 15 times before, please comment again and again and again. The boundary issue is back. Show up, call in, email. Contact your Council Member. Contact the At-Large Council Members. Contact Council Member Jessica Fitzwater who is running for County Executive, who may be in charge of implementing the Plan and who has yet to take a position. Tell them all:
You support the Plan’s I-270 boundary from Montgomery County to the Monocacy.
You support the Overlay and the Plan’s preservation goals for the Sugarloaf area.
Include a statement about why you appreciate the rural character of the area west of I-270 and why you believe dense development should continue to be focused on the east side of I-270.
You oppose the paragraph on page 54, which opens the door to short-term Plan amendments because it creates an explicit opportunity for developers to quickly push for Plan changes despite more than 2 years of work and public input on the current version.
Thank the Council Members for their support of the Sugarloaf Plan.
Find more talking points at our website: sugarloaf-alliance.org

Email your comments to the County Council at councilmembers@frederickcountymd.gov.
Email or call your Council Member, the At-Large Members, and Candidate Fitzwater:

Steve McKay (District 2), SMcKay@frederickcountymd.gov, 301-600-1034
Michael Blue (VP, District 5) MBlue@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-1034
Jerry Donald* (District 1), JDonald@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-2336
Jessica Fitzwater (District 4), JFitzwater@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-2336
M.C. Keegan-Ayer (Pres., District 3), MCKeegan-Ayer@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-1101
Kai Hagen (At Large), KHagen@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-2336
Phil Dacey (at Large), PDacey@FrederickCountyMD.gov, 301-600-1034

Take Action: Thrive 2050's Deficiencies on Water in a Dry and Warming World

8/26/2022

What used to be the River Po in Italy - See how historic droughts are impacting waterways around the world in this slideshow from Reuters

This is a two minute action request of you.
Montgomery County Council currently has before it the draft update to the general land use plan - dubbed Thrive 2050. Among the myriad troubling deficiencies of the draft- scant reference to water - whether drinking or stormwater flooding, whether River, stream, or groundwater aquifer. And certainly absent is the effect of and response to the changing climate on water resources- climate change is relegated to reference in a non-binding appendix.
The Thrive process was paused, rightly, to address the identified absence of racial equity language.
But a deadline, September 1, to complete contractor product addressing equity is looming… and even the contractor has publicly expressed deep concern that the time is not adequate to properly engage the public and provide improvement.

The argument made by some that Thrive has been in the works for 2 years and there is no more time to mess with it… is nuts. Nuts!

The Planning Department describes this document: “The foundation of planning for Montgomery County is the General Plan. This vision has guided all plans and policies for more than five decades.”

Notwithstanding the frustration over length of update process… during a pandemic… with lack of public transparency and full stakeholder participation… the Council must provide the means to improve both process and substance by giving the needed time and attention to get this plan right.

So we ask - take action to ask our Council to pause and give appropriate time/effort - get this important guiding plan right.

Thrive 2050: What it Says, What it Will Do, and Why We Have to Hit Pause

8/16/2022

County Executive March Elrich wrote to the Council asking that Thrive 2050 be paused to address some glaring omissions and to continue the work of the equity consultant.
The Equity consultant Nspiregreen gave a briefing to the Council on Tuesday - coverage of that briefing from WTOP (below section on Purple Line) highlights the need to consider -and implement- the full findings of the Equity consultant.

We are proud to be part of a coalition of organizations advocating for changes to the proposed Thrive 2050 plan. The general plan update has a number of ways it misses the mark. This is a general plan update and we need to take the time to get it right. Take 2 minutes to write to the County Council here.
For Much more background on the plan and our proposed changes, read on....

Hit the Pause Button on Thrive Montgomery 2050 - it’s headed in the wrong direction.
August 2022
Dear Council President Albornoz and Councilmembers,
Thrive Montgomery 2050, the proposed update of Montgomery’s General Plan, if enacted, will fundamentally change our land use policies. The direction of that change is of deep concern to us.
In keeping with our existing General Plan and master plans, we support these smart growth and housing policies:

In order to redress racial inequities and socio-economic injustices, our General Plan must promote and enable full housing for all - especially for low-income and moderate-income families.
protecting our Agricultural Reserve and our clean streams, clean air and drinking water supplies.
Removing planned-but-unbuilt highways including proposed M-83 from all of our master plans.

