Barbara Samuels
@bsamuels72.bsky.social
Unleashed, not retired. Fair Housing & Affordable Housing attorney. Orioles, Ravens true believer. WV mountains, Cape waters, but Baltimore is still home. Repost is not endorsement etc
Does this Western HoCo (Glenelg) n-hood of single family McMansions on one acre lots outside the PFA growth boundary look like Smart Growth to you? Or does it look like (mis)use of land use regulation to create a sprawling zone of affluence conveniently located midway between DC & Baltimore?
November 9, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Does this Western HoCo (Glenelg) n-hood of single family McMansions on one acre lots outside the PFA growth boundary look like Smart Growth to you? Or does it look like (mis)use of land use regulation to create a sprawling zone of affluence conveniently located midway between DC & Baltimore?
See all those white dots? Those are big houses on 2 acre lots & septic in a “desirable” suburban type n-hood of Owings Mills. OM was designated by Baltimore Co as a “Growth Area” circa 1980 w/ huge public $ spent on Metro & I-795. So why is this eastern side of OM still outside the URDL & w/o sewer?
October 9, 2025 at 3:24 PM
See all those white dots? Those are big houses on 2 acre lots & septic in a “desirable” suburban type n-hood of Owings Mills. OM was designated by Baltimore Co as a “Growth Area” circa 1980 w/ huge public $ spent on Metro & I-795. So why is this eastern side of OM still outside the URDL & w/o sewer?
Any explanation why it makes sense for area of suburban cul de sacs to be outside the URDL w/o water or sewer, just across I-83 Shawan exit from Hunt Valley Mall, McCormick HQ Light Rail etc, next to a golf course & regional park? Even if sound planning in 1969 isnt a reexam warranted after 56 yrs?
September 25, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Any explanation why it makes sense for area of suburban cul de sacs to be outside the URDL w/o water or sewer, just across I-83 Shawan exit from Hunt Valley Mall, McCormick HQ Light Rail etc, next to a golf course & regional park? Even if sound planning in 1969 isnt a reexam warranted after 56 yrs?
#Baltimore. The other city by the Bay.
September 21, 2025 at 5:28 PM
#Baltimore. The other city by the Bay.
How much public $$ spent building & maintaining I-83 & Light Rail? How many jobs w/in a mile of Shawan exit & transit? Yet just west is outside URDLw/zoning wastefully restricted to large lot very low density on septic. Like this 7 BR/5.5ba on 3+acres & septic, 30 yrs after the URDL adopted.
September 16, 2025 at 2:56 PM
How much public $$ spent building & maintaining I-83 & Light Rail? How many jobs w/in a mile of Shawan exit & transit? Yet just west is outside URDLw/zoning wastefully restricted to large lot very low density on septic. Like this 7 BR/5.5ba on 3+acres & septic, 30 yrs after the URDL adopted.
Why is an upscale suburban area like this Ellicott City n-hood outside the PFA Smart Growth boundary not on public water & sewer? But serious Q: If it is going to be allowed why not make the owners use best available septic technology—dentrifying systems—to keep their waste out of the ground water?
September 12, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Why is an upscale suburban area like this Ellicott City n-hood outside the PFA Smart Growth boundary not on public water & sewer? But serious Q: If it is going to be allowed why not make the owners use best available septic technology—dentrifying systems—to keep their waste out of the ground water?
Does this look like land preservation or a common pattern of suburban development? If the BaltimoreCo #URDL was supposed to preserve this & similar areas from development, it has not been effective. What it does well is restrict entry to the most affluent & drive up land & housing costs elsewhere 1/
September 5, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Does this look like land preservation or a common pattern of suburban development? If the BaltimoreCo #URDL was supposed to preserve this & similar areas from development, it has not been effective. What it does well is restrict entry to the most affluent & drive up land & housing costs elsewhere 1/
Happy National Dog day Mr. Bodie!
August 26, 2025 at 2:04 PM
Happy National Dog day Mr. Bodie!
Think the Baltimore Co URDL stops sprawl? All the way north to PA suburban subdivisions w/ big houses & yards make swiss cheese of land supposed to be farms & forest. More modest homes built for Baltimore commuters proliferate over the county line in Shrewsbury PA. The URDL is broke, time to fix it.
