If you’ve driven to Cambridge recently, you’ve passed by the new townhome development in Trappe called Lakeside. The controversial development is just one example of county planning and zoning decisions that affect residents of Talbot County (the Maryland Department of the Environment ultimately approved Lakeside after the county planning commission withdrew its approval).
Learn about the role of municipal, county, and state jurisdictions in aspects of land use planning from Talbot Council Council member Pete Lesher on May 1st as he explains the rules affecting planning and growth decisions. Lesher will outline the management tools currently in place, and describe options for additional policies that could shape future development. He will cover the role of municipal and county Comprehensive Plans, along with impact fees, transferable development rights, and the Chesapeake Bay Critical Areas.
Talbot County Council member Pete Lesher
Finally, hear what options are being considered for the future, including an adequate public facilities ordinance, and the possible impacts of other tools (if enacted), and gain an understanding of why community engagement is so important to the Comprehensive Planning process.
Pete Lesher is a member of Talbot County Council, elected in 2018 and 2022. During the day, he also serves as chief curator at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, where he has served on staff since 1991.
Talbot County Planning and Growth is one (1) session, May 1st from 5:30 – 7 PM. Hybrid (in person at the Easton Family YMCA, ZOOM or recording). $20. To register visit https://chesapeakeforum.org.
Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities for residents of the Eastern Shore. To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your name and address to [email protected].
Herbert Kushner says
The “Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance” seems like the way to go. Supposedly quite a few counties and municipal governments in Maryland already have them and have been successful in blocking or downsizing potential proposals.This possibly could have stopped or reduced the size of the Lakeview disaster. Deficits in adequate medical care,school facilities and definitely waste water treatment were just three reasons to say NO!
Reed Fawell 3 says
While I appreciate your comments on judging new projects according to the adequacy or inadequacy of public facilities available or brought on line to handle them, those requirements were built in Lakeside’s PUD, its controlling documents and law, but our public authorities in the county failed miserably, arguably comatose altogether, to enforce those requirements and bring the project in line with them. I believe we may well be seeing those same miserable results again with Poplar Hill. Why? Surely our systems of governance in this County, and/or those who control them, are dysfunctional and corrupted, unable to meet the challenges we are facing, based on facts of recent history. How do we fix that? Recall, the recent efforts in that regard. We need to look at these chronic problems now in a far more holistic, wise, efficient and sophisticated way, given and because of our recent history. This will be hard and demanding to do. Most communities in America of late have failed miserably at it. It is plainly obvious to see all around us.
Dan Watson says
An important topic, and hope there is a big turnout at Forum to hear Mr. Lesher’s remarks. (Wish I weren’t going to be out of town!)
This is an on-going conversation, for sure.
DW
Michael P. Sullivan says
Unfortunately it is too easy nowadays to misrepresent something with a few choice comments rather than sticking to the facts. If anyone were to look at the proposed plans it would be obvious that Lakeside is not just townhouses. The plans call for so much more and to call it a disaster is a bit premature. Progress needs to be nurtured, not eradicated.
Eric Ploeg says
Calling this a disaster premature? Shall we simply wait and see if Lakeside will be a disaster? It’s a worrisome project as just this one development of 2501 additional housing units will add about 6000 new residents to Talbot. All of Easton currently has +/- 17,000 residents. So the Lakeside development alone will add over 35% more residents than Easton has to our county. Undoubtedly there will be an impact and this will change the conditions and ambiance of Talbot County. Somehow Lakeside is moving forward with no signs of abatement and now we’re seeing several other new developments looking for approval. Perhaps we should slow the development until we realize the impact of what’s already happening. We can’t “undo” a disaster.
Rebecca Ellison says
I’ll believe it when I see it re: any initiative or backbone re: limiting development coming from our unconscious (for YEARS) Council or anyone on it. The problem with unconsciousness is that you are deaf to your constituents and blind to what’s going on around you. Any talk under those circumstances is worse than worthless.