Notice Warning of Zone Change from R1 to R2
- Adrian Hood Sr. PhD
- Mar 20, 2024
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 23, 2024
On Saturday, March 16, a sign was erected on Race Rd. just southwest of our community at the crest of the hill. This sign highlights a significant proposal that could impact our neighborhood directly. County Council Bill 7-24 was introduced on February 5, 2024, for the purpose of repealing specific comprehensive zoning maps for Region Planning Area No.2 covering Annapolis Junction, Fort Meade, Hanover, Jessup, Laurel, and Maryland City. At the County Council Meeting on March 4th, an amendment to Bill 7-24 was introduced that requested rezoning the 22 acres of forested area south of our neighborhood from R1 (1 home per acre) to R2 (2.5 homes per acre).
What does this mean to Waterbury Residents?
If the Bill is successful, the anticipated traffic of the current R1 zone could multiply if the area is rezoned as R2.
As your HOA Board, we take matters like these seriously. That's why HOA Board members attended the County Council meeting on Monday, March 18, to gather additional information. There were two non-Waterbury residents in-person who provided testimony during the meeting, both expressing displeasure with the bill. One was visibly angry about the rezoning process and its advertisement. The other argued that our current transit system could not accommodate the additional high-density communities that an R2 zone would allow. The HOA Board contacted the AA County Planning and Zoning office and learned that the county's current stance is to maintain the area's zoning as R1, which is aligned with the two residents' request.
As a Waterbury Resident, what can I do?
The next AA County Council hearing on this bill is April 1st at 7 pm, and we believe it's crucial for our community to be present and prepared with a collective testimonial. Your input is invaluable in shaping our response.
There are several ways you can contribute:
- Utilize our newly created HOA website www.waterburyforest.org to submit your comments through the Owner Comments section. We will consolidate these responses into a single, cohesive testimonial. Please do this by March 28 so that we have enough time to prepare for the next County Council hearing.
- Submit your testimony directly online using the County Council's participation portal:
- Attend the hearing in person in Annapolis, or virtually, to make your voice heard.
Members of the Waterbury HOA Board will attend the Jessup strategy tomorrow, March 21st at 7PM to 9PM at the Jessup Community Hall, 2920 Jessup Road. Your participation in this process is vital. Let's work together to ensure that the interests of our community are represented effectively.
Thank you for your attention to this matter, and we look forward to your involvement.
Here are some links with additional information:
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