Shameful.

What's shameful is Vicki Almond's belief that some how business owners don't have the same rights as individuals. When residents fight something in their neighborhood to protect their property values, that's the American democractic process. When a business or commercial property owner defends their property values, some how that's un-Democratic. No wonder Virginia and Pennsylvania get more new jobs than Maryland. We're such a business unfriendly State even at the County level.

How exactly does an office building owner make his goods and services more appealing when one new project approved by the County makes the traffic fail at his front entrance? Are you saying - tough luck - know you're buildings been there for over a decade but now your traffic pattern doesn't work?

Maryland - how about the resident of Owings Mills who owns the Safeway Center - should he be outraged that Solo will make his center so much less valuable. At least be reasonable and see the other side - even if you don't agree with it.

My husband and I were asked to sign this petition in the parking lot of Sam's Club in Owings Mills. We signed it but of course the guy collecting signatures was not honest about it. If we had know that the developer of Owings Mills Mall was behind this petition, we would not have signed it. There is plenty of room in Owings Mills for Foundry Row and Owings Mills Mall. The developer/owner of Owings Mills Mall needs to rework it since past history has shown that it is not a good mall. Make it like Hunt Valley or the avenue at White Marsh. I know that if this makes it to referencum, we will vote against it. Shame on you for this petition and not telling the truth!

You missed my point, Blue Alpha. Opposition is fine if a business owner wants to own up to it, but faking a grassroots movement and pretending the community opposes the project that he's competing with is pathetic.

I have yet to meet one person opposed to WEGMANS coming into Owings Mills.
Everyone I have talked to signed that stupid petition (WAS LIED TO)!
Either way.....Wegmans will be coming to Owings Mills and to the SOLO Site and not to the Mall Crappy Site...
The mall owners after 30 years failed to do anything good with the mall and so now they are looking for sympathy from the community....After their big announcement 2 years ago that they will start work ASAP..? What have any of you seen happen at the mall? Here...I will answer.....5 Jewelry thefts.....Organized retail crime to Macy's and JCP.....there is 1 security gaurd who is 80 that walks the mall...The mall is flooded after it rains....they put buckets every 5 feet to keep the water in....
So again, I ask what has the mall done to show they are willing to do anything there. They are hiding behind the facts that a new store wants to open up and we as the community want it bad and need it.
The economy is bad we all know this. Why not welcome a new business when times are so tough?

I would welcome a Wegmans to my community! The shopping center in Timonium that has Wegmans gets my business all the time, especially Greetings and Readings. It's a well laid out, pleasant place to shop. Malls? Yawn. Yes, I will admit I love Boscov's, but not enough to really spend time in the mall at White Marsh. The mall is filled with foul mouthed, unattended teens and I can't imagine Owings Mills mall being any more 'dead' than it was the last time I was out there, which was years and years ago. Malls are boring, outdated concepts and places like the Avenue and others like it are the new shopping way.

If you feel you were misled about the petition you signed, request to have your name removed:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=508103515867269&set=a.442166749127613.105954.442104229133865&type=1&theater

Perhaps if enough individuals write to the elections board, they will realize many aspects of the petiton were fraudelent and dishonest.

We live in a Republic, not a Democracy....the majority does not rule...the rule of law does. The outcome of this powerful developer debate,(or war) will ultimately be determined by law, not citizens. The illusion continues...

So, let's suppose Mr Brown is able to stop zoning for Wegmans and other retail in Foundry Row. Doesn't he realize this would hurt prospects for his Metro Centre, etc.? Wouldn't people be more likely to want to live in the apartments there, if they had such a desireable store nearby? And, am I wrong to believe that, under existing zoning, GG could just develop the Row as an office center in competition with Brown's Metro? Mr Brown needs to shake the cobwebs out of his bean.

You have no clue how groceries work. The busiest times are right after work and weekends. Mr. Brown's portfolio includes huge holdings in Owings Mills. If, sorry, when Wegmans' traffic (most of which according to GG will come from outside of Owings Mills) clogs local roads, all of his properties will be devalued. People wil parachute into Wegmans and then get out of the area. Local people will avoid those roads and areas. Heck - a good chunk of Hunt Valley is empty with a Wegmans and the restaurants there thrive on the movie business. You just don't understand the issues you're talking about.

It's shameful how these signatures are uptained. The person asked if i would sign, would not give me a second to read the petition. Repeated his spiel 3 times and when I said no I don't have time to read the petition, he argued then repeated another three times that im not voting on anything today all I have to do is sign it. Its disgusting, let's intimidate a mom walking with 2 two year olds.

