Navy officials like Anne Arundel County?s plan for the former U.S. Naval Academy Farm so much they want county officials to stick to the vision of a cooperative farm and agricultural education center.
“[Navy officials] made it clear that the reason the county was picked [to lease the farm] was because of our conceptual plan,” said Alan Friedman, the county?s director of government affairs, who briefed the County Council this week on negotiations with the Navy.
Friedman and county parks director Frank Marzucco met with Navy officials June 27 and were given a draft lease, reflecting the county?s plan for the 850-acre farm in Gambrills.
The plan calls for farming plots available for leasing, an expansive garden, an education center run by the county?s 4-H Club and annual farm festivals. It also is considered one of the largest organic dairy farms in Maryland.
Friedman said he hoped to have a final draft for council approval by November and to begin work on the farm in February.
An environmental review will be conducted, and federal standards will apply to the operation of the farm, he said.
In the coming weeks, public meetings will be held for residents? comments on the plan.
Anne Arundel beat several other potential bidders for the property, including a horse park that was rejected by the community.
Though the county will be the primary leaseholder, Anne Arundel may sublease the property and will extend the lease of the current farm operator, Maryland Sunrise Farm LLC, for another year, because “we like Sunrise farm,” Marzucco said.
Anne Arundel?s plan for the farm is at www.aacounty.org/RecParks/dairyfarm/conceptualpan.pdf.
