Columbia Association

CA board meeting summary 2016-12-08

CA board work session

Resident speak out:

  1. Patricia from King Contrivance spoke about the hateful/act speech in schools and asked CA to issue statement to condemn such acts. She quoted Jim Rouse’s vision for creating Columbia during 1967.
  2. Frank from Ellicott city, talked about Merriweather Post Pavilion noise for the second time. He choked for a moment. Where to measure the noise should be clearly defined.
  3. DJ Dalor, president of Lake Elkhorne HOA, need a rain garden in the CA property there.
  4. Maria, from Beaver Brook, shared a Merriweather music recorded five miles away outside her street. It can be heard clearly. She said Merriweather was a bully now. She said Senate Guy Guzzone told her: Merriweather raises the music volume if there are more than 7000(?) audience.
  5. Russ Swatek, from Long Reach, a) about CA conflict of interest should be limited to financial interest. Anything beyond that is to shut up other board member or dissent’s voice. b) Drafted letter from CA talking about MPP is too weak.  c) Discussed District 12 Delegate Terry Hill’s bill, only defining where to measure the noise, not lowering the noise . d) Downtown Columbia Art and Culture Commission should quiet the noise faster.
  6. Joel Hurwitz, from Harper’s choice, talked about Merriweather noise and CA ethics bylaw.
  7. Maclinda, living Columbia for 34 years, talked about diversity and inclusion. She requested CA to release a statement on this matter.
  8. Alan Schinder, from River Hill area, board member of Howard County Citizen Association. He spoke for HCCA and discussed Merriweather noise.
  9. Mike Binker from Thunderstorm (2 mile away straight measured by him), talked about Merriweather noise. He noticed the MPP noise changed three years ago.

Working Session :

The board talked about several board documents, including ethics policy, etc.

The board talked about the Bell Town which will be installed at Lakefront.

Board of director Session:

  1. Discussed letters to state senates and delegates. Should push Merriweather harder, reducing the noise before the next season starts.
  2. The board approved the New Bell Tower construction for the 50th anniversary and approved the purchase exception. I voted YES for both.

 

 

Common Sense In Policy Making (The Villager, 2016-12)

 Common Sense In Policy Making

(The Villager, 2016-12)

by Dr. Chao Wu

This article is published in The Villager of River Hill Community Association, December 2016 issue.

Finally the presidential election is over and we are back on the normal track. Although there were heated debates over the election, we need come back to discuss local development, education and community issues we are facing right now.

We need common sense during the policy making process. Recently two very relevant local issues caught my eye. One issue is the Merriweather Park Pavillion (MPP) noise and the other is the new Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) school starting time change. At the moment, I do not think common sense has prevailed in either situation

The Columbia Association’s (CA) Board of Directors has been hearing complaints from our residents about the loud noise from Merriweather for more than the 1.5 years I have served. Most complainants are asking MPP to turn down the noise level. One resident said “I can feel my heart jumps faster when I hear that music. I am 75 now and how many more years do I need to endure this in my backyard?” MPP’s operator, Howard Hughes Cooperation, is reacting slowly to this complaint and has said it will take at least another two years to make some modifications and these improvements are dependent of whether funding is available.  The new Columbia Downtown development, which was just approved three weeks ago by the County Council, will build several thousand houses and apartments, 50 meters away from the MPP. I believe MPP cannot operate as it is now after the new buildings are finished in several years. However, since so many senior citizens have been bothered by the noise for such a long time, why not find a workable solution as soon as possible to eliminate the problem?

The second issue is that HCPSS is proposing four models for school starting time at 7:30 a.m. (three proposals) and 7:45 a.m. (the fourth one) for elementary schools. The reasons for this new school starting time is that many high school parents asked for a later high school starting time, which is currently 7:20 a.m.) HCPSS came out with basically switching the starting time for high schools and elementary schools. I wrote a brief introduction on this topic at https://chaowu.org/2016/11/17/four-proposed-new-school-starting-time-for-hcpss/. I am a strong proponent for a later high school starting time; however, the fact that the current proposed solution is coming out, is evidence that HCPSS is lacking common sense on this issue.  These new proposals will have tremendous push-back from elementary school students’ parents which will probably void the hard work done by the Starting School Late committee unfortunately.

