BALTIMORE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP Newsletter
Land Use and Transportation Issues Around the Region
November 13, 2001
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Contents:

*Regional Outlook 2002 Launches Agenda Process
*Design Team Unveils New Ideas for Dundalk
*Local Officials to Meet as Transportation Board Nov. 20
*Vision 2030 Engages Leaders from Region
*Patterson Park Revitalization Attracts Young Families
*Philadelphia Report on Sprawl and Disinvestment
*Air Quality and Childhood Asthma Link Confirmed
*Calendar of Events and Correction

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REGIONAL OUTLOOK 2002" LAUNCHES AGENDA DEVELOPMENT PROCESS FOR 2002

150 citizens from across metropolitan Baltimore came out to Lansdowne
Senior High School on November 7th for "Regional Outlook 2002:
Communities Deciding Their Future."  The meeting, sponsored by Citizens
Planning and Housing Association, engaged participants in three
workgroups: Transportation and Land Use, Drug Treatment and Housing and
Community Conservation.  The next meetings of those three workgroups
involve citizen participation and will take place on December
4(Transportation and Land Use),  December 11 (Drug Treatment) and 
December12 (Housing and Community Conservation)  from  6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
at CPHA, 218 W. Saratoga St.  The workgroups are to help determine
priorities for regionwide legislative advocacy in the General Assembly
as well as election-season issues to present at Rally for the Region
2002 in June.  More information available at
www.CPHARegionalCampaign.org, or contact Matthew Weinstein at
mattheww@cphabaltimore.org

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DESIGN TEAM UNVEILS NEW IDEAS FOR DUNDALK

The results of a week-long effort engaging the residents of Dundalk
resulted in the unveiling of two priorities, engage Baltimore and
capitalize on the waterfront.  The 11-member Urban Design Assistance
Team, a group of volunteer professionals spent an intense week,
brainstorming with two groups of local residents.  The group presented
its roadmap to potential and possible futures for this eastern Baltimore
County community to a large group of citizens and local officials on
November 7.  This unique revitalization effort for one of Baltimore's
most prominent inner suburbs is being led by the Dundalk Renaissance
Corp. For more details about the process and the results visit:
http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/bal-md.dundalk08nov08.story. 
Additional information from Baltimore County available at:
http://www.co.ba.md.us/p.cfm/news/dundalkrevital3.cfm

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LOCAL OFFICIALS TO MEET AS TRANSPORTATION BOARD NOV. 20

The Baltimore Regional Transportation Board will host a meeting with the
region's chief elected officials at the headquarters of The Baltimore
Metropolitan Committee on Tuesday evening, November 20, 2001 starting at
5:30 PM  This is the first monthly meeting with elected officials since
the tragic events of September 11 postponed the last scheduled meeting. 
The public comments portion of the meeting is the first agenda item,
providing an opportunity for local citizens to address transportation
issues to our region's elected local officials.   See the Calendar of
Events for more details or visit www.baltometro.org for more detailed
information regarding directions and transit information. 

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VISION 2030 ENGAGES LEADERS FROM REGION

A new effort, launched in May by the chief elected officials of the
Baltimore region, has begun to engage a group of leaders from around the
metropolitan area.  Spurred by criticism of the region's 1998 long-range
transportation plan as lacking cohesion, Vision 2030 seeks to develop a
framework for dealing with many regional issues over the coming 30
years.  On October 3, a group of leaders from around the region met in
Timonium to share ideas and explore future development and preservation
on large maps of the region.  The visioning process, sponsored by the
Baltimore Regional Transportation Board will seek citizen involvement
and input at public meetings scheduled around the region starting next
year. For coverage as reported in The Towson Times visit,
http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpid=659&show=archivedetails&ArchiveID=392915&om=1


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PATTERSON PARK REVITALIZATION ATTRACTS YOUNG FAMILIES

An East Baltimore Neighborhood may be in the throes of its second
renaissance, for an area that symbolized the decline of many inner-city
neighborhoods.  Through the combined efforts of the Patterson Park
Community Development Corp., community groups, the public sector and now
some cautious private developers, new life is being breathed into the
Patterson Park neighborhood in East Baltimore.  There are some
innovative programs in place that are beginning to take hold and attract
younger families and new residents to this rapidly changing area
conveniently located to downtown and other city attractions.  And some
residents are opting to stay in the city, not joining the thousands who
fled over the last decade.  For the full story in the Monday November
12, 2001 edition of The Sun, visit
http://www.sunspot.net/business/realestate/bal-te.md.patterson12nov12.story?coll=bal%2Dhome%2Dheadlines


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PHILADELPHIA REPORT EXPLORES SPRAWL AND DISINVESTMENT

Philadelphia, like Baltimore, is suffering from the same maladies
plaguing all post-industrial metropolises.  The Metropolitan
Philadelphia Policy Center, a coalition of business leaders, smart
growth advocates, and a revitalization loan fund, is focusing on
promoting a regional agenda to reverse inner city and older suburban
decline, fight sprawl development and the slow rate of economic growth. 
They have just released a report entitled Flight or Fight: Metropolitan
Philadelphia and its Future, that presents the data on trends and
presents the need for bold action to change them.  The report is
available at
http://www.metropolicy.org/FlightorFight.html.  

