Protecting Land to Improve Communities
“...As more and more land is developed, it is so important to keep green, open spaces. NeighborSpace has indeed been a good neighbor when it comes to preserving land in our County.” Norma Bosley, Owings Mills Times, August 2010. More
What others have said
Sites Protected to Date
Baltimore County is made up of many diverse communities, each unique in its character, heritage, people, and amenities. NeighborSpace properties therefore vary according to a community's vision and desired use of the property. These properties may be used for passive recreation, community gardens, open green space, or remain natural wooded areas. To date, NeighborSpace has acquired interests in 9 properties totaling 26 acres and valued at just over $1 million. Theyincoude:
Branchwood Preserve - Pikesville (District 2): This one acre lot of land provides a wooded buffer area to surrounding neighbors in an area that is becoming more densely developed. Given to NeighborSpace by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, this park is maintained by the Old Court-Greenspring Improvement Association.
East Pennsylvania Avenue - East Towson (District 5): This 0.5 acre property includes a small cleared area, a large wooded area, and a wooded wetland. The property is managed by the Northeast Towson Community Improvement Association, which aims to use it for community gardening and a meditation area. This acquisition was made possible, in part, by a grant from Baltimore County's Office of Community Conservation.
Greenbrier Memorial Garden - Towson (District 5): The Greenbrier Memorial Garden was created by the Greenbrier Garden Club to remember club members who have passed away. The garden is located on a 1500 square foot parcel of land at the corner of Stevenson Lane and Greenbrier Road owned by Black & Decker Corporation. NeighborSpace holds a landscape easement from Black & Decker, which enables the Greenbrier Garden Club to establish and maintain the garden. It preserves and beautifies one of the few public green spaces in the Greenbrier neighborhood.
Gwynn Oak Avenue - Woodlawn (District 4): This property, an undeveloped lot at 1905 Gwynn Oak Avenue, helps to address the deficiency of open space in an older urbanized community. The Graystone Community Association manages the property and will use it for a memorial garden, a farmer's market, environmental education, and for 'get to know your neighbor' events. The association will erect a community sign on the property, made possible by a grant from the Baltimore Community Foundation.
Hampton Lane Pocket Park - Towson (District 3): Located near Dulaney Valley Road in Towson, this property consists of approximately an acre of natural open space within a residential community and acts as a buffer area from surrounding infill development, commercial uses, and impervious surfaces. NeighborSpace partnered with the Hampton Lane Improvement Association in the purchase and preservation of the property. The association is using the property for passive recreation and is planning a rain garden to filter run-off from nearby impervious surfaces to protect the Chesapeake Bay.
Reilman Lane Park - Carney (District 5): This property, approximately .5 acres near the intersection of East Avenue and Avondale Drive, serves an older neighborhood that lacks any other park land. The land is partially wooded and partially cleared, and includes an intermittent stream and forest buffers to protect water quality. The cleared area is partly enclosed with a split-rail fence and provides a perfect place for children to play and community members to gather. There is easy public access to the site from East Avenue. The park will remain undeveloped.
Robin Hill Road - Lochern (District 4): This property is approximately 1.5 acres located at the ends of Robin Hill and Norvo Roads. The land is predominantly cleared, and it will serve as a picnic area and park for the adjoining Powhatan Farms Improvement Association, which plans to apply for grants to improve the property.
Tollgate Wyndham Preserve - Owings Mills (District 4): This property presented a rare opportunity for NeighborSpace to preserve a seven-acre site consisting of wooded hillsides, wetlands and forested areas. The preserve provides educational and passive recreational activities to the surrounding Owning Mills community. The Tollgate Wyndham Preserve, Inc. has assumed the management of the property and is developing trails in the preserve.
Volz Neighborhood Park - White Marsh (District 6): NeighborSpace has preserved approximately 14 acres of forested land near the growth area of White Marsh. The property was donated to the NeighborSpace land trust by the Volz family. Plans are underway for NeighborSpace to transfer ownership of the land to Baltimore County Department Recreation and Parks Department, while retaining an open space conservation easement on the land that will prevent any future development.
“By focusing on smaller parcels like the Graystone site, NeighborSpace provides a service that nicely complements the work of Recreation and Parks to develop and program larger parcels.” The Woodlawn Villager, August 2010. More
NeighborSpace works in partnership with community organizations to identify land that can be protected and turned into community assets. At the request of a community, NeighborSpace may attempt to acquire land (in fee simple or by way of an easement) in exchange for a commitment to manage and maintain the parcel as community open space. In return for this commitment, NeighborSpace will protect the property from development in a land trust and provide limited liability insurance for parcels it owns in fee simple. A community can request that NeighborSpace acquire a property by filing a simple Site Application. NeighborSpace will then follow its Application Process, which includes conducting basic research on the property, determining whether the Guidelines for Acquisition have been met, and, where the owner wants to sell rather than donate his interest, assessing the availability of funding for the project.
How Additional Sites Can be Added