Letter to the Editor: Behind-the-Scenes at Vehicles for Change

Dear [Editor]:

I wrote this in response to Mr. Goldfarb’s . Unfortunately, the comments section did not allow my full comments. So I am forwarding to you. 

As has been the case in the past, Bruce Goldfarb’s has portrayed the Relay Improvement Association’s membership in a negative light. Here’s what actually happened.

In September of 2005, [Vehicles for Change founder] Marty Swartz addressed our association membership with his plan for the property at 5230 Washington Blvd.

He was moving his Vehicles for Change [VFC] organization to this location and wanted our blessing. At that time, Mr. Swartz said that people would be donating cars to VFC and that they would be fixing them up and selling them to people with very modest incomes who needed transportation to get to work, school, etc.

The overwhelming majority of our membership thought this was a great idea and voted to support this endeavor.

What we didn’t know and what Marty Swartz neglected to tell us was that he was also opening up a used car business on the same lot. Had we known this, the vote and discussion would more than likely have been different.

I suspect this is why we were not told.

Shortly after the meeting, he brings in a couple of modular office trailers, throws down some gravel, puts up a couple of signs and he’s off and running.

Fast forward 5 ½ years. Association members notice a zoning hearing sign onthe property and start making inquiries.

We found out that Mr. Swartz had installed another modular unit and that the electrician that wired it filed an electrical permit. When he called for an inspection, the inspector realized that no permits were filed for any of the modular units.

Further investigation revealed that Mr. Swartz was awarded a conditional permit 5 ½ years ago with the understanding that he would get adequate zoning variances as well as permits for any buildings or repairs made to the property. This was never done.

As the county delved further into the case, other issues came to light.

One was the set back from the road for their cars. There is a 15’ setback for the state and an additional 10’ for the county. VFC does not abide by these setbacks and at times park 3-4’ from the curb.

The property also is in the Patapsco River floodplain which would have legally prevented VFC from placing those buildings on that property had they made the effort to file the necessary paperwork. Bruce Goldfarb in his article contends that it’s the Relay residents that are concerned this is an environmental risk. While that is true, if Mr. Goldfarb had taken the time to do any investigation at all, he would have found out it was the state and county department of the environments as well as Baltimore County’s department of public works that were concerned with this issue. 

In spite of these poor business practices, VFC has grown considerably. In 2005 they had four employees; in 2007 their gross income was $1.3 million. In 2010 that income increased to $3.159 million, and now in 2012 they have 12 employees.

Considering their rate of growth and the fact that the nature of their business does not enable them to control their inventory, VFC has outgrown this site.

In spite of Mr. Swartz’s comments to the Patch reporter, we still think VFC is a great idea and hope they will succeed and flourish at their new location.

Greg Senkus
Relay Improvement Association
Zoning Committee