A very uplifting part of our mission here at MCA is engaging with students. This week we had the privilege of taking Poolesville High School Global Ecology students to Black Hill Regional Park. Students had insightful questions for Ag Reserve architect Royce Hanson, Park staff and our own Caroline Taylor. 

When Caroline was speaking to the importance of regional water protection a juvenile bald eagle soared across the reservoir. 

Our thanks to PHS students and teachers, Park staff and Royce Hanson for a great field trip!

Background on the need for an Office of Peoples Counsel:
Land Use is complicated - while the county and developers have a a bevy of land use attorneys, the average resident may not even know what their zoning is. This imbalance becomes stark when residents have questions about planned developments or zoning changes in their neighborhood. Until 2010, re-balancing this equation was the job of the Office of the People's Counsel (OPC)- an agency that is authorized by the County Code to represent the public interest in the County’s land use regulatory process.

The OPC was quietly defunded in 2010. It's absence has left the door open to scores (over 100!) of zoning text amendments crafted by some County Council members. These land use changes (some sweeping) often bump up against current master plans and cause the most detriment to communities that don't have the resources or land use acumen to defend themselves.
Understanding and engaging in plans for development where you live should not be a privilege.

While the MoCo OPC was axed over a decade ago, our Prince George's neighbors- also under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) - continue to fund an active and functional People's Zoning Counsel that preforms the same functions of ensuring a complete hearing record and a fair process.
​
Enter Bill PG/MC 112-24 at the General Assembly introduced by Senator Ben Kramer that would correct this imbalance between M-NCPPC counties by providing for a fully funded and active OPC in Montgomery County mirroring the PG office. The Economic Development Committee will shortly consider the bill.

MCA is so grateful for the expertise and engagement of our board of directors and advisory committee.  In taking on all the issues we do, many hands make light work and allow us to be both informed and responsive. 

We are excited to announce a new addition, Katherine Nelson recently retired from Montgomery County's Planning department. 

Katherine has over 30 years of experience in land use planning with a focus on forest conservation, stream water quality protection, water supply/wastewater planning, and GIS database development and management.
 Katherine was among the first Arborists to be certified by the International Society of Arboriculture in 1988, and she is a Certified Natural Resource Expert with the American Forestry Association.
Katherine helped develop the 1993 Patuxent River Functional Master Plan and served for many years as the Montgomery representative on the multi-jurisdictional Patuxent Reservoir Technical Advisory Committee and Patuxent River Commission. In 1995 the Commission provided County grants which Katherine used to develop and manage the Patuxent Demonstration Project - one of the first GIS data-based studies in the County to evaluate the relationship among watershed imperviousness, watershed forest cover, and stream water quality.
Katherine developed the Planning Department’s forest planting program using developer mitigation funds to reforest stream valleys on Parkland. This has resulted in over 30 acres of newly planted forest in previously denuded sensitive areas. She also developed and managed an associated volunteer program that facilitated individuals and conservation groups to care for these newly planted forests that can be vulnerable to deer predation and invasive species. For this effort she received the Izaak Walton League of America National Honor Roll Award in 2009. 
From 2006 to 2010 Katherine led the effort to convert the Planning Department’s paper forest conservation records and hand-drawn maps to a digital system of geodatabases. These included forest conservation plans, forest cover, conservation easements, forest mitigation banks and forest planting. This greatly enhanced the Department’s on-going data analysis capabilities and made it possible for the Department to develop Geographic Information System (GIS) web applications that made this data easily accessible to the public. For this effort the team received the ESRI Special Achievement Award in 2011. Katherine oversaw the management of these databases until 2018.
Katherine served on the County Forest Conservation Advisory Committee from 2010 to 2020.  She was also part of MWCOG’s Community Forestry Network and was on the team that developed the Regional Urban Forest Canopy Analysis.  In 2009 Katherine was instrumental in developing the County’s first Tree Canopy Analysis with the University of Vermont. 


