KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND
COUNTY COMMISSIONER'S

PUBLIC HEARING - 01/04/2005

Applications for Agricultural Land Preservation District
January 4, 2005

A Public Hearing was held on Tuesday, January 4, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. in the County Commissioners' Hearing Room, County Government Center, Chestertown, Maryland, for the purpose of discussing two applications submitted for the voluntary creation of an Agricultural Land Preservation District on the properties of the following applicants: (1) Frank Hudson and (2) John and Charlotte Loller.

County Commissioners Roy W. Crow, Scott D. Livie, and William W. Pickrum were in attendance as well as Susanne Hayman, County Administrator, Gail Owings, Director of Planning and Zoning, Carla Martin, Community Planner, and Dick Hudson, brother and representative of Frank Hudson.

This hearing was pursuant to Agricultural Article 2-509 (3) of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

Notice of the public hearing was read into the record by Commissioner Pickrum.

At the August 4, 2004 meeting of the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board and the August 5, 2004 meeting of the Planning Commission, recommendations for approval were made for applicant Frank P. Hudson to create an agricultural land preservation district on his 202.8-acre farm located on Flatland Road in the 6th Election District; and at the November 3, 2004 meeting of the Agricultural Preservation Advisory Board and the November 4, 2004 meeting of the Planning Commission, recommendations for approval were made for the application submitted by John and Charlotte Loller to create an agricultural land preservation district on their 269-acre farm located on Tolchester Road between Lover's Lane and Reece's Corner Road in the 5th Election District.

Commissioner Pickrum invited anyone to testify for or against the applications.

Commissioner Livie expressed his strong support of the creation of agricultural preservation districts, and he and Commissioner Crow applauded Messrs. Hudson and Loller for their commitment to and assistance in keeping the agricultural areas of the County green, and for their applications.

There was no one else who wished to speak for or against these applications for submission to the Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.

Ms. Martin reported the decision of the Planning Commission that all of the applications met the criteria for the creation of an agricultural land preservation district, noting that both properties exceed the soils and tillable acreage criteria, and that all pertinent properties were identified as important for the continuance of agriculture in the County.

A motion was made by Commissioner Crow, seconded by Commissioner Livie, and made unanimous by Commissioner Pickrum to recommend approval of the applications as submitted to the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation.


This hearing was taped for reference and adjourned at 9:45 a.m.


THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF KENT COUNTY, MARYLAND

Janice F. Fletcher
Executive Assistant

Approved: William W. Pickrum, President