Two signs “Chesapeake Country” and “Scenic Byway” greet you as you begin to drive down the Oxford Road from Easton Parkway. Bikers, joggers, runners, and pedestrians, both local and tourist, frequently travel the designed bike lanes. Then you cross over Papermill Pond, a tranquil scene where you often see people fishing. Next, on the left is Polly’s Hill, a small, 12 unit residential community built around 1996, well set off and barely visible from the Oxford Road.
Next on the right is The Easton Club, a 283,873 acre parcel developed in 1995 as “a distinctive waterfront and golf course community of single family home sites and townhomes”. 180 acres were developed as the golf course and the remainder as a 342 unit residential golf course community with private roadways. The golf course is now defunct because the current owners, who purchased it in 2016, would not restore the golf course and club. At present most of the roadside view of The Easton Club is open space with most of the residential development screened by woods.
Directly across from The Easton Club is Poplar Hill Farm, a 120 acre unimproved farm parcel. Deer from the adjoining wooded parcel can often be seen grazing there as can a flock of permanent resident Canadian geese who waddle back and forth across the Oxford Road to that parcel from The Easton Club golf course. As mentioned, there is a wooded parcel next on the left. That parcel is under contract to a conservancy which intends to preserve the woods and to offer walks “Into the Woods”. The fate of both Poplar Hill Farm and The Easton Club are Grimm fairy tales. The development plans for those two parcels, which portend the demise of the desirable Oxford Corridor, were on the Agenda of the Easton Staff Development Review committee on July 27.
The Application for Poplar Hill Farm proposes a 439 unit development of single family homes, villa townhomes, and “market rate multifamily housing” rentals, together with four community parks for public sports, which parks border the Oxford Road.
As well, a retail strip mall and offices are planned. This when retail shopping (seven shopping centers!) is but a 3 minute drive, with Waterside Village having abundant, vacant office space. Also, a fire substation is proposed. Part of the property is located within critical areas and will require the developer to be awarded a growth allocation by the County Council.
The Application for The Easton Club golf course property proposes a “Food and Wellness Destination Park”, built in three phases: “a culmination of food and wellness delivered upon a hospitality platform incorporating elements of Agri-Tourism and aspects of Agriculture planned to promote the agriculture, food and wellness industries.” What is proposed is essentially a hotel resort, in the heart of a residential community, with 173,847 square feet of new construction proposed (not including the expansion of the existing pavilion and “clubhouse” which are also proposed) mostly within the critical area boundary, including a multipurpose building with underground parking, and an Agriculture Center #1 abutting homes in Woodland Farms. Agriculture Center #2 is proposed to be constructed on the corner of the Oxford Road and Waverly Road (the only proposed building not within the critical areas boundary). fourth phase proposes 60 residential “villas”.
Each of the aforementioned developers, like Hansel and Gretel, spread some bread crumbs, like promising walking trails for the public, peddling Agri-tourism, or donating community parks to the Town of Easton, in order to sell their monstrous development projects to our local governments. The cost of the infrastructure for these developments, which Talbot County taxpayers will have to pay for to support these projects: roads (will a two lane Oxford Road really handle the real vehicular traffic which will ensue? And the inevitable traffic congestion?), schools (Easton schools are at capacity – where will children living at Poplar Hill be able to attend school?), and health care (which is also at capacity), are not addressed. It is already established that “Impact Fees” do not cover such costs.
Sensible growth has preserved the desirable Oxford Corridor. The insensible growth proposed by these developers will be its demise.
Lynn Leonhardt Mielke
Talbot County Council Candidate (R) 2022
Addendum: The “Active Under Contract” sign at the “wooded parcel” was removed today (August 1). The listing for that 198 acre parcel, zoned R10A (residential), has reverted to “Active”.
jeff morton says
I agree completely. Seems all Easton sees is a tax base. I see roads that can’t handle the count, schools that can’t handle the additional students, medical facilities that are already maxed out etc. Waiting for the announcement that the EVFD can’t handle the load so we will have to have a paid fire dept.
