Their wearetowson.com site operates under the banner, "Together, let's save what makes Towson ... Towson."

It features more than 50 media stories, news reports and Internet items about local issues; it frames them with what they mean for Towsonites, and it provides the names of elected officials and authority figures and explains how they can be contacted.

It is not affiliated with any community organization. The Web site is devoid of the usual judicious exchange that occurs when one entity or organization publicly criticizes another, since it is anonymously authored.

Who are the people responsible for its content?

They're not telling. They want to remain anonymous, according to the site, because "we are aware of retribution that has taken place against neighbors who have spoken out and tried to get things done.

"Sadly, we do not feel there is a loud enough voice to protect us at this point."

Suffice to say, "we're a group of friends from several different neighborhoods who realized we've all been affected by the issues facing Towson."

Between them, they've had cars vandalized after Towson University events, they say. They've had kids go to class in trailers at overcrowded schools, they've had drivers speeding down their streets to avoid the frustrations of York Road, and they've lamented the loss of nice places to take their families in downtown Towson.

"We realized that alone, all we can do is gripe," they say.

Local newspapers are writing about the problems and neighborhood Citizens on Patrol groups are reporting the problems, but "many Towson residents are still asleep while the problems become worse," they say.

They have created the wearetowson.com Web site as a clearinghouse for media coverage of the issues and of their neighbors' opinions of the issues so that "Towson residents will wake up to the problems, and come together to keep what makes Towson ...Towson."

The home page of the site states that:

* TU president Robert Caret with a goal of 25,000 students by 2012 "is on a mission to dramatically increase enrollment, with seemingly no regard for the concerns of area residents."

* "In a single year over 2,100 new condominiums and apartments have been approved or proposed for approval within Towson's 14 square miles, increasing our 21,578 households by 10 percent.

"Current economic conditions may very well leave these units vacant, unbuilt or filled with more college students, despite the initial claims by developers and county officials that these would be 'upscale' units."

* "Towson University has failed to respond to residents' repeated concerns about their unstudied enrollment growth, noise, the lack of on-campus parking and dorms ... "

* "Towson University students now make up large portions of neighborhoods; homeowners are forced to fight the battle against noise, trash, parking and unbelievable behavior daily, but the County Office of Code Enforcement and the Judicial system don't seem to be effective."

* "Towson area elementary schools are overcrowded with 451 more students than their rated capacity."

* "Our streets are overburdened, too -- there is a 'Walkable Towson' plan, but you can barely drive on York Road."

* "Towson police have stated they are stretched to their limits ... are the hospitals next?"

* "Downtown businesses are vacant -- but do Towson's families really want another hookah bar?"

Fay Citerone, president of the Knollwood-Donnybrook Association, says the wearetowson.com Web site could be useful.

"From my observation, it looks like it could be a good forum for presenting the issues," she said.

But Marina Cooper, spokeswoman for Towson University, doesn't see it that way.

"Towson University is part of what makes Towson, Towson," she said. "Obviously this is a great venue for those against growth and development in general."

Most people would see the university as an asset to the community, she said. "We know we are important to the community and we also know the community is important to us."

People have a right to express their concerns, she said.

"There will always be a minority of people who don't want things to change," Cooper said. "But considering how we have demonstrated our willingness to work with the community, I'm not sure how productive or constructive this Web site is."

user comments (3)

user mrjoe says...

it's about time a web site like this is on the net

Posted 9:02 AM, 03.12.09

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user mrjoe says...

it's about time a web site like this is on the net

Posted 9:02 AM, 03.12.09

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user noswot says...

Take back our community, Towson. "We are Towson???" "TakebackTowson" would more like telling it like it must be. Please keep up the good work. We are hard working, ordinary citizens who have chosen these neighborhoods as affordable, livable, stable places to raise our families and go about our lives. The "student ghettos"springing up here are inhabited by "kids" who, we hope, will one day go on to become responsible adults. But, in the meantime, they do not have a stake in our communities, as they go to school and play at being adults, as if drinking, holding loud parties, parking where ever they choose and leaving mountains of trash each week is what being adult is all about. By the way, Ms. Marina Cooper, no one is against growth and development. You have classrooms on campus, and your students go there to learn. How about housing on campus too-----learning could take place there. That would be growth and development that all of our communities would favor. We do not want to parent these ill-mannered, short term "residents" of our communities. Let them learn on campus and live on campus. Of course the University is an asset. No one denies that. But student ghettos destroying nice little residential enclaves-----I say keep the students on campus where a community of learning could really be fostered. We would welcome that.

Posted 7:21 AM, 03.13.09

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