Public Hearings - Ag Land Pres - Shepherd's Delight

A public hearing was held today at 6:30 p.m. in the County Commissioners’ Hearing Room, County Government Center, Chestertown, Maryland, for the purpose of discussing the voluntary application of Shepherd’s Delight Farm, LP, to create an agricultural land preservation district on its 248.02-acre farm located on Still Pond Road, in the 2nd Election District, Chestertown, Maryland.

County Commissioners, Ronald Fithian, William Pickrum, and Alexander Rasin were in attendance as well as Susanne Hayman, County Administrator, Gail Owings, Director of Planning, Carla Gerber, Community Planner.

Commissioner Fithian read the Notice of Public Hearing into the record.

Mrs. Gerber reported that the farm consists of 206 acres of crop land and 37.5 acres of woodland. Almost 95% of the soils are considered Class I, II or III. There are two dwellings on the property. The farm is zoned “AZD,” Agricultural Zoning District and is outside the 10-year water and sewer plan. This farm is part of a block of over 800 acres of land protected by districts or easements. It is generally surrounded by farmland and is located within the Agricultural Priority Area.

Mrs. Gerber stated the property meets or exceeds the criteria for creating an Agricultural Land Preservation District and complies with the goal of the Comprehensive Plan to preserve large blocks of contiguous prime agricultural land. The Soil and Water Conservation Plan is current. The Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board and Planning Commission have reviewed this application and the members recommend approval.

There were no comments or questions received from the audience.


This hearing was taped for reference and adjourned at 6:37 p.m.




Kathleen A. Wirtz
Clerk
Approved:
Ronald H. Fithian, President