Meeting Minutes

Attendees:

Committee Members:

Ms. Christina Aist

Mr. Rick Berger

Mr. Jack Boeve

Ms. D'Alex Childers

Mr. Russell DeHart

Mr. Tom Dorr

Mr. Vernon Hustead

Ms JoeAnn Kuhn

Mr. Carter Lively

Ms. Janet Mackey

Mr. Robert Myers

Marilyn Taylor

Ms. Mary Tobin

Ms. Gail Yeiser

Ex. Officio Members:

Ms. Karyn Molines

Mr. Rocky Glendinning

Ms. Brenda Reiber

Consultants:

John Rohde, Human & Rohde, Inc.

Sally Malena, Human & Rohde, Inc.

Other Attendees:

Mr. & Mrs. Fry, Maryland Sunrise Farm (MSF)

E. W. Fields, Odenton Heritage Society

Ms. Oksana Bocharova, Maryland Sunrise Farm

Ms. Kimberly Hickey, US Navy

Karyn Molines opened the eighth meeting of the Hammond's Connection at the Dairy Farm Advisory Committee with an announcement concerning the February public meeting. The meeting will be held at Arundel Middle School, on February 18, 2009. Karyn will notify everyone by email the time of the meeting. There was one change to the minutes from last month; Gail Yeisers name was omitted from those in attendance.

Next on the agenda was a review of the items the Committee would like recorded in the Master Plan Report. The comments generated from this discussion included:

General Dairy Farm Site:

· Native Americans should be added to the wording of #5.

· The list of comments should be reordered with the most important item first. The Committee feels the items relating to water quality should head the list.

· Rephrase items deleting the committee would like.

Hammonds Connection:

· Change #10 to read: The consensus is that Hammonds Connection & associated elements should remain predominately rural & natural in character.

· #13 Change Odenton Nature Area to Odenton Natural Area.

· Change #16 to read: Benches and individual picnic tables should be located around the site. The Committee prefer that grills be located only at the Picnic Pavilions.

· Change #18 to read: Pollination (butterfly) garden/ butterfly house and add Historic gardens (i.e. tobacco gardens) & Wildlife gardens. Also change to read Arboretum of native trees and shrubs.

· Change #19 to read: New structures on site should be green buildings where possible.

· Add cold frames to #20.

· Change #23 to read: The Meadow Area should be between 15 and 25 acres to be self-sustaining.

· Change #24 to read deciduous trees and evergreens.

· Change #25 to Musical events will be permitted and add people after 250.

· Change #27 to The labyrinth should become an area for quiet contemplation so surrounding..

· Change #30 to: The park should accommodate sledding and cross-country skiing.

· Change #31 to read: A composting area should be available for recycling of garden materials.

· Change #32 to read: The views from the Hammond Manor House should be unobstructed to the east and west.

Village Area:

· Add to #33:

Preserving

· Change #37 to read Farm living experience.

· Change #39 to Continued leasing to the 4-H Dairy Club.

· Change #41 to Living farm.

· Add: The Village area should be for agricultural groups and uses.

· Add: School programs

Other Suggestions:

· A Friends of the Park group should be established.

· A historically appropriate agricultural building could be relocated to Hammonds Connection.

· A public comment suggested providing an area for a dog park. The Committee voted to not recommend a dog park for the site.

A question was asked concerning the farming operation. There is a nutrient management plan, there are 13 Holsteins and 50 Angus on site, the 4-H Dairy Club uses 1 barn and 1 storage shed. The Village area will be divided between the tenant farmer and the county.

There was a great deal of concern about the deterioration of all the structures in the Village area. The Committee feels that attention must be paid to the buildings in the near future or they will be lost. It was suggested that some of the existing residences should be reused for the same purpose before they are totally destroyed. The Village area should be thought of as an Agricultural Campus with a balance between educational programs for adults as well as school children, environmental organizations and possibly the State Farm Bureau offices.

It was requested that the Committee receive copies of the final Master Plan.

Vernon Hustead representing the Community Garden Advisory Committee and Jo Ann Kuhn of the Master Gardeners Association provided a schematic layout of the various garden areas for consideration.

This was the last Committee meeting. Brenda Reiber of the County Executives office thanked the Committee Members for their time and commitment to the process. Again the Community Meeting will be on February 18, 2009. All Committee members should plan on attending. Karyn Molines will notify of the time.

I would also like to thank the Committee. After a rocky start I think you all came together and worked out solutions that will benefit the local neighborhoods as well as the general population of Anne Arundel County.

Sincerely,

Sally Malena

Human & Rohde, Inc.

Cc: Attendees

Committee Members