The biggest, to me, beginning of the end of Easton as we know it will be when some Einstein states “We need overpasses”
Dan Watson says
The Town of Trappe’s Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2020 includes three possible locations for an overpass to connect the historic little Town to Lakeside. Like no one noticed it might be a problem. Really. Neither Rocks nor Trappe citizens will be paying for it, if/as/when it comes.
And the community with the defunct golf course on Oxford Road? Rocks Easton Ltd. Partnership, with design by same engineer as at Lakeside. Rocks not in the picture when the troubles began.
DW
Carol Crutchfield says
Thank you, Lynn for addressing this.
The proposed business and residential area will make
riding our bikes from Easton to Oxford less safe.
Many cyclists and joggers love the Oxford Road.
More shopping will not bode well for our downtown businesses.
This is not “sensible growth”.
I look forward to working with you in any way in order to have input
as a taxpayer and to have some oversight on this development.
Carol Crutchfield
Hugh M Smith says
Lynne Mielke is performing a valuable public service by shining a light on the scope of new development proposed for Easton. Its truly breathtaking to imagine what Easton will be like if all the current proposals are built-out. Lakeside (2801 dus), Poplar Hill (400+ dus), the Spa at Easton Club (283,000 +/- sq. ft. “addition to the clubhouse), Easton Point (600 units ), the Gannon Property (density unknown) and possibly the LaMotte Property adjacent to Cooke’s Hope (600+ dus at current zoning). All of these are currently in various stages of planning, permitting and approvals, What will Easton look like in 2032? It might closely resemble Glen Burnie. Its not just the Oxford corridor. Its the entire County. I hope Lynne’s courage and vision will cause more of us to take a much closer look at what’s going on right under our noses.
Joan Leanos says
I came from Annapolis nine years ago, where they put a house on every postage stamp of land. We have to put guardrails on the growth here in Talbot County. The traffic, waiting in lines in every store, it is too much physically and emotionally. I could tell a difference when I moved here. Simple is better.
Alan Boisvert says
This is welcome news. Build it, they will come. If you don;t grow, you die. Much of the shore is already dying.
Toni Tms says
You see the shore is dying. I agree. But I think a lot of it is due to the caliber of people that are moving here. Wanting to bring their City ways with them when they should have been left on the western shore.
Jerry McConnell says
Mr Boisvert is apparently employed by Rauch and Sons or Rocks and Friends. Or, he has been watching the “let’s grow 450 homes at a time” clown show presented by the Town of Easton and the Talbot County Council (as in, 5,000 homes for dead-on-arrival Trappe, MD and 170,000ft/sq of some nonsense called “agri-tourism”). Really. We’re going to pack them in to watch crops growing? The MHC fantasy-land planning and zoning airhead law firm okay with this?
If anyone is actually stupid enough to believe that we have to impose projects like these two on our current residents, or the community will die, they need to run for public office….where they’re currently living…on the dark side of the moon
Jerry McConnell says
For local citizens invested in the future of Easton and Talbot County, this is definitely not welcome news. It’s a bunch of invitations to degrade our current quality of life.
Who’s sending these invitations? Town and Country Government leaders who have become detached from the lifestyle preferences, desires, and demands of current residents—their constituents.
Why? Because local engineering and planning and development interests ( Rauch, Rocks, MHC, etc) profit from them. $$
Problem is, our decision-makers (Town and Country government planning and zoning employees) operate in a world where their primary focus is growing, then trying to figure out how to manage that growth.
They obviously don’t want to hear that the people living here today don’t want any of this.
And, the fact that there’s zero real or pretend demand for an “Agri-Tourism resort and hotel with a quarter million ft/sq of conference space” except by the developer, doesn’t seem to set off the alarm.
Anyone with common sense looking at these two mind-boggling projects would demand that we revisit square #1 and honestly ask, “what in the world are we doing here, and why?”
