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News

​C'mon Montgomery County! We are better than this!

10/30/2018

 
The next County Council, which will be seated on Dec. 3, will decide the county’s next steps, if any, on small cell towers.
Lacking a clear majority for passage, the current council deferred action on zoning regs that would have decided where the towers could be placed. State law prevents a county council from enacting zoning or land use regulations after Oct. 31 in an election year. The new council’s first session is scheduled for Dec. 4.

More from My MC Media



Breaking:  We understand that the Small Cell bill and associated procedural change at the Office of Administrative Appeals have both been pulled.  Bethesda Beat has covered the cell bill here. 
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While this change to limit the public process has been pulled today, it may be revived at any point. Please read on for the original post. 
Montgomery County Council eyes limiting public participation before the Office of Administrative Appeals for proceedings such as conditional approvals of land uses. In question is rule 4.2 e. to curtail the amount of time each side - for and against- is allowed to speak in a hearing regardless of the number of individuals/organizations on either side. There are often many unrelated parties in these sorts of hearings. In this case - an eye on the clock could very easily be public participation denied.  And - this change for less public participation is being considered without a public hearing. What?! 
Testimony from MCA , Sugarloaf Citizens Association, Conservation Montgomery, Friends of Ten Mile Creek  and land use attorneyBill Chen

Take Action

Write the Councilmemembers and County Executive with the form below to tell them to keep the participation rules unchanged in these administrative appeals hearings. Without a public hearing - this is the only way to make your voice heard. 
​

Learning Circle for Women Farm Owners

10/23/2018

 

This Event has been rescheduled for November 10 Register Here

From Our Friends at American Farmland Trust:
​The American Farmland Trust has partnered with Montgomery County and Montgomery Countryside Alliance to their Women For The Land program this September 2018. The program is a Conservation Learning Circle for women landowners.  The Conservation Learning Circle is a quick way to network with other landowners and learn how to access free conservation programs offered by state and local agencies. 
​Are you a woman landowner (or do you know one) that is new to, or struggling with, decision-making on your farm or forest land in Montgomery County?

We are currently recruiting program participants for our next program.  Please feel free to share our information with anyone that you believe can spread the word about our well-received program!
 
Thank you very much!  Questions can be emailed to womenforthelandmd@farmland.org
Our next Conservation Learning Circle is for Maryland women landowners from Montgomery County. Montgomery County agencies and organizations are invited to present at the Learning Circle.
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Read More

2018 Royce Hanson Award Wrap Up

10/22/2018

 
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strolling down Rustic W. Harris Road after the event
There was a sense of history echoing through the 2018 Royce Hanson Award Celebration on Sunday. MCA Co-President Gene Kingsbury welcomed guests with a poem he wrote (Read 'Timothy Time' here) about making hay with his father many years ago as he reflected that the Rustic Roads of the Reserve were mostly unchanged since then. 
Executive Director Caroline Taylor called event goers to the present with an impassioned defense of the Reserve's current farmers as policy changes and increasingly unpredictable weather events make it even harder to make a living as a small producer. The farmers require many different kinds of support to keep their businesses viable and Rustic Roads are one piece of that support. 
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Committee Chair Bob Tworkowski and Senator Brian Feldman
State Senator Brian Feldman gave a proclamation from the District 15 Delegation recognizing the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee and reiterated the importance of the Reserve and it's Rustic Road 'arteries.'
Rustic Roads Advisory Committee Chair Bob Tworkowski illuminated the role of the Committee as fitting into a long line of farmland stewards both before and after their tenure of service. (To this end, the committee does need new members soon, interested?) Bob presented a slideshow explaining the program and showcasing  a number of the most important roads in the program. Attendees were bowled over by the image below of Montgomery County taken from space showing night time light exposure. The green shape is the Ag Reserve. 
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The Reserve from Space
Royce Hanson capped off the event with some thoughts about protection of the Reserve. He has often said that the biggest risks to the Reserve come from the Reserve's purported allies in decision making roles that make what seem to be small harmless changes that can have big unforeseen impacts. The recently approved ZTA 18-03 that allows for expansion of breweries and event facilities is a perfect example - Agritourism is generally a good thing for the region and for farms but this ZTA is written so loosely that the uses allowed no longer have ties to Agriculture. ( MCA will be taking this ZTA decision to court, stay tuned). 
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Reminder: Early Voting Starts Thursday, October 25! We put the tough questions to the local candidates, read their answers in their own words about transportation, water and land use. 
The event also included a performance by bluegrass band Peace Run - 'Rustic Roads, Take Me Home' - to the tune of the more well known 'Country Roads (Almost Heaven)'. In fact - the songwriter of John Denver's popular tune had never been to West Virginia before writing that song but was inspired by Montgomery County's own Clopper Road. The members of the Committee gave steadfast Planning Staff member Leslie Saville a Rustic Roads sign entitled 'Leslie Lane' in appreciation for her work on the program. 
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MCA would like to thank our board, volunteers, St Mary's Pavilion, Peace Run, photographer David Ris, the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee, Senator Brian Feldman, Dr. Royce Hanson and particularly Dolores Milmoe for helping with the event.  All of David's excellent photos of the event can be found here. 

