Public Hearings - WATER RESOURCES ELEMENT

September 14, 2010

A public hearing was held today at 9:00 a.m. in the County Commissioners’ Hearing Room, County Government Center, Chestertown, Maryland, for receiving comments on the proposed Amendment for adoption of the Water Resources Element as an appendix to the Kent County Comprehensive Plan as submitted by the Kent County Planning Commission.

County Commissioners Roy Crow, Ronald Fithian, and William Pickrum, were in attendance as well as Susanne Hayman, County Administrator, Amy Moredock, Environmental Planner, Carla Gerber, Community Planner, approximately six interested persons and two members of the media.

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

Ms. Moredock informed that the Water Resources Element is a State requirement which was required for adoption into the Comprehensive Plan, along with the Municipal Growth Element. The companion water resources element is within the Comprehensive Water and Sewer plan. The Water Resources Element looks at water resources, water supply and available sewerage in the County and town systems. It also looks at anticipated growth and compares the anticipated growth with existing services and projected needs. Ms. Moredock advised that information and input was requested to be incorporated into the draft Water Resources Element by the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland Department of Planning plan is now ready for adoption. Both agencies have reviewed the revised Water Resources Element and provided written approval.

Correspondence was received from the Planning Commission advising that a Public Hearing was held on August 5 regarding the proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Plan in the form of the insertion into the Plan of the Water Resources Element. The Water Resources goals for the County are to, in cooperation with the County’s municipalities, maintain a safe and adequate water supply and adequate amounts of wastewater treatment capacity to serve projected growth; to take steps to protect and restore water quality; and to meet water quality regulatory requirements in the county’s rivers and streams. The Planning Commission unanimously voted to recommend the Water Resources Element finding that the goals of the Element are consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, the Land Use Ordinance, and the Water and Sewer Plan.

There were no comments received from the audience.

This hearing was taped for reference and adjourned at 9:04 a.m.




Denisha C. Brown
Office Manager

Approved:
Roy W. Crow, President