The Talbot County Planning Commission voted Tuesday unanimously to give an unfavorable recommendation to the Board of Appeals for a proposed four-bed assisted living facility at 29334 Dogwood View Drive in Cordova.
The application was filed by Westgate Assisted Living LLC, with operator Tanette Gibson and agent Lacy Gilbert seeking to convert a vacant home owned by Robert and Mae Kimball into a residential care facility charging between $6,000 and $6,500 a month.
Supporters praised Gibson’s caregiving background, with neighbor Clayton Fisher calling her “a great candidate” based on her work caring for his wife with Alzheimer’s.
But opponents raised concerns about the applicants’ connection to a separate recovery house on Burgess Court and questioned whether the business was properly registered in Maryland. The Kimballs said they would serve as landlords and have no direct role in operations.
Even commissioners who voted against it acknowledged the county’s need for affordable elder care options. Commissioner Council, who made the motion, said the use was simply not consistent with the comprehensive plan “on this site.”
The case now goes to the Board of Appeals for a final decision.
