To: qacc@qac.org
Cc: wgilchrest@mail.house.gov; wheeler_baker@house.state.md.us; governor@gov.state.md.us
Subject: A Concerned Citizen

I wanted to drop a line to all who will listen about the recent actions of the Queen Anne's County Government.  Against overwhelming public opinion, the Queen Anne's County Commissioners Office originally granted growth allocation to K. Hovnanian Builders on environmentally sensitive areas.  In
fact, 293.25 acres were rezoned from Resource  Conservation area to Intense Development Area and an additional parcel of 79.75 acres was rezoned from Limited Development Area to Intense Development Area.  I originally attended a hearing at the Kent Island High School and was encouraged to see the overwhelming voter opposition to the rezoning and growth allocation.  I assumed that with the vast majority of public opinion opposing this issue, the County Commissioners would listen to their constituents and decide against this foolish decision.  I, however was mistaken.  For some reason or another, they granted the growth allocation subject to public referendum. There was a public notice put out by the county commissioners in regards to this and the language is shown in the attachment. (KIDL supporters reading this can see Mr. Haley's attachment at www.SaveKentIsland.org)

The angry citizens of the county of course sought to right this wrong and decided to make an effort to attain 10% of the county voters signatures in order to put this on the ballot in 2002 so the voters could decide.  There are nominally 22,000 registered voters in Queen Anne's County and a referendum (requiring 2200 signatures) has not been passed in recent memory.  Anyway, one of the County Commissioners was even quoted in The Capital Newspaper saying that the voters had their work cut out for them to get 10% of the county's registered voters to sign this petition to referendum within forty-five days. Additionally the county commissioners spoke at local businesses to caution against signing any referendum in regards to the Four Seasons Development.

To no surprise, other than possibly the commissioners, more than 20% of the voters signed this petition to referendum.  I personally, along with the many residents I spoke with about this, felt we had a voice in what went on locally and felt good about government.

After the county government sees that there are more than double the signatures needed for a referendum, knowing full well the residents would vote against their decision, the county decides that their decision wasn't subject to referendum after all.  I am disgusted by this under-handed maneuvering by the developer and the county.  The county government should speak for its citizens; however in this case they seem to have the developers best interest in mind.  This, at best, seems to be spite, and, at worst, corrupt.

Please inquire into this on behalf of a concerned citizen.  I would like a response from all of the parties receiving this email.  Thank you very much for your help!

Respectfully,

Chris Haley
Stevensville
A concerned voter