In a mixing bowl, combine tuna and 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce; mix well. Add tomato, onion, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice and 1/4 tsp. salt. Toss well to blend. Cover and chill. With a spoon, scoop the avocados into a medium bowl and mash them with a fork; add remaining salt or to taste. Add remaining 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce, mixing well to blend. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray tortillas lightly on both sides with vegetable cooking spray. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp, approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool.
To assemble, spread one rounded Tbsp. of avocado mixture on each baked tortilla. Distribute 1/3 cup tuna mixture over avocado. Top each tortilla with crumbled cheese.

Makes 8 servings.

Sometimes the biggest decorating challenge is where to begin. Whether you start with a gallon of paint, an area rug, or a handful of accent pieces, one thing’s for sure: the colors you choose can make or break a space. Here are a few tips on selecting colors to stop you from getting stuck in a rut or getting too carried away.

Living Room
If your furniture is mostly neutral, there is no end to what you can achieve in this highly visible area of the home. A number of elements, such as pillows, rugs, slipcovers, and accessories, can be swapped seasonally to create a whole new look. If you’re considering a particular shade for the walls but are feeling a bit unsure, go a few shades lighter on the color swatch or opt for an accent wall instead.
TRY: Pumpkin, sage, or taupe

Kitchen
Contrast works wonders in the hub of the home. For instance, mixed woods for the flooring and cabinetry make one material easily distinguishable from the next. Pops of color can be introduced in window treatments, dishes, countertops, and rugs. Though cheerful colors are particularly popular in the kitchen, go with your gut and what speaks to you.
TRY: Yellow, green, or gray

Dining Room
Many people tend to go dark in the dining room with various shades of red, purple, and other rich hues, but there’s no reason why you can’t bend the rules. If you’d like to brighten up the space, go with a dramatic metallic ceiling or a crystal chandelier that will reflect candlelight. Hang a mirror directly across from a china cabinet for a reflection that is sure to entice you and your guests.
TRY: Blue, taupe, or gold

Master Bedroom
This is where it makes sense to select a different palette from the rest of the house. Soothing colors reign supreme in spaces intended for rest and relaxation. But remember, the neutrals you choose don’t need to put you to sleep. Instead, stay away from beige and opt for a pretty pastel or a cool contemporary color.
TRY: Soft pink, powder blue, or gray

Bathrooms
This is a place to make your mark. While you may want to continue with a neutral palette in the master bath to mirror a serene scheme in the master bedroom, the powder room or guest bathroom can be a place to go a little crazy with color. Use high-gloss white on moldings and trim as a contrast to all that color.
TRY: White or cream for master and lavender or black for guest bath

Foyer
Think long and hard about the way you want to feel when you first enter your home after a long day. Do you want to wipe the slate clean (white) or would you prefer to be greeted with a bright smile (yellow)?
TRY: Yellow, white, or taupe

Family Room
In a room that tends to be more casual, it’s OK to do the unexpected. Add a pop of color with something bright, such as orange or lime green accent pieces. Happy hues make for a happy home. In the end, remember that the purpose of color is to set a scene, and the ambience should always create a positive reaction for you and your family.
TRY: Orange, bright green, or navy

Throw Caution to the Wind
If you are feeling cautious about color, consider the following tips.

Experiment with color in small amounts before you go overboard. Try a vibrant picture frame, light fixture, piece of sculpture, or art. Even a collection of books or decorative objects can introduce a new hue to your home.

Written by Jeanine Matlow. Courtesy Home & Life Magazine
Photography provided by ©iStockphoto.com/Ruud de Man, ©iStockphoto.com/benz190, ©iStockphoto.com/mm88, ©iStockphoto.com/Rob Broek.

