This came after discussion with county officials, who briefed the planning commission on the need for the moratorium. In addition, the planning commission wanted information on the workload with which they will be faced.

"What concerns me is the act was taken the way it was taken, bypassing this commission," Planning Commission Chairman Rodger Weese said at the start of the meeting.

Commissioner George O'Donnell said, "Something like this is very controversial and difficult to do." He said when people are brought into it, "before you know it, you're being lobbied," and it makes it difficult to make the decision.

Weese said that in order to enact a moratorium there has to be a question of public safety and asked if there was a public safety issue.

O'Donnell said there is currently an insufficient sewer capacity to sustain the rate of growth. As far as health and safety, he said he was sure that people are aware of the problem on southern Kent Island with failed sewer systems. 

Steve Kaii-Ziegler, director of the county's department of planning, said there is not a problem with the number of permits - the problem is with the number of projects in the pipeline. He said the reality of the pending development will far exceed the current infrastructure, which includes roads and water and sewer.

Kaii-Ziegler said based on adequate public facilities studies, the capacity of the county's public facilities will be met with the projected growth of over 1,000 permits per year or in 5 to 8 years. He said they hope to stagger this growth.

He said all of the incoming regulations will be prepared and will be adopted almost simultaneously.

Four Seasons and other large projects cannot happen over the next six months, Weese said. He does not see how the moratorium is going to alleviate any of the problems surrounding them. He said the projects that are "coming down the pipe" will not be able to get on line until the county has adequate sewer capacity, and this will not be until 2005 and may be moved back to 2007.

"The idea is that before all of this (building) cuts loose, we have the adequate staging tools," replied Kaii-Ziegler.

As far as the planning commission's workload, Kaii-Ziegler said, there are six major items to be addressed, including a comprehensive zoning and subdivision ordinance and related comprehensive rezoning components, comprehensive adequate public facilities ordinance, master water and sewer plan update, county roads ordinance, and preparation of Route 50/301 Kent Island Transportation plan. But the planning commission will not need to be involved with two of those - the master water and sewer plan update and the county roads ordinance. The planning commission may be required to meet at least two to three times in June and once a week thereafter in order to deal with some of these items, Kaii-Ziegler said. 

"The idea is to get these things done as fast as humanly possible," said Kaii-Ziegler. The planning office is doing everything it can at the staffing level with the help of county executives and the commissioners, he added.

"Nobody wants to hear that there are staffing issues," said Kaii-Ziegler. He said the county is down 11 positions in two departments. 

Patti Miller, a planning commission member, asked why consultants could not be brought in to help with the process. Kaii-Ziegler said a consultant does not have 11 people to dedicate to the work. He also said it would take consultants a considerable amount of time to learn the processes of the county. "There are not 11 people who are willing to come to work in this county with what is happening here."

The planning commission then discussed possible recommendations for the moratorium and held an informal vote on these recommendations. Of the full board of nine members present (with John McQueeney obstaining), the majority felt the moratorium was not necessary for the commercial side and it should be lifted. After discussion, it was suggested that the moratorium be lifted for commercial developers at the earliest time possible. Weese also called for a removal of the building permit cap, because he felt that it served no function.

Some of the questions the planning commission asked of Kaii-Ziegler and other department heads could not be answered without carrying out some of the work that was necessary during the moritorium.

In regard to those questions, Public Works Director and Acting County Administrator Steve Walls said, "Give us the chance to try to produce the work." He said he thought the purpose of Wednesday's meeting was to create a plan to move forward. "To put more obstacles in our way, I'm not sure that is really productive to the goals we are trying to achieve." 

©The Star Democrat 2002 

I couldn't send this out without pasting a paragraph from the County Line Newsletter of December 21, 2001 (Vol 2001, Issue 3):
Did You Know? QAC Ranks 8th  State-wide in Growth Rate

There seems to be a misconception amongst many citizens about the rate of growth in Queen Anne's County. With the 2000 Census now completed and data released in April 2001, Queen Anne's County shows up as the eighth fastest growing county in the State of Maryland, with its population increasing 19.5% from 1990 to 2000. We now have an estimated 40,563 residents in QAC, up from 33,953 in 1990. 

Calvert County led the state, adding 23,191 new residents to increase their population by 45% from 1990 to 2000. QAC's increase of 19.5% over the last decade translates to about a 2% annual rate of growth, a fairly consistent and moderate rate. In fact, development in the county has remained fairly steady at about 400 new homes being built per year in QAC. Compare this to the 2,300 new homes that were built last year in Anne Arundel County (pop. 485,000). 

While we hear a lot of talk about new growth, and new developments are being proposed in our growth areas, the fact is that the rate of growth is remaining fairly steady in our county.  With the new growth tools being put into place, such as the recently raised development review fees, the recent Interim Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO; the first county on the Eastern Shore to adopt an APFO and one of the smallest in the state with one), and the soon to be raised Impact Fees, QAC is well positioned to make growth and development pay its own way.