Dear Members of the Talbot County Council:
You’ve all worked long and hard to come to agreement on how and if the 2005 Comprehensive Plan should be amended. We appreciate all the many hours you’ve spent considering these important decisions that will have a significant impact on all of us for years to come. Sometimes just a word change is really important to ensure that the CP language is really clear as the guiding policy for the County. At yesterday’s public hearing, there were a set of amendments offered to Bill 1329 to enact the 2016 Comprehensive Plan. I understand the vote on these amendments will take place at a later date.
I am writing to offer my strong support for the amendment offered by Councilmember Dirck Bartlett and co-sponsored by Councilmember Laura Price. As you know, it will amend – Part l – Countrywide Land Use Policies, page 2-3, sections 2.1, 2.2, and 2.3, by changing “should” to “shall” and, Part ll – will amend Development and Growth Planning Sector Policies, page 2-12, sections 2.13, 2.14, 2.16, and 2.19, by changing “should” to “shall”.
The Council should be clear that the policy in these sections is not subject to interpretation. If you supported “should”, it would be a clearer and better result to substitute the word “shall”. “Should” leaves the reader with the concern that the Council may not be clearly supporting the policies in these sections of the CP.
As a Talbot County resident and voter, I ask that this amendment be adopted.
Mr. Hollis, I would appreciate having this letter be incorporated into the final record.
Julie Susman
Citizens for Managed Growth
Citizens for Managed Growth
Willard Engelskirchen says
I agree 100%. Without these changes some chicanery could be possible. I am sure the sense of the majority of the residents of Talbot County is with these changes.
David Lloyd says
The proposed amendments are absolutely necessary! I have e-mailed all on the list to indicate my support for the amendments. I encourage all my neighbors in St.Michaels and elsewhere in Talbot County to do the same!