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Essex and District 7 residents press county for library funding, park upgrades, dredging and CDC seed money
Summary
Multiple speakers from Essex and surrounding neighborhoods asked Baltimore County to prioritize a new Essex library, continued improvements at Renaissance Park and other parks, dredging local waterways, and seed funding for community development corporations.
A cluster of District 7 residents, business groups and community development organizations used the budget town hall to press for local infrastructure and community investments centered on Essex and nearby neighborhoods.
Speakers asked the county to prioritize funding for a new Essex library and renovations to the Essex police precinct. Several speakers, including Leah Bittinger of the Sussex Community Association and Chrissy Erb, executive director of the Essex Community Development Corporation (Essex CDC), asked that library construction remain a county priority and noted the county has purchased property for a new branch.
Community leaders also requested additional amenities and infrastructure at Renaissance Park, including an outdoor amphitheater, permanent restrooms, lighting, electrical service for events and improvements to the connected baseball and turf field. Lisa Harlow, secretary of the Essex CDC board and president of the Heritage Society of Essex and Middle River, described recent community events at the park and urged continued investment to expand its use.
Local waterfront and park advocates asked the county to fund dredging of local waterways and to invest in trail connections. The Rockaway Beach Improvement Association and other speakers sought dredging to protect marinas and waterfront businesses and requested funding to convert horse trails into linked hiking, biking and walking trails at several parks.
Community development requests included a $150,000 seed allocation to create a new Greater Dundalk community development corporation to replace the dissolved Dundalk Renaissance Corporation, testimony by Scott Halotka said. Speakers also requested additional building and code inspectors and more legal staff for enforcement to speed permit and code work.
Why it matters: speakers said these investments would support economic development, recreation, access to services and waterfront businesses and asked the county to set priorities for FY26 capital and operating funds.
County staff and directors attended the event and were invited to follow up with speakers for project details and possible next steps.