Circle of Angels Initiative Inc., a 501(c)(3) community organization geared toward policy and advocacy to eliminate poverty, has been working on an affordable housing initiative since 2003, but now it’s stepping up its efforts. Through the help of community donations, the Circle plans to raise enough money to buy back foreclosed homes from banks and to then either keep the original families living there or, if that isn’t possible, to work with the families to help them find new affordable housing and to bring a new family into the house and work to ensure that house remains permanently affordable.

While the program, Mutual Aid Housing, may seem like a daunting task, Circle Director Roseanna Vogt said, “I know it can be done.”

Five years ago, she managed to raise between $20,000 and $30,000 overnight to keep someone in a dire situation from being evicted.

“You just call people you know, that’s how I do it,” Vogt said, and she knows many generous individuals and groups, including a donor email list of 2,000 names, dozens of churches whose congregations help with Circle initiatives and numerous partnering agencies that are also working to bring more affordable housing to Maryland, including Partnership for Renewal in Southern and Central Maryland, Partnership for Renewal in the State of Maryland and Southern Maryland Action Coalition.

While the actual number of foreclosures nationwide is unknown because no agency keeps an accurate count, Vogt said, the government currently estimates 11 million and that with children factored in, the actual figure is probably close to 50 million people who have lost their homes to foreclosure. According to figures for Calvert County, which has a population of about 80,000, more than 1,640 county homes have been foreclosed since 2008, she said.

The Circle’s target homeowners to help are widows, single parents, the disabled, the mentally ill and veterans, according to Vogt, and since it costs roughly $50,000 to foreclose a home and only $20,000 to $30,000 to save it and keep someone in it, it already makes more financial sense to keep homeowners in their homes.

Although this new effort has just begun and Vogt said she hasn’t raised much money yet, she said if she can get everyone on her email list to donate $33 — the average amount people donate online, according to a Network for Good study — that could be enough to save at least one of three families with whom she is actively working at the moment, whose homes the Circle hopes to buy from GMAC Bank, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, respectively.

Vogt plans to start with Susan Prentice of Huntingtown because “she’s the most critical,” she said. She has been working with her since late spring of 2011 to purchase her house and keep her in it, along with her 22-year-old daughter and infant grandson. An eviction is scheduled right now for Jan. 5, but it won’t happen if Vogt can help it. The Circle is negotiating with the bank over the home’s value, which is undetermined at the moment.

Vogt said Prentice is not only handicapped but also a well-liked Walmart greeter in the community.

“I don’t understand it,” Prentice said. “We went to court, we were told they would work with us and the next thing you know, I got an eviction. I’ve never gotten an eviction a day in my life. I’m a hardworking woman. I’m very shocked.”

Prentice said the worst part of the ordeal is knowing “it’s not just me. I have a 10-month-old grandson and daughter that would be homeless, too.”

The Circle has been relentless in its fight for her, she added.

“They’re doing very well for me, willing to give the bank the money,” she said. “[Vogt]’s worked really hard for me. … What I’m hoping is that God gives me a miracle. That’s all I can do.”

Pastors with whom the Circle works across the state are the messengers who understand how bad the housing problem is, Vogt said. They hear and then communicate to her personal anecdotes from their church members about lost paperwork from banks, banks refusing to modify loans as promised and rents that are even higher than people’s defaulted mortgages were “so people aren’t being helped by moving out of their homes.”

Moreover, Vogt said Calvert County in particular doesn’t have much affordable housing so many people end up living outside the county and commuting.

“Nobody understands how bad the problem is,” she said. “We’re just trying to see what we can do to fix it.”

Any group or individual interested in partnering with or donating to the Mutual Aid Housing initiative can contact the Circle at 301-778-3848 or info@circleofangels.org. To learn more about the nonprofit and its efforts, go to www.circleofangels.org.

mrussell@somdnews.com

Take part in the effort

The Southern Maryland Action Coalition, a community partner of Circle of Angels Initiative Inc., will discuss solutions to the home foreclosure crisis, including workforce and affordable housing, at its regular meeting from 7 to 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9 at Carroll-Western United Methodist Church, 2325 Adelina Road in Prince Frederick.

