Unfinished Business - Wilde Lake Edition

With Alta Wilde Lake transforming the landscape of our community, I thought I would take a moment to focus on some other developments for which the populace is clamoring:

- Progress on the Howard Community College-Wilde Lake pathway connection.  Our Village Center should be the default go-to for HCC staffers and students looking for a near-by, off-campus, non-Mall dining and hang out destination.  Our "tucked away" geographic positioning requires a clear link between the College and the Center.  Even without the soon-to-arrive new residents and retail options, Wilde Lake's Village Center feels considerably more alive than it did five years ago.  The pathway would help expedite the ongoing revitalization of our Village.

- Bringing in the new tenant for the old KFC space, sooner than later.  I have been hearing teasing statements about possible interest in this location for months.  I am getting tired of seeing the dilapidated structure that lingers across the street from our brand new CVS.  The eyesore-ness is bursting past the warped fence intended to minimize the aesthetic impact of the old building on passers-by.  Let's open up the new shop as soon as possible.

- Better grocery options in West Columbia.  David's Natural Market is boffo.  Safeway is pathetic: the ironically named "customer service" desk is sparsely staffed, Manager [name not disclosed, identifying descriptor redacted] is largely invisible, and the loitering situation - while better - remains an issue.  Nearby folks deserve a clean, safe, efficient, and value-oriented grocery store.  If Safeway can't manage this, perhaps we need to find a new grocery store tenant in the Harper's Choice Village Center, or more bus lines running from that community to the Giant off of Cedar Lane.  That store is far superior to the HC Safeway.

Yes, I got hyper-local for a minute. It was overdue.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.



    

      

Waxing Crescent

The plan outline for Parcel A of Columbia’s Crescent property (the patch of land located near the corner of Little Patuxent and Broken Land; north and west of Merriweather) has been unveiled, via renderings, by Howard Hughes.  News coverage can be found here.

  

Overall, I am encouraged by the proposals.  There is a commitment to reforestation in the general vicinity, which is very important.  I have seen developments (Alexandria, Virginia’s West End comes to mind readily) where little to no attempt was made to restore the natural beauty of the lands surrounding new multi-story buildings.  The Crescent plans appear to be consistent with Columbia’s values, of finding a way to create something that exists harmoniously within the larger environment.   

Will that particular swath of Columbia be recognizable in 2020?  No but that is a good thing. While some might wax nostalgic for a certain time and place, there is a way to move forward that is far more beneficial to our residents and those who visit our community. 

For example, while the Wilde Lake Village Center looks much different than it did a few years back, the ongoing revitalization effort is producing a development that still retains a Wilde Lake-ness; a familiar and improved village center that will attract more residents, businesses and customers.  To not embrace change would have resulted in continued decline, followed by a failed center. Foresight, a thoughtful and respectful vision, and hard work are helping recreate Wilde Lake…and it seems as though the same general approach is guiding the process for that which will become Columbia’s Crescent neighborhood.  At least I hope that is, and will remain, the case.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Progress in Wilde Lake

Thus far, the Wilde Lake Village Board (WLVB) has had a productive term.

Allow me to step back for a moment for my non-Columbia-based readers.  According to my site statistics, there are many of you…most notably in Ukraine although the Taiwan numbers have been soaring of late. 

So, returning to Square One: It is important to remember that those who serve on village boards are volunteers.  Moreover, village boards – in my estimation – are quasi-private committees that serve quasi-public functions (except, of course, when they are acting like quasi-public bodies that contend with quasi-private obligations and responsibilities).  

The key element is that Columbia village boards need to advocate for their community interests.  The first paragraph of our Wilde Lake Community Association Mission Statement captures this philosophy rather succinctly:

“Wilde Lake Community Association was organized and is operated exclusively for the promotion of the health, safety, common good, and social welfare of the owners of property in, and the residents of, that area of the community of Columbia known as the Village of Wilde Lake.”

With that as a guiding animating principle, the current Board (elected in April of 2014), has had a good year.  Two accomplishments of note include:

1) Advocating for the development of a pathway that connects Howard Community College and the Wilde Lake Village Center. 

This was something that was discussed when I served on the WLVB and I am delighted that the current Board is moving ahead on this.  Although our Village Center is close to HCC, it doesn’t necessary feel that close to the College…a direct path (along with some clear signage) would help promote a more walkable Columbia, with benefits for HCC students and staff as well as our Village Center merchants.

