Over the last three years, Trappe Town Council member Brian Schmidt has had a first-row seat, or some would say, on the frontlines of an ongoing debate about the Lakeside residential community development on the east side of Rt. 50 in that small town. First, as part of the town’s Planning Commission and then as an elected member of the town council, Brian not only participated in legislative conservations about the project but also unwittingly became a modest expert in wastewater treatment plants and their technology along the way.
Brian’s intense dive into wastewater treatment is, he says, a simple extension of his approach to business challenges in general after almost two decades of running a successful catering business. But it’s clear from the Spy’s interview with Brian earlier this week that the real motivation is his long history and love for Trappe itself.
Born and raised in Talbot County with grandparents and summertime memories in Trappe well before he and his wife decided to raise their family there, Brian Schmidt takes his role of stewardship of the town and its future very seriously.
And because of those reasons, it’s safe to say that he’s more than troubled by some of the misunderstandings surrounding the development and the thoughtful role the Town of Trappe has played to ensure his community’s environmental integrity.
This video is approximately nineteen minutes in length.
Richard Merrill says
Thank you for finally putting out a voice of reason.
Jay Corvan says
Brian obviously is a clever guy who is able to see many sides of the many issues he’s been faced with. Unfortunately neither the county or the town of trappe ever had any input as to how an eastern shore town works , whst it looks like, what are it’s fearures., How should it develop, What infrastructure and public facilities does it need. And consequently the developer brings his western shore suburban prototype here and it becomes a total mismatch for Talbot County.
During the Obama stimulus period 2010-2012 the developer applied for septic funding from the state , subsidized by the federal government , for a septic plant. The request to update the project’s and towns septic was turned was roundly rejected by the maryland board of public works simply because mArylsnd does not support suburban sprawl.
Comptroller peter Franchot was exactly right. Maryland knows the dangers of sprawl and trappe has walked right into the fray , turning over and assuming they were helpless , abd without any professional help offered by county or town , without any serious outreach to the public we ended up with a developer driven profit motivated project. . Mostly the developer kept saying that can’t provide anything they cant make money on. Or they just won’t.
Tne county has one shot to correct the direction of trappe and after that’s its a ship sailed. It’s in the approval of septic allocation which is absurd in itself. Nonetheless , In 2016 the county created a completely new comprehensive plan to adjust for trappe and guide it towards something that would be tolerable. Even so many critical civic Functions of a town had been omitted. Because this is a suburban bedroom community , there are no public facilities. And the toen let this happen! The developer has twisted turned and thoroughly resisted any attempt to domesticate this project and make it compatible with our county’s finest townscapes. It’s a crime what their lawyers have done to manipulate the governance of local and county commissioners.
In the long run it would be better for the town to let a few houses be built ( they are proceeding anyway without permits) and renegotiate the plan. According to Brian it will take twenty years to accomplish. Don’t bet the farm
On a very bad plan. Demand more. Get together and demand a better plan and build that instead. It’s not too late. And according to the developers agreement with thev town can tell the developer to stop whenever they like. The sheer numbers of houses to be built are bad enough , but as sprawl this development is nothing short of a visual travesty.
Anyway it appears this mess will go to court unless the developer wakes up and smells the coffee, which is unlikely. He really should because the law is in the plantiffs favor. It’s really quite a stupid canundrum. These things are settled when adults get in the room. A better townscape would sell better , And there really are talented urban designers unlike lakesides plan who get paid to do beautifully orchestrated town infill development. and I can see huge room For improvement but a lot of Very embattled people standing their ground for no real reason.
Thanks to the Spy for the editorial space to vent. We should be able to work Out these problems as adults.
Julia Libby says
I am interested in hearing the full recording of Brian Schmidt. His recording was cut off before he finished. He was so encouraging and uplifting that I enjoyed hearing positive thoughts about Trappe.
George Hulseman says
I appreciate hearing a voice from the other side for a change. I do wonder if Mr. Schmidt’s claim that the Trappe wastewater plant is indeed compliant with MDE. That’s not what we’ve been hearing in The Spy. Also, Mr. Schmidt’s comparison with growth in Easton is not really relevant. Easton is a much larger town and, significantly, has the infrastructure to support more growth. 2,500 homes in Trappe represents an exponential leap for Trappe. Would such growth change the character of this community? Is it consistent with Talbot’s comprehensive plan? These are the questions I have.
Eileen A. Deymier says
Facts matter & comparing the small Town of Trappe (2020 pop.1,177) to the much larger Town of Easton (2020 pop.17,101)is not relevant.The Town of Trappe consists of 2.6 sq.miles,Town of Easton 11.5 sq.miles.
Three major subdivisions were approved in Town of Easton during the past 35 years. The oldest is Cookes Hope started 1987/370 homes,followed by Easton Club begun in 1994/350 homes & Easton Club East (2001/452 homes) Total- 1,172 homes
Brian Schmidt says
Facts do matter. Here are the developments you have failed to mention. The expansion of these neighborhoods: Stoney Ridge, Matthewstown Run, South Beachwood, Chapel East, Golton. New neighborhoods: Easton Village, Mulberry Station, Breckinridge, Hunter’s Mill, Waylands, Chapel Farms, Quail Run, Townhouses next to MSP, Londonderry Dr., Apartments on Brookletts Ave, Magnolia Meadows, Ashby Commons, Diamond St., Apartments on Brant court. Not to mention the whole of the Target shopping center. I’m sure you can do the math.