Money vs. Zoning

No matter how gorgeous the drawings and maps of a land-use plan or how brilliantly crafted the rules to actualize its vision, only investment can manifest zoning.
More simply put, just wanting a nicer movie theater in your hometown is not enough to convince an investor to put one there.
This always seems to cause confusion.
After months of drawing tired neighbors from their homes for night meetings, provoking frustrating conversations even arguments among them and all the while encouraging great hopes and dreams, land-use plans are destined to quickly retire into shelved three-ring binders.
It’s difficult to not become discouraged and to remember it is actually the process of writing the plan that is the important part of the task. Without the energy and excitement of planning together – the shared imagining of duck ponds and fountains, a brand spanking new movie theater – the commitment to long-term change cannot occur.
It is not the plan itself, it is not rezoning that will revitalize Lexington Park, Maryland. It is recapitalization. And that gets personal.
This is not to disparage land-use plans or the complicated task of crafting zoning rules to carry those plans forth in a real world. But no matter how great the rendering, how many appropriately zoned lots, a movie theater won’t arrive without an investor and an active commercial center.
Reviving a community’s economy demands more than zoning alone provides. Shopping local and patronizing Lexington Park restaurants and services can attract investment as surely as zoning carrots and other government encouragements. Widespread citizen support of proposed public and private investments can help it materialize. And investment attracts more investment.
So even if the plan ends up filled with unlikely duck pond dreams or fails to include movie theaters by name, attendance at all those frustrating meetings counts in moving Lexington Park forward. Who knows, it could move so far by the tine the next plan is dreamed that an investor might be unable to resist a duck pond and a theater just where you wanted it to go in the first place.
Be there. Stake claim.
Stories:
- Wed, 29 Jun 2022 - Looking Back 50 Yrs. at Hurricane Agnes – Message From the Cap’n
- Wed, 29 Jun 2022 - Greenwell Offers Programs for Veterans
- Wed, 29 Jun 2022 - Female Draft in Congress Again
- Tue, 28 Jun 2022 - SMECO Members to Be Issued Credits
- Tue, 28 Jun 2022 - Local VFDs Win Grain Rescue Equipment
- Tue, 28 Jun 2022 - Future Unclear on Littoral Combat Ships
- Mon, 27 Jun 2022 - Reminder: AeroPark Update Thursday
- Mon, 27 Jun 2022 - Askey Welcomes New Partners
- Mon, 27 Jun 2022 - BAMS-D Aircraft Welcomed Back to Pax
- Sun, 26 Jun 2022 - Jazzy First Friday All Weekend in Town
- Sat, 25 Jun 2022 - Save the Date: HSMP Annual Meeting
- Fri, 24 Jun 2022 - Archaeologists to Share Discoveries at Newtowne
- Thu, 23 Jun 2022 - Wheeler Seeks Clerk of Circuit Court
- Thu, 23 Jun 2022 - Hoyer Tours New Emergency Shelter
- Thu, 23 Jun 2022 - Inflation Bonus Proposed for Troops
- Wed, 22 Jun 2022 - Lex Park Library Site for Summer Meals Program
- Wed, 22 Jun 2022 - Chronic Disease Prevention Team to Meet
- Wed, 22 Jun 2022 - Big Boost Proposed for DIU Budget
- Tue, 21 Jun 2022 - License-Free Fishing Day Set July 4
- Tue, 21 Jun 2022 - Shoreline Restoration in Piney Point Awarded Federal Funds
- Tue, 21 Jun 2022 - Kingsley New CO at NAS Patuxent River
- Mon, 20 Jun 2022 - Lex Park Business Assoc. to Meet June 23
- Mon, 20 Jun 2022 - Two Primary Candidate Forums Set
- Mon, 20 Jun 2022 - Morning Coffee Is Off the Burner
- Sat, 18 Jun 2022 - County Schedule for Juneteenth Holiday
- Fri, 17 Jun 2022 - Navy Museum Releases Aviation Artist’s 3-D Photo Book
- Thu, 16 Jun 2022 - Marines, Civilians Honored for Aviation Contributions
- Thu, 16 Jun 2022 - House Dems: No Inflation Add-On to $762B Defense Budget
- Wed, 15 Jun 2022 - There’s ‘Something Rotten’ at Three Notch
- Wed, 15 Jun 2022 - Loan Program Expanded for Small Businesses
- Wed, 15 Jun 2022 - A Mixed Week for Women
- Tue, 14 Jun 2022 - Save the Date for Feed St. Mary’s Event
