The public hearing for this ordinance will be held during the Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, August 17, scheduled on the agenda for 6:50 p.m., Commissioners meeting room 107 N. Liberty, Centreville.

Please attend this hearing to support Commissioner Ransom.  If it is not possible for you to attend, write to the commissioners and tell them that they should vote to approve 04-37.

The Planning Commission has recommended AGAINST approval of this ordinance.
 

Doug Shreve, Business Queen Anne’s , has claimed  that this legislation would jeopardize State funding for schools.

This is not true.  (See email from the State of Maryland below)

As Frank DiGialleonardo wrote during the budget hearings:  “The major increase to our taxes is coming from education, fire/emergency, police and infrastructure costs.  What this is saying to me is that new residential development is getting a free ride off of my back.  Developers are not being made to pay for current and future year costs of their developments.  Taxpayers are left to make up the difference in the infrastructure costs.  I suggest that you (the Commissioners) can greatly simplify your job, without decreasing the standard of living for the current taxpayers, by adopting the rule – We shall approve no development until we are satisfied that the full social, infrastructure and environmental cost of that development has been identified and that those costs have been mitigated or otherwise funded without increased net cost to the taxpayer.”

Commissioner Ransom’s ordinance is the first attempt to improve the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.  The existing APFO addresses only schools (at 120% capacity), roads, water and sewer.  No consideration is currently provided for police/emergency services, health care, senior services, solid waste, etc.  In addition, the existing ordinance allows for exceptions, making them ineffective in many cases. 

Tell the Commissioners you support Ordinance 04-37. 

Tell them that you support further strengthening of the APFO.

Mr. Lever:

One of our County Commissioners has introduced legislation which would
reduce the threshold requirement for existing and projected school
population for determination of adequacy under the county's Adequate Public
Facilities Ordinance. This bill would reduce the threshold for adequacy
from 120% to 100% of the state-rated capacity per school affected. 

The bill would require developers to undertake school construction
improvements necessary or contribute financing toward specific improvements
in accordance with the county's capital improvement program if the projected
students from their new houses would cause the school's student population
to increase above 100% of capacity.

The sponsoring Commissioner has asked me to ask you, if this bill becomes
law, will it in any way affect/jeopardize the county's school funding from
the state for new construction or renovation? 

Paul W. Comfort, Esq.
Queen Anne's County Administrator

From: David Lever [mailto:dlever@msde.state.md.us]
To: Paul Comfort
Subject: RE: Queen Anne's County Question

Mr. Comfort - No, the State's funding is based on available funds and on the
merits of the project, which include the extent to which it may relieve
overcrowding at the school or adjacent schools. Presumably this ordinance
could have one of two effects: If development continues it will increase the
local funding available for school construction (along with the
justification for capacity projects), or it will slow down development.
Either effect will undoubtedly impact the county's CIP request, but the
State will continue to look at the priority in which the projects are
submitted, their justification, and the State's ability to fund.

 David Lever 

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