The River Hill Board of Directors is consistently engaged with development issues impacting the village, including River Hill Square (the original River Hill Garden Center) and the Simpson Oaks development (on Grace Drive). The Board always tries to bring all stakeholders together and make a common sense decision which can be accepted by a majority of people in our community.

CA is going to work with Horizon Foundation on a Bikeway Concept. This is a 50 miles, networked bicycle and pedestrian route. More than half of county residents, schools and parks are located within 1 mile of the bikeway. 4 MARC stations (Laurel, Savage, Jessup, Dorsey) are within 2.5 miles of the bikeway. The cost is around 3 million dollars.

CA Board approved $200,000 in funding to the Downtown Columbia Partnership (DCP). I voted NO on this decision for a number of reasons. I believe there was not enough discussion on this funding, the administration overhead for DCP is a little high, and they relied too much on CA (around 50% budget) for their operation now and in the future while a majority of their Board is controlled by Howard Hughes Corporation. Yes, CA should play a big role in the new downtown development. How to achieve a better role warrants an ample and better discussion. For example, we probably should put a dedicated person to advocate or work on downtown related issues.

Don’t forget to ask your high school seniors to apply for the 2017 Columbia Association’s Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award. . Up to six $2,500 awards will be made in recognition of exceptional efforts in providing community service. Check for more information at https://chaowu.org/2016/11/15/2017-ca-scholarship-application-starts/.

I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving. Enjoy the holidays and Happy New Year in 2017.

Chao Wu, Ph.D.

River Hill Representative to Columbia Council and Columbia Association Board of Directors

Email: chaowu2016@gmail.com  Website: http://chaowu.org

Disclaimer: This letter only represents Dr. Chao Wu’s personal opinion. It does not represent River Hill Board of Directors nor Columbia Association’s Board.

No place for a Nazi sign in our community at Columbia, Maryland

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No place for a Nazi sign in our community at Columbia, Maryland

By Dr. Chao Wu, Clarksville, MD

November 29, 2016

(I sent this article to Columbia Flier and Baltimore Sun and did not get any response. So I am publishing it here first. It was published on 2016-12-08 issue at Columbia Flier and Howard County Times eventually. I really appreciate them effort by sharing my voice.)

I was shocked to see a swastika painted at my neighborhood playground over the Thanksgiving holiday. Many residents, including myself, take our kids there to play, socialize and enjoy this beautiful neighborhood. None of us expected this type of vandalism, with its links to Nazism, fascism, and racism, to happen in the community.

Our city of Columbia prides itself in honoring diversity and being civic-minded. I understand the 2016 presidential election was very divisive. In many other places, campaign signs were destroyed, houses were vandalized, and contentious words were exchanged. However, a swastika sign in the neighborhood is still a huge shock to the many people who live here.

Since its inception in the 1960’s, Columbia has been a driving force for promoting mutual respect and building community harmony. The two most recent speakers in Columbia Association’s Community Building Speakers Series, Rob Breymaier, Executive Director of the Oak Park Regional Housing Center, and Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, UMBC President, discussed Columbia’s founding principles of diversity and inclusiveness. This Saturday, December 3, 2016, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Bain 50+ Center in Columbia, County Executive Allan Kittleman will hold the first forum in his #OneHoward Initiative, which is designed to promote community dialogue and reinforce the county’s shared goals of diversity and inclusiveness.

Our community is now at a turning point with more changes to come. Following the County Council’s passage of the Downtown-related legislation several weeks ago, Columbia’s population is expected to increase by additional 20,000 residents. We can expect the area to become more diverse than ever – culturally, racially, educationally, and economically.

From my perspective, respecting and celebrating diversity needs to be practiced. What really matters is how we view ourselves and others with respect, how others view themselves and others with respect, and whether we can put ourselves in other people’s shoes. We need a common sense solution to create a shared future that is inclusive of everyone. This work needs to occur within our family, within our schools, at the workplace, and in our neighborhoods.

We also need a continuous, open and honest discussion on diversity and inclusion such that all groups should be heard with humility. The conversation should happen not only among people who are likely-minded, already vocal and visible in the community, but also from those who are usually left out by the main media. This requires extra effort to reach out. It also requires a heart with true tolerance especially when other opinions may be quite different, even offensive.

