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Monday, August 18, 2014

Is QA County about to allow state to dump urban problems on Kent Island?

Something strange is happening in my town of Stevensville, on Kent Island, and we citizens are flummoxed! With state money, the county is about to build a large homeless shelter, in a town with a very low poverty level, far from most of the county's needy, and close to the western shore city populations. The state also granted money to extend the county's rural "County Ride" bus service (designed for seniors, disabled and needy) over the bay bridge to Annapolis.

Citizens are asking: Why this terrible location, used by so many kids? How did this project never come before our planning commission? Why was the public kept in the dark? Why do our county commissioners, or our state legislators get defensive and refuse to answer any questions? Is the state dumping it's urban concerns on Kent Island in exchange for favors to our commissioners?
- Why does the Office of Planning and Zoning suggest I contact an attorney if I want to know the window for filing an appeal of the approval?
- Why, when I as simple questions of Maryland DHCD, (completed applications, proof of public participation fullfillments, status of loan funding, etc) am I referred directly to Attorney General Doug Gansler?

The BIG story part 1 - the location, while zoned properly, is adjacent to the secluded public bike/run trail and a large park used by all the community sports leagues. ALSO it's right between, and less than 700 feet from, the high school and elementary school grounds. This location is used by many kids, K-12, on a daily basis.

The BIG story part 2 - Nobody knew about it! It's been fully approved by the county and construction is about to begin. Jayne, because this is a small town and there is a rather vocal anti-development faction, NOTHING, I mean NOTHING ever gets built without substantial public debate. No one's seen the 99 page site plan. Parents, residents, principals, PTA, sports leagues, trail users were not offered a chance to debate. Prominent citizens such as candidates and ex-politicians had no idea. It will be run by a combined church ministry, and most of their volunteers and pastors didn't know either! Due to a citizen complaint, the county scheduled a public meeting on the first day back to school - August 25. It's not a hearing, and no questions will be taken. The site plan was approved back in April, and a vague news article ran in mid-July. County officials, state officials, and Haven Ministries officials are not answering sincere citizen inquiries.

All the documents and correspondence I have are publicly available at www.tinyurl.com/325state

This email contains:
- My letter to the editor of the Bay Times, published 8/13/14
- Questions about state involvement. We have a very Republican commission who would have no public motivation to build a homeless shelter in an affluent area. What have they been promised? Or is this just another instance of government waste?
- my remarks to the county commission at their regular meeting of 8/12/14
- a narrative explanation of the situation, I wrote to another interested citizen who read that this was a "private church project."
- flier created and distributed by another concerned citizen


Letter to Editor 8/12/14
"County Should Answer Questions About Shelter"

The Queen Anne's County Housing Authority is about to construct a 29-bed, 8,623sf, homeless shelter at 325 State Street in Stevensville. How could our commissioners approve a public project without most county residents being aware?

Why build it adjacent to the Cross-Island Trail, Old Love Point Park, and the Stevensville Historic District, and within a few hundred feet of elementary and high school grounds? Were no other locations suitable?

The children of Cloverfields, Mallard Run and historic Stevensville will funnel past on foot and bicycle en route to school, library and sports leagues. Were parents, school officials, recreation administrators and the sheriff informed?

An unobtrusive,1200sf transitional living house will be demolished and replaced by an 8,623sf institution accommodating nearly 30 persons. Why was this plan NOT referred to the planning commission for public hearing?

Why would the state spend $1.5 million on a location most convenient to Baltimore and Annapolis? Is it coincidence that the state has paid to extend County Ride bus service to Annapolis?

With no jobs, health care or adult education nearby, what are the plans to assist those who must vacate the facility each morning?

Why does the county refer inquiries to Haven Ministries? That's outrageously unfair to our fine community of churches that simply wants to help those in need.. The county planned, designed and built this facility with commission approval. Answer our questions!

Contact commission president Phil Dumenil, Delegate Steven Arentz, Senator Steven Hershey, and US Rep. Andy Harris today.

Mike Ranelli
Stevensville


here are questions that rise to the state level - no one seems to know and even to get information on the grants, I've been referred to Attorney General Gansler's office.

