OPINION: Baltimore County Banking Land for Our Future

I believe that one thing that makes Perry Hall a great place to live is . We are fortunate to have convenient access to numerous parks and recreation areas that offer something for the fitness or leisure time needs of all. In addition to these organized sites, we also have a number of preserved open spaces, which lend themselves to passive uses, like hiking or biking.

Baltimore County has a strong record of preserving open space and ensuring that parks and recreation facilities are available in all communities. The county has made good use of a state initiative, Program Open Space (POS), which provides funding for the acquisition and development of land for parks and preservation. Since the inception of POS in 1969, nearly 360,000 acres of land have been protected statewide. 

Over 5,800 local park and conservation area projects have received grants through this program, which pools funds generated by transfer and recordation taxes on land sales. Statistics from a recent study indicate that Baltimore County has used about $11 million in POS funds to purchase 231.6 acres for parks, while an additional $12 million funded the development of facilities for these parks. Facilities such as indoor and outdoor sports courts and fields, picnic areas, trails, and community centers all exist today, in part due to the success of Program Open Space.

Beyond POS, the county has utilized a broad array of other federal and state programs to help it progress toward a goal of preserving 80,000 of open space.  As of now, Baltimore County has permanently protected just over 60,000 acres, 75 percent of the way to achieving the stated goal. According to Gail Ensor, chairperson of the county's Agricultural Land Preservation Advisory Board, our county protected 28 properties and preserved an additional 1,200 acres during 2011 alone.

Positively, as we move through 2012, we have strong evidence that land preservation continues to be an important priority for our local officials. At last week's meeting of the County Council, legislation was approved that creates a zoning category to allow for permanent protection from development for designated parcels of land. Fifth District , one of the principal sponsors of this bill, noted that this new approach will help to offer another layer of protection for some of our most environmentally-sensitive sites.

In spite of these successes, citizens who value the preservation of open space and the development our park resources must remain vigilant. Not surprisingly, Maryland's budget woes have also impacted Program Open Space. Due to prior year diversions, during FY 2011, Baltimore County acquired no new parkland for the first time. 

It is important that taxes that were collected for a stated purpose (e.g. land preservation) be used for that intended purpose, and not siphoned off to balance the overall budget. Since the development of parks can also provide "shovel-ready" projects that will create jobs, staying true to the principal of open space preservation may be more important than ever. 

What's your favorite place to spend time outdoors in Perry Hall? Tell us in the comments.