A citizens group in Monrovia is keeping its members informed about two large residential developments planned for their community. Residents Against Landsdale Expansion (RALE) was formed because many citizens felt they were being kept in the dark about the Landsdale Planned Unit Development, and the Monrovia Town Center. "Our goal is to inform and involve the community and the public on this development, and issues of development going on in Frederick County, specifically in Monrovia," says Pam Abramson, one of the founders of RALE.

The Landsdale PUD calls for 1100 new homes to be constructed on 700 acres west of Ed McClain Road,  north of Route 80 and west of Route 75. That project has already been approved, but construction is delayed because the matter is tied up in court. The Monrovia Town Center calls for 1500 new homes and 280,000 square feet of commercial space on 460 acres east of Ed McClain Road and north of Fingerboard Road. No decision has been made yet on that development.

Abramson and other members of RALE say this large number of homes could overcrowd schools in the area, severely tax roads and increase water and light pollution. "I know that {County Commissioners' President Blaine} Young is very outspoken about saying to the residents of Monrovia that his son goes to Green Valley Elementary," she says. "But a number of other parents who have children at Green Valley Elementary are concerned about the potential influx of new students, and how that will create the need for portable classrooms outside Green Valley Elementary."

Commissioner Young successfully pushed to change the comprehensive plan for that area of the county, which would let landowners get the zoning they want, thus allowing for large projects such as these. "We're concerned about the campaign contributions that Blaine Young has received from various LLC's that can be traced back to developers, developers that he has approved and restored land rights to," says Abramson.

But she points out that RALE is not anti-growth, and would like to see both projects reduced in size. "We would like to see the developments scaled down. We would like them keeping to the Comprehensive Plan before it was amended in September," says Abramson. She also suggested Landsdale become a community for people 55 and older, as it was originally planned.

One of the reasons that RALE was established was to keep residents informed about developments in their communities so they can get involved. But Abramson says she doesn't think the lack of knowledge about these projects is the result of any intentional act on the part of the county. She says the local government did what it was required to do, but it was not enough. "I think the county could have gone a little bit above and beyond their means of notifying the public, rather than putting in a little tiny ad in the classified section next to the lost puppy ad," she says. But Abramson praises the county for organizing an open house on the two projects on March 4th.

Since it was formed, some people have been removing pro-RALE signs from properties where they were displayed, and hacking its Facebook page. Abramson calls that "dirty pool." "Is that what the developers are encouraging? Is that what the landowners, who are selling or involved in the sale, encourage? Is that what they're participating in? We can't say for sure," she says. "But someone around here that wants this development to go through as planned is trying to thwart our forward motion."

Abramson says since RALE was formed, it's had an impact on the debate over these two projects. "If our mission is to inform and involve the public in ongoing and projected developments in the county, I think we've already been successful," she says.

After RALE was launched, organizers were contacted by citizens in other communities who are also worried about large developments in their neighborhoods.