Follow the money....connect the dots. FACTS to ponder: The poverty rate statewide is 8%. In Stevensville, 2.2% (Source: US Government) Statewide, there are 8,205 homeless persons. Just 87 homeless persons (or 1%) are located in the ENTIRE "Mid Shore" - that's Queen Anne's, Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Talbot combined! (Source - Maryland DHR report, June 1, 2013) QUESTIONS to ponder: - Why would the state provide over $1.8 in grant money to purchase, plan and construct an 8700 square foot homeless shelter in the area with the least need? - Why does DHCD refer me to the Attorney General when I ask whether grant stipulations have been fulfilled and if the grant has been funded yet? - Why would the state also provide a grant to extend "County Ride" public transportation to Annapolis four times a day? - If there is truly a need for shelter on the Eastern Shore, why would those counties desire a facility at the most western possible point? Instead, the state has chosen the point most easily accessible from Baltimore and Annapolis - Why would county commissioners approve this project without comment? What sacrifices are they making to jump aboard the state gravy train? - How is it even fathomable that a public building project is about to begin and virtually no one on the island is aware of the scope, location or implications? - Who conceived, approved and planned this project at the state level? How were our state legislators involved? - Why is it ok for large group of well-meaning QAC churches to be taken advantage of in this way? - Why is it ok to decrease local property values, while at the same time increasing local tax burden to provide funds law enforcement, highways and parks? Has Kent Island become a dumping ground for Maryland's problems?

My remarks to the Queen Anne County Board of Commissioners 8/12/14:

Gentleman of the board,

Many of your constituents are in disbelief about the planned construction of a 29-bed, 8600 square foot homeless shelter at 325 State Street in Stevensville. The key public issues are these: the safety of our children, and a transparent government by and for the people.

In this county, how could any public project receive unanimous commissioner support and final planning approval without most county residents being aware? After all, there was a months-long fight over putting a McDonalds in a strip mall!

Why build an attraction for transient populations adjacent to the Cross-Island Trail, Old Love Point Park, and the Stevensville Historic District, and within a few hundred feet of elementary and high school grounds? Were no other locations suitable? The children of Cloverfields, Mallard Run and historic Stevensville pass through this area on foot and bicycle en route to school, library and sports leagues. Were their parents, school officials, park administrators, and the sheriff informed of this plan? As a father of two young girls, I feel that the board and the department of housing’s ill-advised choice of location, along with a systematic effort to minimize public disclosure, is a breach of the public trust worthy of investigation.

Supporters call this project simply an expansion of existing services, and point out that it required only "minor site plan” approval. There are several issues with that designation:

County code calls for a minor site plan to have five or less dwelling units. This building will house nearly 30 persons. It also calls for no change in character of the property. Gentlemen, the character of the existing property is about to be completely changed. A 1200 sq. foot ranch house, used to assist a couple of women and children on a long-term basis, is about to be demolished. In its place will rise a nearly 8700 square foot, two story institutional facility with a commercial kitchen and an elevator. The statute also asks the planning director to consult with all appropriate agencies before signing off, and gives him the authority to refer the site to the planning commission for a public hearing. Were the school board, parks, highways, sheriff's office consulted in any way before this project was planned? Was the planning commission informed? It would seem to me that those notifications would have been in the public interest. I would ask this board to publicly review whether county agencies were appropriately coordinated during this process..

If, even though 325 State Street was mentioned in 20 commission meetings, the commissioners are not inclined to discuss how they researched the location, perhaps they might care to ask why the state would agree to spend $1.5 million on a location so convenient to western shore populations rather than one central in our county. Perhaps they might also ask if it’s a coincidence that the state has paid to extend County Ride bus service to Annapolis? Since there is no demonstrable need for 20 nightly beds in this area, one must ask: where will the homeless clients come from? The current shelter in Chester averages 5 to 7 guests a night, in the winter only.