Elizabeth Baer says
Well stated…
Elizabeth Baer says
Where is the shore dying? I am not sure I understand what you mean? I have been here 39 years and I have watched as the Dept. of Environmental Health and and Planning and Zoning have worked diligently to establish Talbot County as a country club for high income earners and retirees. I am pretty sure that the lower tier workers in those and other county offices would find it almost impossible to move here and buy a home. If all this development goes through, then Oxford Rd will be as dangerous (or more so) than St. Michaels Rd.; which is already one of the most dangerous roads in MD. Are these going to be homes for retired people? Talbot county does not allow blue-collar industry to moved into our hallowed boundaries. Talbot County has outlawed single-wide trailers: which curiously enough are legal in the state of Md. (how is that possible?) I did ask why back in 2015 and the answer I got was “They do not fit with the aesthetic goal we have for the county”. I think more likely..”social-economic parameters” is what they have in mind. I digress.. I am unaware of any part of Talbot County that is dying other than the opossums, the deer, the turtles, birds, raccoons, the fish, black snakes, bees (natives are ground dwellers) and fireflies. And I take issue with your remark, “If you don’t grow, you die”. What the heck?! There is a defined amount of land and water that one human needs to survive for a lifetime and it is pretty large when you consider food, trees, pathways, etc. Have you ever seen what happens to a plant that outgrows it’s pot? Unbridled human development is killing the planet. If you are talking about jobs: start with dismantling the mechanical checkouts in the grocery stores, allow a cannabis dispensary into the county and welcome some blue-collar industry. And I want to go see where the shore is dying……..
Molly Anderson says
I whole heartly agree. We have sailed out of Oxford since 1976 and love the drive down the Oxford Road. We tried to buy a house in Oxford, but ended up in Neavitt, which is a wonderful rural community. People live on the Eastern Shore because of the rural life-style. This type of growth under minds what is special about the Eastern Shore.
Jane Bollman says
If all of this development goes through, we can say goodbye to the historic small town of Easton and our Talbot County rural countryside. Thanks Lynn for bringing this to the attention of Talbot County citizens.
Lucy Garliauskas says
These development proposals appear to be intent on being accelerated through to planning committee reviews before due diligence is done on impacts, both economic and environmental ones. At PUD staff review there was no apparent interest in considering how these developments may or may not align with goals of the comprehensive plan update due to be completed in 2023. If these development comport w 2010 comprehensive plan is that sufficient or even appropriate given any number of considerations based on current trend data such as workforce requirements ( work from home trends, shift in retail requirements, sustainability goals, building to withstand severe climate events?
Where is the market analysis, data, trends?
The Easton Club proposal includes agri – tourism.
When the owner/ developer cannot explain in clear succinct terms what that entails, what is required from the owner, the town the residents then it does not bode well for success. The fact that references to federal interest and hints at federal subsidies raises more flags and concerns.
These proposals need to be fully vetted and open to fulsome review and input. Tell the staff, who were too rude to identify themselves at a meeting open to the public w exception of town engineering staff, to put their rubber stamps in the recycle bin
Charles Barranco says
Ms Mielke,
All the more reason you Must replace Councilman Callahan who we all know is pro large development as witnessed by his consistently pro Lakeside votes.
I believe as a County Council member you will represent a conservative view for future development in the County and can be trusted to always use your vote to protect our County from being OverBurdened by unscrupulous greedy developers.
Thank you for the comprehensive article outlining the proposed development and its impact on the residents of Talbot County.
You have my vote!
Richard Marks says
We would be better served without Mr. Callahan on the council. You can’t have it both ways, Chuck. Advocating for safer roads and bike trails while pushing for development projects that will only create more congestion and do not take into account the safety of pedestrians and cyclists. As well, the current Planning & Zoning Department is woefully prepared to properly manage growth and this council has done very little to improve the effectiveness.
Lynn gets my vote.
Derk de Groot says
Wow, I never would have thought that our small town would ever get like this. I grew up living in Waverly in the 70’s. It was paradise, but we never realized how good we had it. There was an albino deer that we would see in the field on what is now the Easton Club. Our dock was in Jacks Creek/ Cove(depending on who you talk to), the last one before the end of the creek. It’s seems the demise of what is left of what we had is now inevitable.
Mona Curry says
Underground parking?!?!?!
Could someone please explain this possibility!
