For those following the continuing effort to persuade the County Council to rescind Resolution 281, the citizen’s Petition requesting that action continues to be ignored. Accordingly, a lawsuit was filed last Friday requesting that the Talbot County Circuit Court direct the County Council to hear our petition in accordance with the Council’s own clear Rules of Procedure.
If that motion is granted, the Council still holds the exclusive power to decide whether or not to rescind its green-light for Trappe East when details of the wastewater treatment plan were changed afterwards. But the Council cannot stonewall the citizens—we must be heard.
(ShoreRivers and others claim the changes to the sewage system plans and omissions of information were significant, and the Circuit Court remanded the developer’s permit back to MDE for a new review and public hearing. But the Council is meanwhile permitting the developer to proceed, as if they are certain nothing is amiss. The Spy has published information on this issue previously.)
At present 164 individuals and the Talbot Preservation Alliance have contacted the Council asking to join in or expressing support for Petition 21-01. This is an ongoing effort calling for integrity in our land use procedures, and any Talbot resident can add his or her voice by sending a short email to that effect to [email protected].
On another important matter, I hope you heard the news that, by a 5-0 vote, the Planning Commission found that the ¾ mile force main sewer line the Council proposed to run down the St. Michaels Road (at a cost of $190,000, purportedly to pick up a single toilet hookup) is NOT consistent with our Comprehensive Plan. The Public Works Advisory Board was also unanimously opposed (as they were to the Council’s action last year on Trappe East).
Dan Watson is the former chair of Bipartisan Coalition For New Council Leadership and has lived in Talbot County for the last twenty-five years.
David Lloyd says
Is there a way/means to impeach members of the Talbot Council? This is criminal!
Eva M. Smorzaniuk, M.D. says
Thank yous to Dan for continuing to monitor this concerning issue, and to the members of the Planning Commission and the Public Works Advisory Board for doing the right thing.