July 2025 Community Meeting Recap
Note: Any changes to the minutes should be directed to secretary@upperfellspoint.org.
Hybrid Meeting
Welcome
Leadership introductions
Guest Speakers
Delegate Robbyn Lewis gave a brief introduction about our four elected legislative officials (Lewis, Edelson and Clippinger, and Bill Ferguson). Del. Lewis added that she has been a community leader in the Patterson Park neighborhood for a long time. Recent legislation included passing the budget and a bill to allow women to be exempt from jury duty if they are breastfeeding so they can care for their child if under two years of age. Then a few questions were addressed.
Question: Is there a process for legislating for more oversight on BGE and their price hikes?
Passed a package of energy bills this past session, one of which was to provide an energy rebate of about $80/household for immediate relief.
The problem is structural and long-term: oversight of BGE, the supply of energy that we don’t have direct control over.
We had to give the public service commission authority they don’t currently have to demand that energy providers justify their requests for capital investment projects for approvals. They used to have complete authority to modify houses without doing so. There are some other provisions that we passed, but more we have to take.
A question was asked about the BGE vacant substation - she is to look into their ability to own property for indefinite periods where they aren’t using it and it becomes a nuisance.
Question: concerned about poor road conditions on Pratt between Central Ave and Broadway (Perkins home development).
Street resurfacing program in Baltimore: our street surfaces are not maintained, and it’s a huge problem. In 2009, during the recession, Maryland cut budgets - school budgets, health care, and the budget for road resurfacing was cut under the highway user revenue fund. Those cuts never got restored until some in 2018 and more in 2022. There are pipelines for maintenance and repair that are funded that we fought for, and we’ll keep fighting for the resources we need that have been denied for a long time.
Baltimore City is the only jurisdiction that pays for its road maintenance and repair. Every other county gets money from the state for repair. There are other inequities Baltimore has faced: not controlling its own police or education department until recently, and still not controlling public transportation.
Delegate Edelson:
Sits on the appropriations committee, which handles funding and the budget.
Baltimore gets a larger chunk of the highway funds to repair bridges and roads through Baltimore Dept. of Transportation (DOT); we don’t have to go to the state to request funding for projects. In 2009, that budget was cut by 90%, and Baltimore lost $100M/ year for almost a decade for our roads. The legislature restored some of it in 2018 and more in 2022. For an agency like Baltimore DOT, they have to plan, but without money, there is no point in planning. 2025 is likely the first year we’ll see a significant amount of that money used now that money is coming and plans can finally be realized including over 100 miles redone. This includes roads, walking trails, bike lanes, pedestrian access, and more. The money is set at higher levels until 2028, when there is a cliff again. Your legislators will be fighting for that cliff not to happen. Even with the budget challenges we faced this year, we fought for this funding because it is so needed.
This session we came in with a $3.3B deficit, but we must pass a balanced budget. We tried to land on a compromise to raise some revenue from the wealthiest Marylanders and make some cuts elsewhere. 94% of Marylanders will not see a state income tax increase. We added $500M a year to the fund that MTA uses for improvements - 200 new positions for drivers, supervisors, mechanics, etc., and the light rail modernization program.
Question: working with Councilman Glover’s office to try to remove overhead unused wires that Comcast left. Comcast has removed some, but the bulk are old Verizon wires from landlines that no one uses - we can’t get through to Verizon even with their office’s assistance. Can your offices help?
Yes, we can do so - Verizon comes to us on a state level for things they need, we can get them to the table to help.
Question: went to the board of estimates about the water bill. Baltimore City provides filtration for six counties - our rates go up for infrastructure that’s being done, but those county rates haven’t changed since 1970. Can we look at that?
My water bill is outrageous. We have had proposed legislation for a number of years to take more control over the multi-jurisdiction water system. Those discussions have happened, Baltimore City is on board with it. I can’t say why it died but we can raise it again.
Further discussion at the end of the meeting around City control of services and change.
Discussion/Votes
Amendment 1: Add a role of technical consultant to the Camera Committee which is currently composed of the five Board members and the Safety Chair. Passed (Y-25; N-1)
Amendment 2: Allow camera hosts to view, without ability to download, historical footage from their camera instead of accessing only live feed. Passed (Y-17; N-6)
Amendment 3: Upon receiving a request for video from Baltimore City Police, any one member of the Camera/Special Committee will be authorized to release the requested video ASAP. Video will be released for major crimes that include: murder, physical assault, any gun crime, car jackings, and abduction/ kidnapping. This also will include any incident reported to Baltimore 911. Failed to pass (Y-12; N-12)
Officer Reports
Treasurer’s report was given.
Committee Reports
Beautification
Mallory Kuehn - beautification@upperfellspoint.org
Donation of four trees coming to the neighborhood: if you have ideas for tree beds, please submit them to the beautification committee.
Cleanup on July 15th at 6pm
Community Garden
Jan Mooney - communitygarden@upperfellspoint.org
Honey Happy Hour on Aug. 16th from 4-6pm - stop by! Guest speaker is a local beekeeper who will discuss the importance of pollinators and how to help and we hope to have honey for sale.
EDUCATION
Holly Gonzales - education@upperfellspoint.org
No news
FUND-RAISING
Amy Zemanick - fundraising@upperfellspoint.org
The progressive dinner is the next big event - we’ll start planning soon for a fall date, most likely November like last year.
Want to create partnerships with local businesses for smaller events: hope to have updates next month.
LADY DAY WAY
Beth Russo - ladydayway@upperfellspoint.org
We will be installing full-length art down the street and two crossing murals. Two designs were submitted - UFPIA surveyed block residents. The design has been submitted to DOT for final approval. We’ll bring it to the next meeting after it’s approved. Also will add another mural on the garage (Fieden) - had received prior approval from the owner - hope to have the project done by the end of this year.
LAND-USE
Mark Hoffmann - landuse@upperfellspoint.org
Next meeting on August 4th 7th at 7pm at the Julie Community Center (location to be confirmed)
Discussion: Council Bill 25-0066. This would change to zoning regulations. Will have further discussion at the next meeting, sorting out details to change requirements to conversion of single family homes, eliminate parking requirements, allow building heights to change on certain streets.
Safety (sub-committee)
Dan Harrison - safety@upperfellspoint.org
Making progress for National Night Out for August 5th. The 300 block of S. Chapel St. should be cleaned up in time.
Good music and food - fire and police and some delegates in attendance too
MEDIA
Jan Mooney - newsletter@upperfellspoint.org
We have a new section on the website called Resources, if you want to see other items contact Jan.
Newsletter deadline for Aug. is July 27th at 5pm.
STREETS (Formerly called Traffic & Parking)
Stephen Porter - trafficparking@upperfellspoint.org
Working on a parking survey. Need volunteers to monitor Eastern and S Broadway
A Transportation Guide is posted on our website - Resources — Upper Fell's Point Improvement Association
committee meeting on Tuesday July 29 at the Ministry of Brewing to discuss the results of the parking survey and actions to take. Please fill out the survey! This data is very helpful in making decisions.
Transportation map is a new feature on the website to show transportation options within walking distance (see Resources tab).
NEW BUSINESS
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
To vote on issues at a meeting, you must have paid your current dues (based on calendar year beginning in January), attended 2 of the preceding 11 meetings, live in our boundaries and be age 18 and/or attended UFPIA sponsored events/activities per our Meeting & Voting Regulations.