August 17, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Think the Baltimore Co URDL stops sprawl? All the way north to PA suburban subdivisions w/ big houses & yards make swiss cheese of land supposed to be farms & forest. More modest homes built for Baltimore commuters proliferate over the county line in Shrewsbury PA. The URDL is broke, time to fix it.
Western Ellicott City outside the PFA growth boundary is pockmarked w/ suburban development. Exclusionary large lot zoning results in McMansion sprawl on large lots & septic. Neither farms nor forest, areas near commuter routes & amenities should be sewered & upzoned to allow small compact homes.
July 17, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Western Ellicott City outside the PFA growth boundary is pockmarked w/ suburban development. Exclusionary large lot zoning results in McMansion sprawl on large lots & septic. Neither farms nor forest, areas near commuter routes & amenities should be sewered & upzoned to allow small compact homes.
Any reason this affluent Baltimore County suburb should be outside the URDL or on well/septic?
July 5, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Any reason this affluent Baltimore County suburb should be outside the URDL or on well/septic?
Its past time to update the 1969 URDL boundary that locks up 2/3 of Baltimore Co. As maps show, the areas near the boundary & commuter routes are upscale suburbs, not farm or forest. Even farther north the major corridors are pockmarked w/subdivisions of pricey McMansions. All on polluting septic.
July 2, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Its past time to update the 1969 URDL boundary that locks up 2/3 of Baltimore Co. As maps show, the areas near the boundary & commuter routes are upscale suburbs, not farm or forest. Even farther north the major corridors are pockmarked w/subdivisions of pricey McMansions. All on polluting septic.
Perfect night for Cape Cod League baseball!
June 24, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Perfect night for Cape Cod League baseball!
Ok, here is a turtle my dog encountered the other day on the Coonamessett Greenway in Falmouth, MA.
June 21, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Ok, here is a turtle my dog encountered the other day on the Coonamessett Greenway in Falmouth, MA.
Falmouth, MA town green. Really big turnout in cold rain for No Kings!
June 14, 2025 at 6:16 PM
Falmouth, MA town green. Really big turnout in cold rain for No Kings!
Huge turnout in cold rain on Falmouth MA Town Green for No Kings!
June 14, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Huge turnout in cold rain on Falmouth MA Town Green for No Kings!
Yes! Its not the height per se its the streetscape. Especially important in an older city like Baltimore w/ urban fabric that is dense but not very tall. Here a 5 story apt building w/ street facing front doors blends in w/ 3 story historic rowhouses across the street. (Parking entrance off alley).
May 28, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Yes! Its not the height per se its the streetscape. Especially important in an older city like Baltimore w/ urban fabric that is dense but not very tall. Here a 5 story apt building w/ street facing front doors blends in w/ 3 story historic rowhouses across the street. (Parking entrance off alley).
Nice but we love our iconic Domino Sugars factory as a factory.
April 7, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Nice but we love our iconic Domino Sugars factory as a factory.
Big night in Berkeley Springs,WV for the 35th annual International Water Tasting!
February 23, 2025 at 1:38 AM
Big night in Berkeley Springs,WV for the 35th annual International Water Tasting!
Good foggy morning Baltimore!
February 16, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Good foggy morning Baltimore!
Winter sunsets over Baltimore Harbor are the best. The other, more affordable City by the bay.
February 3, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Winter sunsets over Baltimore Harbor are the best. The other, more affordable City by the bay.
When the harbor froze up in 2019 it made these pretty circles.
January 25, 2025 at 11:13 PM
When the harbor froze up in 2019 it made these pretty circles.
Baltimore Harbor
January 8, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Baltimore Harbor
Really like the modern industrial style of these Baltimore rowhouses & the way they fit w/ more traditional styles. These are big, luxury 4 story single family houses, but for more density could he configured for multifamily, stacked flats or less expensive 2/3 story SFDs.
January 2, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Really like the modern industrial style of these Baltimore rowhouses & the way they fit w/ more traditional styles. These are big, luxury 4 story single family houses, but for more density could he configured for multifamily, stacked flats or less expensive 2/3 story SFDs.