Be Part of the ConversationOn Tuesday, National Lutheran Communities and Services (NLCS) announced they would be submitting a new Crystal Spring proposal to the City of Annapolis that includes only the senior-related development. While this plan eliminates the previously sought shopping center, large food store, hotel, and 130 non-age restricted homes, they are not guaranteeing that senior housing will be the only development occurring on the site. We are working with the leadership at NLCS to get more details on their proposal, but we have major concerns and have relayed them to NLCS, the mayor and other city officials.
Since NLCS is now planning to acquire only about 48 acres of the 111 acres at Crystal Spring, there is nothing that would prevent the owner of the remaining 66 acres, or a developer, from trying to develop this remaining land. With this type of piecemeal proposal, the net impacts could be even greater than the massive development previously proposed for Crystal Spring. We would be forced to come back and fight the development all over again. Until we can be assured that all development rights on the 66 acres will be extinguished, we are no better off — and may well in fact be worse off — than we would have been with the original development plan.
As NLCS seeks to win public support for their new plan at Crystal Spring, we’ve presented them with the following list of six major concerns that need to be addressed before we can even consider withdrawing opposition. This list was also shared with City officials and the attorney for the property’s owner, Janet Richardson-Pearson, as some of these items will require their cooperation and involvement:
1. Extinguish all development rights on remaining 66 acres at Crystal Spring
2. Reduce footprint of NLCS development – clearing 27 acres of Priority Forest for approximately 400 units is still unacceptable
3. Replace all trees cleared on at least a one-to-one basis, on the site
4. Manage all stormwater on the 48-acre site with a plan guaranteeing no net increase in the rate, volume or pollutant loads from a 20-year storm event
5. Finalize exact location and terms with stringent development restrictions for the required 75-acre conservation easement on the adjoining Mas-Que Farm property
6. Resolve construction of the parallel (to Forest Drive) connector road and cost-sharing to pay for it
Our goal from the beginning has always been to protect the forests, wetlands, and meadows of Crystal Spring from destruction, not only because of the environmental implications, but also to maintain the quality of life for residents who live along this peninsula and suffer from dangerous overcrowding of our roads and schools. We will continue to use every avenue available to achieve this.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
― Margaret Mead
I want to protect the forests, wetlands, and meadows of Crystal Spring from destruction, not only because of the environmental implications, but also to maintain the quality of life for residents who live along this peninsula and suffer from dangerous overcrowding of our roads and schools. I will continue to use every avenue available to achieve this.
I understand that the owner of this property is hopeful of being able to gain (financially) from the development of this land. I am so appreciative and totally supportive of the hard work being done to ensure the health of our forests, wetlands and meadows within this peninsula. I realize that there can not be a total cessation of development; much of the health of a city/state is dependent upon development…bringing new businesses, additional jobs, etc. However, I have a big problem understanding why a project of this size could be beneficial to the area that Crystal Spring is trying so hard to get approval for. Does it not make anyone look down the road, long term, at the negative effects further development of this size area is going to have? Sure thing, the environment will be adversely affected; but how long do you imagine it will take before this little peninsula becomes a “no man’s land”, because its so awfully hard to get from point A to point B!! If the traffic gets worse, businesses that have made this area their home, are going to lose business because of the extreme traffic. Why would you fight the traffic along Forest Drive if you could get the same goods and services somewhere else? Then there are the home owners and renters who live and go to school in this area. The current market (real estate) is pretty good; home values have increased steadily. But, if the traffic gets any worse, both those already owning property along this corridor and those seeking to purchase, are going to look elsewhere. Currently, on any given day, it may take you 20 minutes to drive less than 10 miles. Residents found this area attractive because we weren’t like major cities. We have trees and hear birds and enjoy an abundance of wild life. If we’d have wanted to live in a big busy city, we would have not chosen to live or operate a business in this area. The attractiveness of the area will decline; no matter how many trees are planted to replace those destroyed by development. When that happens, and it will, the value of real estate will go down; the caliber of education will be affected by more overcrowding in the schools, home ownership will decrease and rentals will increase. Ability to attract rental residents with higher incomes will decrease. With decreased incomes, you’ll have a decrease in landlords maintenance of property. When the neighborhoods become inhabited by people with lower incomes, lower education, lower pride in homes, etc., it attracts a criminal element. Increased crime results in decreased quality of life, devalued real estate and the end result is an area that is a “used to be” a desirable place to live and raise a family or own a business.
If the city, county and state really have concern for the quality of life of all its residents, in all its neighborhoods, then someone should look at the long range effects of allowing developers to
build, build, build!!! Has anyone looked at how many vacancies there are for senior housing in Annapolis? Do we really “need” 400 more units? Are there that many “wealthy” seniors who want to live in an area where the traffic is so congested, its a deterrent to getting to the venues and businesses in Annapolis or neighboring cities? Will the land owner and developer stay around or will they “take the money and run”….leave the rest of us to suffer the repercussion of their pockets being “lined with gold”.
want to protect the forests, wetlands, and meadows of Crystal Spring from destruction, not only because of the environmental implications, but also to maintain the quality of life for residents who live along this peninsula and suffer from dangerous overcrowding of our roads and schools. I will continue to use every avenue available to achieve this.
1. Does this mean NLCS 400 units are tax free because church related?
2 Any way- could the area include 2 story height max limit?
3 Maybe the new democrat opponent and/or present Mayor would be more “committal” to above six points and/or keeping out any Crystal Spring like project(s) during the next campaign.. Also, reminder that former Mayor lost by some very few votes per this issue.
1. Does this mean NLCS 400 units are tax free because church related?
This is one of the many questions surrounding this development that remains unanswered. When this project was first being proposed, the developers, NLCS, and officials from the Maryland Department of Aging all concluded that NLCS was exempt from city property taxes. At that time, the developers leading the proposal said that NLCS would instead make a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) to the City and that the PILOT would be $900,000 or $1.2 million annually. However, in 2015, the NLCS executive director published an op-ed in the Capital stating that they are not exempt from property taxes. The City has yet to provide any clarity on this.
2. Could the area include 2 story height max limit?
The proposed senior housing main building, called the CCRC building, would hold 335 apartments and would be 45 feet high or 4 stories. It was originally proposed to be at least 6 stories with a 7th story possible. Planning and Zoning has advised them that they cannot exceed 65 feet or 6 stories. We are OK with the height at 65 feet as the City insists you could not see the building from Forest Drive because of the forest height and with the taller building, they could greatly reduce the footprint and thus greatly reduce the 27 acres of of forest they plan to clear. Reducing this huge loss of priority mature forest is a critical issue for us and most folks around here. Of course, we have been arguing from the inception of the development plans that the City Comprehensive Plan calls for no more that 140 housing units at the site. The City contends that this limit does not apply because the senior housing is an “Institution for the care of the aged” and exempt from the limit on housing units.
3. Maybe the new democrat opponent and/or present Mayor would be more “committal” to above six points and/or keeping out any Crystal Spring like project(s) during the next campaign. Also, reminder that former Mayor lost by some very few votes per this issue.
We continue to remind Mayor Mike Pantelides of his campaign pledge to stop this development which played a large part in his victory by 59 votes in the last election, and we hope he will keep his word. While we cannot endorse or oppose any political candidate, we will be urging all candidates for Mayor and City Council to be clear with residents about their position on this project and future developments in Annapolis. All residents should be sure to insist that all candidates state an unequivocal position on the development of Crystal Spring.
Thank you so much for taking the time to send us your comments. If you have more questions, please feel free to send us an email at info@stopcrystalspring.org.