The policies of Agenda 21 have been promoted in Cecil County, MD over the last several years by various non-governmental organizations. The land use forums of 2006 brought many individuals together who are now influencing county planning decisions. Their advocacy of "smart growth" is aligned with Plan MD. Whether implemented locally or at the state level, the end result will be the same: erosion of property rights as central planners determine how and where we live. The basis of these plans runs contrary to free market principles and the right to property that our nation was founded upon.

15. LOCAL Influences 1000 Friends of Maryland- Local farmer, Previous Cecil County Commissioner, and treasurer from Commissioner Broomell’s first run for Commissioner, Phyllis Kilby, serves on the Board for 1000 Friends of Maryland.

16. LOCAL Influences From the 1000 Friends of Maryland “Guide to Stopping Bad Development”: "Variances can have major consequences. For instance, an owner planning a subdivision might apply for a variance to build an access road two feet narrower than that required by the code. A two foot variance might seem inconsequential, unless you learn that the developer does not own enough land to build the full width, and therefore needs the variance to develop the property. If that is the case, then preventing the variance may prevent the whole project."

18. 1000 Friends of MD and Plan MD Page 8 : "State-wide listening sessions have been held over the past two years, ensuring participation and input from stakeholders and the public in every region of Maryland. The next steps include synthesizing that input and drafting the plan, known as Plan Maryland. Plan Maryland is an opportunity to finally set clear visions and goals for Maryland and weave together housing needs, economic opportunity, transportation choices, food production, and environmental protection to make sure we invest efficiently in Maryland future.” http://friendsofmd.org/publications/reports-guides/growing-smarter-path-to-a-prosperous-maryland

19. 1000 Friends of Maryland Continued The push for taxpayer funded rail; less cars " Maryland needs convenient and affordable travel options that are available to everyone, in every community, at every stage of life. Even before gas prices skyrocketed, demand for services such as MARC rail in central Maryland or rural bus and shuttle service in Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore increased. And the obesity crisis is driving a renewed interest in streets and neighborhoods that encourage walking and biking.” (similar to language in Plan MD and Agenda 21 that discusses health as a reason for implementing smart growth.”

21. More info. on 1000 Friends of MD There is also info. on land preservation, TDRs (Transfer of Development Rights), subsidizing farmland, eliminating septic systems etc. You can read through and see how it parallels other similar documents (Plan MD and Agenda 21). The last page shows Maryland 2010 vs. 2030 under a smart growth scenario. 2030 looks like there is more open space than even now. What will happen to the people currently living in those areas? http://friendsofmd.org/publications/reports-guides/growing-smarter-path-to-a-prosperous-maryland

23. Land Use Forums The 21st Century Republican Club , Partnership for Cecil County, & Cecil County Democrat Club sponsored land use forums in 2006. Skip Yust (the newest member of the Planning Commission) was chair of the 21 st Century Republican Club at the time ; Rupert Rossetti , Chair of the Partnership for Cecil County, later became a founding member of CLUA ( Cecil Land Use Alliance ) . According to the CLUA website, “ CLUA is an organization of citizens and neighborhood civic groups interested in promoting smart growth in Cecil County, Maryland. The alliance grew out of the Land Use Forums that were held in 2006.” http://www.cecillanduse.org/ ; http://cecillanduse.org/clua/forum_orgs.html .

26. 2006 Cecil County Land Use Forums- Participants One presenter, Joel Dunn of The Conservation Fund , co-authored:“ Cecil County’s Green Infrastructure Plan ” http://www.conservationfund.org/sites/default/files/CecilCounty01.22.08.pdf Please look over it. This was presented to the County Commissioners in 11/2007. It is currently on file with the Cecil County Government as are other documents relating to development in Cecil County published by The Conservation Fund.

29. 2006 Cecil County Land Use Forums At one of the land use forums, Joel Dunn (Conservation Fund) cited this comment from The News Journal about a local farmer, who has associated himself with the TEA party: “_____ , who owns a fourth-generation family farm near Fair Hill, said the forum helped him gain a broader understanding of land-use issues. He said more government money should be offered to farmers such as him who are considering whether to one day sell their farms. He doesn't want to sell to a developer, he said, but he might have to if the government cannot make a viable counter-offer. ” I don't want to see it developed," said [the] 64-year-old Cecil County native, "but I've got to retire sometime”. News Journal 10 January 2006.

32. More on Land Use Forums “ Meanwhile as a volunteer for about 30 years in Baltimore, he [Pretl] was involved with more than a dozen activist community organizations involved in racial stabilization , housing and zoning issues, health care and the arts, as well as a number of progressive political clubs and election campaigns.

37. More local Phyllis Kilby's (local farmer, Board Member of 1000 Friends of MD) husband and chair of Cecil Land Trust, appealed to the commissioners on 5/10/11 to ask for financial support and other help (grant assistance, etc.) for the preservation of farmland. The goal is to put over 22% of Cecil County into permanent conservation by 2025 (This was a county decision, not a Plan MD decision).

38. Comprehensive Plan Forum- 2009 2009- Comprehensive Plan Forum: http://cecilyoungrepublican.com/2009/07/live-blog-feed-comprehensive-plan-forum/ This was a forum provided to discuss the Cecil County Comprehensive Plan (note: who is on the panel, the gentleman who wants transit centered development, comments by some of our past and present commissioners, the gentleman who thinks some people have a "hidden agenda" that is holding them up, etc)

41. Conclusions The issue is not sustainability or efficiency; the free market has always driven society to become more efficient- phones, computers, cars, etc. This is ultimately about control. Some well-meaning people do not understand the end game or the faulty premises and philosophies this idea of “sustainability” is based upon. These individuals are not bad or evil, they are just misguided, and really do not understand the importance of choices when it comes to land ownership in the USA.