Diverse thoughts, mutual understanding, and truth-seeking are the keys to finding such a solution. There should never be a place for a Nazi swastika in our community. We are not afraid by its occurrence, but we need to be vigilant and continue working to achieve a safe and peaceful community.

nazisign_20161126_161752

2017 CA scholarship application starts

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Apply now for Columbia Association scholarships rewarding teens for community service efforts
Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 Maggie J. Brown Spirit of Columbia Scholarship Award.

Up to six $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors from local high schools who exhibit exceptional efforts in providing community service to benefit Columbia residents and those in the Columbia area. For more than 25 years, Columbia Association (CA) has recognized high school seniors for outstanding service to their community.

The students must live on CA-assessed property or have a parent/guardian who works full-time on or owns CA-assessed property. Applicants must be graduating in May/June 2017 from an accredited public, private or parochial high school, or be or home-schooled in accordance with COMAR 13A.10.01. The students must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or better.

CA employees, members of CA’s Board of Directors or family members of employees or members of the Board of Directors are not eligible to receive the award.

Applications are available online at ColumbiaAssociation.org/scholarship. Completed applications must be submitted by March 15, 2017. For more information, call 410-715-3161 or email SpiritofColumbia@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Get Involved With CA (The Villager, 2016-11)

Get Involved With CA

This article is published at The Villager, November 2016 Issue.

Dr. Chao Wu

The Columbia Association (CA) has been actively involving community members to participate in Columbia’s operations and visions. CA has twelve resident advisory committees that serve this purpose: information technology, sport and fitness, health and fitness, aquatics, tennis, golf, green, watershed, art center, international and multiculture, senior, teen and middle school. CA staff has recommended phasing out the sport and fitness advisory committee, suspending the health and fitness committee, and combining the golf committee and green committee into one committee. The main reasons for these recommendations are the low participation rate. The goal is to improve the efficiency of the advisory committees by clearly stating staff liaison’s responsibilities, improving committee operations, and using annual reports to inform the CA Board of progress.

These advisory committees are very important for board members to have a better understanding of a wide scope of topics. Personally, I participate in the International and MultiCulture Advisory Committee. Recently we formed a new sister city partnership with   Haiti. We are working to form a new partnership with a city in China. Columbia is a very diverse community and we value the multicultural environment. I believe better engagement with the world is very valuable to our future.

So please volunteer to join one of CA’s advisory committees and advocate for matters of interest to you. It is in our community’s common interest to have residents serve in this capacity. It will help you and help others. Your services will be greatly appreciated.

Recently, the student member on the River Hill Community Association’s Board of Directors and River Hill High School senior, Jennifer Zhang was awarded a 2016 Maryland Governor’s Service Award. This is a great honor for her and our community. Ms. Zhang has devoted several hundred hours to the River Hill community during her four years of service on the Association’s Teen Advisory Committee and Student Member Committees. Congratulations Jennifer and thank you!

When this message is delivered to you in November, there is a great task for you to complete. Please vote in the general election. I have experienced four presidential elections and this election is unique in many aspects. It may define different paths for this country. Please make sure you take time and vote on Nov. 8, 2016 or before.

We will see changes are coming in different ways. Your engagement in various issues are defining or shaping those changes. So please get involved, in a big or small way.

Your feedback to my articles is greatly appreciated. Let’s stay involved with each other.

Thanks.

Chao Wu, Ph.D.

River Hill Representative to Columbia Council and Columbia Association Board of Directors

Email: chaowu2016@gmail.com  Website: http://chaowu.org

Disclaimer: This letter only represents Dr. Chao Wu’s personal opinion. It does not represent River Hill Board of Directors nor Columbia Association’s Board.

 

CA Development Tracker (2016-10)

Correction: the Planning Board meeting for the three development projects listed below will be held Thursday, November 3 at 7pm at the George Howard Building (3430 Court House Drive, Ellicott City, MD 21043).

Downtown Columbia – Alternative Compliance Regarding Merriweather Post Pavilion: HRD and the Downtown Columbia Arts and Culture Commission are seeking an alternative compliance to CEPPA’s 16, 20 and 21

Sieling Industrial Center (FDP-117-A-III) – amendment to the FDP to clearly state that a liquor store is a use that is supportive of a full service grocery store, but cannot be contained within a grocery store and must be a separate use.