Thrive’s current version approved by the PHED committee, if enacted, will take our County in the wrong direction: more sprawl and pavement in rural areas - and more displacement in urban areas. Streams, forests and trees in both urban and rural areas are threatened by Thrive’s growth policies. Thrive wrongly promotes non-farming “recreational” land uses in our Ag Reserve; these threaten farmers’ long-term, stable access to affordable land. Thrive would accelerate high-end market-rate housing in our urban and suburban areas which would raise land prices and rents, reducing opportunities for non-market-rate housing (a.k.a. social housing).
These proposed changes require much greater public review, participation, debate and revision, before the Council takes any final action on Thrive. The Racial Equity and Social Justice (RESJ) review of Thrive must offer thorough revisions to the entire Thrive document, including to its housing, growth, and transportation policies. But the rushed RESJ process is unlikely to yield needed revisions to these policies. Let’s get it right. Let’s not pass such a flawed product in the false belief that “we’ll fix it later.” Let’s fix it now.
Given these problems, I request your active support for these three steps:
(1) Hit the Pause Button on Thrive – and on all Thrive-related strategies, plans and zoning changes.
(2) Extend Thrive’s schedule to re-program a new effort to review and revise Thrive, through a much more inclusive process. Work with the new incoming council and planning director to enable them to review, evaluate, and revise Thrive as needed – based upon full and inclusive public participation with residents as respected planning partners.
(3) Hold public hearings this Fall of 2022, to enable on-the-record public review and comment on the PHED draft, including on any proposed revisions from the RESJ process.

The Background on Thrive 2050 in 3 acts:

1. Background: Award-Winning Smart Growth

The Wedges and Corridor map from the 1993 General Plan

2. Thrive's Sweeping Changes

3. Likely Outcomes of Thrive's Proposed Policies: Sprawl, Displacement, Rent Increases, Loss of Farms

There is still time for the Council to pause Thrive in order to get this plan right. Take 2 minutes to contact the Council here.

PLENTY Magazine - A Tool to Educate and Inspire

8/9/2022

The Summer Growing Season issue of PLENTY magazine is out now in local markets, libraries and independent shops plus online right here.

PLENTY has become a much-loved Montgomery County publication whose mission has been to cultivate increased awareness and deep appreciation for our 93,000-acre Agricultural Reserve

From the beginning PLENTY has been supported by its advertisers and investments by its publishers. Keeping a publication afloat during covid has been no easy feat.

It is part of the MCA core mission to educate and inspire residents about the Ag Reserve, and PLENTY can play a key role in accomplishing this. We hope you will join us in our efforts to ensure that PLENTY remains a free and widely available by lending your tax-deductible support to our work with PLENTY on Ag Reserve content.

Here at MCA, we say "We Protect What We Love." We value PLENTY as an effective tool to inspire, increase and deepen affection for the Ag Reserve.
Join us in support of PLENTY's Ag Reserve coverage with your tax-deductible support

Support PLENTY

Dodo Farms Summit Highlights MoCo's BIPOC and Women Run Farms

6/12/2022

On a gorgeous early summer day, Council President Gabe Albornoz met with a number of MoCo's wonderful women and BIPOC producers. Five of the producers that joined the gathering have successfully found land through our Land Link program. Abundant Dodo Farms was the backdrop for a conversation that fostered a real sense of uplift and common purpose.
We are so deeply grateful to everyone for their time and energy as we collaborate to build a robust and equitable local food system.
Thanks to Wib Middleton of Plenty Magazine for photos. Please peruse the videos below.

A photo slideshow of the event with thanks to Wib Middleton

Nia of Beauty Blooms Farm speaks to how farmers of color can build the stability and wealth missing in small scale farms.

Council President Gabe Albornoz joined MoCo farmers at a summit at Dodo Farms in Brookville. We here at Montgomery Countryside Alliance have been so proud to connect many of these farmers with long term leases on local land trough our Land Link program.