Katherine provided the environmental analysis and recommendations and the water and sewer service recommendations for many master plans, including the original Rustic Roads Functional Plan (NCAC Merit Award 1996), Friendship Heights (NCAC Merit Award 1999), Sandy Spring/Ashton, Ten Mile Creek, Potomac Subregion (NCPC Merit Award for the Environmental Analysis 1999), Damascus and Vicinity, Burtonsville Crossroads, Sandy Spring Village, Westbard (nominated for the Bethesda Green Award 2019), and Fairland and Briggs Chaney.

In 2018 we were so thrilled to match Niyi Balogun and Tope Fajingbesi  with their first acre of land and a solid landowner partner through our Land Link program. From the start it was clear that they were determined to find success growing Certified Naturally Grown produce on their acre in Brookeville. First they sold at one market, then two, they started growing for Manna Food Center.  The press came calling to tell their story about Niyi's move from Nigeria and his instance to continue farming here in Montgomery County, along with Tope's accounting background creating a thriving farm business. They mentored other farmers and engaged in strengthening the Ag sector in the County. ( See the farmer summit at Dodo Farms)
Dodo Farms quickly grew out of one acre and started looking for more space. They leased 4 more acres at their same original property but were still looking for a way to live where they farm and own the land to make long term infrastructure investments worthwhile. 

They have just bought 10 acres in Howard County and we could not be happier to have them achieve what they have wanted for so long.

But - all the same, it is troubling they were not able to access land here in Montgomery County. 

While Land Link is matching land seekers with land to lease, overcoming the high price of land to buy is still very difficult. We worry our county will loose seasoned farmers and Ag community collaborators  like Niyi and Tope to reasonably priced land elsewhere after they have built a life and customer base in Montgomery County. 

All this shines a light on a new ZTA proposal at the County Council that seeks to redefine farming to allow commercial lodging on protected farmland. 
When non-farmers can buy up land in the Ag Reserve for non farm uses - farmers like Niyi and Tope simply can't compete -  in the only part of the county set aside for farming. 

If you have not already, please write the Council on ZTA 23-09. 

We will of course still be offering support to our partners at Dodo Farms and you can still find them at the Silver Spring and Dupont Circle Farmers Markets.
​
You can keep up with Dodo Farms' move here. 

It is not overacting to call it a a saga - the three years invested by Frederick County farm and smart growth advocates to shepherd through the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Plan have been tumultuous, with moving boundaries, backroom deals with multi national companies and more. Hanging in the balance, farmland and forests that could either gain critical protection or  remain unprotected with new land-hungry uses at the door. 

After passing the plan in 2022, the non binding goals of protecting the area around Sugarloaf, the overlay that forms the teeth of the zoning change was remanded to the Planning Board last year. It was once again approved by the Planning Board with few changes and a strong recommendation to pass it. The Council took it up on December 19th and the overlay failed 5-2. 

The Frederick News Post covered the meeting. Councilmembers Brad Young, M.C. Keegan-Ayer, Kavonté Duckett, Mason Carter and Renee Knapp voted against the overlay. Councilmembers Jerry Donald and Steve McKay voted to approve it.

To the advocates in the room, the reasons given for not backing up the plan recognizing the regions unique qualities with measures to keep them protected were underwhelming to say the least. A broad coalition of regional supporters were dismissed as NIMBYs, zoning that would protect farms and forests, used by the county elsewhere to protect similar resources was called "exclusionary" and Councilmember Young even said that the area may need to be a "revenue stream" in the future.  

One part of the meeting that was particularly chilling was the lack of support for an amendment barring Data Centers from being sited in the Sugarloaf Zone. A proposed floating zone that would allow Data centers is proposed for parts of the area considered by this plan. 

Related: Maryland Matters on Data Centers: "In other words, if the data centers come to Frederick County, there could be tremendous consequences for the climate and the environment — and for millions of utility customers throughout the region."

We understand that the next part of Frederick County's Zoning re-write is the 270 corridor, an area where carveouts to this plan were floated to allow a developer to site data centers in partnership with Amazon within the plan area. This plan, bound by NDAs and backroom deals, only came to light thanks to the legal efforts of Sugarloaf Alliance. 

