Dear Roland Park Neighbors,
All hands on deck. We need your help in the next four days. ASAP please!

A major high-rise housing development is set to be approved by the City Council on Monday, June 19th. The development is called Overlook at Roland Park, and often referred to as Belvedere 2. A freshman City Councilman, Yitzy Schleifer, has worked closely with the developer to fast track this project through City Hall. It will be located at one of the busiest and most dangerous intersections of the City, Falls Road and Northern Parkway.

Mt. Washington and Roland Park, the two largest neighborhoods adjacent to the property, were not included in the process, only the two small neighborhoods above the proposed development (North Roland Park and Poplar Hill). In the past week, the Mt. Washington Improvement Association and the Roland Park Civic League both voted against the development, primarily because of the lack of knowledge. The majority of residents in North Roland Park and Poplar Hill have signed petitions opposing the project. We must stop the rezoning process, called a PUD, until all affected communities have time to study the project. If the project is as good as the developer says it is, then it will be just as good in 60 days after we have all had a chance to understand what the project actually is.

If you want more details about the project, go to the website www.stopthepud.com. Also, please see the attached press release from the Roland Park Civic League.
Here is what we need you to tell our elected officials-
1. Tell them your name and that you are a city resident
2. Ask them to put the PUD legislation on hold (Officially Bill 17-0049)
3. Tell them that the affected neighborhoods need time to learn more.
4. A sample email might include Dear Mayor Pugh, I am a resident of North Baltimore and I am asking that you slow down the PUD zoning for the Overlook at Roland Park so that the communities affected have a chance to learn about the project. Adding a large high rise housing unit at one of the busiest and most dangerous intersections in the city deserves a careful look. Please give us the chance to learn more. Sincerely, _________

Here is who we need you to tell-
1. Call, email, fax and/or tweet Mayor Catherine Pugh: mayor@baltimorecity.gov 410-396-4900 or 410-396-3835,  @mayorpugh50,  Fax #410-396-3798
2. Call, email, fax and/or tweet Council President Jack Young: CouncilPresident@baltimorecity.gov, 410-396-4804 @prezjackyoung Fax #410-539-0647
3. Call, email, fax and/or tweet Councilman Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer:  Isaac.Schleifer@baltimorecity.gov 410-396-4819 @councilmanYitzy Fax#410-396-6800
4. Sign the online petition at change.org

It will take all of us to get this done, please step up and share with others!

The following letter regarding the Cycle Track has been sent to Mr. Frank Murphy, Acting Director of the Baltimore Department of Transportation.  The original formatted letter can be found at this link.

 

Mr. Frank Murphy, Acting Director
Baltimore Department of Transportation
417 E. Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD 21202

RE:  Roland Avenue Cycle Track                                                                      June 6, 2017

Dear Mr. Murphy,

From March 2016 until May 2017 the Roland Park Civic League’s Cycle Track Committee (“CTC”) studied the Roland Avenue cycle track between Northern Parkway and Cold Spring Lane—as did your own Department of Transportation.  The CTC held fourteen committee meetings, two public meetings, and solicited the input of an outside engineering consulting firm. At the conclusion of the process, the CTC submitted to the RPCL Board and the broader community  a comprehensive year-end report that included the following consensus statement: “Either restore curbside parking with a wider, safer bike lane and slower traffic, or partner with the community to create a complete street that works for everyone.” 

After discussion at the Civic League’s Annual Meeting last month, the membership in attendance voted 55-31 to adopt an alternate position statement to be communicated to your department as follows:

“[R]estore curb side parking immediately and completely on Roland Avenue and continue the work of the committee to achieve the other objectives (included in the year-end report).”

The RPCL Board requests that the DOT implement the above motion as soon as possible while continuing to work with the community to develop a safer “complete street” on Roland Avenue.  We appreciate the DOT’s on-going commitment to our community and to making our streets safer for everyone! We look forward to working with you to resolve this issue.

Sincerely,

Robert H. Cooper III (Hap)

President, Roland Park Civic League

CC: Mayor Catherine Pugh, James Smith, Sharon Green Middleton, Mary Pat Clarke, Veronica McBeth, Graham Young, Nikia Mack, James Decker

In celebration of Earth Day, Baltimore City Department of Forestry will be offering free trees to Roland Park residents on Saturday April 22, 2017 from 9 am -1 pm or until supplies last.  They will be set up in front to Eddies Roland Park, 5113 Roland Avenue

The Department of Forestry will have selections of Viburnums, Sassafras, Swamp White Oak, Red Maple Carolina Silverbell, Yellowwood and Lindens.

These trees are free to residents to plant on their personal property.  These trees are not intended for the “Verge” or city property between the sidewalk and curb. Come early, quantities of each tree are limited!

– Look for a nice, sunny spot with room to grow.
– Don’t forget to deeply water your new tree weekly for the first year.
– Keep the new tree area free of weeds and trash.
– Protect from deer and rabbits.

The Roland Park Landscape Committee and City of Baltimore want you to enjoy Earth Day 2017!

The Roland Park community lost a great neighbor and friend this week with the passing of Al Copp.

Dr. Phil Spevak, former president of the Roland Park Civic League, has prepared this remembrance.

“Al Copp will be remembered by many, but all may not understand the difference he made to Roland Park.  He embodied great personal qualities of integrity, fairness and responsibility but most importantly, he understood that in life, there is more value in helping others than in helping ourselves.  He lived that philosophy.

We became friends when, as a volunteer, he worked hard to help implement many of the major projects of our community master plan.  He did so selflessly, never wishing to bring attention to himself.  No one had a bigger heart.  He joined our community efforts during his retirement. His integrity and his expertise, gained over a long career that included the development of the Inner Harbor, were valuable as we navigated sometimes-complicated city processes. Throw in humor, patience and perspective, Al added much.

Remember Al when you see the many new street trees, streetlights, benches and trash receptacles on Roland Avenue, when you cross our streets safely using the special crosswalks, when you walk along the restored Stony Run, and when, in not too long, you walk to the top of the Roland Water Tower.  I imagine when you look out from the restored tower, you’ll know Al will be smiling.”

The following notice appeared in the Baltimore Sun on February 3rd.

“On February 2, 2017, Albert M. Copp Jr. passed away at home from pancreatic cancer. Devoted husband of Laurie Schwartz; loving father of 3 children Susan Waterman, Sharon Murray and Stephen Copp; grandfather of 8 and great grandfather of 2; also survived by 2 brothers, Lloyd and William. Family and friends may visit the family at Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home, 6500 York Rd, (at Overbrook) on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 from 2-4 and 5:30-8PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name may be made to the Roland Park Water Tower Project, c/o Roland Park Community Foundation, P.O. Box 16214, Baltimore, MD 21210.”

Update: the Baltimore Sun published this obituary on Feb. 6th: Albert M. Copp, winemaker and planner who oversaw Inner Harbor development, dies