Like hundreds of other families, we enjoyed the Perry Hall Apple Festival this weekend. Chapel Hills Farm and Nursery and the Perry Hall Improvement Association deserve a lot of credit for sponsoring such a wonderful, family-friendly event.
Chapel Hills Farm and Nursery is popular with families because it’s a reminder of Perry Hall’s small-town past. During the fall, when Maryland’s weather seems perfect, the farm sponsors hayrides and other seasonal events. The rest of the year, you can always wander up to the goats with your kids or have them explore the pirate ship while you buy some flowers or vegetables. It is one of my favorite places in Perry Hall.
Like Weber’s Farm in Cub Hill, growth has encroached on the farm. My goal as County Councilman is to make sure the Chapel Road corridor retains as much of a small-town, lightly developed feel as possible.
The Baltimore County Department of Public Works has, at times, supported widening Chapel Road. In August of 2011, I obtained a commitment from the county that were no plans to expand the road. I support resurfacing Chapel Road, but I do not want this to become an expressway that obliterates the homes along its route (Honeygo Boulevard was always envisioned as a corridor for traffic in this area). At my request, the county has not required the builders of two pending housing developments to build their entrances any larger than the current Chapel Road.
Zoning will affect what can built in this area in the future. Last month, at my request, the County Council downzoned 69 acres along Chapel and Joppa Roads. This will lighten future development and take pressure off infrastructure in this area.
I want to thank all those who made this weekend’s festival possible. I hope this area continues to be a very special part of our Perry Hall community.