With no jobs, health care or adult education near the facility, what are the plans to assist the homeless who must vacate the facility each morning? Where will they go? How is this location advantageous to the community or the people it will serve? How is it advantageous to tourism and economic growth in the Stevensville Historic District and the Arts & Entertainment district?
Why does the board refer inquiries to Haven Ministries? Such tactics are outrageously unfair to our fine community of churches that simply wants to help those in need.. The county planned, designed and will build this facility with full commission approval. Our elected representatives should be the ones answering our questions.

I ask the board of commissioners to pass a resolution returning grant money to the state. I would ask the commission to pass a moratorium on homeless shelters in the county pending a public referendum, and to pass an ordinance prohibiting such facilities within 1000 feet of a school, public park or daycare. I ask the board to involve the public in procuring a more appropriate site for a shelter. I ask the board to identify the most effective means of communicating with citizens, and to require notices of public hearings be made through media outlets found to reach the greatest number of constituents in the affected districts.

Thank you.

Mike Ranelli
610 Love Point Rd
Stevensville, MD 21666

Here's the story narrative as I know it, sent to an interested person earlier today:

In 2009 the county housing authority purchased, with a community development block grant (CDBG) from the state, the lot at 325 State Street, on which sits a ranch-style home. They leased it to QACCA (now Haven Ministries) for use as a transistional living home. I understand that's a place for people who need a place for weeks or months. Displaced, domestic violence, halfway-house situation, what have you. QACCA rehabbed the home. By the way, the ministry is a joint effort of a number of churches in the area. Some of the larger ones are Safe Harbor and Kent Island United Methodist. My wife and I have no beef with the churches or the ministry in general. We are church-going people and believe in finding ways to help those who need it most.

In 2012, with the full blessing of the board of commissioners, the county department of housing applied for another CDBG for about $800k, as well as a Shelter and Transitional Housing Facilities Grant (STHFG) - another $750-800k, for the purpose of constructing, on that same lot, a two-story institution to house up to 20 "emergency overnight" clients as well as support 8 or 9 "transitional living" clients. The county put out an RFP for Architectural and Engineering services at that time. (I posted whatever documents I've found atwww.tinyurl.com/325state)

The site plan was created, the grants applications were approved, and according to Mr. Steve Cohoon, county planning director, the county planning office gave full site approval on April 24, 2014. Because the building was designed to fit the criteria for a "minor site plan," the planning director has the authority to sign off on it without bringing it to the planning commission for a public hearing. The only way I found it was through the Maryland "eBid" site where contractors go to find construction bids.

This address was mentioned at least 20 times in commission meetings over five years (you can search the minutes online) and we have no record of any commissioner,especially those familiar with this district, asking any questions about the location as it pertains to community safety. Nor does anyone have record of commissioners, housing department or Haven Ministries engaging the community in hearings, meetings, or simply conversations about the location, the size,or the specific need for this facility. Every time they were asked, the commission voted unanimously in favor of this facility, yet they never discussed it with their constituents. Either they didn't realize how the location would affect people, didn't care, or were fully cognizant but kept it quiet because there is another angle here - some kind of favor from the state level? It's a real mystery.

What we know is that in 2009, Haven executive director Krista Pettit, who lived in the area at the time, sent a letter to property owners on State St, and a few on Love Point Rd, inviting them to her house for coffee and to learn about the proposed purchase of the ranch home. One commissioner, Mr. Moran, has provided a timeline that shows us that no one attended the meeting. My feelings on that are
- it was a dilapidated house at the time, so people were glad it was going to be fixed up
- the proposed use as transitional living for a small number of women and children was not particularly objectionable
- many people living here now did not live here in 2014 - and many of their children weren't born yet!
- the populations of Mallard Run, Cloverfields, Queen's Landing - people who don't live next to the site but USE the public facilities all the time - were not notified.
- the new building plan, even though you will read that is simply an "expansion" of current services - in no way resembles the size, appearance, or function of that little house, so we feel notices from 5 years ago are completely irrelevant.

