People speak about new car dealership, dog policy at public forum

Residents took their place in front of the microphone during Tuesday’s public forum to voice their concerns over a number of issues.

A total of 11 speakers signed up, with four of them speaking on the recent changes to animal ordinances, and three discussing the proposed car dealership at the Route 4 and 235 intersection.

Bridget Lawrence of California spoke about the flooding in the Woodland Acres neighborhood, near a proposed Honda and Kia dealership, and distributed photos to the commissioners.

“We want to go on record stating our concerns about the impact this development is having on our neighborhood,” she said.

“There are a lot of concerns about that [dealership],” Jay Armsworthy of California said. “The big thing that everybody’s talking about is stormwater. There’s a lot of extra drainage and it seems like the culvert’s not handling the water run-off. And now we have the car wash so is that going to bring in an excess of water in our community?”

Lexington Park resident Troy Cowan discussed Monday night’s planning commission meeting, which voted to approve the dealership’s concept site plan.

“The issues that kept coming up last night were traffic, storm drainage, adequate passage for kids and those are county-wide issues, they aren’t project-specific issues,” he said. “I’m asking that we get more aggressive, but we need to get more aggressive about getting state-funded grants into the county so we can address those infrastructure issues.”

Other speakers were hoping to get a clearer picture on the county’s new animal ordnances.

Part of the county’s new animal control policy approved last week requires people to register all dogs with a free license or face up to a $250 fine.

Sherry Russell of Abell wondered about a five-dog limit and asked how the county would clarify who needs a kenneling license and whether there would be a fee involved.

“How are you going to check and make sure people [have just five dogs?],” she said. “Is it just going to be the backyard breeders that are dumping these animals to be someone else’s responsibility, or are the good animal owners, are they going to be penalized as well?”

Russell, who said she volunteers with a reputable rescue which recently received more than 20 puppies and their mothers in a one-month span, added, “The euthanasia rate is off the charts right now, and without fosters taking in animals it’s only going to get worse.”

Brianna Stotler of Lexington Park also questioned the five-dog limit.

“How are we going to make sure that all these pet owners are aware that five dogs is your limit? Why is five dogs your limit?” she asked. “There are some people I know that can’t handle one. I think it should go case by case. Having multiple [animals] doesn’t mean we don’t take care of them. It means we care more because we put in so much work.

Dog trainer Michelle Gray of Lexington Park said animal control has a hard job but the focus should be on “those backyard breeders, the Amish, bless their hearts. We have to focus on those [owners] because they are the ones that are putting these puppies out.”

California resident George Sparrow requested street lights at the entrance and exit to his Elizabeth Hill neighborhood, citing dangers os driving, especially at night.

“I would rather the county be proactive than reactive,” he said, and added he received a follow-up email about the matter that was “very vague.”

Lexington Park resident Linda Thomas suggested building tiny homes to help ease the housing shortage.

Speaker Mary Ludwig spoke about assassinations over the years and the recent attempt on Donald Trump, and pleaded with people to get along.

“That’ll give you the best feeling in the world,” she said, “so can we all please try and forget Republicans, forget Democrats, forget independent. Think people united together to help each other.”