I agree, the site has been an eye sore for over 30yrs. I welcome a new business to the area.

The rear of the parcel is zoned residential. The previous tenant was able to get it approved. I think since Sonic's big appeal is its "drive-in" getting that part of the parking lot approved is essential.

Yes, I agree. I grew up in the South - Sonics are my favorite :) Can't wait to order my strawberry limeade!

2027 York rd I believe

The location is the across the street from Smyth - the next block down from the Dunkin Donuts.

http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/rp_rewrite/details.aspx?County=04&SearchType=ACCT&District=08&AccountNumber=2200028619

here is the property assessment

Jobs for the light rail

past---s/b passed
not --- no

I bet you have air conditioning and would not have to worry about open windows.

This Community was built in 1920 and none has central air. All radiate heat. That property was were my house was built and that is the reason why the back is residential. Why I see them in court it will continue to be residential, in reference to the laws that were past on obesity in residential communities. This would never be a fight if they built it across the road like they are supposed to.

I am making a petition against it.

Maybe they should put the Sonic in Mays Chapel Park and the school on York Road. Could you imagine all the parents and politicians screaming at each other over that proposal?

Are you seriously comparing a school to a fast food restaurant?

I haven't heard anything about that plan in years.

It will be robbed its first night open.

I fully agree. York Road is busy, most of the time. There are occassionally lines of traffic backed up at Maria's, any of the Mcdonalds', and the Fairgrounds. People should be used to it. Heavy traffic shows strong sales and successfull businesses. Empty lots are a blight on any neighborhood.

So then Melanie, you have a problem with the EMPLOYEES of these establishments who "ride the light rail"? They're coming to work, to support themselves and their families. You think they're the source of crime? HMMMMMM.
Hate much?

Where do these people live Melanie?
what makes you so special that these inferior "Light Rail" folks don't get to make a living anywhere near you??
so you would rather live next to an abandoned building than allow some horrible "Light Rail" people to get a job, earn a living and feed their children.
screw those "Light Rail" people. let them fester on welfare and food stamps, is that what you want Melanie?

It is property for an office buildings or small business.

Melanie, get your facts straight. You keep referring to some "obesity law" in residential neighborhoods that DOES NOT EXIST. If you want to object, do it on the basis of facts, not your own delusions.

There is know obesity laws
http://www.publichealthlaw.net/Zoning%20Fast%20Food%20Outlets.pdf

My point was only not to have a fast food drive though, I would not care if it had a sit down. I rather have business there just not a drive though.

Melanie, after reading through your link, you need to realize that it is merely an academic paper, with academic-type recommendations that you have referenced. .

It is not a law.

You have my sympathies, though. You live in a house only yards away from a major thoroughfare; that must try your patience at times. Also, judging from your writing, not only can you not read (as in this study) you don't write very well, either.

Roy Rodgers was not shut down because of zoning issues; where do you get your information?

But, aside, even, from all these issues, you are a bigot, and have shown yourself to be so small-minded to fight against ANY change in your neighborhood, regardless of its value to the community. I pity your neighbors.

Kudos Bart for calling out this Racist Bigot!!!

Yes I know all about sonic there is one on route 40 where they torn down the old hotel. The parking lot is not even big enough, and yes I rather have anything but fast food.

Good idea!!!

They can put 3 Rayan Homes and they can up property values and make money off the propety. Plus Baltimore county gets property taxes. Instead of this fast food, that was never supposed to be there

First if all it is Ryan homes not Rayan homes, and no one would be dumb enough to buy a brand new home right on York Road, much less one house off next to a previous fast food restaurant...oh wait except maybe you. I can't wait to go an order my first large strawberry lime lemonade, I promise I won't slurp loudly enough to bother you when I'm drinking it....

Good luck lobbying the County to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to aquire this property to plant some trees. Not in this economy sweetheart

I was not the person to want a park but some of the other posts push for it. I rather have any other business, Sonic requires zoning changes, so they can but up to my property and use the entire lot. Instead using the front quarter that is allowed and the rest as parking. The Issue is the noise, trash and the amount of traffic the sonic will bring down a residential community road. The Property is a eye sore and needs a change, but a Sonic is too big for the little lot. I understand that a few new jobs would be nice. My light rail comment was after a very nasty comment about the population that works in the fast food chains and how they use the drug clinic up across York Road. I didn't think my light rail comment was so defense in till I read it after. Since I wrote out of angry. Since everybody rather insult me, I stop posting. Thank you Amy for your support.

Funny, you say "your property" but a quick search of the MD Property records shows no sign of a "Melanie Hitch" owning any property around there...

And if you do live that close to the site, you are already dealing with traffic, trash & noise. so what is the real problem? kinda comes with the territory of living that close to that stretch of York Rd. Perhaps having a Sonic there may reduce the trash and blight of a vacant property

This is how you Sonic: Since you are so worry about my property records, why don't you come to my house and I will show you the deed, Then you can come to my kitchen and look out the window. Maybe then you can change your mind, and stop looking up my life on the internet. PS I am under somebody else's account.