Chick-Fil-A Dobbin Commercial Center – Chick-Fil-A is seeking an addition to the current restaurant to add 737 gross square feet and to add an additional drive through lane.

The link is at https://www.columbiaassociation.org/about-us/planning-development/columbia-planning-development-tracker/

 

CA board meeting summary 2016-10-27

Resident speakout:

  1. Bob Anantua talked about Columbia-Haitian Sister.
  2. Frank Rhoad, 7.5 miles away, still bothered by Merriweather Post Noise. He did not hear the noise until a local noise law was adapted several years ago.
  3. Russ Swatek, talked about Merriweather Post noise and he hoped CA board would support HCCA effort and sent a letter to MD legislative to reduce the noise level.

Presentation: Downtown development presentation from Howard Hughes Corporation., by VP Development Gregg Fichett. The metropolitan has been fully rented out. Under Construction buildings are named m.flat and TenM. He presented this to River Hill board some time ago.

Discussion: The Howard County Veterans Foundation was also looking at other locations besides the Lakefront Fountain.

Votes: The board discussed and approved the modified advisory committees.

We are 25 Now (The Villager 2016-10)

 

We are 25 Now

This article will be published on October issue of  The Villager of River Hill community Association.

On September 17, 2016, we celebrated the Village of River Hill’s 25th birthday. This was a day for celebration. From a formerly rural area, we have become a vibrant community. We had our fourth annual Health fair at the same time and there was a great turnout. Jennifer Zhang, (Student Member on the Board of Directors), Henrietta Kan (Coalition Halting Obesity in Children Everywhere), and Jennifer Lynott (RHCA Events and Newsletter Coordinator) were instrumental in organizing this event. Our village manager, Susan Smith, contributed to making the day a great success. Howard County Council Chair Dr. Calvin Ball presented the Association with a certificate and Council Resolution to recognize this great moment. Michael Cornell, the Chair of the Association’s Board of Directors, made the opening remarks and shared his 20+ years’ experience in the village. Dennis Mattey, Director of Open Space and Facility Services, congratulated the community on behalf of the Columbia Association.   People of all ages, ethnicities, and faiths shared the joy of celebration.

Let’s Look Back

We are the last of Columbia’s villages to be developed, beginning in 1991. By local standards, we are far from Columbia’s town center, -bordering farms, the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, and homes on larger lots that are outside the County’s water and sewer districts. The composition of homes is quite different from all previous villages because almost 80 percent of homes are single family homes, while the remaining 20 percent consist of townhouses and condos. There are no rental communities in River Hill, though some homes are available for rent.

The name River Hill refers to an old plantation, dating back more than 100 years ago, which reportedly was one of the first in the state to free its slaves. The Village has two neighborhoods, Pheasant Ridge and Pointer’s Run.   Pheasant Ridge was named after a 1745 land grant. The poetic street names were selected from noted American writers Walt Whitman and James Whitcomb Riley. Claret Hall, the community center and home of the Association, was named for the 18th century land grant “White Wine and Claret”  that included much of the land that is now part of the village. See Ref 1.

Let’s Look Forward

Now the Village of River Hill includes 2,096 dwelling units and 6,520 people. Our village has one of the most successful shopping centers. We have one of the Columbia Association’s most utilized outdoor pools. The Columbia Gym is also loved by our community. Our children attend Clarksville Elementary, Pointers Run Elementary, Clarksville Middle School and Atholton and River Hill High Schools and they are among the best in the county.

The Clarksville/River Hill community is still growing. Though outside the boundaries of the Village of River Hill, Clarksville Commons, a mixed use development, is finishing construction. More housing units will be developed around the edges of the village, including the Simpson Oaks development currently going through the County’s approval process A new and larger United States Post Office will return to serve Clarksville. Stores will be built at the intersection of Route 108 and Ten Oaks Road. The River Hill Garden Center is expecting to be redeveloped.

At the same time, we need think about how the development in other areas will impact our village, for example, how will Columbia’s new downtown development impact our community? Recently, the Howard County Veterans Foundation expressed interested in building a memorial at the Lakefront fountain. This will modify the fountain either in context or in structure. What is the role of our village in the whole of Columbia and in Howard County?

