County planners believeAnne Arundel can handle the projected job surge at Fort Meade, but others are worried money will not be available.
“It?s great that this county is doing a lot of work in planning, but will there be enough money in government budgets? You can slice the pie in only so many ways,” said Doreen Strothman, a member of the task force developing the county?s approach to Base Realignment and Closure growth.
In its draft report, the task force wants Anne Arundel to:
» Include BRAC growth in the county?s update to the general development plan, which outlines zoning in the county and is undergoing its once-every-decade review.
Larry Tom, the county?s planning and zoning director, said enough land is available to handle growth from BRAC at Fort Meade in western Anne Arundel, an area long targeted for growth.
» Make assurance that money for upgrading the county?s infrastructure ? roads, schools, public safety, water and electricity service ? will be available.
If that does not happen, “the failure to meet that challenge will turn the promise of BRAC into a nightmare,” the report said.
In the coming weeks, a fiscal impact report by a financial consultant will show how much the infrastructure will cost and how much the county would reap from BRAC expansion.
But now the concern is theeffect of current fiscal woes when the jobs come to Fort Meade and whether infrastructure improvements will be ready for the incoming work force by 2011.
“We?re looking at growth potential in the county, and how to tie it back to sound fiscal policies,” Tom said.
The federal government has cut nearly $1 billion in BRAC spending.
Though state doled out its first round of BRAC funding this year, the state just balanced a $1 billion deficit, and Anne Arundel is looking at a tight budget under the current housing slump.
In addition, the county has congested roads, water capacity issues and overcrowded schools, lending to a multibillion-dollar backlog. Some fear the BRAC influx is only going to make the problem worse.
“If our general infrastructure was in better shape, we would be better prepared to handle BRAC,” said Ann Fligsten, leader of the Growth Action Network. “It?s going to be a real challenge when it comes.”
Influx impact
The Anne Arundel County Base Realignment and Closure Task Force released its first draft report upon which the county will base its plans for handling the 22,000 new jobs in and around Fort Meade starting in 2011.
The report focused on transportation, infrastructure, housing, education and work force development, public safety and health.
The report will be finalized in March.
