Public Hearings - Agricultural Land Preservation - C. Breckenridge,

A public hearing was held today at 9:25 a.m. in the County Commissioners’ Hearing Room, County Government Center, Chestertown, Maryland for the purpose of discussing the voluntary creation of an Agricultural Land Preservation District for the following:

C. Breckenridge and Susan Debnam on their 143.454 acre farm located on Great Oak Landing Road in the Sixth Election District.

Elizabeth Nau on her 285.7 acre farm located on Augustine Herman Highway in the Second Election District.

County Commissioners Roy Crow, Ronald Fithian, and William Pickrum, were in attendance as well as Susanne Hayman, County Administrator, Carla Martin, Community Planner, several interested citizens, and one member of the media. The applicants were not in attendance.

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

Ms. Martin reviewed the applications as follows:

The property owned by C. Breckenridge and Susan Debnam consist of 128 acres of cropland and a 10-acre pond. Approximately 92.5% of the soils are considered Class I, II, or III. The property is outside of the 10 year water and sewer plan and is zoned Agricultural Zoning District (AZD). It is part of a block of over 1,500 acres of district and easement properties and exceeds the soils and tillable acreage criteria.

The property owned by Elizabeth Nau consist of 262 acres of cropland and 21 acres of woodland. Approximately 87.5% of the soils are considered Class I, II, or III and 4.6% are considered Woodland Group 2. The property is outside of the 10 year water and sewer plan and is zoned AZD. It is a part of a block of over 5,000 acres of district and easement properties. The property exceeds the soils and tillable acreage criteria.

Correspondence dated June 5 from the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board and correspondence dated June 7 from the Planning Commission were received recommending approval of the Debnam and Nau applications for an agricultural preservation district.

There was no one in attendance who wished to speak for or against this application.

A motion was made by Commissioner Pickrum, seconded by Commissioner Fithian and made unanimous by Commissioner Crow to recommend approval of the applications submitted by C. Debnam and Susan Breckenridge and Elizabeth Nau.
A letter of recommendation will go forth to the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.

This hearing was taped for reference and adjourned at 9:28 a.m.

THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND


Janice F. Fletcher
Executive Assistant
Approved:
Roy W. Crow, President