Education, transportation, family and community are our priority and we strive to make them better. Civic engagement is a crucial part to build a better community. My vision is that through continuous and planned development, we will foresee a more diverse and prosperous community. I am looking forward to enjoying 25 more years of life here in the village until my kids graduate from college.

Ref 1: J.R. Mitchell, D.L. Stebenne, New City Upon A Hill, A History of Columbia, Maryland, P144-145

Chao Wu, Ph.D.

River Hill Representative to Columbia Council and Columbia Association Board of Directors

Email: chaowu2016@gmail.com  Website: http://chaowu.org

Disclaimer: This letter only represents Dr. Chao Wu’s personal opinion. It does not represent River Hill Board of Directors nor Columbia Association’s Board.

Columbia, Maryland Named the Best Small City in America by Money Magazine

Feel very proud of this. We are part of Columbia.
———————————————
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: September 19, 2016Contacts:
David Greisman, Senior Manager of Media Relations and Communications, Columbia Association — David.Greisman@ColumbiaAssociation.org, 410-423-4103 (o), 443-226-6237 (c)
Andrew Barth, Press Secretary, Howard County Government —abarth@howardcountymd.gov, 410-313-2132 (o), 410-303-2039 (c)

Columbia, Maryland Named the Best Small City in America by Money Magazine
For nearly five decades, the residents of Columbia, Maryland have known that our community is one of the best places to live in the country. Once again, Money Magazine has agreed — naming Columbia the top place in the United States on its 2016 rankings of the best small cities to live in America.“Columbia, Md., turns 50 next year, and it’s never looked better,” raved the article in Money Magazine, which can be read in full here. “One of the most successful planned communities in the country, Columbia is a magnet in the Baltimore-Washington corridor, attracting families in search of good schools and businesses hungry for educated employees.”

It is another honor for a community that was highly regarded ever since its founding in 1967 and continues to earn praise and awards into the 21st century. Columbia has regularly been in Money Magazine’s Top 10, ranked jointly with Ellicott City at No. 4 in 2006, No. 8 in 2008, No. 2 in 2010, No. 8 in 2012 and No. 6 in 2014. Ellicott City was ranked separately this year. This year’s rankings were out of 823 U.S. small cities, which were defined as those with populations between 50,000 and 300,000. (The rankings in the odd-numbered years are for small towns with populations between 10,000 and 50,000.)

“For the Columbia community to be consistently ranked in the Top 10 says a lot about the quality of life here and, in general, Howard County,” said Milton W. Matthews, president and CEO of Columbia Association (CA), a nonprofit service corporation with the mission of enhancing the quality of life for those who live, work and play in Columbia.

“As Columbia approaches its 50th birthday, our community includes residents who moved here in Columbia’s earliest days and remain here; residents who once moved away and then were drawn back and returned; and many other residents who may not have known much, if anything, about the vision and ideals upon which the community was founded — but were nonetheless attracted to Columbia and, in general, Howard County for its beauty, diversity, inclusiveness, cultural and recreational opportunities, top-notch school and library systems, low crime, and proximity to Baltimore and Washington, D.C.,” Matthews said.

Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman likes to say he grew up with Columbia. He has watched the community go from vision to reality.

“We’re very excited. It’s something we’ve known forever, that Columbia is one of the best places to live in the world, but now the rest of the country knows,”Kittleman said. “It was Jim Rouse’s vision to build Columbia almost 50 years ago. Next year will be Columbia’s 50th birthday. I’m sure he would be a very proud person to know that the city he planned is now the best place to live in America. It’s the vision of Jim Rouse to bring people from all incomes, all races and all ethnic groups together, and it really has proven to be successful here. Columbia just continues to attract people because of the warmth of the people who live here and the amenities that people have to enjoy.

“We have 3,600 acres of open space and 94 miles of pathways. We have the greatest schools in the world here in Howard County,” Kittleman said. “We have one of the best community colleges, Howard Community College, in the country right here in Columbia. We have a premier hospital, Howard County General Hospital, here in Columbia. We have Merriweather Post Pavilion. We have the greatest library system in North America. We are growing. We have a downtown that’s becoming more urbanized, which is what we always needed in Howard County.”

