Baltimore County Council District 1 Updates

Do you want to stay up-to-date with what’s happening in Baltimore County’s First Council District? You’ve come to the right place. From water and sewer line replacements to zoning hearings and more are available for review here.

Need to reach the Council Office?

E-mail:  council1@baltimorecountymd.gov

District Office
754 Frederick Road
Catonsville, MD 21228
410-887-0896
410-887-1012 (fax)
Hours: M-F 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Towson Office
400 Washington Ave.
Towson, MD 21204
410-887-3386
410-887-5791 (fax)

So you’ve been wondering “what’s going on at Dewey Lowman American Legion Post #109”? Well, I’ll pass this along from Commander Clyde Thomas:

JROTC
The Viking Battalion of the JROTC will once again offer to wash the winter off your cars and trucks from 9:00 – 2:00pm on Saturday, May 7th. If you’ve been putting off washing the family wheels, this will be a great opportunity to get it done while supporting a great organization of young Americans.

FLEA MARKET
Pat Miller is once again chairing a Flea Market in the Dewey Lowman parking lot. The date to bring your once-cherished goodies is Saturday, May 14th. Spaces are available for $15 each and Pat tells us that drinks will be available and that she has again coerced Greg to get some hot dogs, roast beef, and turkey cooking on the smoker.

Need more info? This is the place to look: https://americanlegionpost109.org/

Visit the Master Plan 2030

Hub at any time at

Master Plan 2030 Hub

News You Can Use

BALTMORE COUNTY ANNOUNCES EXPANDED OUTDOOR TABLE SERVICE FOR RESTAURANTS AND BARS

To assist restaurants and bars with recovery, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski has authorized a new process to establish outdoor table service through a use permit approval that is good for one year and  renewable annually.

Businesses may apply for a Use Permit for Outdoor Table Service with the application and necessary documents in the online portal below.

HOW TO SEEK APPROVAL FOR OUTDOOR TABLE SERVICE

STEP 1: COMPLETE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Restaurants and bars must complete an application for a Use Permit for Outdoor Table Service along with a completed checklist and all relevant documents below.

Copy of current Baltimore County Food Service Permit

Copy of all applicable Alcoholic Beverage Control Licenses

Sketch or drawing that includes all relevant details in the Site Plan. Review the Site Plan Requirements for Outdoor Table

Sign off from property owners—All owners of any real property must approve the use of their property for outdoor table service.

Franchise Agreement—Necessary only when proposed outdoor table service area includes property owned in fee by Baltimore County.

STEP 2: SUBMIT ALL DOCUMENTS ONLINE

In the online portal, you will be asked to create an account. If you already have an account, please use your existing username and password. Once logged in, under the Permits tab, follow the prompts to complete the  required fields, upload all required documents and submit your application for approval.

For document uploads, the maximum file size for each document cannot exceed 16 MB.

APPLY NOW

Requests for temporary closures on State roads should be directed to the State Highways Administration.

CONTACT
Call 410-887-3191 or email outdoortables@baltimorecountymd.gov for guidance, questions and concerns regarding expanded outdoor table service.

The Maryland General Assembly adjourned sine die on Monday, April 11 at midnight. Many of the bills we were tracking during this past session failed to emerge from their assigned committees. Probably the most significant legislation that will affect Maryland businesses is the “Time to Care Act”. The Governor vetoed Senate Bill 275, and the General Assembly overrode his veto before the conclusion of session.

So what happens now? The implementation of a paid family leave program will commence later this year with the establishment of the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program under the supervision of the Maryland Department of Labor. The FAMLI Fund will be created through employer and employee contributions. The revised Fiscal Note prepared by the Department of Legislative Services describes Senate Bill 275 thusly:

“This bill establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Program and FAMLI Fund to provide up to 12 weeks of benefits to a covered individual taking leave from employment due to specified personal and family circumstances. The weekly benefit is based on the individual’s average weekly wage, subject to a cap. The FAMLI Fund consists of contributions from employees and employers of at least 15 employees and pays for benefits, a public education program, and implementation and administrative costs. The bill generally takes effect June 1, 2022, with the establishment of the FAMLI Program, among other provisions, taking effect January 1, 2023.”

We will continue to follow up on this program as it will have a major impact on many small businesses.