The Pending Home Sales Index, a forward-looking indicator based on contract signings, increased 7.3 percent to 100.1 in November from an upwardly revised 93.3 in October and is 5.9 percent above November 2010 when it stood at 94.5. The October upward revision resulted in a 10.4 percent monthly gain.

The last time the index was higher was in April 2010 when it reached 111.5 as buyers rushed to beat the deadline for the home buyer tax credit. The data reflects contracts but not closings.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said the gains may result partially from delayed transactions. “Housing affordability conditions are at a record high and there is a pent-up demand from buyers who’ve been on the sidelines, but contract failures have been running unusually high. Some of the increase in pending home sales appears to be from buyers recommitting after an initial contract ran into problems, often with the mortgage,” he said.

“November is doing reasonably well in comparison with the past year. The sustained rise in contract activity suggests that closed existing-home sales, which are the important final economic impact figures, should continue to improve in the months ahead,” Yun added.

Pending home sales are not affected by the recently published rebenchmarking of existing-home sales because the index uses a different methodology based directly on contract signings, and is adjusted for seasonality.

The PHSI in the Northeast rose 8.1 percent to 77.1 in November but is 0.3 percent below November 2010. In the Midwest the index increased 3.3 percent to 91.6 in November and is 9.5 percent above a year ago. Pending home sales in the South rose 4.3 percent in November to an index of 103.8 and remain 8.7 percent above November 2010. In the West the index surged 14.9 percent to 121.2 in November and is 2.9 percent higher than a year ago.

The National Association of Realtors®, “The Voice for Real Estate,” is America’s largest trade association, representing 1.1 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

The Pending Home Sales Index is a leading indicator for the housing sector, based on pending sales of existing homes. A sale is listed as pending when the contract has been signed but the transaction has not closed, though the sale usually is finalized within one or two months of signing.

The index is based on a large national sample, typically representing about 20 percent of transactions for existing-home sales. In developing the model for the index, it was demonstrated that the level of monthly sales-contract activity parallels the level of closed existing-home sales in the following two months.

An index of 100 is equal to the average level of contract activity during 2001, which was the first year to be examined as well as the first of five consecutive record years for existing-home sales; it coincides with a level that is historically healthy.

realtor.org, December 29, 2011

“I want to personally thank and congratulate every one of you for contributing to this prestigious recognition,” says RE/MAX Chairman and Co-Founder Dave Liniger. “It truly reflects your professional excellence, your enthusiasm for education, your commitment to distressed sellers, your individual drive, and many other qualities that serve the interests of your clients. Your efforts change lives, and those people have spoken.”

Homebuyers ranked RE/MAX on a 1,000-point scale with a score of 805 and home sellers put RE/MAX on top with 791, leading all other real estate franchises in the survey. Consumers rated RE/MAX in the following categories:

•Overall satisfaction
•Agent/Salesperson professionalism
•Variety of additional services
•Real estate office
•Real estate company marketing (seller survey only)

The 2011 Home Buyer/Seller Study includes more than 4,200 evaluations from more than 3,680 respondents who bought or sold a home between March 2010 and April 2011. The study was fielded between March and May 2011.

About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The company’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Take Action Now for a Warmer and Safe WinterCourtesy of AMERISPEC Home Inspection Services

Start outside:
- Make sure your gutters and downspouts are clear of debris and functioning properly.
- Check the roof and flashings around all surface projections (roof penetrations) and sidewalls (joints between roof and vertical services).
- Drain and winterize all outside faucets and the sprinkler system.
- Empty any water hoses, coil and store.
- Repair any damage to sidewalks, driveways, and steps before ice or snow makes them worse due to the freeze/thaw cycle.
- Make sure your chimney is clear of bird nests and leaves. Consider calling in a professional chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
- Check and repair any gaps in weather-stripping or calk around doors and windows. Failure to do so could add up to 10% to your winter heating bill.
- Make sure doors and windows have no missing or loose glazing putty.
- Winterize the lawn mower and clean, sharpen and oil all metal gardening tools before storing. Make sure your snow removal tools are operational and ready to go (if applicable).

