I had to read it twice to believe what I was reading. Government officials were listening carefully and respectfully to citizens concerns. They were taking threats to the Bay’s environment seriously. And for the first time since Thomas Paine I could use the term “common sense” and government in the same sentence. 

I’m talking about news articles on last Wednesday’s Maryland Board of Public Works meeting to review K. Hovnanian’s request for a wetlands permit for the Four Seasons 1,350-unit development on Kent Island. Board members (Gov. Martin O’Malley, Comptroller Peter Franchot and Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp) voted to defer a decision until May 23 citing serious concerns about the location of the project, and the legality of the “gag order” on current county commissioners. Following are a couple excerpts from newspaper accounts, but if you haven’t already, I urge you to read the full stories that can be found at http://savekentisland.org/news-2007-Four-Seasons.html. 

   “How do you ever protect the Chesapeake Bay if you’re going to allow this kind of development in the critical area? It’s hard to believe local officials approved this development,” said Comptroller Peter Franchot. “This kind of development is just killing the Bay.”

 And in Sunday’s Baltimore Sun Editorial:
  ”Controversial from the start, the project found favor with pro-growth Queen Anne's County commissioners who were ousted in 2002 by outraged voters but signed the deal just before leaving office. Their replacements tried to void the approval but were sued by the developer, lost in court and agreed to drop their opposition to avoid a threatened $3 million in legal penalties.

  ”Now, as a third batch of commissioners watches the developer move through the final steps required before the retirement resort arises from farmland, the local officials feel compelled to hold their tongues. 

  ”This is outrageous, undemocratic and probably unconstitutional. Public officials, none of whom signed the 2003 settlement, can't be silenced in their duty to represent the interests of their constituents. Not in this country.” 

To give this issue historic perspective, here are excerpts from a Two Cents Worth column I wrote in March 2001. 

  ”I have this nagging feeling that we are being talked down to by people who don’t even try to hide the fact that they think we’re little more than a bunch of dim-witted rubes.

  ”A case in point is this quote from Four Season’s propaganda starting with Hovnanian’s assertion that ‘…we’ve worked closely with local residents, elected officials and adjoining communities.’  I don’t know how closely Hovnanian has worked with elected officials (though I’d sure like to know), but working closely with local residents? Get real!
 ” I won’t even honor their contention that they are ‘…protecting the environment’ of Kent Island. This is so preposterous that words fail me.
 “ It’s also interesting to note that Hovnanian has been silent on the traffic issue. Apparently, even their clever marketing consultants  failed to find words that would explain how creating a population base the size of Centreville on a tiny slip of land, bounded by water and Route 50, would not create traffic problems of unfathomable proportions.”

  I never dreamed that more than six years later this issue would still be alive, and not only alive, but offering new hope for averting forever this catastrophic threat to the Island’s quality of life and it’s irreplaceable, natural resources. 

  And perhaps just as important - restoring our faith in the democratic process.