Zoning Appeals

Ascension Episcopal Church, one of Westminster's oldest parishes, is planning a $1.6 million expansion to accommodate its growing congregation.The church will enlarge its parish house on North Court Street in two phases, said the Rev. Ronald S. Fisher, its rector for nine years.The expansion plans won approval last week from the city's Board of Zoning Appeals. There were no opponents to the request for a variance and a special exception."Part of this story is our commitment to stay in town," said Fisher.

The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals is losing its most outspoken member, Hobart D. "Hoby" Wolf, who announced his resignation yesterday.In his nearly three-year tenure, the 75-year-old Eldersburg resident has added sarcasm and humor to the usually staid land-use panel, often interrupting testimony for an aside."

Two businesses in a South Carroll subdivision that eventually may include a retirement community and single-family homes won conditional approval from the Board of Zoning Appeals yesterday.Howard H. Patton, president of Patton Contractors, plans to build medical offices and a day care center on opposite sides of Marriottsville Road, which he wants to extend to Liberty Road near Sunset Drive.He has agreed to improve Ridenour Way, a service road parallel to Liberty Road.Patton said he plans to seek the board's approval next month for a 14-unit retirement community, for residents 55 and older, on about 5 acres of the 12-acre site near Liberty Reservoir.

For many Hampstead officials, the concept is pretty simple. Those who make the decisions for the town ought to live there. Even in Carroll towns that don't require residency, officials always have preferred having reside community governs itself," said Jack A. Gullo Jr., mayor of New Windsor. "It doesn't sit well with some residents to have people outside of town in control."Tonight, Hampstead's mayor and council have scheduled a public hearing on three residency ordinances. If passed, any member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Ethics Commission or the Board of Zoning Appeals would be required to live within town limits."

To Lane Berk, the large red object that spells B-A-L-T-I-M-O-R-E on the roof of her Montgomery Street town house is a work of art, put up for the enjoyment of all who visit Baltimore's Inner Harbor.But her neighbors in the 200 block of East Montgomery Street -- arguably the choicest block in Federal Hill and certainly one of the priciest in the city -- don't all enjoy it. To some of them, it is a modernistic eyesore that is incompatible with their historic neighborhood and a violation of the urban renewal ordinance for Montgomery Street.

2 Sykesville men win bid to open storage yardThe Carroll Board of Zoning Appeals has ruled that Alvin Lee and Doug DuBois of Sykesville may open a contractor's equipment storage facility at 6150 and 6160 Hidden Hollow Drive in Sykesville.A maximum of six pieces of equipment may be stored there, theboard ruled.Zoning appeals board OKs Eldersburg bankThe Carroll Board of Zoning Appeals has ruled that the SDC Group Inc. of Ellicott City may open a bank on 2.75 acres at the corner of Routes 26 and 32.FIRE* Hoods Mill: Sykesville responded to a transformer fire on Kabik Court at 11:06 a.m. Thursday.

Three members of Westminster's Board of Zoning Appeals and two members of the city's tree commission have been reappointed to their posts by city officials.With the unanimous approval of the Westminster CommonCouncil, Mayor Kenneth A. Yowan reappointed Romeo L. Valianti, Gary W. Beard and J. Stewart Zendgraft to the Board of Zoning Appeals on June 22.Joseph R. Barley and Jay Bogash were reappointed to the tree commission by Yowan and the five-member Common Council the same day.Pub Date: 7/01/98

The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals has approved a request by Larry R. and Joyce M. Green, of 1628 Fairmount Road, Hampstead, to enlarge an existing office for an automobile repair shop and to connect the shop with an adjoining residence by way of a deck.

The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals has given permission for Pro-Source Hardware to open in Eldersburg Business Center at 1430 Progress Way.The store is owned by Northeastern Plumbing and Heating Supply Inc. of Westminster and will be located in a building with the supply company.

The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals has given two Silver Spring residents permission to open a kennel at 3915 Boteler Road in Mount Airy.Gary and Susan Matlock want to keep five to nine purebred adult dogs on the premises and plan to build portable runs and dog houses.