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LINK BETWEEN POOR  AIR QUALITY AND CHILDHOOD ASTHMA CONFIRMED

A recently released study by the Atlanta -based Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention found that decreased car usage during the Summer
'96 Atlanta Olympics improved air quality in the region sufficiently to
result in a dramatic decrease in emergency rooms visits for asthma attack
treatments.  Many studies have shown a link between high air-pollution
days and an increase in emergency room visits but this is the first
documented study investigating citywide transportation changes on air
quality and childhood asthma.  The citywide changes implemented during
the Summer Games in attempt to decrease potential gridlock conditions
provided a unique opportunity to investigate  this long suspected
linkage.  To read the Centers for Disease Controls' press release visit
http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r010221.htm

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
                             
**Correction from last newsletter: As noted below, the meeting of the
Citizens Advisory Committee of the Baltimore Regional Transportation
Board on November 14 begins at 4:00 PM.

November 13
*Baltimore County Forum on Suburban Residential Development - 6th
District Council Town Meeting.  7:00-9:00 PM, Parksville High School
Library.  Public meeting regarding suburban residential development
issues.  More information at
http://www.co.ba.md.us/p.cfm/news/suburban.cfm . 


The Parks & People Foundation: Nature in the City, Morgan State
University Engineering Bldg. 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.  Auditorium 5200 Perring
Parkway.  Leslie Sauer, author of The Once and Future Forest, will speak
on the importance of conserving native plants and landscapes  in an
urban environment, presenting an array of case studies. Tuesday,
November 13, Cost : $5.00
More Info:   
http://www.parksandpeople.org/Calendar.html
                          
November 14
*Baltimore Regional Transportation Board:  Citizen Advisory Committee. 
Hear a status report on the Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan, 4:00
PM. Baltimore Metropolitan Council, 2700 Lighthouse Point East, Suite
310.  More information at www.baltometro.org .  Click on "Calendar of
Events."
    
November 15
*Baltimore County Meeting on 6-year State Transportation Budget, 10:30
AM, Old Courthouse, County Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, Towson.  MD. 
Dept of Transportation presents its Consolidated Transportation Program
(CTP) to local officials and the public in advance of the 2002 General
Assembly.  For more information, see
http://www.smarttransportation.com/cgi-bin/mdotnews/news_display_index.pl, 
and go to two CTP links at bottom.

November 19
*Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan Advisory Committee, 4:00 - 6:00 PM,
Morgan State University Schaefer Engineering Building - Library (Room
102), 5900 Perring Parkway.  Third meeting of committee advising Md.
Transit Administration on new transit system plan for Baltimore region.

November 20
*Baltimore Regional Transportation Board monthly meeting with local
elected officials, 5:30 PM, Baltimore Metropolitan Council offices, 2700
Lighthouse Point East, Suite 310, Baltimore (on the 2700 block of Boston
St. in Canton, directly above Blockbuster Video).  First meeting of
region's chief local elected officials as the region's transportation
board since the last meeting, scheduled for Sept. 11, was canceled.  For
more information go to www.baltometro.org and click on "Transportation
Planning."

November 26
*Baltimore County Forum on Suburban Residential Development - 4th
District Council Town Meeting.  7:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Loch Raven High
School Library.  Public meeting regarding suburban residential
development issues.  More information at
http://www.co.ba.md.us/p.cfm/news/suburban.cfm . 
                            
November 27
*Maryland Transportation Plan 2002 Public Open House, 5:30-7:30 PM,
Baltimore City Hall, 100 N. Holliday St., Baltimore.  Opportunity for
public input into the statewide plan that the MD Dept. of Transportation
develops every three years to guide its future project and funding
decisions.  Additional information and copy of the draft plan available
at
http://www.smarttransportation.com.  
                      
*Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan Advisory Committee.   7:30 - 9:30
AM, Maryland Transit Administration, 6 Saint Paul Street.  Fourth
meeting of committee advising Md. Transit Administration on new transit
system plan for Baltimore region.