You can read in various documents that there is a need to incorporate the existing house into the new building in some way - either by moving it, using the foundation, I don't know what. It seems there is something about the original 2009 grant that requires the same structure to remain in use. Last I read, there will be a "partial demolition down to the existing foundation." That's probably how they get away with calling this an "expansion" for grant purposes AND probably zoning purposes. In all the news articles, press releases and literature from Haven and the county, it's never mentioned that the new building will not only expand transitional living opportunities, but offer space for 20 overnight bunks to serve the transient homeless population.

Since that house was opened in 2010 - again just as a place for a handful of women and children to live temporarily, with no emergency overnight shelter or other services - the only public notices regarding this project have been to announce official "public hearings" required by the grant applications - held in Centerville as part of regular, weekday commission meetings. They seem to have been advertised in small print in the Star-Democrat, published in Easton. How many people in Stevensville sit down and study the Star-Democrat for their community news??

Someone managed all this carefully - followed required zoning and hearing procedures - while managing to keep the public in the dark as to this project's significance. How many building projects - not to mention a public one like this - have not been up for community discussion on this island? I live not far away from the site - we recently bought this house in the historic district - however my wife has worked with the public in this immediate area for about 8 years now and knows absolutely everything that goes on. It's a small town and she knows everyone from politicians to teachers to moms to the occasional homeless person. She's a very compassionate person and I can't tell you how shocked and worried she is about how the community will change. The elem. school principal and the high school PTA president hadn't heard of it. Commission candidates didn't know. I've talked to a few ex-commissioners, one who even supported the 2009 house purchase, and THEY didn't know. Churchgoers and Haven Ministries volunteers didn't know!

I do have some questions about whether it's truly a "minor site plan" and also about how the planning director and planning commission president may have used their discretion to bring this matter to a hearing, given the nature and location of the project. Unfortunately both have stopped answering questions, so unfortunately I have to consider seeking a land use attorney to investigate further.

Now it's my understanding that the public has 30 days from Mr. Cohoon's approval to appeal - although he told me I might talk to an attorney about that - and I've noted that while the planning/zoning approval was given on April 24, there was no announcement of the project until May 28. Haven Ministries (not the county) sent out a press release on that date, and the Bay Times and Star Democrat carried a rather vague story during the second week of July.

No one has received a reply from the county regarding the construction contractor, the demolition date or construction date. Several days ago the permits office told me that there was one sanitation permit outstanding.

It appears that the site was chosen strictly on the basis of it's zoning (suburban industrial) and the fact that most of the immediately adjacent lots are basically commercial. There's an auto shop, a dump truck depot, the MD highway dept, and one house behind it on Old Love Point Rd. You see, when there's a "minor site plan" designation, only the immediately adjacent lot owners are required to be notified. No public hearing or neighborhood notification is required.

It seems that no consideration was given to the proximity of the cross island trail (in fact the county has purchased an easement to connect the trail directly to state street - ask me about how they did that in a way that will allow dump trucks to drive back and forth across the trail. Talk about my kids dodging hazards!) The immediate proximity of Old Love Point Park....the centrality of the location in relation to all the schools and the library...two daycares... handling law enforcement and transportation on a dead end street opening to a wooded trail....proximity of jobs, health and mental services for the troubled folks that come to a shelter. We don't see how this location will benefit the community OR those who are without shelter, jobs or good health. Kind of a "lose lose" if you will. We'd like to know what other comparable facilities are located in such a location - away from the population served (Stevensville has a 2% poverty rate) on a dead end street adjacent to a wooded trail and close to the schools. It looks like an abandoned area on paper, and even if you stand there right now, but we know that it's heavily used by hundreds of children each day.

On an economic and community development note - the site immediately borders the National Historic District and the Arts & Entertainment District. We don't understand how a large homeless shelter is compatible with the county's strategic plans for preservation and growth in this area.

