The BPW considered and approved the following requests and recommendations at its meeting on August 10, 2022:

Allegany County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $12,376,000 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to purchase and install new athletic field lights for the Frostburg Community Park Armory Field (Item 1A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Anne Arundel County

• a request from the Maryland Environmental Trust to ratify the donation of a perpetual conservation easement on 152 acres, survey pending, in Crownsville (Anne Arundel County property, at Farm Road and Hawkins Road) (Item 19A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $50,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure funding allocated to Anne Arundel County to replace the playground equipment and safety surfacing at Harundale-Saunders Park (Item 2A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $128,270 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to resurface two basketball courts at Truxton Park and add new basketball hoops, scoreboards, and fencing (Item 2A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $1,200,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure funding allocated to Anne Arundel County to acquire 5.16 acres for a new waterfront park in Annapolis, called Elktonia/Carr’s Beach Park. The unimproved parcel is mostly wooded and contains over 300 feet of sandy beach area with direct waterfront access on the Chesapeake Bay. This addition will provide opportunities for walking paths and public water access where it is currently limited. This acquisition will also protect an unimproved parcel from development, as well as preserve a historical site where African Americans gathered in the 1930s through the 1960s for concerts by world-renowned artists, cultural events, and family outings. This acquisition will be a partnership among the State, County, City, and the Blacks of the Chesapeake Foundation, Inc. The Board previously approved $1,630,327 in Program Open Space Local Share and $3,667,923 in Program Open Space State Share funding for the acquisition of this property (Item 2A.3 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request to enter into grant agreements for grants totaling $600,000 to the Mayor and City Council of the City of Annapolis for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of renovations to the Stanton Community Center. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 4 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda);
• A request from the Maryland Department of Health to approve a $66,145 grant to Serenity Sistas, Inc. to assist with the planning and Phase I of renovation of a Recovery Community Center, 106 Old Solomons Island Road, Annapolis, 21401. The Grantee provides recovery housing for adults with substance use disorders. The total project cost is $98,723 (Item 8 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda); and
• A request to provide a $761,538.26 grant to Anne Arundel County from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of a 106.2-acre conservation easement in the Anne Arundel South Rural Legacy Area (Tucker property). Acquisition of this conservation easement will protect productive agricultural fields and woodlands. The easement will also protect 3,100 linear feet of buffers along the headwater tributaries of Lyons Creek in the Middle Patuxent watershed. The County is paying administrative and compliance costs and will hold the easement as well. Easement value: $6,989/acre (Item 15A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Baltimore City

• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $2,500,000 grant to the Board of Directors of the Fund for Educational Excellence, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Arts at Baltimore City College. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 1 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Baltimore County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to grant $335,000 of Program Open Space statewide funds for the acquisition in fee simple of .41 acres (Martin property) in Baltimore County. This property is adjacent to Patapsco Valley State Park and will be managed by the Maryland Park Service. Acquisition will protect the Patapsco River Lower North Branch Watershed and simplify boundary management at the park along River Road (Item 13A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Caroline County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $215,125 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program for the following projects:
  • 4^th Street Park (Denton): $145,000 to purchase and install new playground equipment and safety surfacing and construct accessible walkways (Item 3A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
  • Ober Park (Greensboro): $70,125 to construct a basketball court and purchase and install perimeter fencing, courtside furnishings, and associated stormwater management (Item 3A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Carroll County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $75,000 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to purchase and install new playground equipment and safety surfacing at Christmas Tree Park in Manchester (Item 4A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $1,000,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure funding allocated to Carroll County.  This project is for  Phase 1 of a master site plan at Wakefield Valley Park in Westminster. The full project will design and construct approximately eight miles of multiuse trails, pedestrian bridges, a disc golf course and associated site amenities (Item 4A.3 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $100,000 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to purchase and install new natural playground equipment and safety surfacing at Linear Park in Sykesville. The project will also add educational elements and associated trail amenities (Item 4A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Cecil County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $1,200,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure funding allocated to Cecil County to replace Rising Sun High School’s grass surface stadium field with a synthetic turf field (Item 5A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Garrett County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $155,000 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to install new lighting for the basketball and volleyball courts at Grantsville Community Park (Item 6A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Howard County

