News from the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy

January 4, 2007  (Letter to Editor, Star Democrat)

Speaking the Truth on Sprawl

Dear Editor:

Sudlersville Town Manager, Dave Teel, should be commended not reprimanded for speaking out against sprawl development occurring around the town in Queen Anne’s County (Sudlersville Reprimands Town Manager, The Sunday Star, December 24, 2006).

The truth is far too much growth is occurring outside of growth areas in Queen Anne’s County. Presently, 411 lots in 19 major rural subdivisions are under review in Queen Anne’s County. That’s about ten times the number of lots under consideration for major rural subdivisions in Talbot County. Kent County on the other hand doesn’t have a single major rural subdivision under review.

Allowing excessive growth in rural areas runs counter to the state’s smart growth principles, and to Queen Anne’s County’s own comprehensive plan, which calls for the preservation of farmland. It also runs counter to common sense. Large rural lots wastefully consume far more land than development within growth areas, and far flung development in the countryside raises costs for farmers and taxpayers alike.

For those and other reasons the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy is calling on Queen Anne’s County and other Shore counties to direct 80 percent of all growth to growth areas. It is one of several growth related goals contained in an Eastern Shore 2010 agreement we are asking the counties to sign in 2007. A copy of the full agreement and an online petition is available at, http://www.eslc.org.

In addition to signing the 2010 agreement, we also call on Queen Anne’s County to reform its non-contiguous development policy, which encourages rural development and significantly weakens the county’s ability to protect farmland. With the start of a new year and a new term of office for the county commissioners, there isn’t a better time for Queen Anne’s County to strengthen its policies and put growth in its proper place: in growth areas.

George J. Maurer
Queenstown

George J. Maurer is director of land use planning for the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (www.eslc.org), a private, nonprofit organization working to protect land and promote sound land use planning on the Eastern Shore.

Contact information for George Maurer:
410-827-9756, ext. 168
gmaurer@eslc.org

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