Blandair Regional Park
Capital Project N3102
Advisory Committee and Howard County Support Staff
Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule
Project Description
Facilities
2008 Design Process
Project Schedule
Public Participation
2003 Master Plan
Click here to view the 2003 Master Plan
2008 Master Plan (NEW!)
Click here to view the 2008 Master Plan
Introduction
Blandair Regional Park is a proposed County park facility to be centrally located on a 300-acre parcel of land in Columbia. The project intends to preserve over 200 acres of forest, wetlands, meadows, and a historic farm complex, while providing active and passive recreation experiences. The unique site promises to afford opportunities for learning about the County’s agrarian roots, for children to delight in nature, and for enthusiasts to recreate in the outdoors - right in Columbia’s backyard. Site Map
The land was purchased in August 1998 with funds from the County as well as from the State’s Program Open Space. A 23-member citizen Blandair Planning Committee deliberated over a 19-month period to develop a Master Plan that was presented at three public meetings and approved in 2003. Click here to see the Master Plan. The State granted two Bond Bills in 2004 and 2005 for the restoration of the Blandair Mansion, and work was begun by the National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Training Center on repairs to the 150-year old structure. In 2007, the County began a search for a qualified design and engineering firm to update and refine the Master Plan and develop detailed construction plans for the regional park.
In March 2008, the Department of Recreation and Parks and the Department of Public Works selected Whitman Requardt and Associates, LLP, (WR&A) a Baltimore-based firm, to provide engineering and design services. Click here for more information about WR&A. At the same time, the County Executive appointed a new citizen Advisory Committee to assist with the project. The Committee is composed of citizens whose varied backgrounds and interests will provide valuable input into the development of the design. The members also represent the interests of the surrounding communities, as well as including a student representative. Their meetings, which began on March 12, are open to the public. There will be a general public meeting in September; comments are welcome.
Advisory Committee and Howard County Support Staff
Committee members and affiliation or area of expertise:
Tony Brudis – Civil Engineer – Vice Chair, Recreation and Parks Advisory Board
Randy Clay – Urban Planner, Department of Planning and Zoning
Mary Catherine Cochran – President, Preservation Howard County
Robert N. Cummings – Department of Housing and Community Development, Long Reach Resident
Alexander Sandy Curtis – Urban Planning, Construction – Glenmont Homeowners Assoc.
James H. Eacker – Howard County Conservancy
Frank Eastham – Principal, Oakland Mills High School
Paul Farragut – Former County Councilman, Environmentalist
Steven Fishman – Community Representative
Roger M. Gabin – Computer Scientist/Systems Engineer – Scout Leader - Long Reach Resident
David Grabowski – Elkridge Youth Association, Elkridge Adult Athletic Association, Chairman of the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board
Joan C. Lancos – Village of Hickory Ridge – 10 years on Howard County Planning Board and Recreation and Parks Advisory Board, Member of the Robinson Nature Center Planning Committee
Cathy Latham – Oakland Mills Village Board, Master Gardener
Joshua Manley – Student Representative – Sophomore, Howard High School
Sally Scott Marietta - IBM, formerly with State Economic Development – Oakland Mills resident
Bridget R. Mugane – Attorney – Former President of the Hawkins Farm Community Association – Former Member of the Long Reach Village Board - President of Howard County Citizen’s Association
Ina Lou Parlette – Former resident of Blandair, who was born there, historical interest
Wesley Queen - Legislative Assistant to Maryland State Delegate Frank Turner
Sylvia Ramsey – State Department of Transportation – resident of Long Reach
Jim Sandborn - Agricultural Researcher and Developer
Maurice Simpkins – Member of Board of Appeals; Former Regional President of Ryland Homes
Sarah Uphouse – Long Reach Village Manager
Howard County Support Staff
Ron Lepson - Chief, Bureau of Engineering, Department of Public Works
Steven Sharar - Chief, Division of Transportation and Special Projects, Department of Public Works
Mark Kovach - Project Manager, Department of Public Works
Raul Delerme - Chief, Division of Capital Projects and Park Planning, Department of Recreation and Parks
Clara L. Gouin, R.L.A. - Park Planner, Department of Recreation and Parks
Doris J. Bedsaul - Recording Secretary, Secretary to the Director, Department of Recreation and Parks
Brenda L. Mercado - Administrative Support Technician II, Capital Projects and Park Planning, Department of Recreation and Parks
Advisory Committee Meeting Schedule
| March 12, 2008 7 p.m. |
Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room |
| April 23, 2008 7 p.m. |
Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room |
| May 14, 2008 7 p.m. |
Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room Click here to view the Meeting Minutes Click here to view the PowerPoint Presentation (this is a rather large PDF and may take a few moments to open) |
| June 25, 2008 7 p.m. |
Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room |
| September 11, 2008 7 p.m. |
Public Meeting at Oakland Mills High School Auditorium Click here to view the "Topics" as a result of this meeting Click here to view the "Q and A" Document A summary of this Public Meeting is available upon request |
|
September 17, 2008 |
Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room |
|
October 6, 2008 |
Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room |
| October 15, 2008 7:30 p.m. |
Public Meeting with Recreation and Parks Board; Department of Recreation and Parks Conference Room |
The property to be developed as Blandair Regional Park is located on both sides of Route 175, between Route 29 and Interstate-95, just one mile east of Columbia Town Center. It is surrounded by residential development as a result of the growth of the New Town area around the perimeter of a traditional agricultural operation. The larger of three parcels, the North Area, contains almost 200 acres of open meadows, forests and wetlands, as well as the farm complex with its large manor house, barns, and several smaller outbuildings. The South Area contains almost 100 acres and consists mostly of open farm fields. The smallest parcel of 11 acres is known as the Woodlot, and, as the name suggests, has a mature stand of trees that will be one of the areas retained as a natural forest.
