For the last few years, a coalition that includes The Frederick County Association of REALTORS®, The Chamber of Commerce, citizens groups, the local Builders Association, and the Farm Bureau have joined together to oppose the Sugarloaf Treasured Landscape Management Plan (STLMP). The plan is filled with proposed governmental policies and regulatory actions that infringe on private property rights, siphon values and could result in unwarranted land use and zoning restrictions to landowners causing undue harm to citizens.
Last summer while discussing the issue with one of the agents in my office, he reminded me of what we learn in real estate school ~ " the bundle of rights ". This inspired my mission for a series of PSA blogs to raise public awareness of the consequences if the proposed plan were to be adopted. I used these blogs in emails to neighbors, posted them on websites and social media pages, and in text messages.
The lame-duck County Council had a deadline of the end of October to adopt or remand the plan back to the Planning Commission. As a decision came down to the wire the series of blogs helped get the word out and many local residents responded by writing letters and showing up to testify at the public hearings. The County Council voted to amend the down zoning out of the plan and remand the overlay portion back to the Planning Commission before adopting the STLMP. Now the goal is to elect candidates who support private property rights and understand this is no small matter, because should the government unnecessarily diminish the property rights of some citizens ~ it diminishes the property rights of ALL citizens.
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My very first featured blog on Activerain was a live and learn lesson on Why Buy Title Insurance.
It was about a property I had listed on an island in the Potomac River that the State of Maryland was in the process of purchasing. When the title search was performed an issue arose and because my Seller did not purchase title insurance the transaction fell apart. However, because of my blog, another family who owned an island in the Potomac River discovered my blog while searching for an agent to list their property. I ended up listing the island and also sold it myself.
It is truly amazing how far the impact the ripples of blogging carry!
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