I strongly encourage the WLVB to continue working with all relevant parties to help bring this proposed pathway into existence. 

2) It is now possible to attend the Wilde Lake Village Board meetings via video call.  This embrace of newer technology should help provide additional opportunities for information sharing and citizen engagement in our community. 

I support placing digital recordings of the WLVB meetings online so our property owners and residents can listen to the sessions when it is most convenient for them.  Thus far, the Columbia Association meetings podcasts have registered 2,284 plays over the course of 76 episodes.  In the interest of sharing “news you can use” and promoting transparency, Wilde Lake should follow suit.     

Hopefully, progress can be made on both fronts, as well as on other pressing community needs, over the course of the next few months. 

And don’t forget, village elections are in April.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

    

Under the weather and through the woods…

Wassailing, as a general rule, has not played a prominent role in Booms Family Holiday Celebrations of years past.  That said, I am not ideologically opposed to the concept. 

Frankly, I would attend a Wassail-Fest (Wassail-Stock?)…as long as it occurred in Columbia.  The obligatory cider could be sourced from area apple orchards. There could be wassail-bowl decorating, for the kids.  Local school bands could play.  In the words of a respected Howard County activist, “It would bring the community together!”

I, for one, am tired of the anti-wassailing lobby holding back progress.   Is someone being paid off by Big Figgy Pudding? Rest assured I will be launching a full investigation into this matter.

So come on Columbia Association, let’s get on this.  Think of the critical Good Cheer diagnostic measure.  Money (the magazine) pays attention to such things in their rankings.  They will deny it, of course, unless you make the modified Know-Nothing gesture.  Even then, they might remain tight-lipped.

But seriously, why not?  And it would be perfect for Wilde Lake. 

The “Are You Ready to Wassail?!” t-shirts alone would move like hotcakes.

Back to the Game and my lozenges.  Happy Holidays to one and all!

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

 

Wine, Wilde Lake and Picnic Watch 2014!

While not a true state of doldrums, the months of July and August tend not to be periods of high drama when it comes to the political scene, at least not in Maryland nowadays.  The new late June primary now provides the opportunity for a pre-Labor Day respite from the crushing grind and manic pace of the trail.  Not a full R & R trip by any means, but a chance to re-group and launch into the General Election with a slightly more humane campaign schedule…at least until September rolls around.

Meanwhile, back in the Great Lake State, a reindeer farmer-and-Santa-Claus-impersonator-turned-U.S. Representative is facing off against a foreclosure attorney-misery profiteer for the GOP nomination for U.S. Congress in Michigan’s 11^th Congressional District.  Truth > Fiction. The outcome of that match-up will be decided on August 5.

In other news, Howard County needs some vineyards and wineries.  While not (yet) an expert on the various soils and micro-climates of possible sites (presumably in the western part of the county), I have to believe, given the success of vineyards in and around Mt. Airy (the Frederick Wine Trail), that oenophiles should have some HoCo destinations from which to choose.  It goes beyond wine, of course.  Wineries tend to be excellent sites for weddings, celebrations, family gatherings, live music and a host of other happenings featuring general merriment. 

In other, other news…I am going through the Board of Education Primary Election returns now.  Why? Because I have odd hobbies. Beyond that, I am hoping to uncover some intriguing precinct-level voting results. With any luck, I will post those findings between now and the end of the month.

Turning to my neighborhood, I am delighted to report that my good friend Yolanda Epps has been appointed to the Wilde Lake Village Board.  She is razor sharp and dedicated to our community; I know she will be an excellent member of the WLVB.   

Speaking of the Village, don’t forget that the Second Annual Wilde Lake Old-Fashioned Picnic will occur on Saturday, September 13 and will run from 11 am to 3 pm.  Good people, good food, good entertainment.  Who can ask for more?

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Out and In

Might have been bitten by a brown recluse spider this afternoon.  Or perhaps a particularly malicious dragonfly.  The welt on my back appears to be subsiding, so most likely the latter.

That sort of thing happens when one wanders too close to Nature.  I was striding past the woods near my house, taking a break from a writing assignment that has been (almost) all-consuming.  So I thought I would distribute some literature for some of my favorite candidates for the Democratic Central Committee.  A respite from the infuriating tedium of writer's block.

