NoRoFoHamilton legal fees
Donation protected
NoRoFo Hamilton , a grassroots, informal group of residents, neighbors, friends and community associations who oppose the development of the property on the entire east side of the 5900 block of Harford Road between Mary and Glenmore Avenues as a 4,000+ sq. ft. Royal Farms store and 12 pump mega gas station with 50 parking spaces. FAIR DEVELOPMENT!!
Reasons that the Harford Road Community Collective Opposes the Royal Farms Store with 12 fuel pumps at 6 kiosks and 50 parking spaces at Harford & Glenmore:
Site Abandonment Issue:
If this or any other gas station along Harford Road fails as a business, their sites will need environmental remediation for the gas tanks. Adding additional underground gas tanks to Harford Road that may cause failure of new or existing fueling stations creates potential for an environmental threat.
Zoning Issue:
Once a conditional use for underground gas tanks is granted for this property, the zoning DOES NOT revert. While Royal Farms is a known brand with some corporate responsibility, if they leave, a new, less responsible owner may use the property as a gas station — or else tanks will need removal and remediation.
Traffic Problems:
Baltimore City is NOT conducting a traffic study in response to serious neighborhood traffic concerns. Councilman Curran has proposed an intersection reconfiguration that is unfunded and appears to complicate traffic patterns and potentially cause more danger and congestion than it will offset. Included in that proposed plan is the likelihood of the City requiring a portion of the property belonging to East Perry Carry Out.
• The new entrances/exits and “no left turns” created by the store will compound the problems at an already complex 5-way intersection.
• The intersection includes a bus stop in front of the proposed store.
• The library annex and nearby school draws children and other pedestrian foot traffic that will be threatened by additional vehicles turning.
Threat to Local Business:
• Large corporate presences are out of character with the successfully and blooming urban revitalization efforts of the Main Street initiatives taking place in Hamilton and Lauraville and the exact “style” of living that Baltimore and other
city neighborhoods seek to promote and preserve.
• This project will likely cause failure of the business and vacancy of the convenience store on opposite corner by taking its business, leaving an ugly empty building in a corridor with too many existing vacancies.
Too Many Gas Stations on Harford Road:
• There are already four gas stations within .75 mile radius of proposed location — the neighborhood does not lack availability of the products to be sold. There is no need. Our community is well-served.
Too Big:
Six gas islands with 12 pumps is more than twice the size of any existing gas stations on Harford and will likely put one or more out of business.
24/7 Crime Hazard:
• The 7/11 — open 24/7 — on this intersection has been the victim of repeated armed robbery, as has the liquor store in the 6300 block.
• A nearby 24/7 restaurant draws a nighttime crowd. Three shootings in the neighborhood within 10 months have been associated with persons drawn to the neighborhood by the restaurant — any additional 24/7 business that draws increased/prolonged nighttime traffic through the Harford Road corridor and entices it to stay in the area is highly undesirable.
• Restrooms that would be available 27/4 draws further undesirable traffic stopping late at night.
Litter & Trash:
The customers of the existing convenience store on the Glenmore intersection are the culprits of a massive amount of trash along Glenmore Avenue and other neighborhood side streets, where resident homeowners
struggle to keep up with the mess. Trash and litter problems have a correlation with crime and property values.
Undesirable Foot Traffic:
Many of the Glenham-Belhar and Westfield neighborhood streets experience transient, non-resident foot traffic from main arteries. Incentivizing increased foot traffic between Northern Parkway and Harford Road puts neighborhood residences at increased crime risks 24/7.
Environmentally Unfriendly:
Adding unnecessary gas stations in the city does not exemplify Baltimore attempting to go green. Other properties built by Royal Farms have sought USGBC Green Building Certifications, but no one has heard any such plans for this store.
Unhealthy Food Choices:
Baltimore seeks to improve the healthy food choices of its residents and local farming initiatives. Royal Farms menu does not support these efforts. Their menu choices contribute to obesity and health risks while making unhealthy choices more accessible than healthy grocery options.
Reasons that the Harford Road Community Collective Opposes the Royal Farms Store with 12 fuel pumps at 6 kiosks and 50 parking spaces at Harford & Glenmore:
Site Abandonment Issue:
If this or any other gas station along Harford Road fails as a business, their sites will need environmental remediation for the gas tanks. Adding additional underground gas tanks to Harford Road that may cause failure of new or existing fueling stations creates potential for an environmental threat.
Zoning Issue:
Once a conditional use for underground gas tanks is granted for this property, the zoning DOES NOT revert. While Royal Farms is a known brand with some corporate responsibility, if they leave, a new, less responsible owner may use the property as a gas station — or else tanks will need removal and remediation.
Traffic Problems:
Baltimore City is NOT conducting a traffic study in response to serious neighborhood traffic concerns. Councilman Curran has proposed an intersection reconfiguration that is unfunded and appears to complicate traffic patterns and potentially cause more danger and congestion than it will offset. Included in that proposed plan is the likelihood of the City requiring a portion of the property belonging to East Perry Carry Out.
• The new entrances/exits and “no left turns” created by the store will compound the problems at an already complex 5-way intersection.
• The intersection includes a bus stop in front of the proposed store.
• The library annex and nearby school draws children and other pedestrian foot traffic that will be threatened by additional vehicles turning.
Threat to Local Business:
• Large corporate presences are out of character with the successfully and blooming urban revitalization efforts of the Main Street initiatives taking place in Hamilton and Lauraville and the exact “style” of living that Baltimore and other
city neighborhoods seek to promote and preserve.
• This project will likely cause failure of the business and vacancy of the convenience store on opposite corner by taking its business, leaving an ugly empty building in a corridor with too many existing vacancies.
Too Many Gas Stations on Harford Road:
• There are already four gas stations within .75 mile radius of proposed location — the neighborhood does not lack availability of the products to be sold. There is no need. Our community is well-served.
Too Big:
Six gas islands with 12 pumps is more than twice the size of any existing gas stations on Harford and will likely put one or more out of business.
24/7 Crime Hazard:
• The 7/11 — open 24/7 — on this intersection has been the victim of repeated armed robbery, as has the liquor store in the 6300 block.
• A nearby 24/7 restaurant draws a nighttime crowd. Three shootings in the neighborhood within 10 months have been associated with persons drawn to the neighborhood by the restaurant — any additional 24/7 business that draws increased/prolonged nighttime traffic through the Harford Road corridor and entices it to stay in the area is highly undesirable.
• Restrooms that would be available 27/4 draws further undesirable traffic stopping late at night.
Litter & Trash:
The customers of the existing convenience store on the Glenmore intersection are the culprits of a massive amount of trash along Glenmore Avenue and other neighborhood side streets, where resident homeowners
struggle to keep up with the mess. Trash and litter problems have a correlation with crime and property values.
Undesirable Foot Traffic:
Many of the Glenham-Belhar and Westfield neighborhood streets experience transient, non-resident foot traffic from main arteries. Incentivizing increased foot traffic between Northern Parkway and Harford Road puts neighborhood residences at increased crime risks 24/7.
Environmentally Unfriendly:
Adding unnecessary gas stations in the city does not exemplify Baltimore attempting to go green. Other properties built by Royal Farms have sought USGBC Green Building Certifications, but no one has heard any such plans for this store.
Unhealthy Food Choices:
Baltimore seeks to improve the healthy food choices of its residents and local farming initiatives. Royal Farms menu does not support these efforts. Their menu choices contribute to obesity and health risks while making unhealthy choices more accessible than healthy grocery options.
Organizer
NoRofo Hamilton
Organizer
Baltimore, MD