David Montgomery says
Lynn has hit the nail on the head about these developments. I agree 100% with her analysis of these developments and their likely impact. Since the Town of Easton has authority over these developments, voters in the town who care need to start putting pressure on the Town Council now. They go up for re-election in early 2023. It should also be a high priority to identify concrete ways that a newly elected County Council could intervene in these developments.
Dirck Bartlett says
One way I see is for the county council to deny growth allocation to the 439 unit development being considered on the Oxford Road.
The county council has the power to deny growth allocation to Easton.
Of course this council has refused to stop unwanted development decisions in Lakeside so the developers are asking for more favors on their way out the door.
If they will allow more poorly treated sewage to flow into La Trappe Creek why would you think they would vote to stop growth allocation to be awarded to the Town?
Stop electing people like Chuck Callaghan and start electing people who will honor our Comprehensive Plan. Thanks Lynn Mielke and David Montgomery for stepping up.
Cornelia C Heckenbach says
Not only the Oxford corridor….beautiful Talbot County apparently has the same fate like so many popular spots ….it’s a sensible eco system here and not meant for that much growth.
Cameron J Mactavish says
To the Editor:
This is an excellent piece by Lynn Mielke! On behalf of Talbot Thrive, an organization of which I am a board member, we encourage the County Planning staff to be aware of our efforts to create a safe walkable and bike-able community. We are advocating for the creation of 3 rail trails: the Oyster Trail between Easton and Oxford, the Frederick Douglass Trail from Easton to Queen Anne and a rail trail to St. Michaels. Easton will be the hub of these trails and therefore the utility easement parallel to the Bypass will need to be used as a connector. Let’s work together with these developers to include walking and biking infrastructure in and more importantly through the new developments.
Paul D. Denton says
Way to go Lynn Mielke. Let’s elect her to protect our County, homes and environment.
And if you live in Easton, I suggest you not re-elect the current mayor. Don’t vote for anyone who will destroy all you have for financial and status gain.
David Lee says
If you need an example of how unplanned and out of control development impacts quality of life, take a drive (if you dare) to Lewes De. The traffic is unbearable and some intersections are so dangerous you feel like you are driving in the center of Kabul, Afganistan. Every square inch of land is being developed into multi level condos, cookie cutter houses, medical facilities- there is hardly space to breath.
How many of us prefer the sight of a herd of deer grazing in the field to a ubiquitous strip mall? Our only hope is to vote for thoughtful people who understand this simple truth; once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t stuff it back in the bottle. Talbot County still has a chance to preserve its quality of life and have planned growth which reflects our desire to preserve the natural beauty and lifestyle of the Eastern Shore.
Vote in candidates who understand these simple truths and have the courage to stand strong against the tide of reckless development. I will be voting for Lynn Mielke.
tom hughes says
Many years ago, several in the county attempted to get the council(s) to adopt adequate public facility ordinances and meaningful impact fees. Such policies were even called for the the 2005 county comprehensive plan. The development lobby stymied those attempts as there weren’t at least three sitting council members willing to do what the majority in the county wanted.
Now in 2022 our roads are overloaded (as predicted by the independent traffic study the county commissioned in 2005). Our schools and hospital are over loaded and the boondogglers are in full cry eager to take advantage of lax oversight by our public officials.
What is needed RIGHT NOW is an adequate public facilities ordinance. The MDP defines such ordinances as, “laws that say that if the roads are too congested, if school classrooms are too crowded, if the water system cannot provide enough water (there is a cone of depression in the Aquia aquifer around Easton), if the sewer pipes or treatment plan are full etc. etc…THEN DEVELOPMENT CANNOT BE APPROVED UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS CORRECTED. I wonder if there are three county council candidates willing to support this?
Karen Boldosser says
Just so.
Bishop Joel Marcus Johnson says
We need overpasses.
Robert Haase says
Both of these projects are in the Town limits and not subject to County Zoning, I believe they have water and public sewer available. What needs to be regulated is the impact they will have on County Roads and services. The industrial parks which are booming with construction as well are also in the Town but use County roads, think about Airport Road when the warehouses being built are complete and the trucks are rolling. Out of County Developers could never get away with this outside Talbot County. WE NEED A NEW COUNCIL !!