*Baltimore County Forum on Suburban Residential Development - 3rd
District Council Town Meeting  7 PM - 9 PM, Franklin High School
Library. Public meeting regarding suburban residential development
issues.  More information at
http://www.co.ba.md.us/p.cfm/news/suburban.cfm .

November 29
*Citizens Planning and Housing Association, one of the founding partners
of the Baltimore Regional Partnership is hosting an "Evening to
Remember" as the theme for their 60th Anniversary Celebration and Annual
Meeting.  The event, at the Old Stewart's Department Store will feature
legendary Baltimore Jazz artist Ethel Ennis accompanied by Earl Arnett. 
The evening starts at 6:00 PM.  The old Stewart's Department Store, at
the intersections of Lexington and Howard Streets is a project of the
Westside Redevelopment Corporation.  The cost is $20.00 for CPHA
members, $25.00 for non-members

December 4
*CPHA  Meeting of the Transportation and Land Use Workgroup
from  6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at CPHA, 218 W. Saratoga St.  This group is
meeting as a result of the Regional Agenda Outlook 2002.
see www.CPHARegionalCampaign.org for more information and details.

December 11
*CPHA Meeting of the Drug Treatment Workgroup from  6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at
CPHA, 218 W. Saratoga St.  This group is meeting as a result of the
Regional Agenda Outlook 2002.  See www.CPHARegionalCampaign.org for more
information and details

December 12
*Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan Advisory Committee.  4:00 - 6:00
PM, South  Campus Technology Center University Of Maryland Baltimore
County.  Meeting of committee advising Md. Transit Administration on new
transit system plan for Baltimore region.

*CPHA Meeting of the Housing and Community Conservation Workgroup.
from  6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at CPHA, 218 W. Saratoga St.  This group is
meeting as a result of the Regional Agenda Outlook 2002.
see www.CPHARegionalCampaign.org for more information and details.

January 8, 2002
*Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan Advisory Committee.  4:00 - 6:00
PM.  Morgan State University Schaefer Engineering Building - Library
(Room 102).  5900 Peering Parkway.  Meeting of committee advising Md.
Transit Administration on new transit system plan for Baltimore region.

January 14, 2002
*Baltimore County Forum on Suburban Residential Development - 5th
District Council Town Meeting,  7:00 PM - 9:00 PM.  Perry Hall High
School Library.  Public meeting regarding suburban residential
development issues.  More information at
http://www.co.ba.md.us/p.cfm/news/suburban.cfm . 

January 16, 2002
*Baltimore County Forum on Suburban Residential Development - 7th
District Council Town Meeting. 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM.  Patapsco High School
Library.  Public meeting regarding suburban residential development
issues.  More information at
http://www.co.ba.md.us/p.cfm/news/suburban.cfm . 

January 23, 2002
*Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan Advisory Committee.  4:00 - 6:00
PM.  Mondawmin Mall Community Room.  Corner of Gwynns Falls Parkway and
Reisterstown Road (adjacent to Mondawmin Metro Subway Station).  Meeting
of committee advising Md. Transit Administration on new transit system
plan for Baltimore region.

February 12, 2002
*Baltimore Regional Rail System Plan Advisory Committee.  4:00 - 6:00
PM.  South Campus Technology Center.  University of Maryland Baltimore
County.  Meeting of committee advising Md. Transit Administration on new
transit system plan for Baltimore region.

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ABOUT THE BALTIMORE REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP AND NEWSLETTER

The Baltimore Regional Partnership is an alliance of five civic,
environmental, and anti-sprawl groups:1000 Friends of Maryland
(www.friendsofmd.org ), Baltimore Urban League (www.bul.org ),
Chesapeake Bay Foundation ( www.savethebay.cbf.org), Citizens Planning
and Housing Association (www.CPHARegionalCampaign.org ), and
Environmental Defense (www.environmentaldefense.org).

This newsletter explores current issues, recent and upcoming events, and
ongoing deliberations that affect the region's quality of life through
transportation, economic development, and land use policy and planning. 
We hope to link citizens in the region who are working to fight sprawl,
promote clean and efficient transportation, protect valuable farm and
forest lands, and revitalize urban areas, older suburbs, and historic
towns.  You can view past issues at
www.balto-region-partners.org/news.htm .

Has this newsletter been forwarded to you, and you would like to receive
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Send us information, too.  Let us know about your work on land use and
transportation decisions that are affecting the Baltimore region.  Email
information to Steve Beck at steve@balto-region-partners.org .  Visit
the Baltimore Regional Partnership website at
www.balto-region-partners.org .