Montgomery Countryside Alliance  is the small (but mighty!) organization founded around Ag Reserve kitchen tables in 2001. Since then, we have grown to a full fledged watchdog organization for Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve. Our focus on local farms relies on local support. Please make a tax-deductible donation to keep us engaging tenaciously on the issues that matter to you. 
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DownCounty  House Party for MCA 11/17

10/17/2018

 
We are so honored that Diane, Joseph and Marion have planned this party to benefit MCA and the Ag Reserve. Please plan to attend a great evening with other Ag Reserve supporters to discuss how we meet challenges to green space and productive lands. Delicious local food and drink will be served. Do you love to throw a good party? Let us know if you'd be interested in throwing a house party of your own- info@mocoalliance.org.
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You're Invited - Save the Date!
Saturday, November 17, 2018
3pm to 6pm
3102 Edgewood Road, Kensington MD 20895
DownCounty House Party to Support Montgomery Countryside Alliance
Fundraiser & Networking Event at the Home of Joseph Horgan and Diane Cameron
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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Did you know that one-third of Montgomery County is set aside for Agriculture and Open Space Preservation?
Fruit, vegetables, grain, herbs, cider, wine and beer are among the products of our Agricultural Reserve. Clean water, clean air, and a link to history are among the essential and irreplaceable benefits provided by our Ag Reserve. 
Montgomery Countryside Alliance (MCA) is a group of dedicated experts and advocates, working since 2001 to support farmers in the Ag Reserve, and protect our countryside from many threats. Along with Audubon Naturalist Society, MCA co-led the campaign to Save Ten Mile Creek. MCA was instrumental in establishing the Friends of Ten Mile Creek and Little Seneca Reservoir.
Ably staffed by Caroline Taylor, MCA Executive Director, and Kristina Bostick, Senior Conservation Associate, along with volunteers and Board members, MCA's work is essential - if we are to preserve what we love most about our county.
Please join us in supporting and celebrating the work of Montgomery Countryside Alliance on Saturday, November 17, 2018, at our House Party and Fundraiser for MCA. ​We'll serve food and drink grown and produced in the Ag Reserve. Space is limited!
Please bring your checkbooks - or donate on-line - to support this vital work. Donations of any amount are welcomed and deeply appreciated. Suggested donation:  $50.00
Yours for the Ag Reserve,
Diane Cameron, Joseph Horgan & Marion Edey

Loudoun County Pushes Yet Again for Potomac Bridge - Funds Third Study in 5 years

10/11/2018

 
Here We Go Again (Again).... Press Release Here
MCA and our partners are pushing back yet again against this misguided project but we need your support. We are the boots on the ground protecting Montgomery County's Ag Reserve and this local focus requires local support.
​Please make a tax deductible gift today. ​
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Loudoun Supervisors released this map of potential corridors (in green highlighter)
1988, 2001, 2004, 2015 and 2017- all years that a Potomac bridge and highway crossing have been studied and found to not be a good solution.  And yet- the Supervisors in Loudoun County have funded yet another study to identify crossing points. Loudoun's study even parrots the negative findings of the 2017 Regional Transportation Planning Board: ​
Based on the results of the November 2017 study, a new Potomac River bridge would have “low” benefits to road congestion, incidents and safety, bottlenecks and reliable access to intercity hubs when compared to the current 2040 Constrained Long-Range Plan (CLRP). A new Potomac River bridge would have neutral impacts to transit crowding, inadequate bus services, and access to bike/pedestrian options, development around Metrorail, housing and job location, Metrorail repair needs and pedestrian and bicyclist safety when compared to the current 2040 CLRP. A new Potomac River bridge would have negative impacts to roadway repair needs, environmental
quality and open space development when compared to the current 2040 CLRP.
So... why are we studying it again, again?

MCA joins with our partners at Coalition for Smarter Growth and Piedmont Environmental Council, collectively representing our hundreds of thousands of supporters on both sides of the River in calling for Loudoun County to drop this campaign and instead focus on proven solutions that will actually get traffic moving - among them, fixing the American Legion Bridge and better planning land use patterns. As proven for the 5th time in 20 years, this project does not offer traffic relief and would do great harm. 

