January 01, 2006|By LARRY CARSON | LARRY CARSON,SUN REPORTER
Doughoregan plans draw opposition Howard County leaders are reacting cautiously to plans for developing part of Doughoregan Manor, the Colonial-era Carroll family estate, though a proposal to extend public utilities onto the land has drawn opposition.
The descendants of Charles Carroll, the only Roman Catholic signer of the Declaration of Independence, have been talking with county officials since summer about their proposal to raise tens of millions of dollars to pay for restoration and preservation of their 1720 estate and its 20-room historic mansion, plus 30 other buildings on 892 acres, partly at public expense. Another 1,200 acres of family land are under agricultural preservation easements and can't be developed.
The 892-acre tract is to emerge from a Maryland Historic Trust 30-year easement in May 2007, meaning the land would then be eligible to enter Howard's hot real estate market. The home and estate - still in family hands - have major historical value and were declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971.
The issue comes at a time when many county residents are worried about congestion produced by development. Next year's elections are likely to heighten the pressures.
A proposal to build about 1,400 more homes at Turf Valley, just north of the Carroll estate, also has prompted protests. Doughoregan is between Route 108 and Frederick Road, along Manor Lane, which is a mostly private road.
The large estate has acted as a buffer to the intense development to the east and south, but some worry that if water and sewer lines breach its boundaries, dense development could follow in the western part of the county.
Philip D. and Camilla Carroll have proposed selling development rights on about 600 acres of the estate for agricultural preservation for up to $24 million - double the county's current top price - while building about 350 homes on about 200 more acres. To do that, they want the county to agree to extend public water and sewer lines from surrounding residential areas to their land, and perhaps a rezoning to allow clustering of homes.
"I certainly don't want water and sewer to extend there. Once you start that, other things happen and you extend, extend extend," said Angela Beltram, a former County Council member who led a citizens' campaign against a series of County Council-approved rezonings intended to allow more development.
Her goal for Doughoregan, which she shares with some county officials and community leaders, is to preserve as much of the estate's farmland as possible, while minimizing the construction of new homes. If the Carrolls can't reach an agreement with the county, current zoning would permit 450 new homes to be spread across most of their land.
Some, including preservationist Mary Catherine Cochran, want the county to preserve the 600 acres and also buy the land slated for development for use as future school sites and parkland, though Councilman Charles C. Feaga, a western county Republican, didn't like that idea.
"Some of those people are very socialistic in their thinking - that government can solve all problems," Feaga said. He's hopeful, he said, that "we may be able to do something for the estate without costing the county a great deal."
But buying the land instead of allowing development could pay off, said County Council Chairman Christopher J. Merdon, an Ellicott City Republican who is a candidate for county executive.
If the county can prevent construction of hundreds of new homes, there might be a $20 million savings - the cost of a new elementary school.
Merdon also questioned the water and sewer line extensions.
"I'm not prepared to say I'm willing to extend water and sewer. I'd like a policy established first countywide," he said, to avoid any extension becoming a precedent.
Leaving the school board out of the discussion upset school board member and former chairman Courtney Watson.
"This is an unacceptable lack of communication. We approved a capital budget just two months ago that does not take into consideration these units. If we don't know about it, we can't plan for it," she said.
The board's capital budget request includes proposed additions at three elementary schools near Doughoregan.
Watson, who is running for County Council next year, said the proposed new homes at Doughoregan could mean that a new elementary school will be needed instead of additions at Waverly, Manor Woods and Triadelphia Ridge elementary schools.
County planning director Marsha S. McLaughlin is to discuss the Carrolls' proposal with Preservation Howard County, though a date for the session is uncertain.
