This article doesn't nearly cover the whole story and it does show that there is room for the mulch issue to return to Ag Preserve or to Western Howard County on RC zoned land or RR zoned land.  This issue is far from over!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/clarksville/ph-mulching-vote,0,715725.story

May 19th amazing testimony was heard in opposition to mulch, compost, topsoil industrial facilities moving into Western Howard County on farmland in HoCo Ag Preserve, Maryland Ag Preserve and RC zoned areas.  Farmers came out against this move and against the industrial wealthy businessmen who successfully changed the laws last summer during HoCo Comprehensive Zoning Amendment process literally changing the definition of farming at 10PM at night!!  Residents testified concerned about safety, traffic, noise, odor, quality of life changed and house values declining.  Woodbine resident testified about getting sick after the 7 years Bonner/Hughes mulching facility they named "Oak Ridge Farms" moved to Ag Preserve land neighboring their homes.  One farmer said their animals were sick.  A Johns Hopkins cancer researcher testified about the effects of such an industrial facility in a rural community including the deterimental health effects of wood chip dust, a carcinogen and respiratory conditions from fungi and bacteria. 

Watch VIDEOS on our YouTube channel:  Preserve Dayton

VIDEO CHANNEL

Read the article by Amanda Yeager in the Baltimore Sun:

HoCo Board Recommends Changes to Zoning Laws Conditional Use for Mulch, Compost Industrial Operations on Farmland

It fails to show that there were hundreds of supporters against industry on farms and only 20 people or less for this move.  Those testifying FOR this issue included farmers or land owners who hoped to financially gain from putting industrial operations on farmland.  A couple of farmers were concerned the laws might affect their true farming operations (composting, mulching on and for their farm), but DRPS assured them that we are farmers and we are pro-farmer and would not write any law that would take away a farmer's right to farm his land.  Our only goal is to stop big industrial and commercial business from moving onto farmland to pay cheaper property taxes while harming our health, safety, environment and quality of life.

A must read article on the best legislation idea proposed by any member of the Howard County government to-date! 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/lisbon-fulton/ph-ulman-mulching,0,2833570.story

We had a great turnout of 500+ Howard County and concerned Maryland residents responding to the threat of industry taking over our farmlands especially our agricultural preservation land tax payers paid millions to preserve!

Here are four videos from the meeting:

- Ken Ulman's assistant Ginnie Gick reading a statement from Howard County Executive Ulman

- Allan Kittleman exposing the root of the problem and how we got here

- Greg Fox addressing the supporters, vowing to fix this

- Courtney Watson one of Councilman Fox's co-sponsors on the bill addressing the supporters

Preserve Dayton YouTube Video Clips from April 28th Meeting

https://www.youtube.com/user/PreserveDayton/videos

Must see video clips to help you feel like you were there witnessing the key testimony to the Planning Board.  Christopher Biesel videoed and edited this for DRPS.  Thank you, Chris!

YouTube VIDEO: Planning Board Hearing April 17th

Council Bills CB20 and CB21 have been submitted to the County Council and will be introduced as legislation to be publicly discussed on May 19th and voted on Jun 2nd.  There are KEY differences!

Council Bill 20 is derived from ZRA-149 and was introduced by Councilman Greg Fox and co-sponsored by Council women Mary-Kay Sigaty and Courtney Watson. This bill limits Natural Wood Waste Recycling on our local farms to 2% of the farm or one acre maximum.

Council Bill 21 is derived from DRPS ZRA-148 and proposes the definition of, and removal of Natural Wood Waste Recycling (industrial mulching) as a conditional use on our local farms. In summary, industrial mulching would only be allowed in industrial areas.

CB21 is the only way to ensure there is NO INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS on Ag Preserve farms in HoCo Maryland!

The bills will be discussed at the May 19th County Council Session in an open, public forum and will be voted on by June 2nd.

They can be found on the County website CBs 20 and 21.

Thursday, April 17th at 3430 Courthouse Drive, the Planning Board met to hear the concerns of HoCo residents while considering both ZRA 148 by DRPS and ZRA 149 by Greg Fox.  Marsh McLaughlin, Dir of Dept of Planning & Zoning, introduced her own amendment.  The Planning Board denied both 148 & 149 and made suggestions to them leaning more towards the 10% cap heavily pushed by Marsha over the more sensible and safer for neighbors of all Ag Preservation farmland in HoCo Maryland, the 2% cap suggested by Councilman Greg Fox.  Clearly, there is an agenda at play and we will continue pursing this issue all the way to Annapolis, if necessary!  Next up, the Howard County Council considers the Planning Board's recommendations likely on May 19th but we will update closer to this date if it changes.

Baltimore Sun article by Amanda Yeager - Planning Board Makes Tweaks to Mulching Regulations

Today is LAUNCH day!  We are excited to share an important tool that will help you learn more about the proposed industrial mulch facility and its impact potential for all of Howard County’s agricultural preservation farmland, including Dayton, Maryland.

www.PreserveDayton.com

The web site has…

- a break down of the impact potential on all of Howard County

- Our Concerns laid out

- What You Can Do to Help Preserve Dayton

- Election Year: Who is running again?

- Our news shared frequently

- A calendar of events

- Photo gallery

- How to Contact Us and join our email list

- Subscribe to the Web Site itself to receive news entries and calendar updates

Today, we would like for you to…

- Visit: www.PreserveDayton.com

- Share this web site with everyone you know!

- Go LIKE our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/PreserveDayton

- Share our POSTS with your family and friends, (have your teens do the same)

- Go to Twitter and FOLLOW us!  @PreserveDayton

- Tweet about us and Retweet our Tweets!  (ask your teens for help if you need to!)

- Chat about us on Google+ (https://plus.google.com/101170126531881021698/" target="_blank">PreseveDayton)

- Email our web site to your Howard County friends

- Write your local politicians on email, Twitter, Facebook and especially by https://www.facebook.com/notes/dayton-rural-preservation-society-llc/help-preserve-dayton-write-your-hoco-council-member-county-executive/545512928896129" target="_blank">mail

Stay tuned folks because we have more to come!  There will be a volunteer coordination meeting very soon!

Bad News 

DRPS has heard that the Muth farm may have been sold yesterday - possibly to JBRK, LLC or one of their owners.  However, regardless of who owns the farm, a conditional use hearing is required for the Mulch Facility and that only means that we need to double our efforts to stop this proposed project on this farm and others in Agricultural Preserve in Howard County.

Good News

Dayton Rural Preservation Society has been working closely with Greg Fox to relay our concerns and make sure they are included in his proposed zoning amendment.  In addition, on Friday, we submitted our own amendment to the zoning board.  Our hope is that with these proposed amendments we will prevent large, industrial mulch facilities from ever being considered in Rural Conservation and Rural Residential areas anywhere in the county.  The attached Howard CountyTimes article gives some added perspective on Greg Fox's efforts and the JBRK, LLC response.