Our Mission

www.talbotpreservation.org

1

Our MissionTo protect the

precious environment and heritage of Talbot County, including its waterways, farmland

and historic small towns


Putting the Pieces Together

Comprehensive Plans

Annexation HospitalRelocation

RegionalCooperation

WelcomeTalbot Preservation

AllianceAnnual Meeting

April 2008


Maryland Law:All municipalities and counties must

have a Comprehensive PlanThe plans must be updated every 6

yearsThere are 3 new elements

Water resourcesPriority preservation areas (county only)Municipal growth element (towns only)

COMP PLAN 101

Comprehensive Plans


COMP PLAN 202

•Step 1: Pass Comprehensive Plans to create a vision for the community

•Step 2:Enact Zoning Ordinances must be updated and enforced

Comprehensive Plans


Comprehensive PlanExample: EASTON

• The Town of Easton is currently updating its Comprehensive Plan

• Last plan completed in 2004• 3 public meetings to date

Comprehensive Plans


• 2004 Comprehensive Plan Statements:“overwhelming sentiment that we take

steps to slow the rate of growth in our town” (page 2)

“Many clearly feel that the rate is at best too fast and at worst out of control” (page 25)

Comprehensive PlanExample: EASTON

At that time Easton’s growth

rate was 3%

Comprehensive Plans


Land must be added to Easton’s growth areas

Comprehensive Plan update: Town will add 1,900 new dwelling units through 2015

-Star Democrat Headline 3/21/08

Comprehensive Plans


0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

# o

f P

erm

its

Is

su

ed

1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006

Year

Easton Building Permits 1980 - 2007

200 Permits


• Based on a 3% growth rate

• Using Smart Growth density of 3.5 units/acre

• Easton will have 31,000 residents in 2040

• There are 15,000 today

Easton’s Future?Comprehensive Plans


• Question: Must additional land be annexed during the next Comprehensive Plan period to accommodate reasonable growth?

Comp Plan MathComprehensive Plans


Easton Growth: 2002-2007Comprehensive Plans

1,356 New Housing Permints1

x 2.2 Persons Per House2

2,983 New Easton Residents

1: Easton Planning Office2: MD Dept of Planning (MDP)



x 2.2 Persons Per House2


1: Easton Planning Office2: MD Dept of Planning (MDP)

1,000 New Houses Approved (Not Occupied)1



x 2.2 Persons per House3


1: Easton Planning Office2: MD Smart Growth Law3: MD Dept of Planning (MDP)

156 Residentially Zoned Acres1

x 3.5 Houses per Acre2



1,201 New Residents from Land in Easton Today

2,983 New Easton Residents Added from 2002-2007

2,200 New Residents from Approved Projects

+

3,400 Potential New Residents


Cooke’s Hope100 du

Lakelands145 du

Ashby Commons89 du

Easton Village250 du

Douglass Landing155 du

Londonerry Annexation

??

Target/Retail Space150,000ft2

Lowe’s168,000ft2


What Can You Do?

• Get InvolvedEngage in the Comp Plan public

hearingsLet the town know a 3% growth rate

is not “an acceptable level”

• Demand the PlanNo new residential annexations for

the next plan period (2009-2015)

Comprehensive Plans


• FACT: Annexation is discretionaryAnnexation


Denton

CurrentTown

PlannedAnnexation

Annexation


Ridgely

PlannedAnnexation

CurrentTown

Annexation


Hebron

CurrentTown

PlannedAnnexation

Annexation


Trappe

AnnexedLand

CurrentTown

Rt 5

0R

t 50

Annexation


• FACT: The larger the town the higher the tax rate

22

Annexation

TOWN SIZE vs. TAX RATE

$-

$0.50

$1.00

$1.50

$2.00

$2.50

$3.00

$3.50

0-100 101-250 251-500 501-1,000 1,001-2,000 2,001-16,000

Municipal Area (Acres)

Ta

x R

ate

($

pe

r $

10

0 o

f A

sse

ss

men

t)


• FACT: Residential development costs more in tax dollars than it generates

23

Annexation


24

12

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

• FACT: Each home generates 10 vehicle trips/day

Annexation


• FACT: Water quality degrades quickly as impervious surfaces increase

25

Filtering CapacityOpen Land: Excellent - Good

Development: Fair - Poor

Annexation


How Big is Too Big?What is the Real Benefit?

