Objections to the Lakeside development—in particular, the Planning Commission’s action to protect Talbot’s environment and the public health of citizens—could suddenly be killed off at tomorrow night’s Council Meeting.
On Friday, with no notice, the Council Agenda was set so that the three supporters of Lakeside on the Council—Messrs. Callahan, Divilio and Pack—can vote down the legislation that prohibits connecting Lakeside to the existing Trappe sewerage plant that discharges into the seriously impaired La Trappe Creek. You remember La Trappe Creek from last September’s photos, right? See below, as a reminder of what we’re all talking about here.
Mr. Callahan, who has announced for re-election in November ([email protected], or 410-770-8010) seems to be the swing vote; Pack and Divilio seem never to have listened to a word from anyone but the developer, and aggressively defend Mr. Rocks’ project exactly as proposed, information be damned.
Amendment 1 was introduced by Pete Lesher, and Ms. Price has been a staunch defender, fighting fiercely to assure that Lakeside won’t further impair La Trappe Creek.
Just last Wednesday the Talbot County Planning Commission found that the key legislation on tomorrow night’s agenda (“Amendment 1 to R313”) is consistent with our Comprehensive Plan, as it expressly embodies the decision the Commission made in November that required just such a change in order for Lakeside to proceed at all. Under Maryland law, the Commission’s word is final on Comp Plan matters—but Messrs. Pack and Divilio are prepared to brush it off…and as for Mr. Callahan, we just don’t know.
(A vote on Amendment 1 to R313 should not even be on the agenda tomorrow. Since it is an amendment to our Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan, it is supposed to go first to the Public Works Advisory Board, which does not meet until March 17th. But in the Council’s rush to kill off Amendment #1, they may just dispense with input from the PWAB.)
The meeting begins at 6:00 live in the Bradley Room. It can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/midshorecommunitytelevision, and will also be live streamed here: https://talbotcountymd.gov/About-Us/County_Council/council-meeting-videos.
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David Lloyd says
Hate to think we will have to fund a legal challenge if the Council moves forward and disregards/ignores the laws which focus on this kind of action. Let’s hope Callahan does as he so often does: the right thing!!
Dirck Bartlett says
It will be indeed a sad day in Talbot County if a majority of this council allow the Lakeside Developer to hook up to the old plant in order to start the construction of 120 plus houses.
This was NEVER part of the original agreement. The developer should be forced to build a new Enhanced Nutrient Removal plant as was originally promised. If they are unwilling to build the new plant as promised, they should be forced by MDE to pump and haul their waste to the closest ENR plant in Easton.
The Planning Commission has gone on record saying that hooking up to a substandard plant violates the Comprehensive Plan. How is it possible that a majority of the County Council can ignore this clear violation of the Comprehensive Plan?
If the developer wants to start the project and if MDE allows them to do so, it should be only if they build their own ENR Plant first.
The photos of La Trappe Creek are sickening and any County Council Member who votes for more of that should be ashamed because they are ignoring / neglecting their sworn duty to the Talbot County Voters.
Matt Pluta says
The water quality impairments in La Trappe Creek should now be understated or ignored. Lab results from water samples collected in La Trappe Creek by ShoreRivers in September 2021 showed average total nitrogen levels of 32.6 mg/l and fecal coliform levels of 1443.3 cfu/100mL. These high levels of nitrogen and fecal coliform indicate unsafe conditions for recreational use and shellfish harvesting in La Trappe Creek. Increasing pollution loads in La Trappe Creek without requiring modern treatment technology will make these conditions worse in the near future.
Tom Alspach says
Mr. Callahan, there is an election coming up in which you will be appealing to all the voters of Talbot County, and not just those residing in the town of Trappe. You should act in the best interest of all those county voters, especially those living in the county downstream from Trappe and its plant. The pictures above reflect what they have to live with, and they need your help. There is plenty of time for the Lakeside developer to proceed, without doing so until you have done all in your power to protect Trappe Creek, including voting to approve Amendment 1 to 313.
Carol Soistman says
This is ridiculous and should never be allowed. Let the public works board meet on March 17th and let them advise. Stop this from happening!!!
Dan Watson says
Carol (and others)–
Email address and phone # above. That is where to express your view effectively.
DW
Barbara Lee Jefferson says
Lakeside Developement is a plan for ecological disaster!!!! The only ‘plus’ in the developement is in the pockets of the developers. I can’t imagine the disaster this development will create. The strain on the environment; the roads; the schools. It disgusts me that this project is moving along despite very serious objections. Lakeside is a terrible idea. Enough is enough. Protect our environment. This is a terrible project.
Kent Robertson says
Dear Mr Callahan and Talbot County Council,
I am writing to you in full support of Amendment 1 to Resolution 313.
While I am a conservative advocate for property owners’ rights, I am also a strong believer in following the rule of law, and as a fisherman and sailor, I am a strong advocate for protection of our most precious asset, the Chesapeake Bay.
To allow Lakeside to proceed now that we all know the consequences of dumping more raw sewerage into Trappe Creek would be, at best, a travesty that flies in the face of our stated Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan, public health and safety, our environmental responsibilities, and common sense.
Thank you Ms Price and Mr Lesher for staying the course and defending these principles.
Mr Divilio and Mr Pack, please vote FOR Amendment 1. If you choose to vote AGAINST it, have the guts to state why you think it is OK to allow Lakeside to pump waste into the already overtaxed Trappe Creek facility. It is beyond my comprehension that you could allow Lakeside to proceed unrestricted.
Mr Callahan, please do the right thing and vote FOR Amendment 1. It appears that you hold the deciding vote on this critical issue. We are counting on you to uphold our county laws and protect our precious environment.
Thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
Kent A. Robertson, MD
(Royal Oak, MD)
Lynn Turner says
“Please vote FOR “Amendment 1 to Resolution 313 tomorrow night!”
Marian Murphy says
We have a chance to make a contribution to correct the. damage done to La Trappe Creeke by not allowing further pollution into the creek. Allowing 100 more homes to dumpminto the creek would make a bad situation a disaster. Do not allow this project to continue. At least put it on hold until the plant is corrected or replaced. Make the right decision for Talbot County.
Robert Allan Gorsuch says
It is difficult to believe that elected officials would refuse to listen to accurate information that clearly indicates a faulty review and decision-making process occurred regarding approval of the Trappe project. Perhaps a way out if this mess would be a public presentation by the contractor that would address all of the issues that have been neglected, like sewer system capacity, traffic studies, impact on school enrollment increases, etc. Because of the project,Talbot County is about to buy into something that will have lasting, negative effects on its citizens unless planned well. I have not heard a single county official indicate that he or she believes this is a well-planned project. The time to halt progress on this is now.