New Trees for the Neighborhood

Baltimore, MD, September 22, 2017 - While most urban communities throughout the U.S. are losing tree canopy cover due to a wide variety of threats – including insects, disease, and storms – Baltimore is bucking the trend. Between 2007 to 2015, the City of Baltimore saw a small increase in its urban tree canopy cover.

Data analyzed by the U.S. Forest Service in collaboration with the City of Baltimore and the University of Vermont show that the city’s urban tree canopy inched up from 27 percent to 28 percent between 2007 and 2015. Tree canopy is the extent of the outer layers of leaves, or canopy, of a tree or group of trees. Percentage of tree canopy cover measures the portion of an area that has tree coverage when viewed or measured from above. While the increase in tree canopy is not dramatic, it is a meaningful step in the right direction, according to Morgan Grove, a research forester and team leader in the Forest Service’s Baltimore Field Station.
TCNA continually works to increase tree cover in the neighborhood. See below for recent tree plantings...

SIGNS: Zoning exception requested for a 28 foot tall sign at the Academy (Case# BMZ2022 00434)

April 18: TCNA was notified about the proposed huge, illuminated sign at 3700 North Charles. TCNA contacted the Northern District Planner for more information and advised her to contact the St. James Condo Association.

April 25: The St. James Condo Association announced they are vigorously opposing this request and planned to hire a lawyer.

April 26: TCNA received additional information from the Planning Department about the sign and current zoning information.

May 2: TCNA contacted Councilwoman Odette Ramos to express opposition to the sign and got suggestions about how to proceed.

May 3: TCNA Board unanimously supported the St. James Association in opposing this request.

May 6: TCNA sent a special ACTION ALERT to 630 neighbors requesting everyone to send emails opposing the sign immediately and posted information about the sign on the TCNA website.

May 20: TCNA May newsletter included more information about the proposed sign and again requested neighbors to get others to support the effort.

Throughout May: The Planning Department and BMZA received at least 100 emails from all parts of the neighborhood and beyond.

May 31: TCNA talked to the Academy management and was advised that the project was on hold indefinitely. No hearing and no further action are required.

Thank you to everyone who helped with this effort. Without the quick notification from Marie Anderson, the City Planner, the neighborhood effort would not have happened as quickly as it did.

Calvert Lower School: New Addition, 2023

NEW: Two-Story Addition Behind Lower School
Calvert School has informed TCNA of their plans to construct a 2 story addition on the rear of the lower school. The footprint will be on their current property that has been used as an asphalt playground for the lower school. The two added classrooms are for music and science and will not be visible from Tuscany Road. There is no enrollment increase intended for the expansion of the classrooms.

Access to the property is located on a current driveway from Canterbury Road. The preliminary image is attached yet no definitive plans are finalized. TCNA will be updated routinely with a one month look ahead of the work. The TCNA Liaison Committee will communicate neighborhood concerns and expect Calvert School to abide by all city ordinances.

39th Street Traffic Calming

Did you know that ...
- Over 1,000 people cross 39th Street, west of Canterbury, on any given day. At the busiest times, over 200 may cross in a single hour.
- Approximately 8,000 cars pass through this portion of 39th Street on any given day.
- TCNA and the Broadview worked together to put the patio, tables, and chairs in the 39th St. median for area residents and visitors to use.

Planned landscaping and streetscape improvements on 39th Street from University Parkway to Canterbury Road include traffic calming.
The project is scheduled to take place in four phases:
2017: Phase 1 (complete). The Broadview has an MOU with the city to provide plantings and maintain them on the median between Stony Run and University Parkway.
2019: Phase 2: (complete) paved area constructed and tables provided by the Broadway for the community to use.
2022: Phase 3: (current phase) A traffic calming plan has been submitted to the Baltimore City transportation department to include speed 'tables', street markings, crosswalks and bump outs between University Parkway and the Canterbury Rd roundabout.

The NEW Hopkins Market

Hopkins Market MOU December 15, 2022
Hours of the liquor license for the restaurant
6AM to 12AM Sunday - Thursday
6AM to 12AM Friday & Saturday and a few holidays

Hours for the sale of liquor from the package good area
9AM - 11PM Sunday - Thursday
9AM - 12AM Friday & Saturday and a few holidays
In addition to the hours of operation, the MOU contains language about:
Delivery of alcohol
Signage
Deliveries to the establishment
Delivery by establishment to customers
Management of outside delivery services
Customer parking
Noise and disturbances by customers
Outside seating
Complete MOU will be posted here by January 2023

University Parkway

Updates about Plans for University Parkway

The long-term vision is a precursor to a more substantial capital project that will allow us to rebuild University Parkway using more durable, environmentally-conscious, and aesthetically-pleasing materials. We’ll keep what we like, change what we don’t like, and transform University Parkway into a safer, quieter, and greener community amenity that forms a better transition from Tuscany-Canterbury into the JHU Homewood Campus.

This month (March 2022), the big news was the release of the city’s long-awaited plans for resurfacing University Parkway from Charles Street to the 39th Street/San Martin Drive intersection.

Neighborhood Garden Projects

The TCNA designs plants and maintains four neighborhood gardens: the Tuscany Oval (intersection of Tuscany and Ridgemede); the garden at 39th and Canterbury; the Garden at the Stony Run Bridge (at Linkwood and Stoney Run rd), and the Ridgemede Elbow Garden (at the right angle bend on Ridgemede rd).

TCNA member Charles Brenton, Professional Landscape Architect has been working with the Greens Committee and advising us on ways we can improve our gardens.

Calvert School Conservation Easement Plan

The shaded area on the drawing above shows the Forest Conservation Easement area. This area is 1.4 acres of the 2.7 acres that were purchased by Calvert School in 2018. The agreed upon TCNA/Calvert buffer zone remains, plus additional land was included in the Forest Conservation Easement. This easement permanently runs with the land and was approved by the Baltimore City Planning Commission on June 26, 2021