La Plata, MD – Charles County appears stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to preservation.
On the one hand, leaders see the need to preserve acreage from development. It’s how to do it that’s the rub.
The Charles County Planning Commission was told by Environmental Planner Charles Rice Monday, Feb. 8, that there were three sections of the county identified as needing inclusion in the county’s Priority Preservation Areas. Those three sections include: Cobb Neck, Zechiah Swamp and Nanjemoy.
Rice suggested picking one, Cobb Neck, and focusing on the one site and bringing the others back up at a later date for discussion.
“It’s a policy decision as to what areas you want to consider,” Rice said. “Do you want to have a priority or indicate a broader region of importance?”
Rice added that residents in Cobb Neck don’t want to see development there because it conflicts with the Navy mission at Dahlgren.
He said Cobb Neck is considered a focus because the Navy is able to obtain federal funding for preservation.
“It’s an opportunity to spread the preservation dollars,” Rice stated. “I think it’s important to truly have a priority instead of casting a wide net over the county.”
Rice said the county lost a substantial amount of preservation funding after it lost its certification in 2012.
“That was directly related to the county not having priority preservation areas designated in the comprehensive plan,” he noted.
When board member Joan Jones asked if approving the priority preservation areas measure would allow the county to regain its certification, Rice said he felt positive that it would.
“Charles County has been a leader among the state in terms of the number of acres set aside for preservation,” he added. “I think they want to get us recertified.”
Commission members Nancy Schertler and Rosamin Daya, however, wanted all three.
“I would like to include those three areas specifically,” Daya explained. “The comprehensive plan that we’re working on now, if we don’t complete it now it could be 15 years before we get to another one.”
In the end, the board voted 4-3 against the proposal.
“We as the planning commission are circumventing the Charles County Agricultural Preservation Board,” Commission Chairman Buddy Bowling said. “I have a real concern that they’re not involved in this. Priority preservation is number one.
“Yes, we have a right to look at it, but then what is the function of the Agricultural Preservation Board?” he asked.
Board Member Robin Barnes said the county already has a number of mechanisms in place to preserve land.
“We have tier map, zoning, there are several mechanisms that also help to protect forest and other land in the county,” he said. “I do like a focused approach, but I’m concerned if we have too many mechanisms we are trying to do this with. We’re not going to get anywhere. We’re going to put a stranglehold on ourselves. We have already increased the amount of land we’ve been able to protect.”
Contact Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com