The farm traces its beginnings to lands granted to the Talbot family in colonial times, and it was later owned by members of the Dorsey, Howard, and Weems families. In 1845, Theodorick Bland, Chancellor of Maryland, purchased it and named it “Blandair.” His family owned it until after the Civil War, when it changed hands a number of times, eventually becoming a dairy farm and finally a horse farm when the Smith family bought it in 1937. The last residing owner, Nancy Smith, passed away in 1997 and the farm, long having ceased operations, was purchased by Howard County with assistance from the State’s Program Open Space in 1998 for use as a park. Legal challenges ensued, delaying planning efforts for the next three years. After court affirmation of the County’s ownership, repairs of the deteriorated facilities could begin. A Historic Easement was placed on 28 acres that contain the farm structures, and restoration work is underway under a separate contract with the National Park Service.
In 2001, a committee of 23 citizens was appointed to advise the County on the direction it should take in developing the park. The Blandair Planning Committee deliberated for over a year and a half, considering multiple issues regarding the park.
The County commissioned several studies: a Traffic Study, a Forest Delineation Study, a Wetland Study, and a Hazardous Waste Assessment. Experts in various areas were invited to address the committee on pertinent topics.
Three sub-committees were established to address 1) historic preservation; 2) environmental protection and nature; and 3) active recreation. Access to the park from Route 175 and other local roads, as well as bicycle and pedestrian pathways, and a highway overpass to connect the two areas of the park were discussed extensively.
The Committee determined that the North Area should feature historical interpretation, preserve natural areas, and provide predominately passive recreation and nature education. It also could provide space for occasional large outdoor gatherings. They determined that the South Area should provide more facilities for active recreation, as well as preserve its natural areas.
Three conceptual plans were created and discussed, and one concept was chosen to be modified. The final plan was presented before three public meetings, and adopted as the Master Plan in August, 2003.
The facilities chosen for inclusion in the Master Plan by the Advisory Committee reflect the unique characteristics of this special property, as well as provide for the recreational needs and expressed desires of Howard County citizens for specific activities. Click here to see a list of facilities.
The majority of the land is preserved to protect sensitive environmental features such as small streams, ponds, wetlands, forest stands, hedgerows and meadows that will provide quiet places for nature study and contemplation, as well as including approximately five miles of trails and pathways. The pathways will connect with the existing pathway network. A small nature center will concentrate on backyard and meadow wildlife, with an observation deck and nature activity room. A Children’s Garden will provide three to four acres of creative child-level and hands-on flower and garden experiences. The historic Blandair Mansion will be renovated to provide rooms for meetings, social gatherings and classes, in addition to displaying historic information about the evolution of the agrarian lifestyle of Howard County. The garden/orchard area behind the mansion will be restored as a place to stroll or be seated outdoors. The farm’s outbuildings, including a smokehouse, slave cabin, springhouse, tenant houses, three barns, and several small sheds — all clustered in the central farmstead area — will provide actual examples of a working farm’s structures, and an authentic background for historic re-enactments.
In addition, one of the tenant houses will be rehabilitated as the residence for a live-in caretaker, and the inside of another — the handsome stone house — will be used as a gift store/refreshment stop. Open areas in the two larger barns will be used for activities such as barn-dances and picnics. A smaller barn, the Granary, will be restored to illustrate the processes involved in harvesting, threshing, and storing grain products—all important activities of 19th century farm production.