Haven Ministries (and the county) will only talk about what good work they have done in the past, and how none of the women and children at the little existing house have bothered anyone. Also how well they have operated the small, winter-only shelter at KI United Methodist. I don't think anyone will even begin to dispute that. In fact, we honor their mission and would like to support it. They also insist that they have stringent screening policies such as sex offender registry check, breathalyzer, etc. Good! However, are they prepared to handle such a large facility and what comes with it? Say a sex offender or a drunk walks in at 9 pm - do they do an immediate check and refuse entry? If so, where is that person taken and by whom? Or are they going to be wandering around the park, trail and streets here? Can they really say that there will be no persons with drug, alcohol, or mental problems introduced into the immediate area, because they conduct breathalyzer and background check? Most shelter visitors are there for a reason. We understand that currently the KIUMC shelter operates only until 6:30 am - so when people wake up and leave, where are they to go? Does Haven have the staffing and budget to manage all this? Right now, no. Will the state and county be funding this facility in perpetuity?

The issue is not that Haven Ministries doesn't care, not that homeless people don't need help, and it's not that all homeless people are criminals. We don't believe any of those things. It's that they don't have control over what goes on outside the building. There are public lands and secluded trails used by hundreds of kids. We don't believe Haven has any real control over who comes and goes. The state division of social services typically handles shelter placements, and clients can easily arrive by bus via County Ride, especially now that it will be running to Annapolis 3-4 times a day. The only "fact" we hear from the ministry in response is that they (specifically Haven Ministries) "Do not transport homeless from other shelters." I'm sure that's true and they may not have the volunteer force or safety procedures in place to do that. The fact remains that people can come by bus, by car, and on foot from anywhere at all.

It has to be acknowledged, based on factual data, that there are many with serious mental illness, substance abuse problems and many other issues which need to be dealt with. The only reason a facility this large is being built is to accomodate them. Those folks are not currently wandering the streets of Stevensville looking for help, but they will soon be here. We don't know from where, and we don't know how that influx will be managed by various county agencies, because frankly they didn't know much about this either! The ministry is emphasizing the expansion of transitional living, counseling services, a children's play area, but not talking about the large emergency overnight capacity. This is a pretty big building.

Fact: In 2012 the state counted 8205 homeless in the state - just 87 of them in Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Kent and Dorchester counties, COMBINED.

Fact: According to this Bay Times article, the current shelter at KIUMC in Chester is open only in winter and averages "five or so people a night" and "most of its clients are from Queen Anne's County." More specifically (from the county "fact sheet on homelessness"): In the bitter winter of 2013/2014, the Chester shelter hosted 29 clients for an average of 30 days - that's a total of 870 "bednights" (a common social services statistic used to quantify usage - one person in one bed for one night.) In 2012/2013, 34 people for an average of 17 days. That's 578 bednights. The new year-round facility will offer a year-round, emergency overnight capacity of 7300 bednights. Quite a jump!

Fact: Stevensville is a rather long distance from most of the poverty-stricken areas of Queen Anne's, not to mention Talbot, Caroline, Kent and Dorchester.....but is the closest possible location to the large populations of the western shore.

Fact: County ride received a state grant to add service from Stevensville to Annapolis - seehttp://www.qactv.com/seniors/county-ride-bus-will-begin-service-to-annapolis-in-october-2014/ and while perhaps, some seniors will take advantage of that service and go to the medical center and mall, the fact remains that the senior center is a quick trail walk to the shelter site, and that County Ride often stops where needed, in addition to scheduled stops. There's also nothing to prevent a future stop at the shelter.

Here's a direct quote from the county's pre-proposal meeting with architectural firms on November 1, 2012

“Q. The people that will be served – how will they get there?

A. County Ride system, private transportation. It is accessible from the street.”

If this shelter is to best serve our county, and if there is a need for the space, shouldn't it perhaps be toward Grasonville, Centreville (where other county services are headquartered)...Sudlersville...shouldn't there have been a public discussion of the services and location needed?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

the Eastern Shore has always been considered the pits by the Annapaholes and Baltimorons...if they can force something like this or trick us in to accepting it, it simply proves their point.

Secede Now!

Anonymous said...

I bet it gets filled with illegals. Better brush up on your Spanglish!

Anonymous said...

yep, sounds like the perfect place to dump the unaccompanied minors. things are so going down the toilet.

Anonymous said...

It is what the government wants. Any more questions?

Anonymous said...

It is for the illegals according to what I have heard....