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Audio & video reports in Charles County, Maryland
Posted 6/8/11
WILL THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S ERZ DESTROY PLANS FOR SMART GROWTH IN
CHARLES COUNTY?
A June 6th 4-3 vote by the Planning Commission sends a so-called Environmental Recovery Zone to the next stage of approval and is stoking
fears that the new zone will usher in massive new development in Charles County's rural areas -- effectively shutting down the county's promised shift to Smart Growth.
Proponents of the ERZ include Danny Mayer, a consultant for a landowner who wants to build up to 1,500 new homes on 1,000 acres near the Port
Tobacco River (a nine-fold increase in currently allowed housing density).
As part of his proposal, the developer says he will hook up 150 failing septic systems in the "Riviera" neighborhood to a wastewater treatment plant. But environmental activists question how it's even possible to build 1,500 new homes near the PT River and call it "environmental recovery."
Port Tobacco River:
Near the site of a potential 1,500 home development
LISTEN TO THE JUNE 6th PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING
LISTEN TO HIGHLIGHTS OF PLANNING COMMISSION MEMBERS
LISTEN to Stephen Bunker:
This proposal flies in the face of Smart Growth
LISTEN to Lou Grasso:
Historically, the county has not allowed runaway growth in the Port Tobacco valley
LISTEN to Stephen Bunker:
There are a lot more problems with the Port Tobacco River than just the Riviera neighborhood
LISTEN to Lou Grasso, Stephen Bunker and
Joe Richard:
Arguing about the ERZ
LISTEN to Courtney Edmonds:
Is against the ERZ
LISTEN to Courtney Edmonds, Joe Richard and Stephen Bunker:
Arguing about whether a specific developer's proposal is behind the ERZ
LISTEN to Joe Tieger:
Says the ERZ proposal is arbitrary and capricious
LISTEN to Joe Tieger:
Says the ERZ won't guarantee anything will be done for the Riviera neighborhood
LISTEN to Joe Richard:
Says that the ERZ is not being driven by a specific developer's project or proposal
LISTEN to Courtney Edmonds and Joe Richard:
Continuing their argument about whether the ERZ was inspired by a specific developer's project
Danny Mayer (pictured on the left), is a consultant for a landowner in Port Tobacco. He helped frame the discussion at a January 2011 meeting of the Planning Commission's sub-committee, which worked on the Environmental Recovery Zone.
READ Debra Z. Murphey's letter about the Planning Commission's ERZ proposal