In Attendance:
Tope Fajingbesi and Niyi Balogun- Dodo Farms, Brookville
Tanya Spandhla, Passion to Seed Farm and MCA board member, Brookville
Nia Nyamweya - Beauty Blooms Farm, Barnesville
Indu Balasubramaniam, Vijay and Suriya Kandaswamy - Amaranth Acres, Dickerson
Truphena Choti - Afrithrive Farm, Poolesville
Nazirahk Amen - Purple Mountain Organics
Amanda Cather - Plow & Stars Farm, Poolesville - American Farmland Trust
Lee Langstaff - Shepherd's Hey Farm, Comus - MCA board president
Jane Thery - Maryland Horse Council Stewardship Committee, boards at Wyndham Oaks
Marci Guramatunhu - Chirandu Farm, Barnesville
Anne Davies - Stone Field Farm, Boyds, MCA board
Laura Van Etten - Monocacy Mills Farm, Dickerson
Mohammed Iqbal Khan - Neelamga, Potomac
Jane Perini and Wib Middleton - PLENTY Magazine, Darnestown
Caroline Taylor - Poolesville, MCA

Here's What We Discussed:
- appreciation for the Agricultural Reserve (of course)
- good news of growing diversity of producers and products notably culturally relevant foods
-the many layered contributions of agriculture, notably by BIPOC and women producers with emphasis on meeting food insecurity
- farming, to exist and expand here, must be profitable
- Ag Census data (handout) that underscores diversity within ag sector
-Equestrian: Over 12,000 horses, 111 licensed stables including therapeutic riding, kid’s lessons, trails and horse operations on county land like Meadowbrook, Wheaton Stables and Potomac Stables. Great environmental stewards with grasslands, woodlots and wildlife habitat. Outdoor recreation and economic drivers with employment and many related services from hay to farriers to fence builders.

Challenges and potential solutions:

-Access to affordable land and resources such as fencing/wells/power/equipment
-labor shortages as well as absence of critical farm labor housing proximate to farms
-equitable access to capital cited as ongoing challenge
-establish in-county processing centers for protein/produce - this has become big issue
-provide clear resources to navigate various requirements for farm start ups and better facilitate approval for farm labor housing units
-inclusion: gaining a place at the table where decision making occurs
-educating consumers about local farms/products/challenges/opportunities (I.e. support for local media such as PLENTY magazine)
-Community land trusts/ incubators and building equity and opportunities for BIPOC/women producers to own land and long-term farm leases for small-scale producers
-For labor: facilitate connection with immigrants and under employed with ag backgrounds/ interests

Thanks to the farmers and Councilmember Albornoz for their time. We here at MCA are committed to dig in on these important issues.

Montgomery County Candidate's Questionnaire Results

5/26/2022

Early Voting has begun in Moco and will last until 7/14 (find your early voting site here) - the primary is 7/19

It is a big election year in Maryland and Montgomery County. With a shake-up in districts for state and local representation it's more important than ever to look over your candidate choices. MCA has once again posed the tough questions to the 100+ candidates seeking to lead MoCo and Maryland in the coming years. As a 501c3 nonprofit - MCA can not endorse but we seek to provide information on where the candidates stand.
Below are the unedited questionnaires received from each candidate who returned them by the deadline, we are grateful to those who took the time in the busy election season. We realize we are one of many outlets asking for the candidate's views. Scroll to the bottom to get even more info on candidate positions from state and local groups.
Find your sample ballot with all candidates here.
Which District is yours? Take a look at the new district maps for County Council and State level offices.

More on the Candidate's Views

The County Executive Green Forum Recording ( note: This forum was held before the filing deadline and as such does not include all candidates)
The MoCo Food Council Food Questionnaire - lots of great questions about food security and the role of the Ag Reserve.
Don't forget the Board of Education election. Our friends at League of Women Voters held a non-partisan virtual forum you can watch here.

