By Kaitlyn Giovinazzo and Roshan Davis
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writers
The Baltimore County Council faced contradictory reactions Monday evening when it passed one bill for which it was applauded and another that garnered harsh criticism from several members of the audience.
Council members Cathy Bevins, D-Third District, and Wade Kach, R-Fifth District, briefly butted heads and members of the public spoke in anger after the council voted 4-3 to approve the sale of a 4.7-acre lot at York Road and Bosley Avenue to a developer who plans to build a commercial center there.
Mark Lee, a resident of West Towson, began his testimony to the council by saying he would do his best to “control my rage” over the council’s decision to sell the land at 800 York Road for $6.9 million to Caves Valley Partners.
He said the sale of the property amounted to a “windfall” for the developer, and he accused county officials of making a “backroom” deal with Caves Valley that will ultimately hurt taxpayers.
He said the developer will not pay the full $6.9 million listed in county documents, adding that the county administration, with the council’s help, had bent over backwards to sell the land to one of its favorite campaign contributors.
“To say that we’re angry is an absolute understatement,” Lee said. “In a few months, it will time for the voters to have their say…We are on a mission to clean up this county by supporting candidates who actually care about a true balance between communities and businesses. We will be working and praying for a seat change.”
The bill that was adopted by the council Monday requires that Caves Valley and the county close on the property by June 30. The developer would then submit a new concept plan for the land, which would follow the normal zoning procedures.
Caves Valley had originally sought to build a Royal Farms gas station and convenience store on the property, the location of a former county fire station. Residents in the area vehemently opposed that plan, saying it would cause more traffic in an already congested area while possibly harming the health of students in the nearby Immaculate Conception Catholic school.
In December 2013, the council approved a contract to sell the land to Caves Valley for $8.3 million. In response to community opposition, the council negotiated with the developer and has executed two amendments to the deal since July 2017 that dropped the gas station from the proposal and lowered the sale price to $6.9 million.
Council member Tom Quirk, R-First District, said the measure before the council was a compromise reached through careful negotiations between members of the community and the developer. He and other council members said that they met the community’s main concern by getting the developer to forgo the gas station, but they said if current bill had failed, it could have eventually lead to a gas station being build there.
The bill was supported by council members Bevins, Chairman Julian E. Jones, D-Fourth District, David Marks, R- Fifth District, and Quirk. It was opposed by council members Kach, Todd K. Crandall, R-Seventh District, and Vicki Almond, D-Second District.
Before the vote, Kach said he had come into possession of an e-mail about 30 minutes before the meeting between the developer and a county official that he said showed the county was too cozey with Caves Valley.
“I think that the relationship between the county government and the prospective buyers is very unhealthy,” Kach said. “I think it’s sad.”
Later in the meeting, when Bevins said she had not seen the email, Kach accused her of questioning his integrity. Jones banged his gavel several times to cut off debate and said Kach’s integrity had not been questioned.
In other action, the council unanimously adopted a bill designed to protect pets from being left outside in harsh weather conditions.
The bill goes into effect on April 30 and will require pet owners to bring their dogs and cats inside the house when temperatures either dip below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or goes above 90 degrees unless they provide their pets with an outdoor shelter that properly protects them from harsh weather conditions.
The measure, known as Oscar’s Law, was inspired by a dog that died last March after its owner allegedly left it outside in bad weather on a consistent basis.
“Oscar was not just an animal,” said Julianne Zimmer, the founder and president of ReLove Animals, Inc., who helped bring the need for the bill to the council’s attention. “He was a defenseless [pet] being left to die. We as a community are here to pass this bill to ensure this will not happen in our community. We are making a statement that we will not accept this.”
With the passage of Oscar’s Law, owners are now required to provide accessible shelter for their pets in the case of extreme weather. They must also bring their animals indoors within 30 minutes of exposure to adverse conditions. The bill also expands the authority for a Baltimore County police officer to enter the property and to seek a warrant under certain conditions.
“I regret that we even have to do this bill,” Quirk said. “This bill came from the citizens of Baltimore County. “Thank you all.”
About half of the 60 people in attendance erupted in cheers when the bill passed.
The council also passed a bill that will allocate an additional $100,000 to the Aging and Disability Resource Center.