WE NEED YOUR HELP! Stop Times Square in Towson!

I just received this notice from GTCCA and The Forge Flyer

ATTENTION! YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED NOW!

Without County Executive Kamanetz’s veto by December 1, 2011, this bill will become law!!

Make your voices heard! Please forward this e-mail to all Baltimore County voters. Please then forward along with your comments and concerns to County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Councilman David Marks:

County Executive
Kevin Kamenetz

Phone: 410-887-2450

E-mail: kevin@baltimorecountymd.gov

Councilman District 5

David Marks

Phone: 410-887-3384

E-mail: dmarks@baltimorecountymd.gov

County Executive Kamenetz:

The Greater Towson Council of Community Associations (GTCCA) continues to respectfully oppose Bill 65-11 Zoning Regulations – Signs. Our delegation, comprised of individuals elected from neighborhoods within the greater Towson community, has voted unanimously and requests that you immediately veto this piece of legislation.

Towson community leaders believe more time is needed to discuss this issue before allowing the owners of the newly rebuilt Towson City Center to not only erect multiple signs not previously permitted, but to allow three enormous 300 sq foot digital signs with up to 50% moveable type which could flash ads that will be visible from as far as Cockeysville and the Loch Raven Reservoir. Additionally, this bill could have the unintended consequence of similar signage on buildings throughout Towson.

Our organization submitted a formal letter and publicly testified against the legislation at the County Council's October 11 work session. We then proceeded to attend the County Council's formal vote on Monday, October 17. Despite our opposition the bill was passed. The entire life of the bill was less than one month. This bill will affect the Towson community and we deserve to have our opposition taken seriously.

We believe the current mechanism of requesting a variance when a property owner/developer wants zoning relief provides an important opportunity for the community to review and evaluate each project on its own merits. This bill would provide blanket relief for all buildings that meet the requirements. We understand that the impetus for this bill was the need for zoning relief by one specific project and we are uncomfortable with wide-ranging legislation being enacted to benefit one project.

The GTCCA has been actively involved in revitalization efforts in Towson but we want to retain the ability to weigh in on specific projects when/if they seek zoning relief. If you are to sign this bill into law, you have effectively disenfranchised the very people that will patronize a revitalized downtown Towson. We are open to working with the owners of this building, and any other building in Towson, on variance requests to help spur redevelopment and improve the vitality of the core of Towson.

For these reasons, we respectfully request that you veto this bill. Thank you.

Sincerely,

David S. Kosak

President

Here is a copy of the bill:

http://resources.baltimorecountymd.gov/Documents/CountyCouncil/bills/b65.11.pdf

Related links:

Towson Patch:

POLL: Larger Signs in Downtown Towson

Baltimore Sun:

Council backs revision of signage law for downtown Towson