The Lakeside at Trappe development is underway, and 109 homes have already been built. Let’s not write a “blank check” for the remainder of the project. Talbot County officials should closely monitor the development’s growth and ensure sewage discharge and other plans are not harming Talbot’s way of life.
The county council will debate this at its regular meeting on Tuesday, January 9. Anyone in the county who will be affected by the changes caused by Lakeside should email their thoughts to [email protected] before the next council meeting.
In November, council members Lynn Mielke and Pete Lesher introduced a proposal that would require Lakeside’s expansion to be consistent with the county comprehensive plan (Amendment No.1 to Resolution 338).
The measure would allow county officials to evaluate plans for additional development when sewage from the project reaches an average of 100,000 gallons per day – an amount generated by approximately 400 homes. The 109 homes already built at Lakeside are served by sewer. What impacts might the additional 2,392 planned homes have?
Periodic review is critical. It’s also gained strong support from the community.
The council’s own appointed Planning Commission voted unanimously to support Mielke and Lesher’s proposal.
“This would be the county’s only chance for some kind of review in five to ten years. I just don’t see how we can write a blank check,” Chip Councell, who chairs the commission, said at a November meeting.
The Public Works Advisory Board, whose members are also appointed by the council, unanimously support periodic checks on the development. That would provide the county an essential opportunity to evaluate how schools, roads, emergency services, and other investments paid for by county taxpayers are impacted by the project, the board found.
The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), after public outcry, scaled back Lakeside’s proposed sewage discharge permit from 540,000 gallons to 100,000 gallons per day. The treated wastewater will be sprayed on local farm fields. Now the discharge can’t be increased without a major permit modification and public review.
“After careful consideration of the public comments received, MDE issued a science-based permit that placed further limits on when, where and under what conditions [the discharge] can take place,” MDE spokesperson Jay Apperson said.
Mielke and Lesher’s proposal would make local review and approval consistent with the state’s final sewage discharge permit that’s intended to protect the environment from harm.
The county council’s pending decision does not come out of the blue. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation called for periodic checks at multiple public hearings. Thousands of county and Shore residents need assurance from Talbot’s leaders that Lakeside will be managed in a way that won’t inundate the community’s roads, schools, and emergency infrastructure with the influx of new residents and make already bad water quality worse.
Now the Talbot County Council must decide whether to explicitly require periodic reviews or to write a blank check for future development and leave it to chance that Lakeside developers will do the right thing.
This is your best chance to let the council know how you feel. Write them before January 9 and be heard.
Alan Girard is the Chesapeake Bay Foundation Eastern Shore Director
Alan Boisvert says
So tired of this story. Does anyone have anything new?
Hal De Bona says
Frankly I’m glad it’s being brought up again!
Tom Gerni says
“the story” is one of vigilant management to protect the citizens and the infrastructure from unchecked development that could harm the fragile balance of overloaded sewage management.
Pray we don’t lose sight of it!
Michael Pullen says
Its too important. The developer is looking to cash in (or cash out) on the amenities provided by the County, public schools, public roads, public safety, protection of our common resource, the Chesapeake Bay and its natural resources. County Comprehensive Plans control and direct growth, including the County’s Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan which breaks down phased development into annual 1-2, 3-5, and 5-10 year cycles leaving other areas unprogrammed for development. Those are the phases under State and County law for extension of sewer services, in coordination with and consistent with the County Comprehensive Plan.
It is irresponsible to abdicate planning for schools, roads, public safety, and future environmental impacts to the good graces of a developer. State law gives the County the responsibility to develop and implement Comprehensive Planning for growth.
If you’re unwilling to participate in the public affairs of the County, that’s ok. For others, the future of the County relies on the willingness of good citizens to participate in local affairs. The common good depends on you. Participate, it’s how local government works for the public good.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk, MD says
You bring up a valid and common feeling – that of “Citizen Fatique”. The developer and its legal team are hoping for this to happen, both on the part of the public, as well as our county officials. Sadly, this has been a very long and drawn out process, however, we can’t just throw in the towel now. Write to your County Council members and tell them to do the right thing, and that you are keeping track of their voting records.