Follow this checklist inside your home:
- Consider having a professional inspect and service your furnace. Also, be sure to replace the furnace filters and clean and adjust the humidifier (if applicable).
- Clean heating ducts, grills, and registers.
- Clean lint and any other debris out of dryer vents pipes.
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide monitors as well as fire extinguishers.
- Reprogram your thermostat for the winter weather. Keeping your thermostat no higher than 68 degrees when people are home will help control energy costs.
- Unclog slow running drains.
- Make sure bath and shower caulking is intact.
- If your home is not insulated or under-insulated, seriously consider air sealing the air leakage pathways between the home and attic, and installing insulation in your attic to reduce drafts and heating costs.
Not only will it give you a warm feeling now to know your home is in good shape for winter, you’ll probably feel cozier all season long.

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 lb whole almonds (or pecans)

Beat the egg white with water until frothy, but not stiff. Sift the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add almonds to egg mixture and stir until well coated. Add sugar mixture and stir until every nut is well coated. Foil two cookie sheets and spray with Pam or Butter. Spread almonds on cookie sheets in single layer and separate as much as possible. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Let them cool and then break apart. Place in decorative papers shaped as a cone and close with ribbon for a delicious edible gift!

MAPLE APPLE CAKE

1½ cups white flour
1½ cups whole wheat flour
1¾ teaspoons baking powder
1¾ teaspoons baking soda
⅓ teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1¼ cups maple syrup
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
⅔ cup buttermilk
2½ cups Granny Smith apple, peeled and chopped

Topping:
1 cup flour
½ cup cold butter
¾ cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together. In a separate large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients except the apples. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just enough to blend. Add the apples. Be careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into a greased Bundt pan. Blend the topping mixture together and sprinkle it generously over the batter. Press the topping into the batter. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a tester stick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm with cinnamon or vanilla ice cream, or serve cool the next day. Wrap in colored cellophane and top with a bow for a festive treat!

Enjoy!

-Jessica

The good news? Two key measures now suggest it’s an excellent time to buy a house, either to live in for the long term or for investment income (but not for a quick flip). First, the nation’s ratio of house prices to yearly rents is nearly restored to its prebubble average. Second, when mortgage rates are taken into consideration, houses are the most affordable they have been in decades.

Two of the silliest mantras during the real-estate bubble were that a house is the best investment you will ever make and that a renter “throws money down the drain.” Whether buying is a better deal than renting isn’t a stagnant fact but a changing condition that depends on the relationship between prices and rents, the cost of financing and other factors.

But the math is turning in buyers’ favor. Stock-oriented folks can think of a house’s price/rent ratio as akin to a stock’s price/earnings ratio, in that it compares the cost of an asset with the money the asset is capable of generating. For investors, a lower ratio suggests more income for the price. For prospective homeowners, a lower ratio makes owning more attractive than renting, all else equal.

Nationwide, the ratio of home prices to yearly rents is 11.3, down from 18.5 at the peak of the bubble, according to Moody’s Analytics. The average from 1989 to 2003 was about 10, so valuations aren’t quite back to normal.

But for most home buyers, mortgage rates are a key determinant of their total costs. Rates are so low now that houses in many markets look like bargains, even if price/rent ratios aren’t hitting new lows. The 30-year mortgage rate rose to 4.12% this week from a record low of 3.94% last week, Freddie Mac said Thursday. (The rates assume 0.8% in prepaid interest, or “points.”) The latest rate is still less than half the average since 1971.