William Keppen says
Once “open space” is developed, it can never be reclaimed. The people we elect to city and county government offices are delegated to represent the interests of the current residents of the city and county, not the interest of would be developers. I hope they remember that, for our sake and for the sake of our children.
Edward Hampton says
The last line of this article that speaks about has some serious issues. First, Easton Club is not an example of “sensible growth”. It is automobile dominated, built largely in the de-forested Chesapeake Bay Critical Area, low density, and unaffordable. The abandoned golf course land provides little environmental benefit since it is not forested and constantly mowed. In contrast, the Maryland Health Club proposes adding productive parkland, forest, and farmland to this unproductive field.
The idea that Poplar Hill will be “insensible growth” is also unfounded. The Maryland Department of Planning designates this parcel as a Priority Funding Area which makes it eligible for state grants to promote development. The proposed development mixes uses, includes affordable housing, provides pedestrian and cyclist infrastructure, as well as public open space. The proposal includes re-foresting land along Paper Mill Creek that would improve water quality.
This article seems to be written from the point of view that the resident’s of Easton Club deserve to enjoy the nature that this small sliver of Oxford Road enjoys while no one else does. It is extremely hypocritical to suggest that Poplar Hill will be some sort of monstrosity and framing Easton Club as a friend of nature.
Damon Hostetter says
Thank you Lynn for helping to bring this issue to the forefront.
As Joni Mitchell sings:
“They paved paradise, put up a parking lot. With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swingin’ hot spot. Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. They’ve paved paradise and put up a parking lot.
They took all the trees and put ’em in a tree museum. And charged the people a dollar an’ a half just to see ’em.
Hey farmer farmer put away that DDT now. Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees please.
Don’t it always seem to go. That you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. They’ve paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
Brian Doak says
Anyone who is for this has to understand that more supply of housing and office space will push down the values of existing properties. Whoever is trying to get voted out of office by being lobbied by these builders is going to destroy the community they seek to enrich. We need to make it a mission to find out the politicos who support this, and “primary” them as soon as possible.
Lastly, if this concrete jungle gets approved, at least have the decency to not have it outlet on to the Oxford Road when the bypass is not residential. #greed
Kevan K Full says
No small wonder there’s an increased demand for housing here in Talbot County, as there is elsewhere in other regions of the country. The decades of blooming and maturing populations have seen to that end. Talbot County offers many of its residents a very comfortable lifestyle. So I can’t blame the demand, as I too came here from somewhere else, wanting to partake of this region’s beauty and attractions.
That said, we have to move forward prudently, assessing our land use, no longer afforded the casual forethought as generations did before us. We know now that undeveloped land is running out, is scarce, is most precious. Once in use…it’s gone.
We owe it to the county’s future, to its people, that public access be given to some portion of the county’s undeveloped natural resources, its watershed, the woodlands, that they be made protected and available for all to enjoy. The Oxford Corridor offers us this possibility.
Let’s have a place where we can hear birdsong, not traffic. Let’s have a place that tells us the natural story of this land we call home.
Liz Fisher says
What must we do to counter these projects? Besides vote in a more responsible council? Recently spent a frustrating hour doing errands in the Parol/Riva Rd. area of Annapolis. Multiple shopping and residential areas connected by a confusing warren of connecting roads. Terrible, terrible. I can see the tendrils here.
John G Bunch says
Hello chaos. Goodbye peace & tranquility.
Jeff Chandler says
The real issue in Talbot County and in particular Easton, is lack of affordable housing. There are jobs but no workers on the lower end of the income scale because there is no place to live. There are plenty of workers who live with parents or rent a room. In the extreme, there are 15 people in a house, sharing meager quarters, working restaurant jobs at minimum wage. This is not good. Converting grain silos to high income loft apartments and such is fine, but there is a severe shortage of affordable housing in this area. There is a severe shortage of housing of any kind, and in particular of housing other than top-of-market housing. The mayor doesn’t want to upset the local business apple cart. The town council and the county council seem oblivious to the problem. If Easton is to grow, we have to find a way to solve the housing crisis. More upscale development is not the answer.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
Unfortunately there is a lot of land in Talbot county which is ripe for development. Someone needs to slow this train down or we will all be stuck in traffic trying to get to an overcrowded store, school, whatever. If all the developable land off Rt 33 or the Oxford Road were developed, a lot of infrastructure would be needed to make life livable in our county. More is at stake than tax base.