- Tue, 14 Jun 2022 - Museums Part of Blue Star Program for Military Members
- Tue, 14 Jun 2022 - Aircraft ‘Safety Pause’ Ordered by Navy
- Mon, 13 Jun 2022 - Support NAACP Freedom Fund Brunch
- Mon, 13 Jun 2022 - Delegation Secures Vets Clinic Funding
- Mon, 13 Jun 2022 - New Helicopters Headed to Andrews
- Sat, 11 Jun 2022 - Join County’s Flag Day Festivities
- Fri, 10 Jun 2022 - Catch a Tagged Snakehead, Maybe Win a Prize
- Thu, 9 Jun 2022 - Deadline to Register to Vote: June 28
- Thu, 9 Jun 2022 - Homelessness Prevention Board Meets June 15
- Thu, 9 Jun 2022 - Autonomous Tanker Crosses Pacific
- Wed, 8 Jun 2022 - TPP to Present AeroPark District Update
- Wed, 8 Jun 2022 - Hoyer: Jobs Are Being Created, Wages Are Rising
- Wed, 8 Jun 2022 - US to Review Wind Project Off Ocean City
- Tue, 7 Jun 2022 - Next Farmers Market @ Airport June 12
- Tue, 7 Jun 2022 - Milley: Respecting Legacy of D-Day Soldiers
- Mon, 6 Jun 2022 - SMECO Awards Four Scholarships
- Mon, 6 Jun 2022 - Congressional Art Contest Winners Announced
- Mon, 6 Jun 2022 - Navy Setting Stage for RIMPAC 2022
- Sun, 5 Jun 2022 - Still Time to Enter DNR Photo Contest
- Fri, 3 Jun 2022 - Hoyer Announces Funds for Rapid Transit
- Fri, 3 Jun 2022 - Sirens on June 6. This Is Only a Test
- Thu, 2 Jun 2022 - Men’s Health Day Event Set June 4
- Thu, 2 Jun 2022 - Kitty Hawk Arrives at Final Port
- Wed, 1 Jun 2022 - Meet the ’22 Primary Election Candidates
- Wed, 1 Jun 2022 - NAACP 5K Run/Walk Accepting Registrations
- Wed, 1 Jun 2022 - Memorial Day Video ’22
- Tue, 31 May 2022 - Hoyer Earns ‘A’ Rating From Action Fund
- Tue, 31 May 2022 - Bad Crab Vibes for Upcoming Season
- Tue, 31 May 2022 - Lights, Camera, Action at NAS Pax
- Mon, 30 May 2022 - History Lecture Series Continues June 2
- Mon, 30 May 2022 - Water Monitoring at Public Beaches Continues
- Mon, 30 May 2022 - Morning Coffee Is Off the Burner
- Sun, 29 May 2022 - First Friday June 3 in Leonardtown
- Sat, 28 May 2022 - Memorial Day Schedule for St. Mary’s Govt.
- Thu, 26 May 2022 - Navy Signs Final EIS for Testing, Training Activities at Pax River Complex
- Thu, 26 May 2022 - Ostrow Seeks Commissioner Dist. 4
- Thu, 26 May 2022 - MD’s Bridges Get $400M for Repairs
- Wed, 25 May 2022 - Townsend Is Outstanding Young Scientist Award Winner
- Wed, 25 May 2022 - ’22 Lighthouse Award: Askey, Askey & Associates
- Wed, 25 May 2022 - Nat’l Cemeteries Open Memorial Weekend
- Tue, 24 May 2022 - Sponsors Sought for Summerstock 2022
- Tue, 24 May 2022 - Free Document Shredding on May 28
- Tue, 24 May 2022 - MedStar Unveils SMHC Behavioral Health Unit
- Tue, 24 May 2022 - Report: DoD Making Progress on Cybersecurity
- Mon, 23 May 2022 - SMECO Urges Safety Around Power Lines
- Mon, 23 May 2022 - Gowen Seeks Delegate Seat 29C
- Mon, 23 May 2022 - Blue Angels Fly Into Annapolis This Week
- Sun, 22 May 2022 - Violence, Injury, & Trauma Action Team Meets
- Sat, 21 May 2022 - Event in Lex Park to Celebrate Expecting Parents
- Fri, 20 May 2022 - Kindergarten Registration Opens in St. Mary’s
- Thu, 19 May 2022 - Head Start Program Awarded Federal Funds
- Thu, 19 May 2022 - CPA Hood to Lead Record-Keeping Workshop for Nonprofits
- Thu, 19 May 2022 - Local UAS Sets Continuous Flight Record
- Wed, 18 May 2022 - Airport to Host May 24 Open House
- Wed, 18 May 2022 - NAVAIR Building on Unfunded Priority List
- Tue, 17 May 2022 - Battle of the Bay Set Memorial Day Weekend
- Tue, 17 May 2022 - St. Mary’s Voting Districts Have Changed
- Tue, 17 May 2022 - Hogan: Maryland Is Cyber Capital of US
- Mon, 16 May 2022 - Homelessness Prevention Board to Meet
- Mon, 16 May 2022 - SMR Celebrates Flight Academy Opening
- Mon, 16 May 2022 - US Space Force Needs a National Guard
- Sun, 15 May 2022 - They’re Going Retro in Piney Point
- Fri, 13 May 2022 - Volunteers Sought for Lex Park Cleanup
- Thu, 12 May 2022 - DoD Seeks Hand in EU Arms Development
- Wed, 11 May 2022 - Navy Int’l Programs Topic of TPP Panel
- Wed, 11 May 2022 - Calling All Primary Candidates
- Wed, 11 May 2022 - Register to Vote: Republican
- Wed, 11 May 2022 - Parris Is. Marine Band Is Emmy Nominee