Important resources:

Voter registration information - Voter registration will close on June 28, 2022 for the 2022 Primary Election and on October 18, 2022 for the 2022 General Election.
Early Voting Centers
League of Women Voter Information

Key
Red - response submitted by the deadline
Black- No response received by the deadline
* - incumbent

County Executive

David Blair (D)
Marc Elrich* (D)
Peter James (D)
Hans Riemer* (D)
Shelly Skolnick (R)
Reardon Sullivan (R)

Montgomery County Council

At-Large (Voters Will Choose up to 4 - represents entire county)

District 1 (Bethesda, most of Chevy Chase, Potomac, Travilah)

Andrew Friedson* (D)

County Council District 2 (North Potomac, Darnestown, Poolesville, Germantown, Clarksburg)

County Council District 3 (Rockville, Gaithersburg)

Tiquia J. Bennett (D)
Sidney Katz* (D)
Robert Wu (D)
George Hernandez (R)

County Council District 4 (North Bethesda, Kensington, Silver Spring, Takoma Park)

County Council District 5 (Four Corners, White Oak, Colesville, Burtonsville)

Brian Anleu (D)
Fatmata Barrie (D)
Chris Bolton (D)
Daniel Koroma (D)
Cary Lamari (D)
Kristin Mink (D)
William “Chip” Montier (D)
Jeremiah Pope (D)
Kate Woody (R)

County Council District 6 (Wheaton, Forest Glen, Glenmont, Aspen Hill)

County Council District 7 (Derwood, Olney, Ashton, Brookeville, Laytonsville, Montgomery Village, Damascus)

State Senate and House of Delegates

State Senate, District 9 (much of Howard County, part of northeastern Montgomery County)

State Senate, District 14 (Laytonsville, Brookeville, Ashton, Fairland, Burtonsville)

State Senate, District 15 (Barnesville, Darnestown, North Potomac, Travilah, parts of Clarksburg and Germantown)

Brian Feldman* (D)
David Wilson (R)

State Senate, District 16 (Bethesda, Cabin John, Potomac, North Bethesda)

Susan Lee* (D)

State Senate, District 17 (Rockville, Gaithersburg)

Cheryl Kagan* (D)
Scott Gershman (R)

State Senate, District 18 (Chevy Chase, Kensington, parts of Wheaton)

Max Socol (D)
Jeff Waldstreicher* (D)
Missy Carr (R)

State Senate, District 19 (Derwood, Leisure World, Aspen Hill, Glenmont, parts of Wheaton)

Ben Kramer* (D)
David George Jeang (Green Party, general election only)
Raul R. Ayala (R)
Anita Mpambara Cox (R)

State Senate, District 20 (Silver Spring, Takoma Park, White Oak)

Enoch Bevel (D)
Will Smith* (D)

State Senate, District 39 (Montgomery Village, parts of Germantown)

Adam Alphaeus Cunningham (D)
Nancy King* (D)

State delegate, District 9A

State delegate, District 14

Joshua Dowling (D)
Anne Kaiser* (D)
Eric Luedtke* (D)
Pamela Queen* (D)
Tom Smith (D)
Kathy Gugulis (R)
Kate Walshe (R)

State delegate, District 15

State delegate, District 16

Ariana Kelly* (D)
Marc Korman*(D)
Sara Love* (D)

State delegate, District 17

Kumar Barve* (D)
Julie Palakovich Carr* (D)
Joe De Maria (D)
Joe Vogel (D)
Donald “DP” Patti (R)

State delegate, District 18

Emily Shetty* (D)
Jared Solomon* (D)
Aaron Kaufman (D)
George M. Cecala (R)

State delegate, District 19

Charlotte Crutchfield* (D)
Bonnie Cullison* (D)
Augustin Esquivar Saah (D)
Vaughn Stewart* (D)
Frank Nice (R)

State delegate, District 20

Lorig Charkoudian* (D)
David Moon* (D)
John Walsh (D)
Jheanelle Wilkins* (D)

State delegate, District 39

Gabriel Acevero* (D)
Lesley Lopez* (D)
Kirill Reznik* (D)
Clint Sobratti (D)

Sugarloaf Mt. Preservation - Your Engagement Needed!

5/12/2022

Martin Radigan

Update: Press coverage of the 8/11 County Council hearing on the Treasured Sugarloaf Management plan. Another council workshop is August. 15 and there is a community meeting in Urbana on August 18. Much more info here.
This plan remains strong protection for the farms of the Sugarloaf region - here at MCA we remain concerned about a provision to allow adjustments in the Urbana area - making a loophole that could undercut the protections of the plan.

