C.A.R.L. (Calvert Alliance for Responsible Leadership) burst upon the scene this election year. It claims to be a “non-partisan community interest group” which does not “support or endorse any candidates for political office”. Those statements are, at a minimum, disingenuous. In fact, a sister organization, CARL-PAC, a political action committee, is raising funds for precisely the purpose of supporting or endorsing candidates in the upcoming elections.
Since CARL-PAC is intent on becoming a big player in these elections, it behooves voters to take a good hard look at this group. We are assisted by the fact that CARL, in a full-page ad on page A-12 of the Calvert Recorder of June 23rd, 2006, listed its 7 principles. Embracing these principles by County Commissioner candidates will result in receipt of campaign financing from CARL-PAC. The principles might suggest to the uninformed that we, in Calvert County, are in Big Trouble, requiring a CARL-FIX. One might get to thinking that we are in a residential and business growth backwater. Of course, those of us who venture forth from our homes know better.
A look at facts clearly refutes CARL’s pessimism. For the period 4/1/2000 to 7/1/2005, Calvert County ranked first in Maryland in population growth with a 17.9% increase to a current total of 87,925! Between 2000 and 2004, Calvert was the 99th fastest-growing county in the entire United States, the only Maryland County within the top 100. While jobs in the U.S. as a whole from 2000 through 2004 were increasing by 0.88%, and jobs in Maryland by 1.48%, jobs in Calvert County increased by 4.2%, ranking us a very close second in Maryland for the period. Yet, with all this growth, Calvert remains a wonderful place to live, to raise a family, to retire. Why? Several planning tools applied over the past 20 years, consistent with the comprehensive plan, have led to the management of growth and the preservation of land.
Chief among them might be the Town Center concept, to direct growth and limit strip commercial development, with the residents in each Town Center having considerable input on the local Master Plan and whether or not such infrastructure as water and sewer would be allowed there. A second tool would be access control along arterial roads. Another is land preservation tools, including clustering and the use of TDRs. A fourth would be design control and architectural review in the Town Centers.
In all, there has been a consistent land management strategy for over 20 years, supported by the citizenry, which has elected representatives who would adopt and stick with comprehensive plans. Without these elements, we would be living in Waldorf II.
But, despite this extraordinary and well-managed growth, there are some who have never seen a strip center, a large housing development, or garden apartments that they didn’t like. Not surprisingly, they usually tend to be builders, developers and realtors and other business people—folks with a personal monetary interest in growth. Like the 400 malcontents who flocked to the banner of Fremont in Lincoln’s re-election campaign, they have flocked to CARL.
And now, a look at the 7 principles of CARL:
1. Balanced Decision Making – The problem is seen by CARL as a failure of leaders capable of balancing residential, commercial, environmental, and quality of life concerns. The CARL solution is to support public officials whose actions demonstrate “their care for the viability of the county”.
Comment: There is no question that existing public officials are mindful of environm