Welcome.
The petition begins after this brief introduction…

Hey. First of all, thank you for stopping by, reading and, if you’re interested, signing the petition below addressed to Councilman Jones. Mr. Jones represents Baltimore County’s District 4 where the Owings Mills Mall property is located. He’s a good man who, we believe, agrees that a property as prominent as Kimco’s Owings Mill Mall should be more than just a strip center for big box stores. And that under no circumstances should the redevelopment of the Mall property succeed at the expense of established businesses and jobs in other centers of commerce nearby.

Real development should be creative and important, bringing new commerce and other facilities that are of substantial net benefit to the greater community it serves. That’s what this petition is about. With your help, we want to encourage Councilman Jones to require that Kimco do better. No one’s suggesting that Kimco not make a substantial profit on its investment, but only that everyone in the community – local businesses and families alike – benefit in the process.

Here now is the petition we’re hoping you’ll sign and that we will then forward to Councilman Jones.  Its simple and clear message to the Councilman is that his constituents support specific actions to encourage a more creative, more beneficial redevelopment of the Mall property.

Oh, one other thing…  

On September 18, 2012, the Baltimore Sun posted an article on its website entitled “Pikesville Realty Company Wants To Buy Owings Mills Mall.” Here’s the fourth paragraph from that post…

As you can see in the last sentence, it was Kimco’s opinion at the time that “…the market couldn’t support so much retail.” They’re making our point – and the point of this petition – for us. They were right then and they’re still right.  What’s changed since this surprisingly honest observation by Kimco in the fall of 2012? What’s changed is that they bought out their partner and now own 100% of the Mall property. Judging from their site plans, they no longer care if they succeed by pulling stores and customers from businesses elsewhere in the market. Or by requiring expensive, County taxpayer-funded improvements to infrastructure and for services from which Kimco will be the principal beneficiary.

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Petition For District 4 Councilman Julian Jones
Regarding The Redevelopment Of The Owings Mills Mall Property

Introduction

This petition is for registered voters who reside in Baltimore County Council District 4. It is produced by Baltimore Rising, an independent non-profit organization that is working to increase employment and family income and to improve the quality of life throughout the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. This is the online edition of the petition, available exclusively at BaltimoreRising.org.

The owner of the Owings Mills Mall property is planning to build a large strip center on that site consisting primarily of “big box stores.” These are large stores – like a Walmart Supercenter that would likely result in the closing of the Liberty Road Supercenter and its sister store on Reisterstown Road – typically having 50,000 to 200,000 square feet of retail space.

Unfortunately, many of these stores already exist in the market area served by the Mall property. It is, therefore, certain that the success of an Owings Mills Mall big box center will come at the expense of retail centers nearby.

Petition

By signing this petition you are asking Councilman Jones to take the following 3 actions on your behalf, on behalf of your family and local business interests. These requests pertain exclusively to District 4.

1. I am asking Councilman Jones to introduce legislation at the next meeting of the Council that will prohibit the placement of big box stores on the Owings Mills Mall property.

2. I am asking Councilman Jones to introduce legislation at the next meeting of the Council that will require that large scale developments fund independent economic impact studies. These studies will define the net impact of large scale development on jobs, household income, area commerce and County government receipts and expenditures.

3. I am asking Councilman Jones to encourage the owners of the Mall property to consider other options that will provide substantial net benefit to business and family life throughout District, such as:

•  A mixed use Main St. village with a mix of smaller stores, restaurants and apartment residences.
• A major indoor, all-season center for concerts, conventions and sporting events.
• A mixed use, residential, commercial and workplace campus for new business development, medical services and/or community education.
• Your suggestion?  …Please enter in the form below.

Sorry, but this petition is now closed.