As a result, house payments are more affordable than they have been in decades. The National Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Index hit 183.7 in August, near its record high in data going back to 1970. The index’s historic average is roughly 120. A reading of 100 would mean that a median-income family with a 20% down payment can afford a mortgage on a median-price home. So today’s buyers can afford handsome houses—but prudent ones might opt for moderate houses with skimpy payments.

For example, the median home in the greater Phoenix market, including houses, condos and co-ops, costs $121,700, according to Zillow.com. With a 20% down payment and a 4.12% mortgage rate, a buyer’s monthly payment would be about $470. Rent for a comparable house would be more than $1,100 a month, according to data provided by Zillow.com.

Of course, all of this assumes mortgages are available—no given now that lending standards have tightened. But long-term data on down payments and credit scores suggest conditions are more normal than many buyers think, according to Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow. “If you have good credit, a job and a down payment, you can get a mortgage,” Mr. Humphries says. “There’s more paperwork and scrutiny than five years ago, but things are pretty much like they were in the ’80s and ’90s.”

Not all housing markets are bargains. Mr. Humphries says Zillow has developed a new price/rent ratio that uses estimates for each individual property rather than city medians, to better reflect the choices facing typical buyers. A fresh look at the numbers suggests Detroit and Miami are plenty cheap for buyers, with price/rent ratios of 5.6 and 7.7, respectively. New York and San Francisco are more expensive, with ratios of 17.6 and 17.2, respectively. The median ratio for 169 markets is 10.7.

For investors seeking income, one back-of-the-envelope way of seeing how these numbers stack up against yields for other assets is to divide 1 by the price/rent ratio, resulting in a rent “yield.” The median market’s rent yield is 9.3% and Detroit’s is 17.9%.

Investors would then subtract for taxes, insurance, upkeep and other expenses—costs that vary widely. But suppose total costs were 4% of the purchase price. That would still leave a 5.3% rent yield in the typical market. With the 10-year Treasury yield at 2.2% and the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index carrying a dividend yield of 2.1%, rents for residential housing in many markets look attractive.

A few caveats are in order. First, not all transactions are average ones. Even in low-priced markets, buyers should shop carefully. Second, prices could fall further. Celia Chen, a senior director at Moody’s Analytics, expects prices to drop 3% before bottoming early next year and rising slowly thereafter. “If the economy slips back into recession, however, we could easily see a 10% drop,” Ms. Chen says.

And property “flipping” can be dangerous even when prices are rising. That is because, absent a real-estate boom, house price gains simply aren’t that exciting. Research by Yale economist Robert Shiller suggests houses more or less track the rate of inflation over long time periods.

Houses aren’t the magic wealth creators they were made out to be during the bubble. But when prices are low, loans are cheap and plump investment yields are scarce, buyers should jump.

—Jack Hough is a columnist at SmartMoney.com. Email: jack.hough@dowjones.com

As they grow older, kids often assume they will own a home without giving it much consideration. Sometimes they imagine they will own a home just like Mom and Dad’s, not realizing it took their parents many years of hard work and financial discipline to become homeowners.

Homeownership requires discipline, effort, commitment, responsibility, and accountability, and yet our educational system does not always provide our children with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the process, much less lay the groundwork in advance so they are mortgage-ready when the time comes. This begs the question: What can we, as parents, do to help our kids avoid some of our own mistakes and prepare them for the largest financial transaction in their adult life?

The Latin derivative of the word “education” means “to bring forth from within,” which is predicated on the idea that we all have it within us to learn and grow. But where do we start helping our children learn and grow in the area of homeownership? What exactly do our children need to know now, especially as teenagers and college students, so they’ll be prepared and financially-able when they want to buy a home?

The following suggestions will help you start a dialogue with your children, and provide them with the tools they need to get a jump-start on the path to “mortgage-readiness.”

1.) Think about the timing. Tell your children to really be sure about when they want to own a home, and then advise them to work toward it. If they’re not intentional about getting there someday, they won’t. Simple as that.