The Money Magazine article praised Columbia’s racial, religious and socioeconomic diversity, while also noting the redevelopment occurring downtown, just one part of what Columbia’s many stakeholders are doing to ensure that this remains a community of choice, now and for generations to come.

Rounding out the Top 10 are Eden Prairie, Minnesota (No. 2); Plano, Texas (No. 3); West Des Moines, Iowa (No. 4); Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey (No. 5); Highlands Ranch, Colorado (No. 6); Clarkstown, New York (No. 7); Weston, Florida (No. 8); Beaverton, Oregon (No.9); and Naperville, Illinois (No. 10).

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.

HoCo Veteran Memorial at Lakefront Fountain

HoCo Veteran Foundation is interesting in building a memorial exactly at the fountain.

County Exectutive Allan Kittleman is supporting the idea and will provide 25,000 dollars for the foundation.

Three County Council members, Cavin Ball, Mary Sigaty and Jen Terrassa are against this idea.

Attachment please find their letter on this matter.county-council-against-ca-easement-letter

I exacted one picture from the file, which was taken in 1993 at Lakefront fountain. lakefront-columbia-1993

 

CA Board meeting Summary 9-22-2016

My computer battery ran out during the meeting such that I did not post this timely.

There are around 50 audiences. It is a huge turn out.

Resident speakout:

  1. Ken with around 10 pickle ball supporter with bats in hand among seniors. Howard County Pickle Ball Association (have 150 members). Look for CA’s support to expand, possibly build an indoor facility. That is also recommended CA’s Senior Advisory Committee, Fiscal Year 2018 Budget testimony.
  2. The rest speakers are Howard County Veteran Monument Supporters. There is Golden Start mom too. Very moving.

One lady talked about her navy/marine boyfriend encountering hostility in a bar because he was wearing a uniform. Her boyfriend said: My service to the country is to defend their freedom to say anything they want to say. 

The board asked CA staff to prepare an exact easement term between CA and Howard County Veteran Foundation. Some board members had concerns that the memorial was proposed exactly at the location of the fountain.

 

 

CA public budget hearing starts

Columbia Association holding public budget hearing on Oct. 13

Columbia Association’s (CA) Board of Directors will hold a public budget hearing on Thursday, Oct. 13, beginning at 7:30pm at CA Headquarters, 6310 Hillside Court, located off Stevens Forest Road near the county vehicle emissions inspection station.CA’s budget process provides ample opportunities for input. This hearing is one of several opportunities for residents, representatives of village community associations, advisory committee members and others to weigh in on Fiscal Year 2018, the second year of CA’s two-year budget cycle. Earlier in 2016, CA’s Board passed the budget for Fiscal Year 2017 (which runs from May 2016 through April 2017) and a conditional budget for Fiscal Year 2018 (which runs May 2017 through April 2018).

Speakers are encouraged to provide written versions of their remarks. There will be time limits for each speaker: three minutes for individuals, five minutes for groups and 10 minutes for village community associations. Testimony also can be provided via email at Board.Members@ColumbiaAssociation.org or by snail mail to Columbia Association Accounting Department, 6310 Hillside Court, Suite 100, Columbia, Maryland, 21046.

The full schedule of budget work sessions and meetings begins in September and continues into February. These meetings are open to the public; each is expected to begin at 7:30pm:

  • Thursday, Sept. 22: A CA Board meeting providing an opportunity for village community association testimony, in addition to the Oct. 13 public hearing.
  • Thursday, Oct. 13: A CA Board work session including a public hearing for all stakeholders regarding additions and deletions to the conditional FY18 budget.
  • Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017: A CA Board work session for deliberation on stakeholders’ proposed additions and deletions to the conditional FY18 budget. CA’s Board will discuss the proposed changes and Board-approved threshold adjustments, as well as the annual charge rate and cap for FY18, and will take straw votes.
  • Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017: A second CA Board work session for deliberation on adjustments and inputs to the conditional FY18 budget.
  • Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017: A CA Board meeting that will include discussion of and voting on approval of the final FY18 budget revisions and annual charge rate and cap.

The approved FY2017 and conditional FY2018 budgets are online atColumbiaAssociation.org/budget.

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.