An action alert from our partners at Sugarloaf Citizens Association - you've seen the signs in FredCo - the plan to give Sugarloaf Country the protection it needs is coming to a vote and your voice is needed!

Protect & Preserve THE SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN AREA

The Frederick County Planning Commission is debating this master plan.
Show up and Speak up at the Public Hearing

On the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan
Wednesday, May 18
Winchester Hall, 6 pm

Over the last 2 years the master plan, that will determine the future of our beautiful mountain, the small communities and the surrounding farmland, has been redesigned and under heated debate. The 176-page management and zoning plan for the almost 18,000 acres includes Sugarloaf mountain and surrounding communities, adjacent to Montgomery County’s 93,000 acre Agricultural Reserve.

The Planning Commission will listen to testimony, debate and make a decision before sending it to the state for a 60 day review period. It is important for all of us that care about this treasured landscape, to attend the hearing in person at Winchester Hall, 12 East Church Street in downtown Frederick. The Public Hearing will also live streamed as well, at FrederickCountyMD.gov/FCGTV. You can call comments in at 1-855-925-2801 (Meeting Code 9006).

We know that the developers who don’t want the natural resource protections contained in the “Rural Heritage Overlay Zone” will show up. The plan’s overall aim is to preserve and protect the rural and agriculture-focused landscape in question—without exemptions for developers or Stronghold, Inc. the Board that owns and operates Sugarloaf Mountain.

Questions in the community:
What are the benefits of the Sugarloaf Plan and Overlay Zoning District?
The Plan’s intent is to protect the area’s beautiful woodlands and waterways, farms and historic sites, preserving the rural nature of southern Frederick County on the west side of I-270.
What about my property rights? Will the Plan and Overlay limit what I am able to do with my property?

The Plan largely maintains the rural environment as we enjoy it today and ensures that any changes to the area’s land uses reflect a higher standard of environmental protection through the Overlay Zoning District.

The Overlay does not change most current zoning for residential, agricultural or conservation property within the Plan area.
The Plan includes an updated list of restricted or prohibited uses, including - for example - “shooting range” and “industrial waste landfill.”
The Plan’s timber harvest section mirrors the State’s requirements.
The Overlay adds environmental protection requirements for subdivision and site development plans, including proposals and building sizes for large, non-agricultural developments.

You can testify for 3 minutes, to explain why this treasured landscape should be preserved. Written comments are being received at: planningcommission@frederickcountymd.gov

See more details at SCA’s website or download the attached PDF. Frederick County’s website for the plan is here.
https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/8046/Sugarloaf-Area-Plan

Background on this plan:

Decision Tool for Group Farming

5/5/2022

If you want to go far, go together....

MCA has been so proud to be invited to work with the FRSAN -NE (Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network) chapter as part of the new farmer/land access cohort - a project run by the National Young Farmers Coalition bringing farmers and farm service providers together to tackle some of the root causes of farmer stress.
Finding and maintaining land to farm is a constant stressor in a farming career. Toward the end of last year MCA staff partnered with farmers and farm service providers in the cohort to create a decision tool to help new farmers consider different ways of accessing land besides just the typical rent/buy dichotomy. The cohort was particularly interested in sharing newer solutions for group farm tenure that are becoming more common like farm incubators or land trusts. Pooling your resources with like minded farmers can help you get farming faster.
Land for Good is the clearing house for the new toolkit, just one in a treasure trove of resources they offer to farmers and landowners seeking to access and secure land.
We'd love to hear your experiences with this tool - kristina@mocoalliance.org

Check out the tool here

Interested in Land access? - Check out our Land Link program where we connect local farmers and landowners.

Forest Stories: Forests Matter in MoCo Your images, your words are compelling…

5/4/2022

A few minutes of you time… a short video, photos and your words to urge the County Council to act now to protect our invaluable forests!

Montgomery County Lost More than 1,000 acres of forest in the past decade. What do forests (and their loss) mean to MoCo Residents?

