The report titled “Contrary to Plan” describes eight development disputes on the Eastern Shore and in Howard and Prince George’s counties, from housing projects in rural areas to a trash transfer station that seem to fly in face of plans for how those communities should grow.
Mike Sherling, one of the report’s authors, told that one project in the report — the proposed 114-home “Highlands” near Chestertown in Queen Anne’s County — is slated to be argued before the Maryland Court of Special Appeals very soon. He added that it is a case that revisits some of the same legal issues that came up in the long-running debate over Allegany’s approval of Terrapin Run, a proposal to build 4,300 homes near Green Ridge State Forest – though the county has approved only 900 for now.
Commenting on the case the state’s highest court in effect said that local officials need not stick to their communities’ long-range growth plans when a seemingly attractive project comes along. Both House and Senate have approved similar versions of the bill; it won’t go to the governor’s desk until the two bodies get together.
As crabbing season began in Maryland today, and watermen and biologists are both hoping there are more crabs to be found in Chesapeake Bay. They won’t know if things are really looking up, though, for another couple weeks. That’s when the results of a winter-long survey of the bay’s crabs are expected to be announced.
