For the past decade my husband and I have enjoyed walking on the St. Michaels Nature Trail. Like thousands of residents and visitors, we have been fortunate to make many friends and acquaintances, and we all have been blessed to be able to see the natural bounty of the Chesapeake at its finest. We have all applauded the Town and State commitment to the Nature Trail, Back Creek Park and the Watermen’s Dock. These improvements just add to the wonderful nature of St. Michaels.
Environmental Concern, an early champion of the Nature Trail, is the owner of much of the land on one side of the Trail. Environmental Concern (EC) is seeking to have the Town annex a part of its land, outside the Town of St. Michaels and now regulated by Talbot County, under the guise of a “mapping error.” For some reason, however, in order to correct this “mapping error” (something on the books for nearly 100 years is hardly a mapping error!), EC is proposing the annexed parcel be REZONED FROM RESOURCE CONSERVATION TO RESIDENTIAL. This would enable the entire plot to be subdivided by EC or future developers into dozens upon dozens of homes, with the accompanying parking lots and necessary infrastructure, upon what currently is, in part, environmentally protected land.
Other local communities have been dealing with these issues. Many of my neighbors and I are greatly concerned about what this will mean for our Town, the Nature Trail, Back Creek Park, the Watermen’s Dock. Before this “mapping error” turns into another fait accompli, requiring major upgrades to water, sewer and road systems, we are organizing to speak out as this is a vital issue to our Town.
This “mapping error” has protected this part of the Chesapeake for nearly 100 years, and has helped make St. Michaels a jewel of the Eastern Shore—a high-quality tourist destination and a town that people want to live in. Imagine what could happen over the next 100 years if conservation zones could be rezoned for high-density residential building, and St. Michaels is used as the precedent for this change! And shame on us all if our elected officials vote for the future destruction of environmentally protected land!
Environmental Concern has the rights to sell its property and is not being prohibited from doing so. But why should this annexed land be rezoned? Property owners all throughout St. Michaels live within the Town and County rules and regulations. Why should this special piece of property be rezoned, increasing significantly its value to EC but irreparably damaging our Town.
This annexation issue has been portrayed as a minor local government administrative matter having to do with taxation and maps rather than rezoning. It isn’t. IT’S ABOUT THE REZONING and to think otherwise is to obscure the goal of protecting land along the Chesapeake.
I ask that town officials, especially our elected Town Commissioners, strongly consider the investments that have been made to preserve our environmental bounty here in St. Michaels, and the significant value the Nature Trail and its surrounding areas provide to all our town residents and our many visitors.
Michelle S. O’Connor
St. Michaels
David Lloyd says
Agree 100% with these comments!!! Saving wonderful St. Michaels as is for the future has got be number ONE in priorities!!
Clara G. Kelly says
Ms. O’Connor, I recommend you bring this matter to the attention of Maryland’s Critical Area Commission as soon as possible. They have commissioners assigned to Talbot County who work with our towns and cities regarding land and wildlife preservation issues.
Reed Fawell 3 says
The mapping error shares echoes with development processes in and around the historic Town of Trappe, how Lakeside was annexed to build a collection of walkable fully self sustainable villages of historic design.
Time and again, little secrets come vaguely into view, seemingly unseemly things, if one be hyper – alert, as some folks maneuver quietly for personal advantage at the cost of other folks. Something is always rotting in Denmark, and in Eden too, map errors and the like; its systemic to the fallen nature of humans.
Danna Murphy Murden says
I agree with Michelle. I also find it very ironic that the Environmental Concern has been promoting the environment since its inception and now wants to sell its land in a way that is most detrimental to the environment.
MaryB. Bollinger says
Greed is a destructive part of our society and so shameful .