How and Where?

For many years, the OCA has been seeking an historical marker to honor an original land owner in Overlea. Margaret Fuller was a widow who moved to Baltimore from Ohio with her six children in 1858. She bought a 43 acre tract of land called Sophie’s Garden Regulated. Fullerton Avenue and Fuller Avenue are evidence of the family’s influence in the development of Overlea.

The OCA research was focused on the lot at the intersection of Belair Road and Taylor Avenue, believing this was the location of the original log cabin that Mrs. Fuller and her children inhabited. After reading countless deeds and maps, the OCA could not confirm she lived at this specific location. So they sought the help of the Baltimore County Preservation Services. After reviewing the information and maps, they assured the OCA that it had the right historical information, but the wrong location. Margaret Fuller and Sophie’s Garden Regulated were on the east side of Belair Road, not the west side, as was originally thought. A good approximation of her original homestead is the Fullerton Community Center. The OCA looks forward to working with Baltimore County to have Margaret Fuller honored with an historical marker at the Fullerton Community Center.

Grant Opportunities

The Overlea Community Association is excited about a few grant opportunities available to our neighborhood. The first grant is the Community Revitalization Area Grant, awarded through Baltimore County to neighborhoods designated as a community revitalization district.

The OCA has received this grant for the last eight years. It is used to fund our annual farmers market. It was also used to initate Overlea ArtsFest, which has since become its own non-profit organization. The OCA also received money for signs and branding for our community. Permitting is taking longer than anticipated, but the funds are available once the project is ready to proceed. Another grant received by the OCA will be used on the city side of Overlea. This is a Community Safety Works Grant designed to reinforce community ownership, solidarity, and pride, through clean and beautified surrounding streets, sidewalks, and signage. It will be used to replace the Overlea sign in the Fleetwood/Northern Parkway/Walther triangle and adding a native garden around it. The OCA will also seek a grant allowing further beautification of this location.

The final grant application is for a Commercial Improvement Grant. This funding is available for the creation of commercial façade improvement programs to be administered by local business associations and non-profits serving commercial corridors/Main Street areas. If the OCA receives this grant, it will be used to help businesses along Belair Road with capital improvements that create uniformity and walkability along that corridor.

We Want to Hear from You

There are plenty of other grant opportunities but the OCA needs people to organize these projects. If you’d like to get involved, please reach out to one of our officers or contact a board member through the contact form. We look forward to hearing your ideas and working to make them a reality!

Safety and Improvements

Overlea Community Association president, Melissa Davis, has been meeting monthly with representatives from State Highway and Baltimore County, along with our state Senator Kathy Klausmeier. We are advocating for funding to make improvements to the safety and accessibility of Belair Rd. While the state is still in the design stages of the plan, we will continue to move forward and support a better Belair Road for the community and businesses of Overlea. This plan needs you! Let our County Executive and elected officials know that safety and accessibility is important to you as a citizen. These improvements are contingent on budgets set by the county, and those budgets only move with the support of many community members.

Holt Park Happenings 2023!

34 Elmont Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21206

Autumn is a special time at Holt Park and Center for the Arts. Join us for annual events, celebrations, art classes, and nature programs!

• National Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration: September 15th to October 15th
• Halloween Fairy Houses: October 8th
• Holt Harvest Day: October 22nd
• Holt Haunted Hike: October 28th
• BYO Pumpkin Carving: October 29th

Please visit www.overleafrc.com/programs/holtpark to find out more about our programs and volunteer opportunities!

Properties Needing Attention

The OCA is aware of several abandoned properties within our neighborhood, including the building destroyed by fire at 7201 Belair Road. We continue to stay in contact with both code enforcement and building inspections in Baltimore County to ensure this building is being monitored and will be moving forward for demolition. Unfortunately, this process is slow and leaves the community with an unsightly and unsafe structure to contend with.

How You Can Help

If you see a house on your street that is abandoned and needs code enforcement, please call them at 410-887-3551 or use the #BaltCoGO app right on your phone. Easily report items such as overgrown grass, trash, and more. For city properties, call 311 to report issues.

If you see anyone attempting to break into an abandoned property, please call the police. It is crucial that as a neighborhood we keep any eye out for these empty properties that become an eyesore for the community and a target for graffiti and illegal activity.

Gas Lines and Meters

BGE contractors have been installing new gas lines and meters in Overlea, east of Belair Road. Members of the OCA have been working with BGE and Baltimore County to limit the impacts of this work on our neighborhood and neighbors. The work is scheduled to be completed the end of July but may still be ongoing due to delays and weather. The work involves replacing the main lines in the road and replacing the old meters with new smart exterior meters. If the contractors have not stopped by your home yet, here is a summary of how the process should go.

The Update Process

BGE will replace the line in the road and may have traffic restricted or blocked with limited parking for a few days. If they are working on your street, they are required to provide you with safe access to your home or driveway at your request within a few minutes. There should be signs to notify you at least 48 hours in advance and for no longer than one week. Once that is done, another crew representative will stop by your home to schedule a meter replacement. At this time you can request where it’s located on the outside of your home with some restrictions. You can also decide not to have it done at all if you prefer. The contractors are required to repair the road and your property before they are finished. When the work is completed, the paving crew will patch the trenches with asphalt and repave the roads (either 1/2 or completely, depending on how much was impacted by the work).

Have Questions or Concerns?

If you find that the road conditions or other items related to the work are not going as expected, feel free to email the OCA and we can put you in contact with the appropriate person to address your concerns.