Columbia Association seeking China sister city planning committee members

https://www.columbiaassociation.org/columbia-association-seeking-china-sister-city-planning-committee-members/

Post Date: 02/16/2016 4:00 PM

Columbia Association’s International & Multicultural Programs Advisory Committee is seeking volunteers to join the China Sister City Planning Committee, which is exploring the possibility of a sister city relationship between Columbia, Maryland, and Liyang, China — a city of more than 780,000 people located in Jiangsu province between Nanjing and Shanghai.

The China Sister City Planning Committee consists of Columbia and Howard County residents who are working on developing a proposal that will be presented to CA’s Board of Directors. Committee members should have a genuine interest in China, be able to participate actively as a member of the committee and attend monthly evening meetings. The committee will include residents who are of Chinese heritage as well as community members with an interest in Chinese language and culture. The next committee meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at CA Headquarters, 6310 Hillside Court, located off Stevens Forest Road near the county vehicle emissions inspection station

If the CA Board approves the request to establish a sister city relationship, then committee members will assist with the development of international exchange programs for youth and adults in areas such as art, music, dance, education, sports, architecture and cuisine.
For more information, please contact Laura Smit, program manager for CA’s International Exchange and Multicultural Programs, by calling 410-715-3162 or sending an email to International@ColumbiaAssociation.org.

CA’s International Exchange and Multicultural Programs foster international understanding and celebrate the diverse cultures of Columbia. The goals of the International Exchange Program include developing new exchanges with Columbia’s three sister cities and creating new Sister City relationships in other cities and nations. CA also develops multicultural programs for the community such as the World Languages Café, Culture Fests and the International Book Club. For more information, go to ColumbiaAssociation.org/Multicultural.

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.

25th Birthday of River Hill and 4th Health Fair this Saturday

We are the newest and we are 25 now.

Saturday, September 17
11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
River Hill Village Center

Health awareness info
Obesity prevention tips
Vision, dental & blood pressure screenings
Wellness & holistic demonstrations
Kids’ nutrition games, scavenger hunt & much more

The Birthday Celebration will feature carnival games, face-painting, an inflatable, and a cake-cutting ceremony at 12:30.
Be sure to come out for this FREE event! Bring the whole family!

See you then.

Summary of CA board meeting on September 8 2016

  1. Howard County Veteran Foundation wants to build a Howard County Veterans Monument at the fountain location at Lakefront, which is a CA property. Their president Robert Gillette presented in front of the board. Anybody wants to support them can contact him at Email: gilletterm@gmail.com or Phone: 443-668-1037. CA BOD Reg Avery is on their board.
  2. Downtown Columbia Partnership is looking for CA to contribute them half million dollars of their total 1 million dollar budget. The other half part funding is provided by Howard Hughes.
  3. Pond study result came out. CA pond management will cost 5.7 million dollars over years. And this is just a start. We have 205 stormwater BMP to manage.
    pond-assessment-report-summaryThe board asked CA staff to check whether decommissioning some ponds is a possible solution. Proud Food and Hobbit’s Glen Golf Course East are possible candidates. Otherwise, every ten years, we are going to spend more than five million dollars on these again.
  4. The board approved to transfer Capital budget fund to fix Fairway Hills Flood Damage.
  5. The board approved request for purchasing exception ( waiver of “Request for Bids”) for the Fairway Hill Flood Damage repair.

    I voted No on this since I did not see the need for the waiver.

  6. The board approved request for purchasing exception for video vendor of $75000.

    I voted NO on this too since I did not like the idea that the staff picked up a single vendor and gave them money to do something. We have a “Request for Bids” process there. And I did not see the urgency for this project either.

Our Planned Community (The Villager 2016-9)

 Our Planned Community

This article will be published on the September 2016 “The Villager” of River Hill Community Association.

Recently our county was hit hard by natural disasters. A hurricane hit western Howard County. Then, there was the flash flood that hit old Ellicott City. The flash flood caused tremendous damage to the old, historical city which is located in a basin surrounded by hills. Some people blame the flood on too many developments uphill from old Ellicott City and the watershed management is not functioning as expected.  One Saturday I went to help clean-up the aftermath and saw the damage first hand. Some buildings’ basements were washed away and they are now supported by temporary structures to ensure safety. This experience made me think about Columbia’s future.

