For more than two years (and some would say decades), the challenge of the Lakeside housing development in Trappe has been an all-consuming concern for the Talbot County Council, the incorporated town of Trappe, the Maryland Department of the Environment, and most of all, the residents of Talbot County.
In short, could a project approved in 2003 but slow in finding financing and market demand continue with plans to eventually build more than 2,400 homes in a town whose total population was half that number? And were there appropriate plans for wastewater treatment, and had other infrastructure issues like schools and roads been adequately assessed?
These concerns led to the passage of Resolution 338 by the County Council. This resolution required a full review of each additional phase of Lakeside’s development to ensure compliance with the Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan. It also mandated that any future expansion of the wastewater treatment plant beyond the initial 100,000 gallons per day allocation (around 400 housing units) must evaluate Trappe’s wastewater treatment capacity at each phase.
With the support of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE), Resolution 338 was intended to safeguard the community and manage growth responsibly.
However, local environmental advocates like the Talbot Integrity Project questioned whether this was enough to protect the county’s critically important environmental assets. Specifically, they raised concerns about whether the maps used to define property and sewer lines were accurate when the project was approved.
The answer became clear at Tuesday night’s Talbot County Council meeting with the passage of two resolutions that attempted to address these concerns.
By a 3-2 vote, the council approved Resolution No. 347 with Amendment No. 3, which amends the Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan (CWSP) to provide the Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDUs) for all phases of the Lakeside development. This aligns with the Planning Commission’s finding that Resolution No. 347 is consistent with the County’s Comprehensive Plan at their May 1, 2024, meeting.
Additionally, by a 3-2 vote, the council passed Resolution No. 348, which clarifies and confirms the water and sewer classifications for certain parcels incorrectly shown in previous revisions. The County Planning Commission also found this resolution consistent with the county’s comprehensive plan.
Following this important debate on such a high-impact housing development, the Spy’s Dave Wheelan turned to Councilmember Pete Lesher for an explanation. Yesterday, via Zoom, Lesher (who, along with Council Member Lynn Mielke, voted against Resolutions 347 and 348) clarified in simpler terms what action the Talbot County Council has taken and what it will mean for the Lakeside project going forward.
This video is approximately 15 minutes in length.
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.