In 1952, The Hooper Company filed a petition with Baltimore County to rezone roughly 115 acres of undeveloped land along Philadelphia Road — adjacent to Red House Run — from "A" Residence Zone to "F" Residence Zone. "F" zoning would allow the construction of group homes and semi-detached cottages. The petition argued that the Red House Run Interceptor Sewer made large-scale development feasible, and that the land's rugged character made individual detached homes impractical. The Zoning Commissioner initially denied group homes but granted reclassification to "D" Residence Zone. This scan contains the Notice of Appeal, the full petition text, the formal application signed by The Hooper Company, and the Commissioner's decision.
Document Contents
Transcribed from the original scanned documents. Some text may be approximate due to document age and handwriting.
Notice of Appeal (October 31, 1952)
RE: PETITION FOR RECLASSIFICATION FROM AN "A" RESIDENCE ZONE TO A "F" RESIDENCE ZONE — Property located Northeast of Intersection of Philadelphia Road and Chesaco Ave., 14th District — A.J. Seling, Chas. E. Seling, and Lawrence Seling and The Hooper Co., Petitioners
NOTICE OF APPEAL
To the Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County:
For Petitioners in the above matter, feeling aggrieved by the decision of the Zoning Commissioner, desire to appeal same to the Board of Zoning Appeals.
Please note and enter appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals of Baltimore County from the decision of the Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County in the above matter, dated the 24th day of October, 1952.
[Signed] James J. Lindsay, Attorney for Petitioners
Petition Text & Zoning Commissioner's Decision (October 27, 1952)
The property which is the subject of this petition lies to the northeast of the intersection of Philadelphia Road and Chesaco Avenue, Rosedale, and is a rolling wooded area with the exception of a small area which is predominantly cottage.
The Red House Run Interceptor Sewer which would serve this property also serves portions of the Bel Air Road and the Parkville sections. This Sewer was designed for 20 persons per acre. Information is to the effect that the pumping facilities of this sewer system on Philadelphia Road are inadequate; in addition the Interceptor is inadequate for the drainage area to be served.
Testimony introduced at the hearing by residents of the area was to the effect that the storm water drainage problem existing in Red House Run is a serious one. The State is constructing a new bridge at the intersection with Philadelphia Road, but there is considerable work to be done in addressing the present sewage and storm water drainage problems.
In view of the foregoing it is the opinion of the Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County that the reclassification of the property to allow the construction of group homes would be detrimental to the general welfare of the community.
It is ORDERED by the Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County, this 27th day of October, 1952, that the above petition for reclassification from an "A" Residence Zone to a "F" Residence Zone be DENIED. However, in accordance with the power and authority given to the Zoning Commissioner, I hereby grant the reclassification of the property from an "A" Residence Zone to a "D" Residence Zone, subject to the filing of a plan approved by the Baltimore County Planning Commission.
Petition for Zoning Re-Classification (The Hooper Company)
To The Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County —
I, or we, the undersigned (The Hooper Co. et al) legal owners of the property situate in the Fourteenth District of Baltimore County, description of which is attached hereto and made a part hereof,
hereby petition that the zoning status of the above described property be re-classified, pursuant to the Zoning Law of Baltimore County, from an "A" Residence Zone to an "F" Residence Zone.
Reasons for Re-Classification: Development of the land.
ORDERED by the Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County this 10th day of September, 1952, that the subject matter of the petition be advertised as required by the Zoning Law of Baltimore County in a newspaper of general circulation throughout Baltimore County; that the property be posted; and that the petition with hearings be held in the office of the Zoning Commissioner in the Redbird Building, in Towson, Baltimore, on the [6th] day of October, 1952 at 11:00 o'clock A.M.
Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County
Description of Land to Be Re-Classified (The Hooper Company)
DESCRIPTION OF LAND TO BE RE-CLASSIFIED FROM AN "A" RESIDENTIAL ZONE TO A "F" RESIDENTIAL ZONE — THE HOOPER COMPANY
BEGINNING for the same at the end of the third or north 67 degrees 11 minutes 20 and 16/100ths feet line of the tract of land described in deed to Ethel Hedges dated November 4, 1948 and recorded among the Land Records of Baltimore County in Liber T.S.B. No. 1376, Folio 277 and running thence and binding on the outlines of the several tracts of land comprising this development or subdivision as shown on the plat filed with the Zoning Commissioner of Baltimore County the following courses and distances:
North 39 degrees 06 minutes 40 seconds west, 396 and 43/100ths feet; north 30 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds east, 118 and 7/100ths feet; north 20 degrees 47 minutes 10 seconds west, 110 and 35/100ths feet; north 21 degrees 22 minutes 00 seconds east, 415 and 66/100ths feet; north 20 degrees 18 minutes 10 seconds west, 606 and 65/100ths feet; north 13 degrees 59 minutes 30 seconds west, 329 and 32/100ths feet; north 38 degrees 55 minutes 53 seconds east, 2359 feet; [continuing through multiple courses] ... south 45 degrees 00 minutes 00 seconds west, 302 and 6/100ths feet; south 35 degrees 38 minutes 41 seconds west, 165 feet; south 4 degrees 36 minutes 10 seconds west, 50 feet; north 40 degrees 49 minutes 08 seconds east, 328 and 29/100ths feet; and north 19 degrees 18 minutes 00 seconds east, 279 feet; thence leaving the outline of the tract and running northwesterly by a straight line 950 feet, more or less, to the place of beginning.
The courses used in describing the above tract of land are according to the True Meridian as established in the Baltimore County Interpolation District.