There is a heated community debate on the two different proposals for the Downtown Development Plan. See my August newsletter article “Columbia’s Downtown and Affordable Housing” (https://chaowu.org/2016/07/27/columbias-downtown-and-affordable-housing/) for more information. Some people are complaining we are losing control to developers. There are concerns that too large a concentration of affordable housing will be placed in the downtown area. Some people believe that the assumption that millennials will want smaller homes with less driving is unfounded.

Recently, I read a book by Joseph Mitchell and David Stebenne “New City Upon A Hill, A History of Columbia, Maryland”. The book gave me a complete and big picture view of how our city was formed and arrived at today’s unique situation. The diversity of villages, the village centers merging with the communities, the green space, the pathways and the parks, the less congested roads are the reasons I loved Columbia and moved here. If a planned community begins to grow unplanned, it will become a disaster eventually.

We should always be forward-looking when considering Columbia’s future. This community has been a planned community since the start. The community will grow. More people will move in. We would like more businesses to move in such that people living here can work here. Our population is growing older.

We have to properly plan to accommodate these changes. With proper planning, we will be better able to cope with new issues. We need all the community efforts to plan early, better and ahead.

 

Chao Wu, Ph.D.

River Hill Representative to Columbia Council

Columbia Association Board of Directors

Email: chaowu2016@gmail.com  Website: http://chaowu.org

Disclaimer: This letter only represents Dr. Chao Wu’s personal opinion. It does not represent River Hill Board of Directors nor Columbia Association’s Board.

 

 

Columbia BikeAbout on Saturday, September 17 and volunteers still needed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: August 22, 2016
Contact: David Greisman
Phone: 410-423-4103
Less than a month away: Columbia BikeAbout on Saturday, September 17; volunteers still needed
Columbia Association’s (CA) annual BikeAbout will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, with riders setting off from the Downtown Columbia Lakefront. The free, fun and informative tour presents Columbia’s history and showcases the connectivity of its pathway system.

Preregistration is not required but is encouraged via ColumbiaAssociation.org/bikeabout. Columbia BikeAbout will begin at 9:30am with riders able to start up until 10am They are expected to complete the ride by 1pm.

This year’s route is 10.6 miles. The course will wind through Town Center, Hickory Ridge, Harper’s Choice and Wilde Lake with interpretive stops that include 19th century grave sites; the past and future of Howard Community College; Columbia’s commitment to preservation of the open space, including the creation of Wilde Lake and the Middle Patuxent Environmental Area; and Columbia’s street names.

To accommodate families with young children, a 1.5-mile ride is available around Lake Kittamaqundi on the pathway loop, offering an opportunity to learn about Kennedy Gardens and the natural landscape.

An important aspect of Columbia’s design was preservation of the land. The topography, stream beds and heavily wooded areas were preserved as much as possible. Lakes were created and pathways built to make the natural environment accessible. Columbia BikeAbout is an easy way to explore the extensive 94-mile pathway system, which contributes to the high quality of life that defines Columbia.

Columbia Association also is seeking volunteers, who will assist with traffic control, directions, registration, and acting as guides at places of interest along the route. Flexible shifts are available between the hours of 8:30am and 2pm. Training and a free T-shirt will be provided. For more information, emailColumbia.Archives@ColumbiaAssociation.org or call 410-715-6781.

Columbia BikeAbout is brought to you by Columbia Association’s (CA) Columbia Archives and Open Space Management.

Columbia Archives, which collects and preserves the history of Columbia, is located in CA Headquarters at 6310 Hillside Court, off Stevens Forest Road. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The collection covers the planning and development of Columbia as well as the extensive James Rouse Collection, which chronicles Rouse’s long career that influenced urban and suburban development in the United States and around the world. It is rich with correspondence, speeches, photographs and memorabilia. The public is welcome to visit and spend time researching to get a deeper understanding of the history of Columbia. Appointments are encouraged. For more information, call 410-715-3103 or go to ColumbiaArchives.org.

About Columbia Association

Columbia Association (CA) is a nonprofit community services corporation that manages Columbia, Maryland, a planned community that is home to approximately 100,000 people and several thousand businesses. Additional information about CA is available at ColumbiaAssociation.org.