The Montgomery County Planning Board and Council are updating the Forest Conservation Plan. The MoCo Forest Coalition of which we are proud to be a part has been pushing for much stronger policies - including a no-net-loss provision. Here we feature the stories from residents about the forests they hold dear.
Urban trees work particularly hard, check out this cool interactive urban tree canopy presentation.
Care to share your forest story? - info@mocoalliance.org

"This past weekend, neighbors invited folks over to their remarkable 25 acre property - mostly in mature native forest. The variety of trees and understory plants, many in bloom, is truly remarkable. So too is the great variety of insects, birds, and other forest life that make this place home. Our family could not enter it unmoved. The effect of our time spent in the forest is both restorative and lasting. " - C.T

Off the back corner of the meadow there's something numinous in the woods. Over an impenetrable thicket of briar and bramble I can make out a clearing in the trees, an area of light in the shade. Local folks call it "the swamp." I've hiked around its periphery, but there doesn't seem to be a way in, for humans, through the thick shroud of winterberry holly that encircles it. The bow hunters tell of deer vanshining into the green mist of leaves, untrackable. Heron, Hawk, and Woodpecker emanate from this space like it's a portal to a bird universe. Frog calls ring out from its center and echo through the woods at dusk. "The swamp is ah-liiive!" exclaims my neighbor in a buttery Virginia drawl. I have to agree with him. It's good to know these places still exist, wellsprings of life and regeneration.

Wib Middleton

"We live in Poolesville. A newly sold property in a conversation easement 1 is being altered. Today 15 trucks/cars and approximately 25 people showed up. They have cleared out trees, bushes etc in the easement. The owner of the property is aware of the easement but is disregarding it. " - P

"I’ve written the Council many times about the destruction of our forests, particularly the one on my own street, that is across from the Canal National park. New people are moving in and not respecting the forest we live in. Every time I hear the saws and the chippers my heart sinks. One family chopped off the tops of 10 trees to get more sun on their pool. These stripped, silent sentinels call out for regulation. I painted the tree. I am honoring its spirit. " - AB

"Three large healthy trees were cut down on my street in Kensington to add a new portion of sidewalk. Sad." - T.C

W. Willard Rd Pepco Tree Cutting

Newly released data from the Chesapeake Conservancy and Chesapeake Bay Program show that Carroll County has gained about as much forest as it has lost to development in recent years. But over the same time span, Montgomery County lost 660 acres of forest to newly constructed roads, rooftops and lawns, while adding only 100 acres - a major net loss. Another 1,800 acres of forest in Montgomery were fragmented or otherwise impacted by development, making them more vulnerable to invasive vines, deer, and other threats.

Over the decade aggressive tree pruning and removal practices on the part of utility companies have angered residents both up and down county. A bill to bring more control back to the County government in demanding best vegetation practices did not pass last year as sponsors cited insurmountable pushback from utility companies. A brief history of resident complaints and a bill fact sheet.

You can speak for the trees of MoCo - the Council will be working on the Forest Conservation Law in the coming weeks. We need no-net-loss and also a net gain of forests. To make this provision as strong as oak the Council needs to hear from you. The MoCo Forest Coalition released an Op-Ed in Bethesda Beat "Montgomery Must Update and Strengthen Outdated Forest Protections"

You can contact the council with this online form.

More on Trees:

The New MoCo District Maps Both Local and State - Who Represents You?

4/25/2022

The new map of county districts

The Montgomery County council changed the voting districts last year and this July's primary (July 19th in fact) will be the first test of the new lines. If you'd like to dig into the interactive map of both new and old council districts, and enter your address to find your district click here.

Who currently represents each (old) district?

This year, voters will be picking up to 4 at-large councilmembers and one councilmember from their district plus casting a vote for County Executive.

Here at MCA we are committed to getting voters the information they need to be engaged residents. We've just sent out a candidate's questionnaire to all the 100+ candidates running to represent MoCo both locally and in Annapolis. Those un-edited responses will be posted in mid-May. We were proud to be part of the Green Forum for County Exec candidates - catch up on that recording here.

Look up your sample ballot for all local and state races here.

Below: The old districts are in red overlaying the new district map in color with white numbers. Note the Western Reserve is now one district (2 - in blue) The eastern district is now all in a newly created district 7 (orange).

MD State Level Districts

There has been a district shakeup at the state level as well. You can interact with the final state level map here to find your district. Note the big change is district 9a now reaching over the Howard county line to cover the northern tip of Montgomery County west of 270.

