A word from Annapolis Roads Property Owners Associations (ARPOA) President Tom Bodor
Dear ARPOA Members,
On Tuesday September 19th, the Anne Arundel County Board of Appeals held an open deliberation to discuss and decide on ARPOA’s appeal of the traffic impact study and mitigation plan for Key School’s development of the former golf course property in our community. We are very pleased to inform you that the Board of Appeals sided with ARPOA’s arguments and placed several important legally-binding restrictions on use that provide certain protections for our community. The restrictions include: no public use, no leasing or rental of the fields, no tournaments, and several other important limitations on use (specifics will be contained in the forthcoming formal written decision by the Board of Appeals, which will be posted to the ARPOA website along with the closing briefs). These are concessions that ARPOA has sought through negotiations with Key without success since the proposed development was first announced. In addition, Key will be widening Carrollton Road by two feet and provide deeded access to a walking trail on their property to provide an off-road alternative for pedestrians.
As you recall, in November 2015, ARPOA and two property owners filed an appeal of the Office of Planning and Zoning’s approval of the traffic mitigation plan, which we argued had numerous flaws and misrepresentations and was inadequate in resolving potential traffic and safety concerns associated with Key School’s proposed uses of their athletic complex. ARPOA’s closing argument in the appeal was straightforward: Deny the approval of the traffic mitigation plan because of the deficiencies and omissions in the traffic impacts study and mitigation plan, OR, place restrictions on use by Key that would minimize future impacts on safety and traffic in the community.
Several Board of Appeals members specifically noted Key School’s unwillingness to negotiate with ARPOA over the course of nearly six years since this project was first announced and also noted the apparent disregard for our community’s safety and well-being in testimony presented by Key’s leadership during the hearings. We appreciate the Board of Appeals concern for our community and believe that their resolution will help to minimize impacts to the community for the years to come.
The ARPOA Board will continue to communicate to Key School regularly throughout the duration of the construction process and will continue to report to you any new information as we receive it. Thank you to everyone in the community who participated in this important process and for the overwhelming support the ARPOA board received over the past several years.
Sincerely,
Tom Bodor
President
Annapolis Roads Property Owners Association Board
