County Gets 547 Acre Preserve

Chalk up another score for John Leopold. He has again shown himself willing to go where the Owens' administration feared to tread. Not only has the County picked up 547 acres of the former Crownsville Hospital site from the State for free, adding to the contiguous greenway from the Patuxent Research Refuge to Waterworks Park in Annnapolis, Leopold is also in negotiations with the State to amortize the cost of remediating the remaining 100+ acres.

The previous administration, frightened away by the $25 million price tag to clean up the environmental issues looming in the antiquated hospital buildings, refused to pursue the property. Leopold's response, "The costs are there, but if we plan for the property in a measured, responsive way, we can handle those costs over time... It's important that the county hold the reins of controlling its destiny rather than leave that control at the whim of state decision-makers." I certainly agree with that sentiment, as long as he keeps Dennis Callahan away from it.

The preserve will likely be opened to passive recreation, such as hiking and bird watching, and the administration is working with DNR to allow some hunting on the property.

Giving New Life to Crownsville Hospital

Some potentially good news to take us into the weekend. The Capital reports that the Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) may be interested in converting some space at the old Crownsville Hospital into a new 40-bed mental health facility. The facility would also house services for teenagers that are currently located elsewhere on the campus.

Currently, there are only 15 beds for psychiatric patients in the entire County, and all of those are located at North Arundel Hospital in Glen Burnie. Despite getting over 160 people a month in its emergency room seeking mental health services, AAMC currently has no facilities to serve these patients. Some 70 percent of psychiatric patients end up seeking care outside the County as a result.

What we have here is a clear need on the part of the community for adequate mental health treatment facilities, a party eager to fulfill that need, and a site that is perfect for redevelopment. Let's hope this plan pans out, and that those individuals so desperately in need of top notch mental health care are able to soon receive it at these rejuvenated facilities.

First, Do No Harm

As part of its cost-cutting strategy, the State is looking for ways to get rid of the 648-acre Crownsville Hospital campus. The site, which includes nearly 550 acres of land at the headwaters of the South River that could be classified as "open space", also contains 61 buildings which will need extensive asbestos remediation and sewer repairs before they can be re-occupied. The high price tag now has County Executive Owens reconsidering her previous enthusiasm for the site, stating, "Unfortunately, the more we learn about Crownsville, the more we become convinced that a scenario may not exist under which Anne Arundel County could reasonably afford to take control of the property." A fair objection, to be sure (although the County apparently has the funds to buy and maintain Fort Smallwood Park).

Predictably, the development wolves, notably John Pantelides and his minions, are just itching to get their hands on the property. "I still see tremendous opportunities for that property," said Pantelides, his eyes aglow with dollar signs.

It's important that one way or another this land be protected. What's less important, is whether the State or the County is the entity to do it.