Ah, "Under somebody else account", Sounds like you are a renter

and you really shouldn't invite strangers into your house. that could be more dangerous than a Sonic next door

Start the petition, I'll sign...title it, Bring Jobs and hapiness to Timonium!

Bring a bank, YAI Yai Bakery, Florist something the community can use other then fast food

There's a Yia Yia Bakery and a florist a half mile down York Road at Ridgely. Melanie would have them go out of business.
I agree with you Carole, she is the type to oppose any change at all.

I am not the type to fight anything, I am the type to fight a drive though at my kitchen window. I could care less if they but anything there, but a drive though. That property between ours is residential for a reason.

I love living off a main run, thats not the issue. The issue was the fast food drive inn, It does not belong. Not like I am the mean person, I think fast food belong on the other side of York road.

This is a rude, unhelpful comment. You must be quite pleased with yourself.

agree

You are correct!! It is the WRONG place for a Sonic; it belongs on the other side of York Road, or possibly up at the shopping center across from the fairgrounds where there is a lot of room. Have any of you seen the lines and resulting traffic jams at the Sonics on Liberty Road in Randallstown and Route 40 in Rosedale?

This particular plot of land would be better suited for a small business or two (insurance agency, boutique, salon, etc.), with a few parking spaces out front.

James, the problem with your statement is that it doesn't matter what is "Better suited" for this property... it has been vacant for years so obviously those insurance agencies, boutiques, and salons aren't fighting over the chance to operate there. But I guess in your opinion, a vacant fast food restaurant is better than a brand new successful one

You know what is great about this Amy? It lets people say what they mean. The majority of the comments are not nasty but this forum allows us to say what we think. I am so tired about political correctness. I agree with the majority. I dont know how long Miss Hitch has lived in that house but that area has always had lots of businesses and a busy road. I dont think this is the place to be nice and friendly and sugar coat things. This is what this country is all about. Just like she started a petition to keep it out, I would like to see it. You know if you live in the country and they started building around your house i would understand but since I have been a kid many of these businesses have been there including on that property.

Doesn't the Property owner have a "Stake in it" also?? This parcel has been sitting vacant for years so I guess Businesses haven't been beating down the door to operate there. If Sonic want to come in and revitalize this property and remove the eyesore of a vacant run-down building, Then I'm all for it

... and by the way, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU would fight it if it was proposed to go in next door to your home.

Perhaps, but maybe not EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US would be foolish enough to buy a house next to York and expect peace and quiet. I intentionally purchased a house in the middle of a suburban residential community, 2 miles from the closest commercial property. therefore I have a reasonable expectation that a Sonic will not pop up next to my home

I suspect that you probably live more than 300 feet from the lot, but even so, if you don't live right next door to it, then try putting yourself in someone else's shoes. If you do live that close and you actually think that a Sonic will be no different than a Dunkin Donuts, then boy are you in for a surprise! On beautiful days when it will be the busiest and you will want to be outside enjoying your yard, your entire neighborhood will hear the noise of all of those speakers going at once. And since York Road has no shoulder, where do you think the line of cars will back up? You couldn't pay me to fight FOR that for my neighborhood. I just don't get it...

I grew up on Belfast Road so I am very familiar with that lot. I don't think it could support a Sonic, really. Nothing against Sonic or any another food joint, I just think Sonic would be better in a different location.

I looked at all property surrounding the location within 500 ft and there was no mention of your name owning property. So you must be more than 1 block from York rd on either Belfast or Northwood so the traffic would not affect you as bad

Charles- I took your challenge and looked you up. Your home is more like 1000 feet from the site, on a different street, and several houses off of York Road. So now it makes more sense to me why your idea of "reasonable compromise" is to place a concrete sound barrier around someone else's property. It appears that your neighborhood has survived through years of encroachment of commercial development, but the lack of empathy for your neighbors may ultimately be it's downfall. Standing united as a neighborhood is always best. Stand up to bullies like Wilbur Jones who threaten to make things even worse for your neighborhood.

I don't live in your neighborhood nor do I know Melanie Hitch (whatever her or his name may actually be). I was simply enticed by the headline to read this article because my family loves Sonic. It wasn't until after I started reading the comments that I realized the negative impact that the restaurant could have on someone else, and I felt the need to say something. I was shocked by the attitude toward the immediate neighbors and you should be too.

You may not think so, but it sounds like "Ms.Hitch" understands that the lot will ultimately be used for a commercial establishment- even fast food. But I think it's reasonable for her to not want a Sonic, as it is VERY different from any other fast food.

