Hi Folks! Not a flame, but perhaps an explanation. I work for the Maryland-National Captial Park & Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) in Prince George's Count. Black Hills Regional Park is a facility of M-NCPPC in Montgomery. M-NCPPC is a quasi-State Regional Planning Agency with organizations in Prince George's & Montgomery counties. It was started in 1927 under direction emanating from the US Congress in an attempt to create a Regional Planning Agency including all Virginia and Maryland counties surrounding the National Capital. For political reasons too convoluted to describe here, only the 2 Maryland parts and the NCPC [National Captial Planning Commission] were ever created. In Prince George's County, the staff of M-NCPPC reports to the Planning Board and the District Council. We prepare Master Plans for projected development ... where as professional planners We would like to see development occur...and through statuatory Public Hearing processes invite public criticism or support for the plans...which are eventually adopted on some form by the Planning Board or the District Council as the "Government" position. Public input can change the ideas prepared by staff of M-NCPPC and We strongly encourage individuals to put in their 2-cents-worth. Just because We are professional Planners does not mean We always see what the community really wants. "Scheduling a schedule" is part of the process. Some processes because of statuatory constraints may take from initiation-to-completion 2 or more Years! A quick turnaround may be only 70 days. We are obligated to post sites stating the place and time of the Public Hearing, and, in some instances, publish notices in newspapers, and, in some special cases, We must notify by US Mail every landowner within a certain area no less than 30 days before the Public Hearing. In a later post, I will explain a project I am working on right now....a revision to the Prince George's County Tree Preservation and Woodland Conservation Ordinances. Good Birding! Jim Jim Stasz North Beach MD jlstasz@aol.com