4/1/24 Meeting Agenda

6:30 pm Zoom

UPDATES (6:30 pm - 7 pm)

• Sweitzer Park Garden (Jess): refreshed and ready to bloom, thanks to 15 volunteers who assisted on March 17! We followed up with libations at Oliver's on Main Street! 

• Check out the new Chronolog at Sweitzer park and add your photos! 

• No Mow April is underway (Jimmy):  You must register to participate and post a sign in your yard. Take time to understand the benefits and arguments.

• Biodiversity and Agriculture Protection Act passed by MD General Assembly (Jimmy):  Will control and prohibit sale of invasive plants and promote native species.

• National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant through National Wildlife Federation (Jess):

• L4P will help Laurel residents replace lawn with native gardens using a competitive application process to install demonstration gardens at 5 Laurel homes.

• Monarch Metamorphosis and Pollinator Garden dedication (Cheryl): Come celebrate the completion of the mural, meet the artist, and learn about pollinators.  

• May 18, 12 pm. Sturgis Moore Park Pavilion (across 8th St. from the Library).  

• Followed by litter clean-up of Old town 

• Upcoming litter clean-ups:

• Patuxent River Clean Up: April 6, 10 am. Riverfront park - Avondale entrance

• Earth Day Clean Up:  April 20, 10 am. Granville Gude Park & Lakehouse

• L4P Old Town Clean Up:  May 18, 12:30 pm. Sturgis Moore Park Pavilion 

• DPW compost available soon (Brian):  Be aware of plastic & PFAS & pesticide/herbicide contamination. Consider creating your own compost at home to use for food gardens.

• L4P joins Center for Biological Diversity led coalition of 24 conservation organizations (Brian): to prevent extinction of the American Horseshoe Crab, which breeds in the Patuxent river and is threatened by habitat degradation & loss and overharvesting by biomedical and fishing industries. Saving this species will also help many imperiled bird and marine species that depend on it for food.

• L4P will submit a letter of support (Brian) : USFW proposed establishment of the Southern Maryland Woodlands National Wildlife Refuge in AA, Calvert, Charles, PG and St. Mary’s counties in MD; including 40K acres of federally acquired land or easement within a 577K acre conservation management zone. 

DISCUSSION (7 pm - 7:30 pm)

• Planning Commission meets April 9th at Council Chambers at 6 PM to consider Pulte Corporation Corridor Center development proposal.  

• No details have been posted to the agenda.

• All should attend.  Must present clear, concise and well supported arguments about public health; reality of affordable housing; compliance/accountability with Master Plan of 15 acres per 1000 residents; over development and traffic in Laurel; livability concerns; overburden on schools & emergency services & DPW & Parks and Rec; Climate and biodiversity impacts; need for greenspace (in Laurel not just surrounding areas). Provide/cite supporting materials.  Review research and presentation on L4P website. Tell neighbors to attend and post on Social Media. 

• Post yard signs to raise awareness, educate and galvanize support.  Survey results:

• Main St. Festival:  May 11, 9 am - 4 pm.  

• Vendor application

• Volunteers to set-up, staff, and break-down booth.  Two shifts: 8 - 12:30, 12:30 - 5.

• What to display:  Pulte Corridor Center information and signs for sale, litter ‘game’, native plants, monarch info, lottery applications for NFWF grant, advocacy and education about what we do and how folks can help, etc?

4/1/24 Meeting Minutes

coming