Data center development on the industrial Eastalcoa site is ongoing - in the words of Councilmember McKay who was seeking to prohibit Data Centers in the Sugarloaf Zone: 

"The County is moving forward with a major data center project at the old Eastalco site. We’re a decade or more from maximizing that project. We don’t need more land now. That Eastalco site has the high power electric infrastructure - Sugarloaf doesn’t. The Eastalco site has nearby water and sewer - Sugarloaf doesn’t.
Leaving open the prospect for this kind of development in the Sugarloaf area actually opens it up to even more intensive development. As far as the Council members opposing the overlay tonight, I didn’t hear them shying away from that possibility. In my opinion, that vote against the overlay was a vote in favor of future development there."

No question this is a setback, but the work continues. We stand committed to our partners across the county line. Please follow Sugarloaf Alliance for more in-depth updates.

Back in 2020 MCA co-led an effort to bring 60+ civic organizations together to engage stakeholders and craft a policy that balanced large scale solar siting and the farms and forests of the Ag Reserve, allowing large systems to co-exist with farming where they were not permitted before. 
​
Since that time, a number of solar installations in the Reserve have been approved through the county's conditional use process, many others that would meet county approval standards are waitlisted as large scale utilities work through capacity issues - a roadblock outside the county's purview.

The situation is the same in other counties. Because local governments are charged with the protection of local resources many counties have put similar regulations into place to balance twin goals -  renewable energy and farmland, forest and water protection. 

However, this Fall the Public Service Commission -Maryland's regulatory body for utilities including energy and transportation - is considering preempting carefully crafted County policies and processes to approve large scale solar arrays where the state deems necessary. 

So far the PSC has held a comment period as they consider how to move forward. The new Montgomery planning director, Jason Sartori, submitted comments that succinctly explain the approval process in MoCo and the detriment to the County's 40 year commitment to the Ag Reserve that would come  from bypassing the current reasonable process. 

Read the full text of the Montgomery Planning Commission's comments to the PSC here.
​Stay tuned for more on this evolving issue. 

The drought that began this summer is still ongoing as winter sets in. Unfortunately, this drought is not a fluke event but a new trend. The scientific modeling is clear - we are in for more frequent and severe drought events. The ICPRB that monitors the Potomac said we can expect stream flows to be reduced by 35% by 2040.

As for groundwater - the picture is also dire - but gathering data about wells is more difficult than surface water monitoring. This lack of data hinders land use planning - like the updates to the master plan in the Town of Poolesville where several large developments have been proposed for the area entirely served by town wells and septic.
These wells rely on the federally designated Sole Source Aquifer - water deep underground underlying much of the Western county that is also impacted by droughts. 

We understand the Maryland Department of Environment has completed a report that details with more certainty what climate impacts will be on local water resources. This report would offer crucial insight to Poolesville and other areas considering how to plan future land use to steward dwindling water supplies responsibly. So far communications to MDE asking for this report have not yielded results.

Our partners at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) have filed a Public Information Request to access this report and make it available to guide efforts toward resilient water systems. Stay Tuned. 

​Any season is good time to be thankful for trees but the brilliant colors of Fall are a reminder of just how much trees offer to our neighborhoods.

Montgomery County has laws to staunch the loss of street trees, forest canopy and soil. The Roadside Tree Protection Law decrees anyone granted a permit to remove a tree in the County’s right of way generally must replant and/or pay a fee into the Street Tree Planting Fund.

Similarly, under the County’s Tree Canopy Law, an applicant for a sediment control permit must plant shade trees and/or pay a fee into the Tree Canopy Conservation Account.

However - the fees developers pay into this fund have not increased in 10 years while the cost of saplings and labor has gone far higher.

The fee is currently $250 per tree, however the tree plantings actually cost on average between $450-$470 between purchasing trees, planting and aftercare. Planting the healthiest saplings and providing proper aftercare as they get established allows the trees to be of service in neighborhoods for generations.

Councilmembers Friedson and Glass have introduced bill 40-23 - Tree Canopy and Roadside Tree Requirements - Fee Revisions and all Councilmembers signed on as co-sponsors and the bill passed. 

While there are other provisions that can be taken to strengthen these laws in the future, this proposed common sense legislation to adjust the fee is straightforward and meaningful - a great step forward.

