It was particularly unfortunate that the microphones in the Talbot County Council room started creating static feedback at the precise moment the Council was debating a sensitive change for nontidal wetlands regulated activities under Talbot County code. The audio problem blocked a good portion of council member remarks about the bill, perhaps the first significantly complex one to be presented to the new Council.
In summary, the bill would eliminate the requirement for a variance from the Talbot County Board of Appeals, when an applicant has received a permit for nontidal wetlands activity approved by the Maryland Department of the Environment.
Bill 1298 was approved by Council in a 3-1 vote, with Dirck Bartlett recusing himself due to a potential conflict of interest.
Despite the high pitch hum, the Spy was able to piece together seven minutes of highlights of the debate.
Bill No. 1298, A BILL TO PROVIDE THAT REGULATED ACTIVITIES WITHIN NONTIDAL WETLANDS AND THEIR BUFFERS THAT ARE AUTHORIZED BY A PERMIT OR LETTER OF EXEMPTION FROM THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A PERMIT OR LETTER OF EXEMPTION FROM THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT, ARE NOT SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENT FOR A TWENTY-FIVE FOOT BUFFER FROM THE EDGE OF NONTIDAL WETLANDS UNDER § 190-123 C AND § 190-140 B, TALBOT COUNTY CODE
This video is approximately seven minutes in length. To watch this entire meeting, please click here to watch on TV-98 at https://streams.tv-98.com/
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