A total of six picnic shelters are situated throughout the North and South areas, each with built-in restrooms to conveniently serve the various outlying activities. In addition to providing a place for picnics, the shelters will also provide protection from the sun for the four playgrounds nearby. One of the playgrounds in the South Area will be a large facility with many activities. Accessible features will be provided at all playgrounds.
Large open fields near Route 175 in the North Area will be used as a Festival Area for periodic events, such as historic reenactments, or farm and harvest fairs, with their associated temporary parking needs. Most of the time, they will simply be open fields for informal play, such as kite-flying. Other large fields in the North Area will be retained as natural meadows in conjunction with the nature center.
There will be a total of three multipurpose fields in the South Area. They will be used for games such as soccer, lacrosse and football. The South area will also have two baseball/softball fields. The fields in the South Area are adjacent to Oakland Mills High School and can be easily walked to or biked to from the school grounds. Other facilities include four horseshoe pits and a bank of six tennis courts in the South Area, and one outdoor volleyball court near the picnic facilities in the North Area.
There will also be a Multipurpose Building in the South Area that will include indoor recreation facilities for activities such as basketball, as well as rooms for park programs and meetings, in addition to restrooms. We anticipate carrying through a uniform and compatible design theme for all new architectural features at Blandair.
Support facilities for the park will include a Maintenance Building in the South Area, in addition to park roads, parking lots, and storm water management facilities, such as bio-retention areas.
WR&A and the Advisory Committee will begin to update and refine the existing Master Plan by examining any new issues that may have an effect on the plan, such as any new environmental regulations. For example, the County intends to pursue Green Building standards so that the project will receive appropriate LEED Certification. The Committee and consultants will also resolve any issues that were deferred for future consideration, such as the method of interchange with, and/or bridging, of Route 175. There will be a New Traffic Study, as well as new Forest and Wetland Delineations and new public input will be received at scheduled public meetings.
When the revised Master Plan has been developed and approved, WR&A will prepare a Site Development Plan (SDP) for the first phase of construction. The SDP must pass a stringent County examination and review processes to assure that all environmental, safety and engineering design criteria have been satisfactorily met.
WR&A will then prepare Construction Documents, consisting of Plans and Specifications, for building the first Phase of the park. The Construction Documents are also subject to careful plan review. Architectural plans for any structures will be submitted for review by the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Permits before a Building Permit is issued.
When all applicable permits are obtained, the project will be advertised for bids from qualified contractors. Following an approved bidding process, the County will award a contract for construction. Groundbreaking and field work will then proceed.
When the constructed project has passed final inspections, we anticipate a ribbon-cutting ceremony that will officially open a portion of Blandair Regional Park for the enjoyment of the public.
The project schedule from the start of Advisory Committee deliberations until the opening of the first section of the park is anticipated to be completed within 18 months.*
Phase I will be located in the South Area and is proposed to contain the following amenities: 3 multi-purpose fields, 1 playground, 1 shelter/restroom, 1 parking lot.
- Advisory Committee assembled - March 2008
- Consultant under contract - March 2008
- Master Planning competed - November 2008
- Site Development Plan submitted to Department of Planning and Zoning - February 2009
- Site Development Plan approval - September 2009
- Final Construction Documents for Phase I - September 2009
- Building Permit submitted for Phase I - September 2009
- Building Permit approval for Phase I - December 2009 -
- Advertise for Construction Bids for Phase I - December 2009
- Receive Construction Bids for Phase I - January 2010
- Groundbreaking – Start Construction for Phase I - March 2010
- Ribbon-Cutting and Opening of Phase I - October 2010
*Please note: all dates are proposed and are subject to change.
The Advisory Committee, the County and the design consultant (WR&A, LLP) encourage you to monitor this web site for project updates, attend public meetings and provide comments through this web site.
If you wish to comment on the information provided in this website, please contact Raul Delerme.
The County will also accept written comments directed to:
Gary J. Arthur, Director, Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks, 7120 Oakland Mills Road, Columbia MD 21046.
You are also welcome to contact the Department’s Capital Project and Park Planning Division at 410-313-4685 for more information or to provide comments. Please visit this website for future updates including dates for upcoming meetings.
We encourage you to be part of this unique project.
Past public meetings:
Three Public Meetings were held to discuss the Blandair Master Plan in 2003. A total of 274 people attended the meetings, and 78 people provided testimony. The meeting locations were all within the boundaries of the Blandair Service Area.
For a Synopsis of the Public Meetings held July 22, July 29 and August 5, 2003, click here.
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