Homeowners in Baltimore County?s lush Long Green Valley are fighting one neighbor?s plans for a 10,000-square-foot milk-processing plant on land zoned for rural conservation and subject to a no-development agreement. The problem?
The plant is already built.
“It?s in the middle of a historic district on land that taxpayers paid to preserve,” neighbor Edward Blanton said. “That strikes me as poor government, and we just can?t believe it happened.”
Fourth-generation dairy farmer Robert Prigel said he plans to process organic milk, yogurt, ice cream and cheese in the facility on his 260-acre farm, then sell it in a store up front. Prigel has requested a waiver to county zoning laws restricting creameries to commercial districts and retail stores to business zones; the county?s zoning commissioner has not yet issued a ruling.
But county officials already issued a building permit for the facility ? just steps off winding Long Green Road ? in April, and tentatively approved a 10-year, $250,000 loan for Prigel?s startup costs.
Prigel called the facility a “roadside stand” and said it?s necessary to compete with corporate dairies.
“It?s a very competitive market,” Prigel said. “We have to have access to the consumers if we want to stay in business.”
But opponents said Prigel gave up his rights to develop when he signed an easement with the state?s Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation for nearly $1.2 million in 1997.
They also said the facility is far more than a roadside stand, pointing to a business plan Prigel submitted in a federal grant application. The plan said much of the processing plant will be leased to Cowgirl Creamery, a California-based organic cheese manufacturer.
“This is a total commercial venture,” said neighbor Susan Yoder.
Yoder and the Long Green Valley Association have filed a lawsuit in Baltimore County Circuit Court alleging the preservation foundation failed to enforce Prigel?s easement agreement.
A draft of a bill authorizing creameries in land zoned for rural conservation has neighbors like Yoder suspicious. The bill, which has not been introduced before the County Council but has been circulated among interested parties, has County Executive Jim Smith?s name on it.
His spokesman, Don Mohler, said Smith has not seen the bill.
“I haven?t seen the legislation yet so I have no idea what they are going to be asking us to support,” Mohler said.