We are thankful for trees and your support - Thank You!

Our thanks to stalwart partners Heritage Montgomery for this great video featuring Ag Reserve farms, narrated by our own Caroline Taylor.

It has been a long road to getting the Sugarloaf region of Frederick County the protection it needs. The Treasured Sugarloaf Management Plan has been through several false starts spanning years. 
The plan is now back in front of the County Council for another round of public hearings and a final vote. 

The plan needs support to clear this hurdle. 
Emails can be sent to [email protected]

Here are some talking points: 
- We support the Overlay’s I-270 boundary from Montgomery County to the Monocacy. Cutouts will degrade the strength of the plan. The Overlay and the Plan’s preservation goals are important including: 
​- “To address the scale and visual impact of land uses and developments that can degrade rural qualities, excessively burden the transportation network, and overwhelm the scenic and rural nature of the Sugarloaf Planning area
-  “To minimize adverse impacts of land development activities on forestlands and natural habitats
-  “To regulate the amount of impervious surfaces to control the volume of stormwater runoff and stream bank erosion, maintain levels of groundwater infiltration, and retain as many of the functions provided by natural land as possible


Some background on how we got here (a deeper dive can be found with Sugarloaf Alliance)
 
- Carve outs of the plan to allow farmland to become an industrial use along 270 were proposed to accommodate backroom deals with Amazon- only uncovered thanks to public information act requests. "More Public Records reveal details of Amazon's failed data center plans". 
 -Civic groups, partilarly Sugarloaf Alliance were instrumental in getting the plan boundary restored to 270 to the East and the Monocacy Battlefield in the west - common sense coverage for the plan.
-Stronghold, the nonprofit that stewards Sugarloaf Mountain threatened to close the Mountain if the plan went through as proposed, one of a number of Sugarloaf country residents considering the plan overreach - when in fact no current uses would be prohibited under the plan. 
-The Council passed the plan but not the overlay - the part of the plan with the teeth of zoning to keep land in farming and protect standing forests. That part was remanded back to the Planning Commission. 
-Fast forward to October 2023 when having reviewed the overlay from scratch, the Planning Commission sent a mostly unchanged overlay back to the Council Council with a strong recommendation to approve it.

Halloween kicks off a season where holiday traditions center around farm products. A pumpkin on every stoop, a turkey in every pot, harried travelers trying to get sweet potato pie leftovers (why are there leftovers?) through security. 

Year Round Markets: 
Whether you are making an old favorite or finding new side dishes to try - they will be better with local ingredients grown right here in MoCo. A Farmers Market the week before Thanksgiving is a truly joyful place. Find your market here. 
Other On-Farm Markets: 
Deere Valley Farm: Dickerson, selling beef, pork, chicken, lamb and baked goods.
​RB Savage and Sons Farm - Dickerson. Selling beef, chicken, eggs and preserves 
Savage Acres Farm - Dickerson, Selling farm fresh beef and pork year round and raw milk cheese from their own cows. Read up on their grass-fed beef operation
Kingsbury Orchard - Dickerson. Cider, Apples, Asian Pears
Lewis Orchards - Dickerson. Lots of locally grown produce and preserves in stock - taking pre-orders for pies.
East Rivendell Farm - Damascus - on farm vegetable market with chicken, turkeys, bath+ body and more. Online ordering available. 
Butlers Orchard - On farm market and pre orders for turkey and pie. Check on you pick apple availability. 
​Doc Water's Cidery - Some pick your own apples remain plus farm pressed cider for both kiddos and adults. 

Pre-Ordering Pre-Made Items and Farm Fresh Ingredients:

• Though Fox Hollow Farm Market's turkeys are all sold out by this time this year - they provide fully baked or 3/4 baked breads and deserts for your table.  Check them out in Gaithersburg/Laytonsville.
• Common Root Farm of Derwood has online ordering a and sells both their own sustainably grown produce and also soups, grains and spices from other local businesses.  