2.) Get a job. Tell your children to consider getting a job during school, even a part-time job. They will need money to buy a house, but they also need a steady employment history, so they should start building up their resume as soon as possible. This will also be helpful when the time comes to secure a permanent position in their field of study. FHA loans, in many circumstances, will accept a college transcript as a component of employment history. However, your children will need the “ability to repay” which comes from steady fulltime employment.

3.) Create a budget. And stick to it! Explain that their budget should be detailed enough to account for all the income and outflow each month…even the Friday night date or pizza night with friends. Also, remind them to be careful with the debit card and don’t forget to record the entries into their log. The challenge with using a debit card is that we feel good since we are paying with “cash.” However the convenience of the plastic cash leads to temptation to spend money you might not otherwise spend. Last, tell them to include an emergency cash fund in their budget for unforeseen expenses. Many people fail to do this and it is a great practice to begin early in adult life. The key here is for your children to be conscious of their spending.

4.) Build up your credit score. Suggest that your child get a credit card or two, but no more than that, and stick to a Visa or Mastercard. Also suggest that they avoid department store cards as they can be hazardous! They often carry higher interest rates and tempt people to buy things they don’t really need. Your children should routinely charge small transactions on their Visa or Mastercard to keep the account reporting as “active.” However, stress to them the importance of paying off the balance monthly when possible, and being cautious in carrying a balance over an extended period of time. Other advice to pass on: Strive to keep your balances below 18% of the credit limit at all times. Maintain tight control over your spending and your accounts. When you make your payments, be sure they are on time as a late payment can hurt you. Ignoring your financial obligations will always get you into trouble and will lower your credit score. The purpose of the cards is not to build up debt–that’s the opposite of what you want. Your goal is to create a history that will indicate to creditors your degree of responsibility in managing your debt. Responsible use of the cards over time will provide you with a healthy credit score, which is critical if you plan to purchase a home.

5.) Minimize student loan borrowing, if possible. If it is necessary for your children to obtain student loans for their education, borrow the smallest amount you can get by with. Paying back student loans can help build their credit as well, but the monthly payments (which are initially deferred) will come due when they graduate. The monthly payments will be calculated as liabilities when qualifying for a mortgage, which will reduce their purchasing power. Also, remind your children not to use their loan money to buy a laptop, new phone, or pizza. They should keep themselves financially lightweight.

6.) Learn about home finance and real estate. Obtaining a mortgage and purchasing a home are not simple things and can be emotional and stressful. There’s a lot to learn and many questions will arise, such as: What is involved in qualifying for a mortgage? What kind of down payment is required? What other money is needed for the transaction? How long should I keep the house before I sell it? Are property values increasing or decreasing in my area? Tell your children to learn about the process and the lingo. You could even suggest they talk to your mortgage professional to learn some great things they can do now so they’re in a good position when they are ready to buy a home. You could even work with your children to stay up-to-date on the industry, and consider reading a book or two on the subject together. It will help them immensely down the road.

7.) Learn basic maintenance. One of the costs associated with homeownership is maintenance. Keeping a home well maintained is vital to keeping expenses down in the long term and will make it easier to sell later. Help your children learn how to make minor home repairs, which will save them a hefty amount of money as a homeowner.

8.) And last but not least…tell your children to save, save, save! Whether they buy used books, drive an older car, or skip spring break, they should save a percentage of what they earn (for instance, save one out of every three dollars). Also, be sure to model that savings behavior for your children, as kids often mimic what they see rather than just do what they’re told.

A great guideline for saving can be found in one of the greatest financial books of all time, The Richest Man in Babylon. Author George S. Clason says, “Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.” This timeless classic reminds us to pay ourselves first and sock away ten percent of our earnings for the future.

The bottom line is that the American Dream is still alive and well. There is no secret recipe. It’s a matter of spending and saving wisely and learning the necessary steps to mortgage readiness. If you have any questions about your personal situation, contact the professional who supplied you with this month’s issue of YOU Magazine. Take the first step now to set your children on the path to home ownership.