Actually, he IS slightly more than 300 ft, maybe 350...so he wasn't lying

Now let's do a little math together shall we??? Mr. Norris's address is located 0.2 miles from the proposed Sonic lot. When we convert 0.2 miles in to feet it comes out to 1056ft. Just a tad over the 300ft mentioned before. Oh yeah and there are multiple homes and two streets between the two points. I can understand Ms Hitch's issue with having a Sonic at that location. I would not want to live next to one with the amount of attention that one brings to a given area. Also I see that Mr Sonic took the pleasure of looking around and commenting on the great views that the last house on Belfast rd has. Well is it possible that the house was not bought for the views but possibly for the neighborhood for which it lies in?? Many people would love to have the opportunity to live in that neighborhood given its history and school district. Also it seems like her issue is not the development of the lot but what is being placed in the lot. People really need to chill on the whole issue though.

Ah yes, math... and if Mr. Norris said that it is a 300ft walk to the proposed sonic, well then he would be wrong and you, Mr Reason, would be right and your superior intelligence (and math) would be evident.

However that is not what Mr Norris said. He said he LIVES 300ft from this place. Now if you, Mr Reason, would use logic, and measure the distance "as the crow flies" ie, the shortest distance between 2 points, you would find that the distance is in the 300ft range, Just as he said, and not the 1000+ ft that your "Math" told you.

PS. the noise pollution created by traffic and commercial properties DOES in fact travel "As the crow flies" and does not travel along the roadways and sidewalks as your measurements would suggest

Furthermore, Mr. Reason, I do not pretend to know or understand one's reason for purchasing a home in that neigborhood, that close to York Rd. However my observation was simply that a brand new Sonic on that corner would be a great aesthetic improvement over an abandoned vacant lot, dumpsters and a trailer park. But hey that's just my opinion.

That all being said, If you really are the "Voice of Reason" than you would understand that purchasing a house that close to commercially developed York rd, one should expect traffic, noise and trash. Some previous comments seemed to suggest that those such things would only occur if Sonic moves in.

Yes Amy, I am a troll, hell bent on arguing any falsehoods.

No, I do not work for Sonic.

And I have probably only eaten at a Sonic once or twice.

My original motivation to post was "Melanie Hitch's" Racist comments pertaining to "Light rail people" possibly working in her neighborhood...because as she said, "where do these people live? HMMMMMM Dont be blind" those were her racist words and as a person who does use the Light Rail, I took offense to them...

Amy, it's funny how you suggest that I am insulting anyone, yet you make no effort to call out such an overt, OBVIOUSLY racist insult...shame on you

This is how you Sonic: You call me a racist, you have no idea my color or who I am based on a comment I posted towards a comment that made me angry. I also used the light rail on many occasions.

If I'm not mistaken, It was a Roy Rogers first, then it was a Boston Market later

Yes, it was a Roy Rogers for a long time before it was Boston Market. In fact, when I was very young, it was a general store with a gas station.

I'm sorry Amy,
could you explain to me how those comments of mine are "Rude" and/or "Insulting".
You may not want to hear them, but they are the current reality. When you purchase a home within ear shot of York Rd. it is reasonable to expect to hear sounds of Commerce and Traffic. It is also reality that roadside trash may exist.

It does occur to me that some in the neighborhood may have lived there prior to commercial development, but I doubt there are many. And for those folks, I do feel bad.

And before you and "Apple a day" cry foul and claim that her post was a misunderstanding. Go back and re-read, also check the time-stamps. Her first post referring to the light rail was in response to someone suggesting that a Sonic would brings new jobs,
at 6:17am on Sat, Apple posted
"Jobs for the Light Rail"
that was several hours before she posted the response to crimes rates that you suggest I am misunderstanding,

in that post she said " Who works are these fast food chains people that ride the light rail, where do these people live? HMMMMMM Dont be blind"

Now you may not interpret that as racist, but I do...maybe YOU can clear that up for us.

Who are these light rail people?
Where do they live?
and why is it not acceptable for them to work in timonium?
Please clear that up for us all, because apparently I'M blind

ok, so how are those comments "Rude"?

In fact having a Sonic move in would alleviate some of those problems. you see if "Ms Hitch" and the community were to reach out to Sonic, they may find them willing to build a nice privacy fence around the back and side of the property to reduce all the noise and create a barrier between the commercial and residential zones.

So they would have less noise, more privacy and they would be free of the eyesore of a vacant abandoned property.

As for the community I sort of agree with you, except that I do not promote Home Ownership as you do, I think in many cases it is foolish.

I find it interesting that you assume that I live in some "Perfect location" and that you assume it cost more than a house in Timonium. Amy, your assumptions are wrong. according to the real property assessment page I would not be able to afford a house on Belfast Rd.

I never asked for your pity.

did it ever occur to you that said house may be a rowhome, in a neighborhood, though void of commercial property is not affluent like Lutherville-Timonium.

Looking at the assessed values of homes in the area of the proposed Sonic, most values are in the $250,000 range, about $100,000 more than homes in my neighborhood.

There is plenty not to like about my neighborhood... it is neither silent or clean by my own standards. But it is not close to commercial zone, that was the point of the comment you quoted. If you choose to live so close to commercial, you do so knowing the possible consequences

You really do assume too much.