Eleven days ago, there was no “FIX LAKESIDE” petition. This morning there are four-hundred thirty (430) signers from every part of Talbot County. People are very concerned about the excessive development pressure — not just Lakeside (approved based on the County being fed incorrect information) but Poplar Hill and several other projects.
The Maryland Dept of Environment has determined that the Talbot County Water and Sewer maps upon which Lakeside’s approval was based contain significant errors. Accordingly, MDE has made a formal demand that the County promptly prepare corrected maps. It has become evident that the new maps which will determine the future of Lakeside are being worked on essentially “behind the scenes.” At a public meeting I attended yesterday morning, the County Engineer described a very unsettling process where, apparently without any guidance from Council Members, the Planning Commission, or any other authority, his office has been moving forward independently, consulting primarily with lawyers for the Lakeside applicant. Indeed, new Draft maps have already been sent to MDE, however until yesterday no one in County management had seen any of these or even knew the status. (Mr. Lesher, liaison to the Public Works Advisory Board, was the only Council Member present at this meeting and afterward he remarked that he needed some time to digest what he had heard. All other Council Members of course know even less.)
In answer to a question in the meeting, the County Engineer asserted that his emails to MDE constituted the County’s “official response” thus far to MDE’s request — even though no Council Member apparently even knew about or authorized the content. From yesterday’s materials, it appears the County Engineer does recognize that Map 24 — which was entire basis for the Lakeside approval — is actually irrelevant, and that Map 23 (on which Lakeside was shown with NO SEWER SERVICE) is the operative document. But there is thus far no evidence of any plan to correct the mistake of Lakeside’s approval even though the approval was based on an incorrect map showing no sewer service.
With no direction about Lakeside coming from the Council, it seems that staff has been left to its own devices, and seemingly is relying heavily on guidance from the Town of Trappe’s lawyer. The Town is essentially the developer’s partner and co-applicant.
Who is in charge here? Who is making policy? The map is the TALBOT COUNTY sewer map, to be decided by the County — not the developer’s map, not the Town of Trappe’s map. MDE wants a map that corrects the mistakes made when Resolution 281 was adopted — which means Fix Lakeside.
To show you support the initiative to get the County to play a role in how far and how fast this project goes go to FixLakeside.com and sign the petition. Our County Council needs to hear from the county citizens.
Bob Wenneson
on behalf of the ad hoc Committee to Fix Lakeside
Lois B Shepard says
Thank you for taking this on. The Developement Scandal that is overwhelming Talbot County is illadvised and if allowed to go forward on Any of the threatened fronts, will be irreparable.
The Charactor of Talbot County is at stake.
Reed Fawell 3 says
Sounds to me like the Talbot County Council has its very own deep state. Wonder who on the Council pulls it’s strings?
joan c. young says
Who is the current County Engineer?
Eva M. Smorzaniuk MD says
Ray Clarke
David W. Lloyd says
“FIX LAKESIDE” has got to happen. Scary to think that there are people in our part of the state that are so willing to disregard the laws and the concerns expressed by so many citizens here! Scary to think that getting away with “failure to comply with the law” is becoming more of a new “tradition” in this country. Talbot County should make it clear we are NOT ABOVE THE LAW!!!
Joanne Harwood says
Sounds like the project of Lakeside is being forced down unwilling throats, something culturally akin to CRT, men competing in women’s sports and wokeness in general. As a people we want transparency and fairness. Let’s make that happen for the County residents who will be impacted. Get with the peoples’ program, officials, County Engineer and Council.
Carol Voyles says
Thank you, Committee to Fix Lakeside!!
I believe there was a mention of funding for an entity consulting on planning issues during recent budget deliberations.
Also recall a county council/county engineer zoom meeting during Lakeside negotiations. Seemed to be some confusion over maps that may have required updating.
We’ve been warned to keep a watch on the updating of our comprehensive plan, but who knows/sees these maps? The developer hired in violation of county code (as he does business here) to oversee this project?
He did have the lowest bid, and does know the county…
Wilson Dean says
We really need the County Council and Planning Commission to get in synch to present a well-thought out response on the map to MDE. Right now it appears we have a lot of loose cannons going in their own direction without ant guidance. It’s time for those in responsible positions to step up and do their job
Jay Corvan says
It’s great to see folks up in arms about lakeside. I for one have fought this development since it’s inception in 2006. That’s almost twenty years. And we tried through internal referendum in the town and then through voting in county. Nothing worked. The developer rigged the system and bought votes where he needed them.
The key to the development getting through this far has been scurrilous lawyers , a willing pro development governor , county engineers friends with developer, corruption in county council, and thx biggest offender is how the county lawyer gets appointed. All These positions are carefully orchestrated by a developer and lawyers lawyer lawyers. These local shills can be easily directed and become totally compliant with when they get a whiff of cash. Lawyers should not be involved in planning , they know nothing about it other than the cash and Mayhem they create.
The lakeside developer knows everyone in the county and knows all the important pressure points. He is expert at exploiting vulnerabilities. He use. To be the county engineer!
Talbot county Council has always had defectors in their midst. Typically they represent the merchant and farmer classes that is pro profit and pro cash. Council may not profit directly from land deals but their friends will , and that’s enough to get their vote. Plus farmers are seeing $$$ when they retire , they sell their biggest asset, their land. Most have already found the zoning they need to cash out and are just waiting for the big payoff.
I’ve been through the mud too many times to think you can win this capital warfare with the system in place. It’s rigged ti fail. It’s better to try another path.
Better to assume the area will e developed slowly but very high quality. Ratchet up the requirements so bad developers won’t be able to leave behind their substandard ugly developments like lakeside. With strong graphic regulations in place we can control these guys. Make it too expensive to do mediocre business in county. That way the lower food chain developer will Go elsewhere. Lakeside belongs in pg county or Florida not here.
This will require and orchestrated County and city agreement and it can only be done with a regional ordinance that everyone agreed to uphold. Public based dissent isn’t working , so the only way to control is to increase the entry fees.
Form based zoning and pattern books have worked in other jurisdictions. Denton chased away this same lakeside developer using a pattern
Book. This is the only way to beat this mediocre developer crew.
Just Don’t let them get their nose in the tent.
Margaret Thomas says
Yup follow the money way back and forward!
Marc Ebersberger says
Why is it that whenever developers present the case for their projects, it’s always their lawyers doing the talking and not the developers themselves? This should tell us that they intend to skate along the edges of what’s “legal” and to take advantage of every vagueness in the zoning regulations. Our officials need to be better prepared to properly enforce the laws.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk MD says
Agree with Mr. Wenneson’s comments. We all hope that the Talbot County Council will think about the future of the county when making this decision. How does increased river pollution, crowded schools, more difficult access to primary care, and increased traffic sound to you? Let your elected officials know how you think.
Elizabeth Hott says
Thank you, Bob, for your enlightening letter. How could it happen that the county engineer could take it upon himself to move forward with this entirely ridiculous development called Lakeside? It beggars the imagination to think that elected officials are so unaware of what is going on. Talbot County is a very special place and if we let it be ruined it will be gone forever. Is this what the County Council and the Planning Commission want to leave as their legacy?