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Residents Protest Possible Land Sale In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- A plan to sell land in Baltimore County is coming under fire by residents. Now they're asking the Baltimore County executive to reconsider his plans to relocate several sites.

Monique Griego has more from both sides.

A firehouse is one of three sites County Executive Kevin Kamenetz wants to sell. He plans to use the profits to pay for new modern buildings and school improvements. The problem for many people is where he wants the new station built.

"We wanted to get the word out and let them know we are going to stand up for our park," said Megan Saunders.

Baltimore County schools are in need of some major improvements and this week, Kamenetz laid out his plans to pay for some upgrades.

Kamenetz wants to put three county properties up for sale and use the profits to relocate and modernize the buildings and fund county school projects. That includes adding air conditioning to schools that don't have any and technology upgrades.

"The schools definitely need improvements," said Ed Kilcullen. "But to take park land to pay for those improvements is a bad idea."

Kamenetz says the three sites slated to be sold are in heavily traveled commercial corridors. Slated to be sold are the North Point Government Center on Wise Road in Dundalk, the Randallstown Police substation on Liberty Road and the Towson Fire Station and Public Works building off York Road.

But the relocation of this last site is now a heated debate.

Kamenetz named Towson Manor Park as a potential location for the station, but residents don't believe building over a park is the best path.

"We don't want to take the park away from them, and if we were to relocate there we would provide a replacement park," Kamenetz said.

"If there's actually a land to build a park, let's put the firehouse there," Saunders said.

The fire station sale would pay to add air conditioning at Dumbarton Middle School. While residents support that aspect, they don't think they should have to sacrifice a park to get it.

"We do not have enough green space in Towson," Saunders said.

The county plans to put out bid requests within the next few weeks. Kamentz says no plans for relocation sites are officially finalized.

Once the bids are received, they'll go to the county for approval. That could take a few months.

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