Square footage reduced by nearly half in light of public concerns

By AMANDA HARRISON

Staff writer

A smaller portion of Farren Avenue than initially proposed is set to be closed to the public and conveyed to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Chesapeake Biological Lab.

During the Dec. 4 BOCC meeting, after two public hearings were held on the matter of Farren Avenue — one for the closure of a 7,700-square-foot portion to the public and the other to convey the closed portion to the biological lab — in which no public testimony was given, it was unanimously agreed upon to close the public record Dec. 14 and to then make a decision at the commissioners’ next meeting, Dec. 18.

It was discovered, during negotiations to renew a lease with the CBL in 2011, that the conveyance of a 15,140-square-foot portion of Farren Avenue was never conveyed as a condition of the original 2001 lease agreement.

After public testimony against the conveyance, citing the loss of scenic views, parking and access to the Waterman’s Wharf, the BOCC and CBL entered into further discussion about the issue.

The reduced 7,700 square feet of Farren Avenue was mutually agreed upon by both the county and the CBL, who both deemed that the scaled back property is acceptable, according to a memo from Wilson Freeland, director of the county’s general services.

“By reducing the area to 7,700 square feet, there will be no change in the scenic views afforded from this location. Public parking will remain and accessibility of the area will remain as it is today,” the memo states.

In other business, the commissioners:

Ÿ Unanimously approved a one-time incentive pay for eligible county employees to be added to their Dec. 13 paycheck;

Ÿ Unanimously approved a budget adjustment in the amount of $2,809,223 for the acquisition and development of 223.89 acres on Ward Road in Dunkirk, contingent on the three conditions from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources be met. The county intends to use the land for athletic fields and a parking area;

Ÿ Unanimously approved the Sustainable Communities Designation Application, which includes all of the county’s town centers and each one’s revitalization needs, along with key strategies and plans for implementing such needs;

Ÿ Unanimously approved the addition of a legal secretary position for the Office of the State’s Attorney with the costs to be funded from the BOCC’s contingency fund for fiscal 2013;

Ÿ Oversaw a Calvert County Sheriff’s Office promotional ceremony in which 1st Sgt. Donald Bowen was promoted to lieutenant commander of Administrative and Judicial Services Bureau; Sgt. Roscoe Jones was promoted to first sergeant commander of the Twin Beaches; Cpl. Robert Selkirk was promoted to sergeant of the Patrol Bureau; Dfc. Jason Dean was promoted to corporal of the Patrol Bureau; and Sgt. Timothy Fridman was promoted to first sergeant.

aharrison@somdnews.com