Although it was sweltering, and the bucket hat intended to cover my sun-burnt forehead wasn't helpful in maintaining a reasonable human body temperature, it felt invigorating to be outside.  The endorphins were in full-force and nothing would stop the forward march of democracy.

I wonder if House Majority Leader Eric Cantor felt a similar sense of progress, of momentum...at the same hour I was walking the streets of Wilde Lake, as he stood hours away from having his political career upended by previously obscure college professor.  Or did he truly sense the approach of the menace?

Low turnout elections can yield odd outcomes.  If recent history is any indicator, the GOP will take away all of the wrong lessons.  Go hard right.  The voices of Un-reason will cry out...Repeal the 16th Amendment!  Unleash Chiang Kai-shek!   How far will they go? Where will it end?

Oh the cycles of life, growth, decay and death.  And in some cases, re-animation.  Not that I am comparing Howard County Board of Education candidate Corey Andrews to a zombie....at least not the classic, shambling undead.  Perhaps the lightning-fast zombies from World War Z.    In any event, his campaign is moving again, according to a "reconsideration" email he released on Tuesday night.  He goes into a bit of detail regarding what motivated him to suspend his campaign...and what led him to announce his intention to un-suspend it.  Nothing earth-shattering and I am sure the Traditional Media will cover it in short order.

Too much? Too little? Too late? Too weird?  Two weeks until we get some answers.

And if I am not around to write about it on Election Day, it was probably the spider.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

Community (disambiguation)

Civic engagement is important.  It offers the individual an opportunity to interact with his or her neighbors, to help build (or renew) a sense of community. 

Community can provide people with a feeling of belonging…or othering.  It is a source of identity.  It is what ends the phrase that begins with “We are…” 

Beyond the declarative, there are the interrogatives.  Are we simply people who live within close proximity or are we something more? What can we accomplish if we talk honestly about our fears and hopes about our common home?  What can happen if we reason together?

In Columbia, Maryland, service on a village board is one way to help shape programs and policies that impact our community.  There are some talented, thoughtful and caring people who serve on these boards.  I am glad they are my neighbors. 

Last May, when there was a vacancy on my local village board, in Wilde Lake, I decided to apply for a position.  I wanted to become more involved in my local community. I thought I could do some good. I was delighted to be appointed.

Thus far in the 2013 – 2014 term, we have worked on some important issues.  We have advocated for our residents and property-owners during a time marked by transition.  As anyone who visits our village center knows, revitalization is well underway.  Soon there will be new homes filled with new neighbors, all just a short distance from neighbors who have lived in Wilde Lake for years, sometimes decades.   Our merchants – those established and those yet to open their doors – will also help shape the latest evolution of our village.   This is a time for great optimism…for the progress-minded.

I hope to continue playing a role in these developments.  It just won’t be as a member of the Wilde Lake Village Board in the 2014 – 2015 term.

Between existing and emerging obligations, I did the math and realized I couldn’t dedicate the amount of hours necessary to do the position right.

Another choice. A tough one, but it feels like the correct one.

I will fulfill the responsibilities of my position for the remainder of the current term. 

I hope the next Board thinks very carefully about our community…not just the past, which is important to know, but also the present and future.   For the next Board, I hope there is a commitment to a pioneering spirit, a willingness to consider bold new ideas to help ensure the vitality of Columbia, and a rededication to the familiar principle that undergirds our larger Howard County community: Choose Civility.       

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

 

Quiet Storm

Yes, an evening post.  Mixing it up. Change is good for the humors.

When I started this blog, I promised to talk about my local community.  Not tonight.  Not at length anyway.  The week ahead is chock full o’menace and I need some time to reflect, to enjoy the silence that Dave Gahan talked about.  Embrace the tranquility before the thunder.

I serve on the Wilde Lake Village Board.  I was appointed to fill a vacancy on the Board for the 2013 – 2014 term back in May of last year.  The filing deadline to run in the April elections draws near.  This Thursday, in fact.  At 9:00 pm local time.

I have made my decision as to whether or not I will run for a full-term. I would go ahead and tell everyone my plans but the keyboard seems to be resisting.  Perhaps it is relishing in the peacefulness of the night too. So, I will just post the “news” tomorrow.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.