Date: Mon, 8 Jan 2001 03:13:13 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Norm Saunders Subject: Fw: Board of Appeals Decision--We're Off to Court MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit FYI ----- Original Message ----- From: "DALE JOHNSON" > Norm, Thought you might post to Osprey-see what you think,---Dale > > > >From: Jill Kerr > >Subject: Board of Appeals Decision--We're Off to Court > >Date: Thu, 4 Jan 2001 12:07:51 -0500 > > > >Sprawlbusters and Volunteers, > > > > As you may have read in last night's Capital or today's Baltimore > >Sun, > >the Board of Appeals voted 5 to 1 to deny our appeal and grant Safeway a > >grading permit. This is no surprise and entirely expected. The Board > >almost > > > >ALWAYS supports the county government that appoints it. > > Lawyers Tom Deming for SACReD and Tom Duvall for Food Rite put on an > >excellent case against the 48 inch pipe rule and the illegality of using > >residential property for a commercial storm water management system. The > >lone vote for our side, William Moulden, told his fellow board members that > >the pipe rule should not be used because it was not "conservative" enough > >to > > > >prevent flooding and that the use of the residential property was clearly > >an > > > >attempt to get around the zoning laws. But he did not prevail. The > >chairman > >of the board and the board's own attorney expressed a desire to get > >guidance > > > >"from a court of law." > > So, we are appealing the case to the Anne Arundel County Circuit > >Court--as we all pretty much knew we'd have to. Fighting a multibillion > >company is a long, long struggle--as we all know. > > On Friday, the 30 day stay initiated by our appeal of the grading > >permit > >is lifted. The site is secure because we are in the eagles' prohibition > >period. However, you can bet that Safeway's attorneys are already looking > >for loopholes around the eagles' prohibition. > > So, it is CRITICAL that you get your eagle letters going to the > >Governor, to Sarah Taylor Rodgers, the Secretary of DNR, to Mike Miller > >asking for his help in this matter, and to other elected officials. We > >cannot allow Safeway to secure a waiver from the eagle's probibition. It > >would be the end of the eagles, and the safety of the site. No waivers for > >Safeway! The full six month eagles prohibition must be enforced! > > To get another copy of the information on fighting for the eagles > >that > > > >we sent you a few weeks ago by email, go to the new SACReD web site: > >http://www.onwashington.com/groups-SACReD. Sample letters and addresses are > >under the "Fight For The Eagles" link. Can't find it? Ask a friend for help > >or call a member of your Affinity Group. No Affinity Group? Contact Mary > >Cardyn" avery@toad.net. No internet? You can call SACReD at (410) > >867-8605 > > > >and ask for the eagle's packet, leaving you name and address, and we will > >mail it. But remember, we are all volunteers just like you and > >seriously,overextended. If you can get the information from the website, > >please help us out and get it that way. You've recieved it by email > >already--maybe you saved it! > > In the days and weeks ahead, there will be many upcoming events and > >actions to demonstrate support for the eagles, for preserving sensitive > >eagle > >habitat, and to try to convince Safeway it does not want to destroy > >wetlands > > > >and put eagles out of their homes in order to build its big box boondoogle. > > > >Affinity groups will be working together on projects, going to meetings, > >taking actions. If you are not yet in an Affinity Group, now is the time > >to > > > >join one. For information contact Mary Cardyn at: avery@toad.net. > > One of those upcoming events will be January 22, when the Anne > >Arundel > >County delegation at the state legislature holds a reception. Check with > >your Affinity Group, the SACReD website and hotline for more information. > >The > >hotline number is (301) 261-9483. Watch your email, too. Topic A for > >discussion with the delegates will be making sure the Department of Natural > >Resources enforces the full, six month eagles prohibition and the site > >remains secure until June 15. This is a state issue, and state delegates > >can > > > >help us. > > With the legal battle moving to court, costs are rising, and ink is > >running red. In the next week or so, you will be recieving a letter from > >us > > > >asking for financial help and a new--hopefully up to date--newsletter. > >Please take the time to read both and if you can, send a donation. Any > >amount will help. If you are not yet a paid member of SACReD now is the > >time > > > >to join. The basic membership of $25 pays for the newsletter and a raft of > >other projects. Together, we can preserve our rural community, the beauty > >of > > > >South County and the Chesapeake Bay. > > > >Happy New Year to all, > > > >Amanda Spake ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================