Happy Spring!

As always, Overlea is the place to be this spring! Our beloved farmer’s market will celebrate its 8th year 😯 starting on Saturday June 10th from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Opening Day will see an amazing variety of new and old vendors, including pasture raised chicken, pork, eggs, jams, seasonal produce, seedlings, bread, artists and so much more! The fun continues every other Saturday all summer long, through October.

Our 3rd annual Taste of Overlea potluck was a tremendous success. Neighbors from all over Overlea brought delicious treats to share. A special thanks to Doris Poling 👏 for putting this great event together. We look forward to Neighbors Night Out in August to once again come together in food and fellowship. Stay tuned for more details!

We are also thrilled that Rosedale Federal Savings and Loan has once again provided funding for our flowerpots along Belair Road. This is the tenth year they have supported this initiative that helps beautify our stretch of Belair Road. Thank you, Rosedale!

The Natural History Society is also celebrating World 🐢Turtle Day on May 21st, a FREE event that will include a meet and greet with over a dozen different species, exploration of fossils, and information about conservation efforts for these amazing creatures. Check it out, along with other incredible programs offered at this community treasure.

I had the pleasure to speak, alongside many other citizens of the 6th district, at our Baltimore County Budget Town Hall. The Overlea Community Association will continue to advocate for positive change along Belair Road. Community members must remain vocal to our elected representatives regarding this issue. We NEED ADA compliant sidewalks, proper drainage, and intentional business development to make Overlea an even better place to live and work.

This summer we hope to see more Overlea neighbors enjoying some of the terrific events scheduled in the neighborhood. Spend some time at Holt Park, take in some bird watching at the NHS, and stop by the Farmer’s Market community table and say hello!

Melissa Davis, OCA president

Overlea Artsfest Returns

Holt Park & Center for the Arts is hosting the 8th annual festival of visual and performing art! This year’s theme is “ArtsFest in Wonderland” so be prepared to see Cheshire cats, playing cards, and maybe even the Queen of Hearts and Alice herself! Attendees are encouraged to come in costume with a Wonderland theme, or even in Victorian or Steampunk attire. Prizes for best costumes will be awarded. Admission is FREE.

Here is the event program:

• Friday evening 8/11 – 5:30-8:30pm – juried art show opens
  with the Art Preview Party, wine tastings, snacks, networking
  and a chance to meet the artists.
• Saturday 8/12 – 11am-5pm – juried art show continues,
  plus art & craft vendors, family art activities and performers.
• Saturday evening 8/12 – 9-10:30pm – Short Film Festival at
  the amphitheater
• Sunday 8/13 – Noon-4pm – artist workshops, juried art
  show concludes.

Get details on our website at https://OverleaArtsFest.org

As a cherished landmark for relaxation, art classes, and nature studies, Holt Park is looking forward to several big renovations. Proposed improvements include repairs to the cabins, accessibility features, and a trail extension to the Northeast Regional Trail and nearby recreation sites.

Here’s how you can help Holt Park and Center for the Arts:

• Attend one of our regularly scheduled programs
• Donate items such as furniture, games, and children’s books
• Join the Garden Club
• Become a volunteer and help with an art or nature program
• Become a Summer Camp Counselor-InTraining (ages 14–18)
• Organize a new project!

Visit overleafrc.com/programs/holtpark for more info

In September 2022, the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to develop the lots at 6635 and 6643 Walter Avenue as a site for urban agriculture. Proposals were submitted and in April community members heard from these three candidates that met the DHCD’s requirements:

1. Piper Phillips Caswell, SpringForward Farms: This nonprofit proposed 4 permanent hydroponic greenhouses. The 8-14 jobs created by this proposal are intended for those with mental health/behavior barriers.
2. Versammy Family, NV Organics: As farmers from Guiana now residing in Baltimore, they have maxed out their current crop capacity and would like to buy the property to expand their endeavors, donating their surpluses to churches/food pantries and their neighbors.
3. Baltimore Compost Collective: Currently operational in Curtis Bay, they want a second location. They collect food scraps for composting at the Filbert Street Community Garden. It is used to grow fresh produce, build urban food security and develop a youth workforce training program. This proposal should be decided upon in May and the OCA will let the community know the outcome.

Considering New Plants?

Think about adding plants native to Maryland to give yourself the best chance of success. They thrive in our soil, reduce erosion, and provide the best food for our pollinator friends. Below is a list of plants commonly planted this time of year, and a native plant option for you to consider:

Instead of these:

• Day Lillies
• Irises
• Azalea Bushes
• Forsythia
• Japanese Honeysuckle
• Butterfly Bush
• Burning Bush

Plant these!

• Trout Lily
• Dwarf Iris/Blue Flag Iris
• Button Bush or Pixar Azalea
• Spice Bush
• Trumpet Vine Honeysuckle
• Milkweed
• Virginia Sweet Spire

Our closest Native Nursery is Herring Run Nursery at 6131 Hillen Rd, Baltimore, MD 21239. The knowledgeable folks there will help you turn your yard into a pollinator paradise!

Join us at this year’s Fullerton Fireworks Celebration on Saturday, July 1 with food vendors and live music starting at 2 p.m. Come out for a day of fun, great food, entertainment and the largest fireworks display in the state. Fireworks start at 9:15 p.m. Rain date is Sunday, July 2. Volunteers are needed to help out that day. Please contact us at FullertonFireworksFoundation@gmail.