Wine and Beer:
Rocklands Farm Winery
​Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard
Windridge Vineyard
Waredaca Brewing Co. 
​Brookeville Beer Farm

Ideas for Next Year
No turkeys you say? Yes, the small farms of the Reserve mostly operate on tighter margins than larger livestock farms and customers need to pre-order their birds early to be sure there are homes for each bird that is raised - usually ordering by mid October or earlier. Some places to secure your bird next year:

• Nick's Organic Farm  (small chance you could get a "reserve" bird this year, contact them.)
• Fox Hollow Farm Market
• RB Savage and Sons 

There are a number of CSAs (Community Supported Ag) farms in MoCo as well where you buy in to get great produce from spring to fall - strawberries and peas to tomatoes through to sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Is a CSA for you? Take our quiz and find your farmer here.

We are grateful to have so much incredible food close by - and for farmers that make it happen. 

MCA was humbled to be honored by Montgomery Preservation with the Montgomery Award  for more than 20 years of educating the public and creating programs in the Agricultural Reserve that defend and maintain the Reserve as an agricultural area and that preserve the historic rural landscapes of Montgomery County. Other Upcounty projects included the Local's Farm Market and a Scout project at Boyds School. Learn more here.

Update: The PSC Chair responds to disappointment on the part of Governor Moore and others that the Commission held Aligned to the laws governing this kind of development. 
Simply put - 70 MW of backup power is the permissible amount where Aligned claimed they needed around 500MW of backup power. This law is in place to prevent increased emissions in more frequent times of power outages. 

The Frederick News Post is reporting that having not gotten approval for 168 diesel generators they needed to complete construction of their data center project, Aligned is pulling the plug on the Quantum Loophole project in Adamstown. 

Reads in Part: 

"Executive Jessica Fitzwater, said Aligned’s decision “demonstrates the State’s regulatory framework is a barrier to companies investing here.”
Commission spokesperson Tori Leonard said on Wednesday that the commission operated under its legal authority and stands by its order.
“As noted in the Commission’s October 10 Order ... the Commission takes seriously its statutory obligation to consider the impact of its decisions on the climate of our state, and rejected ... [Aligned’s] request to not consider the total capacity of its backup diesel generators,” Leonard wrote in an emailed statement."

Aligned letter of withdrawal  

MCA was proud to  partner with Clean Water Action and a coalition of other state wide groups to oppose the granting of an exception that would have allowed these generators. 

One wonders how this development will impact the Terra Energy proposal for 20 data centers along the Potomac in Dickerson. 

Background: 
​Sugarloaf Alliance has been ably documenting the Quantum Loophole proposal and multiple environmental infractions as tunnels were dug for fiber cables. 
​
MCA coverage: Take Action: Developers Looking to Turn Frederick Farmland into Huge Data Center - Bore Under Potomac in 3 Places

Fifty years and going strong, the Sugarloaf Citizens’ Association’s (SCA) all volunteer powered non-profit stewards Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve giving voice to its purpose and future.
​Tenacious, and scrappy when needed, SCA is on the frontlines when ill-conceived land use proposals surface. But they are also forward thinking about the need to promote the Reserve’s role in climate change and food system resiliency. Their headquarters, Linden Farm in Dickerson, serves dual roles as community event/meeting space and home to an important regenerative farming pilot. No doubt that the Reserve’s future vibrancy will rely on the continued work of SCA and their resourceful and dedicated members.

More on SCAs  Work

Past Royce Hanson Award Awardees

When we talk about food equity, one thing that gets lost is not just who gets access to quality food for consumption – but who gets the access to food growing opportunities. Broadening food production access has benefits for the whole community in the areas of equity, public health, economic development and more. We see this reflected in our Land Link program - most applicants are farmers of color seeking to grow culturally appropriate food for their community. 

The new master plan for the Briggs Chaney - Fairland neighborhoods is a plan that incorporates a stronger food access system for residents by taking account of the things a typical plan does - access to grocery stores and restaurants but it goes further to encourage expanded community gardens and local food hubs to strengthen the local food system. This is an exciting development and MCA wrote to support this plan - both as an individual organization and jointly with partner organizations. 

