The Charles County commissioners voted down the Port Tobacco Environmental Recovery and Restoration Area on Tuesday night after public hearing speakers voiced unanimous opposition to the proposed amendment to the county’s 2006 comprehensive plan.
The commissioners killed the measure 4-1 with Commissioner Reuben B. Collins II (D) the lone opposing vote.
The Port Tobacco ERRA would have permitted developments in the 28,000-acre Port Tobacco River watershed up to 10.5 times the permitted density 3.5 units per acre instead of one unit per three acres in exchange for amerliorating an environmental problem by at least 50 percent.
Dozens of speakers who voiced opposition to the amendment went home happy.
Speakers, including county residents, environmentalists and lawyers, criticized the ERRA, arguing that the proposal would actually hurt the Port Tobacco River due to increased runoff from development, replace the historic and rural character of Port Tobacco with sprawl development and fail to hold up to litigation.
One speaker, Bruce Kirk of La Plata, said a more appropriate name for the ERRA was an “environmental destruction zone.”
Speakers also expressed criticism of four Charles County Planning Commission members who supported the Port Tobacco ERRA with a 4-3 vote Nov. 21 despite opposition from county residents, the Port Tobacco River Conservancy and the Maryland Department of Planning.
During that vote, commission Vice Chairman Joe Richard and members Lou Grasso, Bob Mitchell and Joan Jones voted to move the amendment forward. Commission Chairman Courtney Edmonds and members Joe Tieger and Steve Bunker voted against the amendment.
Because the county planning commission previously approved the amendment, the county commissioners had to have at least four commissioners vote against the amendment to overturn the commission’s 4-3 approval vote.
Community opposition to the amendment was one of the main reasons the commissioners gave for rejecting the amendment.
“I think the whole room does not want it. I think we are here to serve the people,” Commissioner Bobby Rucci (D) said.
“The commissioners acted tonight because the people acted tonight. The people’s case led to the 4-1 vote tonight,” Commissioner Ken Robinson (D) said.
Robinson also said that the amendment was similar to an illegal spot-zoning proposal that the commissioners rejected last year for affordable housing in parts of Nanjemoy and Newburg.
Commissioners’ President Candice Quinn Kelly (D) said, “I want to make it very clear. There’s no nuance to it. This is inconsistent with the plans of the county.”
Commissioner Debra Davis (D) said that the timing of the amendment was the main reason for her vote, as the county is currently developing the 2012 comprehensive plan.
Collins said the amendment would address environmental problems in the Port Tobacco River.
pwarner@somdnews.com