Author Elizabeth Rose is a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist and self-proclaimed economic enthusiast. As a national speaker, she provides training and mentoring to mortgage professionals across the U.S.

At its meeting last Thursday night, the commission approved a plan for a convention center with guest suites, retail space and a parking garage at the corner of Bay Avenue, 5th Street and Chesapeake Avenue. In addition, the commission approved a plan for two, five-unit townhouses on 3rd Street and Bay Avenue and an eight-unit townhouse on 5th Street behind Baywalk.

While all three plans had a few minor exceptions that did not meet zoning specifications, town Zoning Administrator John Hofmann explained that the commission has a second option in approving development projects if the developer lays out a detailed plan for review and the commission finds it compatible with the neighborhood. The commission can approve the plan with conditions and then recommend it to the town council, he said.

“It allows for some creativity, imagination,” he said, adding that it may produce “a better plan than if we strictly follow the rules.”

Both companies proposing the developments, RAR Development Associates of North Beach and Van Metre Cos. of Burke, Va., presented detailed proposals showing architectural drawings and dimensions on overhead slides, while explaining the site plans.

The North Beach Resort, a RAR proposal for a 22,000-square-foot resort with a convention center, 30 guest suites and a four-level parking garage, is half the size of RAR’s proposed resort years ago, said Bobby Russo, owner Ron Russo’s wife, who said she was talking on behalf of her husband because he was laid up in the hospital due to injuries he sustained from a fall while working two weeks ago.

His daughter, Elena Russo, said that the year-round center could be used for business seminars, weddings and performing arts and has an open floor plan that can be adapted. The resort will attract tourists and it will put North Beach on the map in the Washington, D.C., area, she said. The first level also will include mixed-use retail space with the intent to have restaurants rent the space.

Ron’s son, Mark Russo told the commission that RAR also plans on helping to market the resort, saying that they have plans to create a website and link to social media sites to draw people to North Beach.

“I’m as enthusiastic about this as any project I’ve done before,” said Ron Russo, who was waiting to be discharged from the hospital on Tuesday. He said the project is at a manageable scale and will bring an economic boost to the town. Van Metre and RAR worked together all winter on the projects to make them compatible, Ron Russo said.

With the development being in the Chesapeake Bay critical area and flood zone, an engineer addressed environmental issues, saying that they have reduced impervious surface areas, included landscaping and have incorporated a rain garden for each of the units in the design, “which helps with the pollution reduction.”

A few at the meeting said that they thought the project was too dense for the area and questioned the noise that will be generated from vendors servicing the restaurants. It was noted that the action by the commission was for the concept and that other issues would be addressed in the category one site plan that will be required later.

Commission members also questioned whether the number of parking spaces in the garage was enough, and Hofmann said he felt comfortable with the 212 spaces proposed. Commission member John Pauls motioned to accept the plan on the condition that the town consummate the agreement that the town will operate the parking garage, and Mayor Mark Frazer, who was present, nodded that that was the town’s intention.

Van Metre’s two townhouse projects also met approval with a few conditions, one being that the plan needed to indicate that all garages were only for vehicle parking use.

Roy Barnett of Van Metre introduced the designs of the projects, which will include landscaping with mature trees and balconies in the front. A larger condominium project was approved a few years ago for 3rd Street and Bay Avenue, but the permit has expired, and Barnett said that this design is only three stories with 30-foot-high eaves and the peaks of the roof from 37 to 38 feet high, and detached garages in the rear.

“We wanted to reduce the intensity of the use on the property,” he said.

Hofmann advocated for the new design and other residents present commented that they liked the design of the townhouses.

For more information, visit www.somdnews.com

Story written by Carol Harvat

Submitted photo The North Beach Resort site plan for a convention center on the corner of 5th Street and Bay Avenue, which was presented by RAR Development Associates to the North Beach Planning Commission