The Maryland side of the map above makes it looks like the Ag Reserve has no obstacles to these proposed crossing points. MCA has made the case time and again  - farms are not holding ground for future development, they are small businesses that supply our basic needs for food and fiber.  “The bridge would directly impact the drinking water intakes for most of the region’s population; potentially impair the Piedmont groundwater aquifer, which serves as the sole source of drinking water in rural Montgomery County; create development pressure in the nationally recognized Agricultural Reserve; and increase vehicle miles traveled,” says Taylor.
Dip into the Archive of our posts on the Bridge Here
From Greater Greater Washington "Why Won't the Zombie Bridge Die?"

Montgomery Countryside Alliance  is the small (but mighty!) organization founded around Ag Reserve kitchen tables to battle back plans for the bridge in 2001. Since then, we have grown to a full fledged watchdog organization for Montgomery County's Agricultural Reserve. Our focus on local farms relies on local support. Please make a tax-deductible donation to keep us engaging tenaciously on the issues that matter to you. 
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Join Lady Farmer for a Slow Living Retreat in November

10/10/2018

 
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PAUSE

The Lady Farmer Slow Living Retreat
​NOVEMBER 10TH & 11TH 2018
ZIGBONE FARM RETREAT
SABILLASVILLE, MD
A portion of proceeds of your ticket goes to MCA!

​ Mother-Daughter team Mary and Emma Kingsley have been leading a quiet revolution from their farm in Poolesville with the creation of Lady Farmer, a sustainable apparel brand that advocates for sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices around the cultivation of fiber. They are spearheading the farm-to-closet movement and are on a mission to educate people about the problems in our current "fast fashion" industry. Their farm-inspired clothing is made in America, using organically cultivated natural fibers and low-impact dye methods. Pictured here - Mary and Emma in the Lady Farmer Maia dress. 
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The Lady Farmer Slow Living Retreat is for the modern woman seeking an inspired and healthful life through changes in energy management, consumer behavior and daily rituals. You are invited to be nourished by organically cultivated and locally sourced food, and connect with yourself and others in a meaningful way. Taking place at Zigbone Retreat Center in Frederick County the perfect balance between retreat-style introspection and self care, and conference-style personal development workshops on topics such as organic gardening and living more sustainably.
​
The agenda includes speakers on a variety of topics including gardening in any space, farm-to-closet conscious consumerism, affirmative writing, a nature therapy session and more. 

Learn More/Register
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Heritage Harvest Festival 10/20

10/10/2018

 
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October 20 12-4pm 
Various Ag Reserve Locations

Join local farms and our friends at Heritage Montgomery for a celebration of autumn and the fall harvest in the Montgomery County Agricultural Reserve! Stop and visit a wide variety of farms: a farm market and winery, CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm, animal sanctuary, living history farm, lavender farm, and much more. Fun family activities will include farm tours, markets, crafts for kids, adorable farm animals, historic structures, and food for sale. Admission is FREE – but you just might find something delicious to buy and take home for dinner!

More Info and a Full List of Farms Here

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Who doesn't love a farm tour? 

Take Action: ZTA 18-03 Unanimously Adopted by MoCo Council with Serious Flaws

10/4/2018

 
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The areas in color are impacted by ZTA 18-03.
On October 2nd, the Councilmembers voted unanimously to pass  zoning text amendment 18-03 - a ZTA governing breweries and wineries and event venues in the Ag Reserve and Rural Zone (see map above).

 From the start we have had serious concerns about this ZTA. Breweries and Winerys can be great value added parts of a farm business when they are an accessory to the farm and are sized to complement the farms around them. This ZTA is very light on the details that would distinguish between a farm accessory and an outsized event facility that just happens to be on a farm making products with outsourced ingredients. 
​
Despite many hundreds of pieces of correspondence from local residents and farmers, the Council has rushed this zoning change through with a whisper of a public hearing. We are currently consulting with counsel on the legality of this decision as pertains to the Master Plan. 

Some problems with the ZTA:
 -Breweries and distilleries would only have to grow 1 acre of ingredients on the farm and could source the remainder from anywhere else.
-Each facility can host events up to 50 days per year, with nine  that serve more than 300 with no upward cap. 
-There is no provision for how large the facilities can be.

- Set backs from the road or other properties are minimal at 75 feet
-The ZTA is silent on mitigating water/septic use for these facilities.Alcohol production is a water intensive process now being sited in an area with a Federally Designated Sole Source Aquifer. All Ag Reserve properties (by design) are on septic, not County sewer. 
-There has been no evaluation to the cumulative impact of these facilities on rural roads, water quality and existing farms. 
Press:
Bethesda Magazine
Washington Post
​What can you do?

Use the form below to let your Councilmember know that you have concerns about the zoning change and ask that they put in place standards that will help to ensure that it does not negatively impact other farming enterprises and rural communities... such as a maximum size for the tasting room facilities that could be permitted without a process of review. 

