Zoning Administrator

The county commissioners appointed yesterday Robert A. "Max" Bair as Carroll's new zoning administrator. Bair, an executive assistant to the commissioners, had been acting zoning administrator since Jan. 18. He was one of 17 applicants for the post, but was not the candidate favored by the county planning commission. The planning panel voted 3-1 to recommend Claude Rash, one of three brothers who won county approval last year to rezone their Woodbine farm for a golf course community.

A public hearing will be scheduled in about a month on a Carroll County cement manufacturer's proposal to store and burn sludge pellets, known as biosolids, as a fuel alternative to coal. County commissioners, who are required to hold a hearing before deciding on any changes to zoning, are considering a zoning amendment that would allow the German-owned Lehigh Cement Co. to store as much as 400 tons of sanitized sludge that would be trucked from Synagro-Baltimore LLC. Lehigh plans to build a 130-foot storage silo to hold the biosolids, which it would burn in its kiln.

After 31 years in the county's employ, Robert A. "Max" Bair is leaving the job that has been his lifelong career. Carroll County's zoning administrator and the commissioners' special assistant announced his retirement Friday, effective immediately. He planned to spend yesterday packing up his office on the third floor of the County Office Building in Westminster, a modest space adjacent to the commissioners' offices. Then he will ponder his future, certain that it will include ways to help "make positive changes in the community in which I live," he said.

Issue: Lehigh Cement Co. in Union Bridge sought permission from Carroll County officials to build a 130-foot silo to store dried sewage sludge, called biosolids, that the company planned to use as an alternative fuel source to fire its kiln. The Carroll zoning administrator said the county code prohibits the storage of sewage sludge in all zoning districts except public wastewater treatment plants. Zoning Administrator Neil Ridgely said the plant could build the silo but that Lehigh could not fill it with pelletized sludge.

ISSUE: Lehigh Cement Co. in Union Bridge sought permission from Carroll County officials to build a 130-foot silo to store dried sewage sludge, called biosolids, that the company planned to use as an alternative fuel source to fire its kiln. But the Carroll zoning administrator said county code prohibits the storage of sewage sludge in all zoning districts except at public wastewater treatment plants. Zoning Administrator Neil Ridgely said the plant could build the silo, but that Lehigh could not fill it with pelletized sludge.

After 37 years of working for the city, Westminster City Clerk John D. Dudderar is retiring. Dudderar, 65, submitted his resignation Thursday. It will be effective Feb. 1. "This wasn't a surprise to anybody," he said Friday. "I've been hinting about this for some time." Dudderar, who lives just outside Westminster city limits, started working for the city as a water meter reader in 1964. He was promoted to assistant city clerk/zoning administrator in 1969 and to city clerk/zoning administrator in 1972.

County reassigns duties of retiring zoning administrator The Carroll County commissioners have announced the reallocation of responsibilities in county government since zoning administrator Robert A. "Max" Bair's retirement. Until a permanent replacement is named, Ralph Green will serve as acting zoning administrator. He is director of the Department of Permits, Inspections and Review. Jolene Sullivan, director of the Department of Citizen Services, will coordinate the county's character program.

The city zoning board has voted unanimously to deny a request by the Facade nightspot in Northwest Baltimore for a new permit to operate as a restaurant with dancing.The lawyer for Facade at 5507 Reisterstown Road said yesterday that the club will appeal the decision to Circuit Court and plans to remain open pending the appeal.Facade has been operating without a permit since September, when the city zoning administrator revoked its original license to operate as a restaurant with dancing.

Taneytown officials have not selected a city manager yet -- but they're getting close.Mayor Henry I. Reindollar Jr. said last week that he and the City Council were about to interview two candidates. A third candidate is also being considered."We advertised again, and these candidates are from the second set of applications," Mr. Reindollar said. "We're calling in one of the people from the last set to come in for another interview."City officials advertised for a new city manager in municipal publications shortly after Joseph A. Mangini Jr. was fired in August by the mayor and council for unspecified reasons.

Former Carroll County Attorney Laurell Taylor has been hired as Westminster's new city clerk and zoning administrator. Taylor, who resigned from the county post in August, replaces John Dudderar, who retired last month after working 37 years for the city. "She's a perfect fit," Council President Damian L. Halstad said of Taylor, who was appointed to the post at last night's Common Council meeting. "She's very smart, approachable and friendly. Her experience at the county with zoning issues of all types will really help her with this job."

ISSUE: Lehigh Cement Co. in Union Bridge sought permission from Carroll County officials to build a 130-foot silo to store dried sewage sludge, called biosolids, that the company planned to use as an alternative fuel source to fire its kiln. But the Carroll zoning administrator said county code prohibits the storage of sewage sludge in all zoning districts except at public wastewater treatment plants. Zoning Administrator Neil Ridgely said the plant could build the silo, but that Lehigh could not fill it with pelletized sludge.

The Carroll County commissioners unanimously enacted an ordinance yesterday that will allow bioscience research facilities to operate in areas zoned for agriculture. The ordinance could affect any possible expansion of Spring Valley Laboratories in Woodbine, the county's only animal research facility. The facility, on a 110-acre farm, has housed labs for breeding and testing animals since 1980. The business tests vaccines and has contracts with the National Institutes of Health and several private companies.

The Carroll County commissioners unanimously enacted an ordinance yesterday that will allow bioscience research facilities to operate in areas zoned for agriculture. The ordinance could affect any possible expansion of Spring Valley Laboratories in Woodbine, the county's only animal research facility. The facility, on a 110-acre farm, has housed labs for breeding and testing animals since 1980. The business tests vaccines and has contracts with the National Institutes of Health and several private companies.

As early as next week, a group of Westminster residents might see the end of their monthslong fight against a methadone treatment center that has been proposed for near the city's downtown area. Residents near the planned location in the 200 block of E. Main St., near Washington Road, say the mixed commercial and residential neighborhood is not appropriate for a methadone program. Others have complained at recent public hearings that the center could bring problems such as more pedestrians and a parking shortage.

It will be at least a month until Westminster's Board of Zoning Appeals decides whether a methadone treatment center is allowed in the city's downtown area. On Thursday, the three-member board wrapped up hearing two days of arguments and testimony from city officials, the applicants for the treatment center and numerous residents. In the meantime, attorneys representing the city, the zoning administrator and the applicants are expected to have until Feb. 26 to submit closing arguments and their responses.

The Mount Airy Town Council has introduced an ordinance aimed at cracking down on the temporary signs popping up at shopping centers and along streets."