Other bills of interest to businesses:

• House Bill 366 (Senate Bill 477) – Office of the Comptroller – Legal Division and Private Letter Ruling Procedures – This bill enacts a recommendation of the Augustine Commission, a body that met over an approximately 18 month long period to recommend ways to improve Maryland’s business climate. Private Letter Rulings are created to address specific tax questions directed to the Comptroller’s office in an effort to clarify tax obligations and avoid inadvertent errors on the part of businesses.
• Senate Bill 274 (House Bill 268) – Property Tax – Exemptions for Business Personal Property – Alterations passed both bodies and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. It would increase the exemption for personal property used as part of a home based business from $10,000 to $20,000. In addition the bill specifically prohibits the State Department of Assessments and Taxation from collecting personal property information or requiring a person to file a personal property tax return if the individual attests to owning less than $20,000 in business personal property.

Special Alert – Over the past few weeks we have had an increase in thefts from autos in the Catonsville Communities west of Rolling RD towards Howard County. The thefts have been occurring between the hours of 2am-4am. Suspects walk down multiple streets and try the door handles of vehicles. Once they find an unlocked vehicle, they remove all valuables from inside of the cars. We are asking everyone in the Wilkens Community to please lock their doors and secure all of their personal property. We are asking for anyone who has any videos of any suspicious subjects walking down your street in the overnight hours, to forward them to any members of our Community Outreach Team.

Baltimore County Police Department, Community Outreach Team, Precinct 1, ph. 410-887-5165

Pofc K.L. Boone #4506 – Wilkens Community Outreach Team – 410-887-5165

Congratulations to the Class of 2022!

Spring is here and that means students are preparing for final exams and the close of the academic year.  UMBC’s Commencement ceremonies will be taking place in person at the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena (Formerly the UMBC Event Center) as follows:

• Graduate School Ceremony, Wednesday May 25, 2022 at 10 a.m.
• Undergraduate Ceremonies, Thursday, May 26, 2022
  • 10 a.m.:  College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, The Erickson School, and the School of Social Work
  • 3 p.m.:  College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, College of Engineering and Information Technology, and the Division of Undergraduate Academic Affairs

Please note that these events may cause traffic delays in and around campus.  For more details or to join us for the livestream of the ceremonies, visit commencement.umbc.edu.

OCA Mocha Mondays with UMBC’s Initiatives for Identity, Inclusion, and Belonging (i3b)
May 9, 2022, 5-6:30 p.m.
OCA Mocha Community Meeting Room

At OCA Mocha Mondays: Diversity Dialogues with i3b, members of UMBC’s campus and surrounding community come together at OCA Mocha to engage in dialogue about different social justice topics.  Consistent with OCA (Opporunities for Community Alliances) Mocha’s mission is to be a bridge between campus and community, OCA Mocha Mondays is designed to engage people of various backgrounds, identities, and skill levels to talk about issues that impact our society.  This endeavor is in partnership with UMBC’s i3b.  Please RSVP here. Our i3b staff strives to create the most inclusive environment possible.  If you need to request a disability-based accommodation or have a question, contact i3b@umbc.edu.

Full Scope
Opening May 9, 2022
The Gallery at OCA Mocha

OCA Mocha is partnering ewith Arts Collective Baltimore in Full Scope, an exhibit showcasing artists of all skill levels and mediums and sharing a full range of artistry in our community.  OCA Mocha is committed to creating space for artists to unite our community through creative expression.

Check out the full UMBC Arts and Culture calendar here.

Need a Place for Your Next Meeting?

The OCA Mocha community meeting room is operating at its full capacity of 36 and is equipped with hybrid meeting technology, white boards, and a monitor for your presentations.  Learn more and submit your reservation request here.

From: Lisa Akchin, UMBC Chief Marketing Officer & Associate VP for Engagement

I am pleased to share with you this UMBC News Story announcing that the University System of Maryland Board of Regents has named Dr. Valerie Sheares Ashby the next president of UMBC, effective August 1.

Dr. Ashby currently serves as dean of Duke University’s Trinity College of Arts & Sciences.  The selection of such an accomplished leader reflects both the academic strength and inclusive excellence of our UMBC community.  Dr. Ashby’s scholarship and leadership experience make it clear that she shares these values.