Gabbro

Attention residents: Prepare to secure your porcelain and fine china. Tremors from explosions at developer Kingdon Gould Jr.'s proposed quarry operation could send those delicate items crashing to the floor.A geological expert, testifying before the Howard County Board of Appeals last night on behalf of Mr. Gould, said vibrations from blasting on his Chase property probably would cause the china to "rattle" the same way it does when a person is "walking across a dining-room floor.""I would recommend [porcelain or china]

The president of a Jessup community association says he is ready to sign an agreement to support plans for a quarry in his neighborhood -- an unusual pact, filled with promises from developer Kingdon Gould Jr. to residents near the proposed quarry site.Gary Prestianni, president of the Ridgelys Run Community Association, met this week with Mr. Gould and his attorney and hopes to sign a revised agreement by Monday -- the day before Mr. Gould goes before the Howard County Planning Board for permission to dig the quarry.

When they left me outside my freshman dorm in the fall of 2009, my parents told me I could do anything. It was a wonderful compliment, a sign of confidence that made me feel just a little less guilty for the substantial investment they were making for me in a private liberal arts education. But a month or so later, when I sat down with my adviser, I realized doing "anything" wasn't an option. I had to decide on something: a major. I needed to choose a path to follow for the rest of my time at Washington and Lee. A lot of my friends already knew what their something was, and they directed four years of classes and internships toward being investment bankers in New York City or campaign managers in Alabama.

Closing 10 months of testimony on a proposed quarry in Jessup, opponents last night urged the Howard County Board of Appeals to reject the plan, saying the developer failed to give sufficient details about its impact on the community."

Two groups of Jessup homeowners have filed separate appeals with Howard County Circuit Court protesting a county agency's decision to approve a controversial rock quarry in their area.Attorney David A. Carney entered an appeal May 23 on behalf of four residents -- Leah and Donald Woodbury, Susan Boswell and Timothy Maier. A day earlier, Rosemary Ford and Russell Olson filed their own appeal, less than two weeks after Ford entered a disputed petition with the Howard County Board of Appeals alleging a conflict of interest involving Carney, the community's lawyer.

Washington businessman Kingdon Gould Jr. is considering a proposal to develop a quarry on a 600-acre wooded site in Jessup -- but only if nearby residents would support the idea.The parcel, known as the Chase property, is located between Interstate 95 and U.S. 1, north of Guilford Road. Mr. Gould is proposing to mine up to 100 acres of the property for a rock known as Baltimore gabbro, used primarily for road construction.Mr. Gould, who has been meeting with area residents to hear their concerns, said he sees the quarry proposal as an opportunity to bring industrial use to an urban area in a positive way."

Negotiations between a developer seeking to dig a quarry in Jessup and residents near the site began peacefully, but have turned into a battle among neighbors.Residents are feuding about a community agreement supporting developer Kingdon Gould Jr.'s plan to dig the quarry on what is known as his "Chase property" -- a nearly 600-acre site east of Interstate 95, west of U.S. 1 and south of Route 175.Mr. Gould is scheduled to present his proposal before the Howard County Board of Appeals on Thursday, and tension among residents has been increasing during the past several weeks.

A PROPOSED QUARRY in Jessup would be certain to change the lives of its neighbors. Blasts from the 350-acre operation could send vibrations through the neighborhood, strong enough to tip china off the shelves of nearby homes.Far more is at stake than dinnerware, however. Microscopic dust particles, called "fine dust," generated by quarries can trigger respiratory problems, experts say. The danger of such dust is something residents would have to live with for a long time. If the project is approved, excavation could last 20 years.

The Howard County Board of Appeals last night gave final approval for a proposed rock quarry in Jessup, but not without one more bit of controversy.The unanimous vote allows developer Kingdon Gould Jr., a North Laurel resident and a Washington parking lot magnate, to establish a quarry to mine a crystalline rock called Baltimore gabbro on a 546-acre wooded site east of Interstate 95, west of U.S. 1 and south of Route 175.But the board also made several changes...

After 16 months of negotiations, 40 residents approved development of a quarry in their Jessup community last night.The quarry will be developed on the Chase property, a 600-acre wooded area between Interstate 95 and U.S. 1, north of Guilford Road. The property is owned by Washington businessman Kingdon Gould.The quarry will be mined for a crystalline rock known as Baltimore gabbro that primarily is used in Maryland for road construction.Leaders of the Ridgely Run Community Association, which represents more than 600 households east of Interstate 95, west of U.S. 1, north of Guilford Road and south of Route 175, called the meeting to decide whether to give Mr. Gould the go-ahead.