The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority will hold a virtual public hearing in mid-April, rescheduled from the originally planned in-person meeting this month, to hear a request to expand the geographic boundaries of the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area.
The Patapsco Valley Heritage Area is one of 12 State Heritage Areas in Maryland that support tourism to regional cultural, historic, and natural resources. In particular, the Patapsco Area is equally committed to natural and cultural resources. The proposed expansion would bring in areas of the Patapsco Valley State Park, Granite National Register Historic District and related historic sites, Cherry Hill AUMP Church, the Nike Missile Base, the Woodstock Inn, the Howard County Conservancy, parts of western Ellicott City, the new Guinness Brewery and Baltimore County’s Southwest Area Park and adjacent connections to Baltimore City.
If the expansion is approved those areas would become of the Heritage Area’s efforts to promote heritage tourism and foster partnerships between governments (the Heritage Area spans areas of Howard County and Baltimore County), businesses and non-profit organizations to create more livable and economically sustainable communities. Each Heritage Area and the larger Maryland Heritage Area Authority provide grants, loans, tax credits, and other financial and technical assistance tools to assets and businesses within the boundaries.
VIRTUAL HEARING DETAILS
On Friday, April 17, 2020 at 3:00PM, you are welcome to join the meeting by computer [at https://bit.ly/33OJIAK with password: mhaa] or join the meeting by phone [call 415-655-0003 then enter the access code: 622 700 696]. There will be visuals shared during the presentation, so even if you use the phone for audio, you will want to try and login via the web link to see the presentation. All are welcome to attend including local government officials, heritage resource organizations, tourism industry representatives, business and property owners, and others who are interested in the proposal to enlarge the boundaries of the Patapsco Valley Heritage Area.