MCA's letter here
Joint Letter here

The time is ripe to collaborate on solutions that get more residents growing. This draft plan’s focus on a sustainable local food system plan and Agriculture Technical Hub is the right step forward and the Eastern County is the idea place to take this step. With partners, we are envisioning a further step – a fully featured small farm incubator program that brings together land, equipment and mentoring to create thriving small farms on hubs throughout the County. We stand ready to partner to make this pilot project a reality in the Eastern County and scale up to other parts of the county.

The plan in its draft form was well received and approved for the next step by the planning board. Follow along here. 

Also check out support for the plan from Dan Reed, native of Fairland. 

The ICPRB (Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin) has begun drought operations. 
​This includes plans to supplement low river flows with water from Little Seneca Reservoir and twice daily reporting on flow rates in the mighty Potomac. 
 
Put simply - we all rely on the River.

The flow of the Potomac River is  665 million gallons per day, water suppliers take 400 million gallons out per day for use in the water and sewer system. That leaves 265 million gallons left over - it takes at least 100 Million gallons of water in the Potomac to prevent the complete collapse of the river ecosystem. 

And no rain is forecasted soon. 

The ICPRB is the same river stewards reporting that by 2040 climate change could cut stream flows by as much as 35% on an annual average (their 2010 report). Science should inform the region’s planning and goals of resource protection. We can (and must) prepare to live with less water when the data shows that is what is coming.  

More: 
​
​America is using up its ground water like there is no tomorrow (NY Times)

​DC is preparing to draw on backup reservoirs as drought continues (DCist)

There are parking changes and road spikes installed to keep people from going up the mountain the wrong way.  Read More.  
Also to Note - the Overlay Zone portion of the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Plan will have a final vote at the FredCo Planning Commission on it's way to the County Council (or back to the drawing Board) on 10/11. Catch up on all the particulars on this and concerns on the environmental havoc being wrought by data center construction in Adamstown withSugarloaf Alliance. 

Another update - The Mountain remains closed and Stronghold is towing cars that park there.  Check out coverage in the Washington Post

Sugarloaf Mountain has closed for the foreseeable future to the public. This past weekend there was a break-in at the Strong Mansion, a venue associated with Sugarloaf Mountain. The burglar was injured and didn't take anything. Stronghold Inc. the nonprofit owners of Sugarloaf have elected to close the mountain while they assess security concerns. More from the Frederick News Post.

Perhaps you've heard that a few favorite foods face going extinct - bananas (which nearly ended in the 50s and are now under threat again), avocados, vanilla and (gasp!) coffee. The reasons are many - fungal infection, decreased water availability, and of course heat. 

One bright spot is a long overlooked, spindly understory tree - called the "banana of the Americas" - the PawPaw. 

PawPaws grow mango sized fruits in late summer/early Fall and can be found long river sides in forests. The outside is rough and green, the flesh inside is soupy, yellow and sweet with seeds inside. In other words - it resembles a tropical fruit but can be found wild in northern climes or cultivated in the mid-Atlantic and further south.
The taste? Somewhere between a mango and a banana. It can be eaten fresh, made into ice cream, added to baked goods or smoothies- anything you can do with a mango. 

The wide leaves of a wild pawpaw in Guilford Woods - an area of forest in College Park subject to development by the University of Maryland and the Purple Line project. PawPaws are great stream buffer trees and can tolerate shade both in the wild and in cultivation. 

MCA was happy to be asked on to the Doomer Optimism Podcast - the media outlet of a self identified "collective dedicated to discovering regenerative paths forward, highlighting the people working for a better world, and connecting seekers to doers."

Jason and Patrick of Doomer Optimism had some great questions about how the Ag Reserve came to be and how protecting farmland is an insurance policy against an increasingly uncertain world.
It is so refreshing to talk to folks seeing the Ag Reserve with fresh eyes to re-connect to the fact that it is an astonishing feat to have thriving farms on protected farmland this close to a bustling metro area. 
​
The entire podcast can be seen here. 

Below are a few clips from the show: 

What (and Why) is the Ag Reserve? 

Why Protect Farmland in Busy Montgomery County? Why not the Midwest, etc. 

We reference the Pro Publica interactive map here (scroll to reach the "Farm Yield" map)

What is hopeful in the food system?

The Reserve as Resilience