Largely because of the Talbot County Comprehensive Plan, our County is fortunate to have maintained wide expanses of farmland, forested areas and small villages during recent times while other counties have succumbed to over-development. However, the Comprehensive Plan is under attack. Unless voters go to the polls in November and replace Jennifer William, Chuck Callahan and Corey Pack on the County Council, Talbot County risks having the its Comprehensive Plan eviscerated by their pro-development votes to change the Plan.
Current case in point is the Williams- Pack- Callahan opposition to/failure to support a clearly worded Amendment # 4 to Bill 1401 proposed by Laura Price with the support of Dirck Bartlett. Amendment # 4 is necessary because new zoning allows sewer lines in certain areas of the County in an effort to remedy failing septic systems in the western part of the County. The risk is that new sewer lines, intended only to correct failing septics, will be used to promote excessive development.
A developer sees the line as an opportunity to build more homes- sometimes lots of homes- although that was not the original intent.
This could easily and drastically change the face of Talbot County. Laura Price has offered an amendment to remedy this situation. Her Amendment #4 to Bill 1401 states: the fact that a sewer-line is extended past a property is not, standing alone, sufficient to show “substantial change” to allow new development. For those not familiar with the Comprehensive Plan and the zoning that flows from it, “substantial change” is required when deviation from the zoning in place is proposed.
Thus, Laura Price has come up with a clearly worded solution to the threat of unintended and undesirable development from new sewer lines. Williams/Pack/Callahan have refused to support it.
Please support Laura Price’s amendment by contacting the Council through Susan Moran at [email protected]. Tell Council Chairman Jennifer Williams and her colleagues Corey Pack and Chuck Callahan to vote “yes” on Bill 1401 amendment #4.
Marcia Fidis
Easton, Maryland
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