Brumwells Flea Market

RoxyKD

Did any Pasadena residents attend the meeting last night to discuss what they would do with the property? 

I've never actually been to the flea market (not since I was 7 or 8) but I can't imagine them sticking a huge store like a Lowe's right on Mountain Road, nor can I imagine Condos sitting there without them doing some serious traffic re-routing. 

Coming from the Ft. Smallwood Park end of Ft. Smallwood road, traffic is already congested as it is trying to get onto Mountain Road/Rt. 100 in the mornings. 

wawajeanne

My IL's were there (they live way down mountian road) and several of my friend's parents were probably also there since they're all in the area. 

I'm kinda befuddled by two things.

1) they keep talking about this condo plan like it'll actually move forward if the rezoning doesn't happen.  My understanding is that they already tried to submit the condo plan to the county and the county told them no.  I'm not sure what that was based on - if it didn't meet the conditional use requirements, if they didnt' like the storm water management, traffic...no clue.  But AFAIK, that condo plan (297 units or whatever it is, with no amenenties and what looks look they'd be some ugly ass glen burnie style buildings) is dead in the water.  If they want to go residential it'd have to change anyway. 

2) I'm also seeng a lot of commentary (not just from you roxy) that implies that the residential would cause more of a traffic issue than the retail.  Obviously if the morning is more of a problem than the evenings - then yeah, residential is more of an issue.  But a target or the like is going to make a mess of the PM rush too.  It's gonna have way more of a draw than the green turtle or big vanilla or any one of the 397 grocery stores.  I don't drive that route during rush hour - is the AM worse, or is the PM?  I'm curious if they've actually had talks with Target or Lowes or anybody and if there is actual market reserach supporting a big box store there.  It's got the drive-by traffic - but...well, glen burnie just isn't that far away.

Other stuff:

I thought it was interesting that the condos would be 55 and older.  I didn't realize that was the plan when I first heard about it, but I've been seeing it on facebook and elsewhere.  If it's true it gets them out of the schools issue since everything is already overcrowded - and it has less of a traffic issue typically since a higher percentage of the houses have retired people, and none/very few of them have 3+ car households (2 working parents, 1+ kid driving themselves to school/work).  The problem is that the county may or may not let them out of that 55 or older thing once it gets rolling.   That and really?  Housing?  You think that'll sell?   Particularly with the layout they had - it looks like they just shoehorned as many units onot the property as they could get with no thought as to asthetics or amenities.

I personally dont' think residential is an awful idea - but I do it as townhouses, which would also require C3 zoning.  It'd be more along the lines of 80ish units (I'm guessing based on size of the lot and allowed density.  Might be less, couldn't be much more) and I'd make sure there is sort of an protected inner area for substantial community open space - tot lot, etc.  And the strip of retail on mountain road would still stay.  That's a requriement of the zone - have to have a certain amount of retail per residential unit, and it makes sense to keep the mountain road frontage commercial.  Nobody wants to live right on mountain anyway.

But anyway...I think the rezoning makes sense no matter which use is better.  They can still go mixed use with the C3 zone (i.e. residential+retail) and it opens up their retail options.  But I'd love to get my hands on the traffic study either way because I'm curious how they intend to address what I'm sure are MANY issues. 

To sum up my ridiculous rambling - I don't really have a strong opinion on Retail vs. Residential.  But I do think the condo plan as they've presented it is awful and rezoning is a good idea. 

wawajeanne

side note:  if they do go with retail I feel really bad for the church back there.  They're going to be stuck staring at the back of a big box store, and we all know how attractive those are.

lenebene

Looks like they want to get the community to help them get it zoned C-3

http://northshoreaa.com/Brumwell.Association.Letter.Concept.Drawings.pdf 

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AnneArundelBreakingNews/posts/197702110302759

"More than a hundred Pasadena residents filed into Kurtz's Beach tonight to hear the Brumwell family's request to the county council for rezoning the "flea market" from c2 to c3. Several different proposals were presented showing the various options for developing the property. One option would be 297, 55 and older condos if rezoning to C3 does not take place. If rezoning does occur it would be possible to build a large "box" store with several pad sites for fast food and strip mall retail. Several residents voiced their concerns regarding traffic issues. Former county councilman Ron Dillon spoke up about how impact fees from developers are used to fix troublesome intersections, and reminded everyone that the impact fees from Compass Pointe payed for the recent addition of a second turn lane from Rt. 100 eastbound onto northbound Magothy Beach Rd.

A show of hands was resoundingly in favor of the rezoning effort."

Another Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Say-YES-to-Brumwell-C3-Rezoning/241015359284595