I grew up in Chicago when Schaumburg was a dairy farm. It now has over 73,000 people and traffic is awful. Traffic is worse than city driving? Do these people realize how bad it can get in an area where there is one road in and out of town. Do they want toll roads with Lexus lanes to get from Oxford to Easton?
Think schools. Have any of you tried to find a GP doctor lately? They are all retiring or have “closed – no new patients” practices. How many shopping centers do we need? How about local restaurants? NY expense accounts are served. Average joes not so much unless you want a chain.
Some seem to be happy to keep businesses like Costco out but we now have a Lowes and will have a Home Depot. What support do these wonderful thinkers plan to offer The Lumber Yard or Easton Hardware?
It is time to work to keep Talbot County sane.
Reed Fawell 3 says
“I grew up in Chicago when Schaumburg was a dairy farm. It now has over 73,000 people and traffic is awful. Traffic is worse than city driving? Do these people realize how bad it can get in an area where there is one road in and out of town. Do they want toll roads with Lexus lanes to get from Oxford to Easton?”
Bingo? At last, we hit upon the real issue, the one on which all else rides and depends. This is the fulcrum on which future of the towns of Easton, Oxford, and St. Michaels, and of all of us who use the highly and irrevocably constricted roads that connect them all, namely St. Michael’s Road, Oxford Road, and the Bypass that links them both to Route 5O to the north and south. Right now those interconnected, mutually dependent roads are failing, and incurably so. New not zoned developments on these roads must be stopped now! There is no healthy growth left that will not gridlock St Michaels Road, Oxford Road, and the Bypass. An honest and independent traffic study will prove this in spades. One needs to be commissioned for the entire region immediately.
Nora Drayton says
You have my vote Lynn! Thank you for your comments.
Martha Suss says
I’ve been selling homes in Talbot County since 1996. Developers fail to take into account how long it will take to build a community of 400+ homes. For example ….Easton Village started in 2003ish…and now it is 2022 and they are just starting to finish up- same with Gibson’s Grant on Kent Island…Thats 20 years for 300 homes. This community of 400 homes will be competing with Lakeside (2801homes) and Gannon (300+?Homes). Where are all these people going to work? Hmmm….will they all be empty nesters? It just doesn’t add up. Build it and they will come….I doubt it. It’s unrealistic to think that all this will fly even if they do pass the muster. The Hyatt is just starting to get back in the saddle since they stopped building during the recession. Developers have great master plans and high brow Architectural guidelines and DREAMS that rarely transpire and get watered down and then the municipality has to hold their feet to the fire because their attention span and money has been diverted to another project. Usually the early builders have to adher to the high standards then after the rubber hits the road and they have to get REAL drop their standards and start building lesser quality homes—-promises promises. That being said…Talbot County should focus on Lakeside and Lakeside only…if the Gannon development goes through so be it…But Poplar subdivision is ridiculous and should be shelved. We have to figure out how to handle all this development and when these developers come in we have to stand up to them and say NO it is not in our comprehensive plan and we cannot handle it. We live in a gorgeous area and lets keep it that way…
Morgan Hawks says
What Gannon development are you referring to?
Steve Shimko says
The Estates at Gannon Farms off Matthewstown Rd in Easton is 202 homes plus a 2 acre commercial parcel.
Note that Gannon is also building ~4 homes off Leehaven Rd, on the way to St. Michaels.
Deirdre LaMotte says
The Estates at Gannon Farms will elevate one to the upper reaches of polite society. Hahaha.
Don’t you just hate the pretentious names these
sprawl communities are given? The names usually are named after the depleted natural resource that the development caused, like .”Fox Chase Estates”…all the foxes are chased out and I doubt they’ll be any riding to
the hounds in that neighborhood. Then we get streets named after the developer’s wife or daughters: Tiffany
Avenue, Debbie Drive, Stephany Street.
It is all so contrived .