Annexation

Ridgely Trappe

Current Population 1,354 1,146

926

181%

<$3M

$2,781

Annexed Acres 47

Town Size Increase 7%

Direct Benefits $6M

Impact Fee per House $15,000


St Michaels


Ask These Questions

Actual dollars to the town? Actual costs to the town? Traffic/road improvements? Schools? Impervious surface areas? Storm water management?


Annexations to Alliances

• Blackwater• Annexations: Trappe, Denton• QA Proposed Business

Development• Land Conservation

RegionalCooperation


QA

CAQUEEN ANNE’S

CONSERVATIONASSOCIATION

Dorchester Citizens for Planned Growth

Collaborative Advocacy

Talbot Preservation Alliance

Queen Anne’s Conservation Association

Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

State Leaders and Agencies

WYE MILLS PLAN

WYE MILLS’ FUTURE?

• Previous (UMBI) Plan is off the table

• Rural Village / College Town?

• Major Employment / Commercial Growth Node?

• Regional Medical Center?

QAC Proposed Planning Area

Major Employment Center

CAC is considering development plans

Kipp 2 was not in the original plan

Talbot County not Included

Fundamental Flaws• Improvements to Route 50 and 213 or 404 interchanges are

not funded.

• The College has modest sewer capacity available.

• The Wye East River watershed is considered “impaired.”

• Other locations are available in County growth areas that could accommodate employment growth.

• The original plan market study indicates only modest demand for business (as opposed to warehousing and distribution).

• There is no proven synergy between a community college and employment spin-off businesses.

Who Benefits ~ Who Supports?

• Dr. Stuart Bounds, Former President Chesapeake College.

• The benefiting landowners:

Mr. Kimo Kipp, Mr. Michael Foster.

• QAC Commissioners:

Dr. Eric Wargotz, Paul Gunther, Courtney Billups.

• QAC Department of Economic Development and Agriculture.

• Business Queen Anne’s.

• QAC Economic Development Commission.

• QAC Chamber of Commerce.

• University of Maryland Health System?

A Better Plan: Rural Village / College Town

• A Planning Area not split by the freeway.

• Route 50 and 404 frontage remains rural.

• Limited expansion for the College, schools and research employment on the Foster property.

• Infill development and historic restoration in the Village of Wye Mills.

• Buffer on both sides of the Mill Pond.

What can you do to help?

• Support the Talbot Council that has opposed this proposal – saying not consistent with TC Comprehensive Plan.

• Attend CAC meetings and public hearings and speak against commercial sprawl.

• Write letters to the editor.

• Lobby the MD Department of Planning, MD Department of the Environment and MD Department of Natural Resources to withhold enabeling approvals.

• Support the advocacy organizations – TPA, QACA, ESLC.

• Write the new President of the College, Dr. Barbara Viniar.


Easton

Airport

ProposedHospital

Site

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Geography: County’s Offered Hospital Site

CommunityCenter

HospitalRelocation


Geography: Transportation Routes

TownDistance (miles) to County Location

Preston 14Ridgely 18.8Federalsburg 22.3St. Michaels 13.2Trappe 11.9Goldbsoro 27.5Denton 16.9Tilghman Island 26.8

HospitalRelocation


Community Action

• TPA ActionsFull House Avalon Forum and Commissioned

Hospital Film>10,000 Signatures PetitionCommunication with SHS and UMMS boards

• Hospital Citizens CommitteeBroad based community leadershipPublic advocacy – newspaper and letters

• Local GovernmentCounty Site and Town Services offerCounty Economic Impact ReportMeetings with Gov and Sec planning

HospitalRelocation


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Smart Growth Not-so-smart growth

Proposed Easton Site

Route 50/404 or 50/213

Available infrastructure (sewer, water, broadband)

No available infrastructure (spray fields/septic)

Multiple roadway accesses Limited access routes; high congestion

Close, existing medical offices & related

businesses

Middle of nowhere; far from existing medical offices;

induces sprawl

What Alternative?Hospital

Relocation


THANK YOU

Comprehensive Plans

Annexation HospitalRelocation

RegionalCooperation

Our Mission

Documents

Transcript of Our Mission