The proposed Watershed Conservation District brought citizens out in droves to public hearings.
La Plata, MD – The Charles County Commissioners granted a six-month extension Tuesday, March 14 to Planning and Zoning to tweak and finalize the proposed Watershed Conservation District for western portions of the county.
Steve Kaii-Ziegler, director of Planning and Growth Management, requested the extension.
“We’re asking for an extension of a resolution you approved last November that allowed planning to limit certain development within the proposed Watershed Conservation District,” Kaii-Ziegler noted. “Since that time we’ve been working on a series of text amendments and a mapping component to go with that.
“We’ve had many hundreds of people speak at public hearings on this issue,” he added. “The Charles County Planning Commission work session which was scheduled for March 13 had to be postponed due to impending storm,” he explained.
“We’re asking you to extend that resolution,” Kaii-Ziegler stated. “Within the next six weeks, the planning commission should have it to you and that will give you four-and-a-half months to make a final decision.”
“It is my understanding that we can have this extension but none beyond that,” Commissioner President Peter Murphy [D] said.
“That is correct,” County Attorney Rhonda Weaver said. “Our recommendation is to get it done in six months.”
Commissioner Bobby Rucci [D – District-4] was opposed to the request, but commissioners Murphy, Ken Robinson [D- District 1] and Vice-President Amanda Stewart [D – District 3] voted in favor, passing the request 3-1.
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com