Montgomery Countryside Alliance is the award winning, small (but mighty!) organization on the ground protecting local farms in Montgomery County. Our local focus relies on local support. Be a friend of the Ag Reserve with your tax deductible contribution. And Thanks!
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MCA Honors the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee with the Royce Hanson Award

10/2/2018

 
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Rustic Budd Road
​The  2018 Royce Hanson Award
Sunday, October 21 at 12:30 PM ~ 2:30 PM 
St. Mary's Pavilion

18230 Barnesville Rd, Barnesville, MD 20838
Please Join us for this free event, tax-deductible donations gratefully accepted.
​Food, music by Peace Run and a stroll along Exceptionally Rustic West Harris Road.

RSVP
Can't Make it? Consider a new or renewed MCA membership.
Your tax-deductible gift can be made securely online here. 
Each year, MCA honors an Ag Reserve champion with the Royce Hanson Award, named for it's first recipient, Dr. Royce Hanson, the Architect of the Reserve during his tenure as Chair of  the Montgomery County Planning Board, part of the of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. 
Protecting the Reserve takes more than a few tenacious individuals - sustained collective effort is required to keep working farms on the landscape. Sometimes this effort takes the form of years of meetings, stacks of maps and engineering documents plus a dizzying array of acronyms.  This year, we are proud to honor the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee for their efforts in protecting the arteries of the Ag Reserve, Montgomery County's Rustic Roads. 
Why Rustic Roads? (Map Here)

Support for the Ag Reserve
​Today, the Rustic Roads continue to support local farming and the Agricultural Reserve. These slow, narrow, historic roads allow for sharing the roads with slow-moving farm equipment and horses. For visitors to pick-your-own farms, wineries and on-farm breweries, the small roads underscore the nature of the working landscape and enhance the experience of driving or riding a bike through the Reserve. ​
As envisioned in the 1980 Preservation of Agriculture & Rural Open Space Functional Master Plan, the Rustic Roads avoid artificially stimulating the market for conversion of farmland to residential development. 
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Exceptional Rustic Mouth of Monocacy Rd.
Water Quality 
Many of the Rustic Roads are pervious surface (such as gravel)  - letting rain water soak in instead of running off into nearby streams. 
​
​History
Rustic Roads are historic and scenic roads that reflect the agricultural character and rural origins of Montgomery County. Because of this program, today, we can travel along Native American trails, wagon routes, mill roads, lock roads and market roads. 
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Rustic Gregg Road
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"Rustic Abbey Road" l-r Rustic Roads Advisory Chair Bob Tworkowski, Councilmembers Marc Elrich and Roger Berliner and County Executive Ike Leggett on Exceptional Rustic Martinsburg Road
​About the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee
 
The Rustic Roads Program preserves Montgomery County’s historic and scenic roadways that reflect the agricultural character and rural origins of the County. The members of the Rustic Roads Advisory Committee oversee the program, and advise the County Executive, Council and Planning Board on matters affecting the Rustic Roads.
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Advisory Committee Members Laura Van Etten and Jane Thompson educate at an event
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Christopher Marston, former RRAC chair, explains how Rustic Roads fit into land preservation practices
​Seven citizen members (three farmers, two civic association members, a member with knowledge of roadway engineering and a member with knowledge of rural preservation techniques) serve on the committee, together with a representative appointed by the Planning Board and staff provided by the County Executive. The members review Master Plan designations of the roads, development proposals, public projects such as bridge replacements, and they promote public awareness and knowledge of the roads.
Montgomery County was early in recognizing the value of our small, historic, farm roads, with the County Council appointing a Task Force to study the issue in 1989, and establishing the program in County law in 1993. Through the Council’s approval of two functional master plans and ten area master plans, 98 roads have been placed in the program. Residents have nominated over a dozen more roads for addition to the program, so the program, and the community support for it, continues to grow.
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Brown signs designate Rustic Roads
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Montgomery Countryside Alliance
P.O Box 24, Poolesville, MD  20837
301-461-9831  •  ​info@mocoalliance.org
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MCA is proud to announce that we have been recognized for a third time as one of the best small charities in the D.C. region by Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. A panel of 110 expert reviewers from area foundations, corporate giving programs, and peer non-profit organizations evaluated 270 applications.

​MCA is known as an effective and innovative non-profit whose efforts to preserve and promote Montgomery County’s nationally recognized 93,000 acre Ag Reserve have brought increased public and governmental support of local food production and farmland and open space preservation. Most importantly, MCA’s efforts are putting more farmers on the ground and keeping them there.
COPYRIGHT © MONTGOMERY COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE 2008