First Contact

Dear friends and colleagues,

This is the first of what will sure to be many periodic updates that I will send out to constituents and community leaders to discuss pending legislation and other issues affecting our community. (If you would like to receive these updates by email, please let us know. Contact info is at the end of this post.) Since this is the first communication, let me first say that it is truly an honor to represent District 6 on the County Council. I look forward to working with you, and I encourage you to reach out to me anytime. I want to hear from you!  You can find contact information at the end of this message.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to introduce my Legislative Aide, Janice Hayes-Williams. Many of you will already know Janice, as she has been very involved in our community. Her broad experience in the corporate world and the non-profit world, together with her ties to our community and passion for history make her an excellent resource for all of us.

For those of you who followed my campaign, you remember that I often referred to the “3 E’s” of the Economy, Education, and our Environment. In the coming months, important decisions will need to be made on each of these priorities. The County Executive introduces his budget on April 15. It will then head to the Council where we will go over it in detail. I will work hard to ensure that there is appropriate support for essential county and community services, and that priority projects (including schools) in our District are funded.

Also in April, the Comprehensive Rezoning process will begin for our District. You can find a timeline which details the various steps on the county webpage:  www.aacounty.org/PlanZone/LongRange/CompZone.cfm

This is an important and involved process and I will be seeking input from residents. How we handle growth and development will affect our county for many years to come, and it’s crucial that we get it right. I plan to hold two public meetings once the Planning and Zoning review is made public for those applicants in District 6. Stay tuned for details.

Some Upcoming Legislation:

Bill 4-11 (Binding Arbitration) This bill was introduced at the request of the County Executive. The bill modifies the binding arbitration process by “un-binding” the County Council from the decision of an arbitrator. It also requires the County Executive to fund only the County’s final offer in the budget. It also contains a provision which would repeal binding arbitration entirely if the bill is invalidated in court. It was heard on February 22 at the Council Meeting, and amended. I don't support the bill as written, and I voted for the amendment. There will be another public hearing on the amended bill on March 7th.

Bills 6-11, 7-11, 8-11, 9-11 These four bills were introduced by Councilman Fink, and are co-sponsored by Councilmen Grasso, Ladd, and Walker.  They generally deal with the permitting process for business owners and developers, and would seek to institute deadlines for the County to provide comments and recommendations, exclude some improvements from needing a site development plan, and would amend the provisions related to the test for Adequate Public Facilities. These bills will be heard at the Council Meeting on Monday, March 7.

Bill 10-11. This is my first legislation. It amends the code relating to the placement of telecommunication facilities (cell phone towers) on Open Space to make it more difficult to locate more than one tower on an Open Space parcel. It also increases some of the setback requirements, and fixes some inconsistencies in the code regarding permitted versus conditional uses of land in relation to cell towers. I introduced this bill because I believe our open spaces need some added protections. It will be heard at the Council Meeting on Monday, March 7.

For a list of all pending legislation, please visit: http://www.aacounty.org/CountyCouncil/pendingLegis.cfm

Forest Drive Pole:

When I first contacted county staff regarding the pole in the eastbound lane of Forest Drive shortly after I was elected, I was told it wouldn’t be removed until August 2011. I, along staff from the County Executive’s office, encouraged Verizon to do everything they could to expedite the removal. Now, the pole is finally gone. I am told that the third lane can be completely open within several weeks, but it is somewhat dependent on the weather. I know we will all be glad when this project is complete!

As I said at the beginning, I want to hear from you. I believe that good representation starts with good communication. Please feel free to distribute this to friends and neighbors in our community. If you would ever like to discuss an issue with Janice or me, please call or email to setup a meeting. I try to generally be in the Council office between 3 – 5:30 pm prior to Council Meetings, and I am always happy to meet with constituents for coffee in the morning before work.

Thanks for listening.

-Chris

Chris Trumbauer
Councilman, District 6
Anne Arundel County
410-222-1401
ctrumbauer@aacounty.org

Janice Hayes-Williams

Legislative Assistant, District 6

Anne Arundel County Council

410-222-1401, office

410-222-1755, fax

jhayes-williams@aacounty.org