AROUND THE PARK AGAIN by Sharon Lee Tegler
Brought to you by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi
For the moment, Arnold’s famed rooster reigns supreme. He’s currently in a better frame of mind because Chick fil A’s plan to build a Drive-Thru-Only fast-food restaurant in his community has been denied.
We first learned of the Arnold community’s efforts to stop a proposed Chick fil A from being built there during an interview with Arnold Preservation Council director Elizabeth Rosborg in May of 2024.
Rosborg explained that the proposed site for the fast-food restaurant – the first Drive-Thru Only Chick fil A in the state of Maryland – would have been located off the southbound lanes of Ritchie Highway just past Arnold Road and the CVS Pharmacy and between the Sunoco and a private driveway. Across Route 2 from the Arnold Volunteer Fire Department, the site is wooded and serves as a slight buffer between existing businesses and residential neighborhoods.
By September of 2025, we’d noticed the by-now famous posters along Ritchie Highway and the B&A Trail bearing the image of a proud rooster urging the Arnold community to rally round and “Stop Chick fil A” by filing and supporting an appeal. The Arnold Preservation Council was unable to file the appeal because one can only be filed by a property owner directly involved so Rosborg filed as owner of the property at 18 Severn Way LLC (with the full backing of the council).
Filing an appeal would prove a difficult and expensive challenge involving the hiring of a lawyer, a traffic engineer and a civil engineer. But the move was supported by the entire Arnold community and a Go Fund Me page was established enabling the process to move ahead.
In our second interview with Rosborg on September 25, 2025, she explained that the preliminary plan for the Chick fil A had already been approved by the County and challenging it would involve six public hearings before the Anne Arundel County Board of Appeals. During the first three hearings, representatives from Chick fil A outlined their preliminary plan while lawyer Dan Fligsten, the attorney representing Rosborg and three of the witnesses spoke on behalf of the community.
Two more hearings were scheduled – the first was actually the fourth Board of Appeals Hearing on October 1st, 2025 at Arundel Center Council Chambers at 44 Calvert Street in Annapolis. According to Rosborg, the Arnold Preservation Council was hoping to rally enough community members to fill the gallery. Soon afterward, we heard from her that the turnout for the October 1 public hearing was so good that two more public hearings were scheduled for December 2nd and 4th, 2025.
Response for those hearings was heavy too and time ran out before everyone was able to testify. Thus, the Board scheduled additional ones. Altogether, there were nine public hearings with the last held on January 29th, 2026.
In addition to Rosborg, as owner and managing partner at 18 Severn Way LLC, approximately 37 witnesses from the Arnold community testified. Among them were two business owners from the Arnold Station shopping center, representatives from the Arnold Heights Homeowners Association and Ashcroft Community Association and numerous residents from the communities of Arnold Manor, Ashcroft, Pines on the Severn, Winchester on the Severn, and Broadneck.
During the hearings, Jon Korin, a bicycling advocate, testified about his concern that the Chick-fil-A would be a destination for walkers, runners and cyclists on the B&A Trail and could see no safe access for trail users on the plan.
Among the many Pines on the Severn residents testifying, Joseph Noble cited the community’s concerns about the speed of traffic and stacking of cars on Ritchie Highway. He pointed out that traffic flow from the proposed Chick fil A Drive-Thru would further complicate problems for the community. As things stand currently, drivers avoid Route 2 traffic by cutting through Pines on the Severn thereby impacting the safety of residents, school children and visitors sizeable swim meets held at the community pool. (The neighborhood has narrow streets and there are no sidewalks.)
Paul Trayham also worried about traffic impact and the fact that drivers entering or exiting the drive-thru could worsen the problem and interfere with emergency response times for the Arnold Volunteer Fire Department. Jennifer Troy was concerned about bicycle and traffic safety and about already existing merging maneuvers that would be further exacerbated.
Area resident John Gugliotti was opposed to the Drive-Thru Preliminary Plan based on a draft report of subsurface exploration, laboratory testing and geotechnical engineering analyses that found some volatile organic compounds in the property. (Those analyses were partially challenged in later testimony favorable to Chick fil A by environmental consultant Michael Bell who is preparing a report for the company based on testing of his own.)
Virtually all of the Arnold residents’ main concern was traffic safety along the Route 2 corridor. But the broader range of issues they mentioned included falling property values, stormwater runoff and flooding brought about by the removal of a significant number of trees on the property. Traffic turning out from the drive-thru would affect residents’ ability to get out of their neighborhoods while noise and light pollution from the site and other environmental impacts such as air-borne particulates could be harmful to health.
Throughout the hearings, there were a number of rebuttals from experts on behalf of Chick fil A. Among the experts was Austin Whitley who described the company’s drive-thru only concept while noting that the restaurant was proposed as a relief location to assist with demand at the conventional sit-down Chick fil A in Severna Park.
Once the January 29th hearing was over, the nine-member Board of Appeals was required to deliberate and make a determination within 60 days, meaning their decision would be announced in March. However, they requested several extensions. Finally, on July 16th a decision for the Denial of Chick fil A’s Preliminary Plan was announced.
On July 17, Elizabeth Rosborg sent out an email announcing that Chick fil A’s Preliminary Plan had been denied and attached thereto a 19-page Memorandum of Opinion ending with the Order of Denial.
The Rooster and residents of Arnold breathed a collective sigh of relief according to Rosborg. But perhaps not for long. She notes that Chick fil A has 60 days to appeal the decision.
Arnold resident Mary Felter commented that the moment she heard the good news about the denial she spread it.
“I shared the information released by Elizabeth Rosborg with friends in my bridge group who were universally relieved,” Felter said. “They are all hoping Chick fil A does not appeal the Board of Appeals denial of their Preliminary Plan which, of course, it can do. Part of my friends’ response was wondering if, maybe now, the Arnold Preservation Council could do something about the Severna Park Golf Center sale and proposed development of the land.”
Rosborg said the preservation council is already looking into what could be done about the plan for residential development of the Severna Park Golf Center land.
We’ll be keeping you updated.
A reminder: Jing Ying Institute’s Summer Camp begins August 10th
A reminder that Summer Camp at Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu & Tai Chi for children 5 to 11 years old is being held August 10th thru 14th. In view of the recent Artemis mission, Space Exploration is a bit of a theme this year with a visit by Mary Ann Jung as Sally Ride the astronaut. Among other surprises, EcoAdventures is going to bring some of their out-of-this world animals and Dr. Wendy is going to focus on STEM activities. For information, see Best Martial Arts Program in Annapolis, Severna Park.
The Around The Park Again column is brought to you this week by Jing Ying Institute of Kung Fu and Tai Chi at 1195 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. – For over two decades providing martial arts training that improves cardio-vascular health, strength and flexibility while reducing stress. Jing Ying is again bringing Tai Chi to the Severna Park Community Center. The school will be holding a fun-filled summer camp this August. From health-defense to self-defense, Jing Ying provides fitness with a purpose for the whole family!
and by Lean On Dee Senior Home Care Services at 815 Ritchie Hwy., Suite 206 – When you need someone to lean on, Lean On Dee. Their experienced team of personal care management specialists and friendly companions provide high quality consistent care.
