3/4/24 Meeting Agenda

6:30 pm Zoom

Updates (6:30 - 6:50 pm):

  • Sweitzer Park Garden Volunteer Event and Social (Jess and Jimmy)

    • March 17, 1-3 pm

    • Weeding, trimming, thinning, rearranging, planting

    • Bring pots to take what you want

    • Bring tools, gloves, etc.

    • Social gathering afterwards at Oliver’s bar on Main street, 3-5 pm

    • Sign up on website!

  • Howard EcoWorks Trees (Dave)

    • Tree location decisions, timeline

  • Upcoming litter clean-ups (Holly)

    • L4P-sponsored event in May. Part of Alliance for the Bay Project Clean Stream

      • Date, time, website advertisement and sign-up?  

  • City Sustainability Planning Program Updates 

    • Any L4P members who have attended focus meetings can share info

Planning (6:50 - 7:00 pm):

  • Next Steps - Opposition to proposed Corridor Center Development in Ward II

    • Yard sign campaign; design, print, distribute 

    • Attend EAC meeting on March 12 and talk about Corridor Center

    • Call your elected official ask for a direct conversation about Corridor Center

    • Urge Mayor and Council to meet with Riverkeeper Fred Tutman and talk with Governor Moore about Corridor Center.  

*NOTHING is on city calendar for future except 2 Env Affair Committee (EAC) Meetings

Film Screening & Brief discussion (7:00 - 7:30)  (Brian)

Film Title:  Troubled Tributary:  Maryland's Patuxent River - Link to Film

Film will also be screened at Brookside Gardens followed by panel discussion on April 10, 7:00-8:45.  Panel includes; Fred Tutman, Sadie Drescher, Maggie Stogner, maybe Brian Coyle

Registration required - L4P will send link

FYI - DC Environmental Film Festival March 21 - 30.  Click here for calendar and screening locations 


3/4/24 Meeting Minutes

Attending the meeting – Jess Bolz, Brian Coyle, Mike McLaughlin, Pauline Apling, Holly Hoglund, Mike Maxwell, Cheryl Dyer, Dave Everett, Heidi Hess-Webber, Stosh Comisiak, Edith, Jimmy Rogers, Ruth Walls, Jock Haight, Bobbi McCeney, Cynthia Wood.

Updates

Legislation (Jimmy) – Legislation has been put forth in the General Assembly to ban the sale of invasives in Maryland.  Jimmy wrote testimony and attended a meeting in the House of Delegates.  The main opposition to the bill is a growers association.  Brian thanked Jimmy for his representation of L4P.  

Jimmy also informed the group that there is a partnership developing to protect the horseshoe crab.  He explained that the horseshoe crab has existed for 400 million years but is now becoming endangered.  There are many species that depend on the horseshoe crab and they also could become endangered.  We’re invited to join the coalition.  The attendees agreed that we should join the coalition.  Regulations are currently being considered by NOAA that would declare the horseshoe crab as an endangered species.

Brian added this piece of information -  At the Delaware Bay, during the the May/June full moon, it is possible to see the mating ritual of the horseshoe crabs.


Sweitzer Park garden (Jimmy) - There will be a clean up and weeding event on March 17th, from 1:00 til 3:00 pm.  Everyone is invited to hang out at Oliver’s after the work is done.  The garden is grown as an example of native planting so this event will serve as a demonstration of how to cut back, weed, plant and seed with native yarrow.  Folks can get plants as well since many need to be divided. 


Howard EcoWorks (Dave) - Dave hasn’t heard anything back from his contact.  Howard EcoWorks has 30 trees to plant around McCullough Field.  Dave would like Liz to nudge them.  Also, Dave pruned the last trees that we received from Howard EcoWorks that are planted by the river.  Only two of that group have died.


Litter Cleanup (Holly) -  The city has two cleanups planned in April.  On April 6th there will be a cleanup at the river.  On the 20th, the cleanup will be at the lake.  On May 18th, there will be a neighborhood cleanup.  In conjunction, there will be a dedication of the mural and pollinator garden at McCullough Field at noon.  Project Clean Stream is part of the Alliance for the Bay.  We will participate with them through our May event.

City Sustainability Taskforce (Jock/Cheryl) - The “four pillars” of the city’s sustainability approach have been replaced with seven focus groups.  Jock says that it seems to be a good group of folks who are independent of the city’s perspective.  The environment seems to be the priority for most participants.  The next meeting is 3/13.


Planning


Next Steps - Opposition to proposed Corridor Center Development in Ward 2 (Brian) - In order to raise awareness, we will place yard signs with QR codes.  Concerns include 1) traffic and congestion, 2) needed green space and habitat.  We don’t know what the city’s next steps are but the signs will make residents more aware of the issue and increase the number of folks writing letters and calling the mayor.  


Edith asks if non-residents can object.  Brian says yes.  The mayor has told folks that there is enough greenspace surrounding Laurel so we don’t need more.  Jimmy suggests that we write to the County Council as well.  He supports non-residents as well.  


Mike Maxwell says that we need a backup plan and more information.  He suggests that we think ahead about how to handle the situation if a meeting is scheduled.  Stosh says that the Mayor has told him that he supports the proposal to develop the area.  He’s concerned about expanding the tax base because costs are going up.  According to Stosh, the mayor says that we need to attend meetings and speak up if we want to have an impact.  


Mike McLaughlin say that there was an MNCPPC presentation last week to discuss how Prince George’s County is going to respond to new state laws regarding trees preservation.  The state wants no net decrease in the number of trees.  The tree canopy in our area is considered poor.


Jimmy says that the Environmental Affairs Committee (EAC) is scheduled to meet on 3/12.  City Councilmember Kyla Clark is the head of the EAC.  At this time, the EAC is not reviewing pending legislation.  We should be asking the EAC for a position statement, but we shouldn’t rely on the city’s structure currently.  A meeting has been set for 3/14 at 6:30pm to meet with Kyla.  Dave says he wants to see proof of calculations regarding anticipated increased income to the city as well as costs to the city (such as more police, firefighters, etc.) as a result of Corridor Center development.  


Dave also suggests that we approach folks who live downstream about signage so that they are aware that impermeable surfaces will allow increased runoff to their areas.  Dave also expresses frustration that the only space that Pulte doesn’t plan to develop is the area that is a parking lot and junkyard.  He suggests that those areas may be full of toxic substances that the developer doesn’t want to pay to clean up.


Jimmy says that it will be most effective to meet with City Council members, including at-large members, as well as with Pulte.  We can pitch the talking points that the space is inconvenient to access because of small roads, and is right on the highway.  Brian pointed out that the governor is not in favor of destruction of habitat.