Mr. Burton:

You seem to have adopted a "Wegmans at any cost" mentality. Why can't you understand that a failing intersection will mean devastation to all projects? And, that is what surely will happen if Foundy Row is built at that corner. You have stars in your eyes when Wegmans is mentioned and you don't seem to be able to think rationally. Stand on that corner during rush hour some day this week and envision three Wegmans (the equivalent of what they hope to build) sitting there and get back to me on your thoughts.

I dont live across the street so traffic will not bother me or my family..
I dont drive on Reisterstown Rd nor am I worried about a little traffic..
I guess you guys want buildings to just stand there with no vision..
check out the old furniture store near bed bath and beyond...or the franks building or krispy kremes across street from solo or shoppers building and movie theater...
these are the buildings that stand and this is how they will stand because of people like you who dont see that in this economy you take what you can get...
this is a positive for the area not a negative...
a little traffic near your home will depreciate your house that you live in? get a life...
do you live across the street? I dont think you do...how will this depreciate your house...?
There are homes within a 5 mile radious of the wegmans in hunt valley and the community loves it.
Ask anyone in the area, they dont oppose a little traffic especially since the solo location property builders have plans....what plans does the mall owners have that you all follow?

People have to realize that SOMETHING is going to go in at the the corner of Reisterstown and Painters Mill. The idealists want a PARK - that would mostly be used by addicts and people with guns... and victims. That would certainly be great for area business. Anything else is going to involve traffic problems. So, if it's Wegmans, many people will drop in on their way home from work. Won't rush hour be largely over by the time they leave, so won't it effectively just spread the rush over a longer period, with less volume at any given moment? Isn't that better than all offices, for example, where all the workers are entering or leaving at a certain hour in the morning and again in the evening?

Yes -- the EQUIVALENT of three Wegmans.

Wegmans is 140,000 square feet of space. Foundry Row is about 400,000 square feet of space. That's 260,000 additional space feet composed of clothing stores, liquor stores, book stores, fitness centers, restaurants and anything else you would like to imagine.

And, that means lots of traffic.

My biggest issue with the opponents to Wegman's trying to get this issue as a referendum is that people in Baltimore County who have no reason to be voting on it will have the ability to control what comes to Owings Mills. Why should a Dundalk or Catonsville resident have any say whatsoever about whether a Wegman's comes to Owings Mills. This was resolved with the County Council vote. Now the opponents need to live with it and move on. If you disapprove, don't shop there.

It is my understanding if it goes to referdum, it will affect ALL zoning for this session...which means Nothing that has been passed would be valid.
Dear Mr Brown ad Co. I think you just shot your selfish self in the foot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So all of the people dying for Wegmans - please tell me your vision for filling the inevitable empty Giant and Safeway. While you're at it - fill the empty Bed Bath and Beyond as they're supposed to move to Foundry from the Toys R Us Center. Also, fill the empty Best Buy when HH Gregg goes to Foundry. What about filling all the empty liquor store spaces when a 10,000 square foot Wegmans family owned liquor store opens up next to Wegmans. I could go on. They can't keep Hunt Valley full but somehow this one project is going to magically cure what woes Owings Mills. Get real.

Really, Michael? You think this is an Owings Mills-only issue? My goodness you don't seem to be paying attention. It is about the zoning process being hi-jacked and community members bypassed. All it took was to convince one councilperson -- then the rest (absent one) followed like soldiers. This is about protecting the interests of all Baltimore County businesses. The referendum actually places this back in the hands of the citizens, where it should be. One day you might understand that.

So what you are saying is....if a store wants to come to DUNDALK...I SHOULD CARE?
LMAO!!
I DONT CARE WHAT GOES INTO A DUNDALK LOCATION
I CARE ABOUT REISTERSTOWN/PIKESVILLE/OWINGS MILLS!
Dundalk folks should not be voting on a WEGMANS Coming to owings mills!

the ones who dont support WEGMANS are people who want empty buildings in the area...
look at OWINGS MILLS MALL...30 years it has taken for someone to speak out....
1 security gaurd....pot holes,no stores, no workers, disgusting, crime, etc etc etc..
this is what you want I see...

One thing I'm not clear on: does this referendum even apply to zoning decisions already made? If it does, every zoning decision in Districts 2 and 6 is at risk and must be referred to the public of the county as a whole for a final decision (except then it can go to the courts and make the lawyers happy).

O, and by the way....the lawyers DO love it...Smith clan included..

Yada, yada. So many fervent opinions expressed with sound and fury, yet so little awareness of the complex, interrelated issues involved.