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On June 30, 2005, Baltimore County, the Home Builders Association of Maryland, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and the Center for Watershed Protection kicked-off a unique initiative-- the Builders for the Bay in Baltimore County. Builders for the Bay will comprehensively evaluate existing development practices with a goal of more effectively protecting our natural resources by utilizing innovative and cost effective site design and land planning techniques.
Builders for the Bay utilizes a roundtable process to evaluate identified issues and to put forward consensus-generated proposals for change. It is anticipated that major topic areas will require the formation of five committees: 1) site planning and lot design; 2) streets, parking and infrastructure; 3) natural resource management; 4) stormwater management; and 5) review and approval process. Each will have approximately 20 participants who may meet 4-6 times during this yearlong process in addition to three meetings of the full roundtable. As each roundtable develops recommendations, an action agenda will be prepared identifying the specific steps to be taken for implementation.
Baltimore County is at an important crossroads in its goal to continue to provide strong communities, affordable housing, and a high standard of environmental quality. This challenge requires new approaches, creative thinking, and innovative implementation strategies. No one group, whether in government or the private sector, can meet these challenges alone. Builders for the Bay offers a unique opportunity to bring together the best in the county to ensure that the county attains this goal. The Baltimore County Builders for the Bay Roundtable has been funded by a variety of interests including the Chesapeake Bay Trust, National Association of Home Builders, the Abell Foundation, the Rauch Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Federation, Constellation Energy, the EPA Chesapeake Bay Program and Baltimore County. These groups, along with the sponsoring organizations, have underwritten the cost of providing professional facilitation and staff dedicated to conducting the Roundtable.
Other Links:
Baltimore County Kickoff Meeting Press Release (PDF)
Baltimore Sun Kickoff article
Baltimore County Builders for the Bay contacts:
Center for Watershed Protection
Rebecca Winer
8390 Main Street, 2nd Floor
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(p) 410.461.8323
rrw@cwp.org
Alliance for the Chesapeake
Bay
Lou Etgen
6600 York Road Suite
100
Baltimore, Maryland
21212
(p) 410.377.6270
letgen@acb-online.org
David Carroll
Baltimore County DEPRM
401 Bosley Avenue, Room 416
Towson, MD 21204
(p) 410.887.3733
(f) 410.887.4804
dcarroll@co.ba.md.us
Tom Ballentine
Home Builders Association of Maryland
1502 Woodlawn Drive
Baltimore, MD 21207
(p) 410.265.7400
(f) 410.265.6529
tom@homebuilders.org