• A request from the Maryland Department of Health to approve a $104,846 grant to iHomes, Inc.to assist with the construction of three modular homes at 8120 Hicks Road, Jessup, Maryland 20794.  These will be used to provide three 3-bedroom single family housing units for individuals with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorders. The cost of construction is $898,000 (Item 9 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Kent County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $23,866 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to resurface and repaint the basketball court and purchase new basketball hoops at Betterton Community Park (Item 7A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Montgomery County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $700,000 in funding from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure program allocated to Montgomery County to renovate Watkins Mill Recreation Area Outdoor Fitness Park. The project includes, among other things, demolishing the existing pool and bathhouse; relocating an existing playground, constructing a walking path/trail playground; and installing new outdoor fitness equipment (Item 8A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request to provide a $101,649.39grant to Montgomery County from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of a 241.50-acre conservation easement in the Upper Patuxent River Watershed Rural Legacy Area (Cooley property). Acquisition of this easement will protect valuable agricultural and forest lands. The property includes approximately 7,260 linear feet of riparian buffers along tributaries to Rocky Gorge Dam and the Patuxent River. The easement will be held by the County, which is paying administrative and compliance costs. Easement value: $8,321.86/acre (Item 18A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $100,000 grant to the Board of Directors of Montgomery Community Television, Inc. for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of the Montgomery Community Media Facility. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 2 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Prince George’s County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $195,000 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program for new playground equipment and safety surfacing at the Glen Allen Playground in Bowie (Item 9A.3 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit a total of $138,726 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program for the following projects:
  • Frederick Richardson Memorial Park (Mount Rainier): $105,726 for new playground equipment and safety surfacing. The project includes improving the pathway and installing educational signage and a new footbridge (Item 9A.1 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda);
  • Lariscy Park (Colmar Manor): $33,000 to create a new passive pocket park. Project includes regrading and reseeding, replacing the impervious pavement with pervious pavers, installing an electrical panel and street lighting, and adding seating and park amenities (Item 9A.2 of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
• A request from the Maryland Department of the Environment for new loan funding up to $65,000,000 to Prince George’s County for the Urban Stormwater Retrofit Public-Private Partnership-Phase 2 project. The funding will help the County achieve compliance with its Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Discharge Permit and the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Implementation Plan. The goal is to retrofit or install Best Management Practices to store or treat stormwater runoff to reduce pollutant loads (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, sediments) and mitigate flooding to improve water quality in local watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay. Some of the projects involve:
  • Small rain gardens
  • Large urban retrofit solutions
  • County right-of-way Best Management Practices
  • Green streets (Item 7 of the Secretary’s Agenda)

Queen Anne’s County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $23,000 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to resurface the half-mile walking trail around Roosevelt Park in Queen Anne and provide associated trail amenities (Item 10A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Talbot County

• A request to enter into a grant agreement for a $200,000 grant to the Talbot County Department of Parks and Recreation for the acquisition, planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction, site improvement, and capital equipping of athletic fields located at the Talbot County Community Center and Perry Cabin Park, including capital improvements to lighting and scoreboards. There is no matching fund requirement for this grant (Item 5 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Washington County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $148,850 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to construct a 1,700 linear feet, 6-foot wide pervious path that will connect into the Shafer Park trail network. The project will also include the purchase and installation of tables, benches, signage, bicycle racks, water fountains, landscaping, and associated amenities along the trail (Item 11A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).

Wicomico County

• A request to provide a $251,081.02 grant to Wicomico County from Rural Legacy Funds for the acquisition of an 85.82-acre conservation easement in the Quantico Creek Rural Legacy Area (Harcum property). Acquisition of this easement will protect productive agricultural land and upland forest in the Nanticoke River watershed. The easement will be jointly held by the Department of Natural Resources, the County and the Lower Shore Land Trust. Easement value: $2,685/acre (Item 17A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda); and
• A request from the Maryland Department of Health to approve a $166,250 grant to Lower Shore Clinic, Inc. for the planning and construction of a facility located at 523 East Main Street, Salisbury.  The Grantee provides services to individuals suffering from mental health disorders and co-occurring substance use disorders.  The project cost is 237,500 (Item 7 of the Department of General Services’ Office of State Procurement Agenda).

Worcester County

• A request from the Department of Natural Resources to commit $43,250 in funding from the Community Parks and Playground Program to replace the pickleball court fencing and picnic tables throughout Cypress Park (Item 12A of the Department of Natural Resources’ Real Property Agenda).