What Grows in the Ag Reserve?

4/11/2022

The question was raised in the County Executive Green Forum - what actually grows in the Ag Reserve? Quite a lot! Here is our attempt to cram all the fruit, vegetables, livestock, herbs, dairy, fiber, spirits, partnership, resilience and joy that grows in the Reserve in just 2 minutes. (Rather just the dry data? We digest the most recent Ag Census results for the county here)

But Wait! There is even more! There is a misconception that commodity crops grown in the Reserve are somehow "not food." Check out what happens to all that winter wheat.

What are the candidates' views on the highest and best use of our protected farmland (plus climate, transportation, Thrive and more? We asked and here are their unedited answers.

Check out Spring in the Ag Reserve

4/8/2022

If you are itching to get outside this spring, look no further than the Ag Reserve - which besides the typical recreation opportunities has some farms offering open houses and plant sales at the start of the season plus art and the promise of cherries and berries soon (did we miss your event? Kristina@mocoalliance.org)

Farm Open Houses/ Plant Sales:

April 30 - Sugarloaf Citizen's Association Plant Swap
May 7 - One Acre Farm open house farm tour, composting demonstrations, a bounce house for the kids, bring your own picnic.
May 7 Common Root Farm Tour and Plant Sale registration needed. Plants can be reserved online.
House in the Woods Farm is hosting an online plant sale for pickup at the farm in Adamstown.

Check out some Art!
April 22-24 Countryside Artisans are hosting their spring open studio tour - a self guided driving tour of the artisans that call the Reserve home. Offerings include paintings, blown glass, pottery, natural fiber arts, sculpture, woodworking and more.

Looking Ahead

Orchards will be opening in June with the delicious progression from cherries and strawberries all the way through fall's pears and apples. The Moco Food Council has a great local food map here.
Fall brings a return to an in-person Ride for the Reserve bike tour!

County Executive Green Forum Wrap Up

4/7/2022

Our thanks to all those that worked to make the County Executive Green Forum a robust discussion of our County's pressing issues.
Thanks to our Partners: Conservation Montgomery, Sugarloaf Citizens Association, One Montgomery Green, Rock Creek Conservancy, Audubon Naturalist Society, Friends of Ten Mile Creek, and the Storm Water Partners Network.
Thanks to the candidates and our moderator Kathleen Matthews.
Thanks to Sylvia Tognetti for keeping time and Caren Madsen for her warm welcome.
And thanks to all that were able to join both in person and online. In case you missed it the recorded forum is below:

On the chat there were some questions about what is grown in the Reserve, the data from the most recent Ag Census for the county can be found here.

With the change in the election calendar we have delayed sending out our candidate's questionnaire as in past years. The filing deadline for candidates has been pushed to April 15, we will release our questionnaire to all active local candidates soon after and publish their unedited answers a few weeks later. In the mean time, your sample ballot can be found here.

Compost Crew seeks Landowner Partners

4/5/2022

Montgomery County has committed to reducing the waste residents send to the landfill. Decreased waste will also allow the Waste to Energy incinerator in Dickerson to close. A study by the county in 2018 showed that 21% of solid waste going to the landfill from County residents is food scraps. Channeling this food waste to compost will greatly reduce the need for incineration or more and more landfill space. Not everyone has the space to compost at their home or business. Enter startup businesses like Compost Crew who gather food scraps and turn it into soil through large scale composting. Compost Crew has come to our Land Link program in search of local land where they can compost gathered food scraps.

7027 Farmer Seeking Land
WANTED: Land to LEASE or BUY
Compost Crew is looking to partner with farms to divert food scraps from the local community and make compost to improve crop yields. We are interested in leasing or buying at least a half acre of land for our composting program. Access to electric and water, a skid steer, and asphalt or concrete pad is a big plus.

To learn more about this opportunity (or any of the other land link listings) email landlink@mocoalliance.org

Office of Ag Granted Full Staffing in County Budget

3/25/2022

Tina Brown, Morningstar Studio

Your Action Mattered! Thanks to the many hundreds that wrote in to the County Executive and Council in support of proper staffing levels for the County's Office of Agriculture. The funding made it into the County Executive's budget and is expected to remain there in the Council's budget. We received the thank you note below from Office of Ag staff. We look forward to working with the OAG on even more proactive projects to support local farmers, the food system and rural lands. Thank You!

"The Office of Agriculture and its staff would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to you both and to the Montgomery Countryside Alliance Membership.
We were pleasantly surprised to learn of the letter writing campaign you initiated in support of our office and were elated by the extent and outpouring of letters received by the County Executive requesting that he provide much needed resources to our office. The MCA campaign was a success – the CE included one position for the Office of Ag and one position for the Soil Conservation District in his FY23 recommended budget.
MCA and its members recognize and appreciate the County’s agricultural heritage and understand the vital role that it continues to play in terms of climate change, food and fiber production and quality of life for all county residents.
We are thankful for your leadership and for your members standing with us to ensure that our office has the resources it needs to support the rural community and the ag industry in Montgomery County. We look forward to continuing our partnership on ag initiatives for years to come."

Where to Next?

MCA is an organization both of and for the Ag Reserve - we have a hyper local focus on Montgomery County and our collaborative work gets results. Our local focus relies on local support. We'd be honored by your gift.

Remembering Scott Fosler

3/14/2022

"Like life, liberty and democracy, clean water is not something we can take for granted."
~ Scott Fosler, keynote address at Regional Water Forum 2017 (transcript of keynote)

It is with a heavy heart we share the passing of Scott Fosler, an MCA board member and long time advocate for the Ag Reserve and local water supply. Both in and out of elected office, Scott was a true champion of the Reserve, our regional water supply and good governance.

"We are all the beneficiaries of, and are inspired by, Scott’s foresight, decency, and intelligence. " Says Lee Langstaff, MCA's Board President.

Ag Reserve architect and former planning Chair Royce Hanson recalls, "Scott was present and accounted for at the creation of the Agricultural Reserve. As president of the Montgomery County Council in 1980, he cast one of the five votes for adoption of the functional master plan for Preservation of Agriculture and Rural Open Space and the zoning map amendment that applied the Rural Density Transfer Zone, creating what became the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve. He played a critical role in the establishment of Little Seneca Lake as part of the emergency water supply system and in negotiation of the 1983 Low Flow Agreement governing regional water usage in drought emergencies. These interconnected interests as a council member continued in his role as a civic activist and mayor of the Town of Chevy Chase. He understood and promoted the value of the Reserve for the quality of life for whole county and as an example for the nation and put his passion for conservation to work, serving as vice-chair of the Montgomery County Ad Hoc Agricultural Policy Working Group, and as a member of the boards of the Montgomery Countryside Alliance and Friends of Ten Mile Creek, as well a board president of the Audubon Society. An exemplar of Montgomery County citizenship, Scott brought insight from his his broad national and international experience, his professional expertise and skills to the service of his community."

MCA Board Chair Mike Rubin remarks, "Scott was one of a small group who not only helped create the Agricultural Reserve but fought to see that it survived. He was a voice of reason over many years. His legislative knowledge and conservation philosophy helped form policies that affected the preservation of the Reserve.
He was always available for consultation and advice and an inspiration to me in my own efforts to play a part in the endeavor to assure the survival of this extraordinary creation. "

Scott Fosler at at tour of Ten Mile Creek - he was instrumental in the Save Ten Mile Creek campaign that set the watershed on the path to protection and as a Board Member of Friends of Ten Mile Creek he continued to ensure it's protection.

A remembrance in Maryland Matters

Scott's service will be April 19th. More information in his full obituary here.

2022 County Exec Candidate's Forum 4/6

3/11/2022

Did you miss the forum? Check out the Recording.

We are proud to join with a number of other local environmental organizations to put the tough questions about our natural resources to the County Executive candidates. The in-person event will be at the Silver Spring Civic Center but can also be joined over zoom. RSVP to join in person or online and suggest questions.

RSVP

Also upcoming - MCA's County Candidate Questionnaire, as in past years we will be asking the candidates their thoughts on the Ag Reserve, protection of critical resources, transportation, climate resilience and more and sharing their unedited answers with local voters. Early voting in the primary starts June 16th! Check your registration and get your sample ballot here.

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