[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6486598,"mediaKeyId","5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd","parentId",5545559,"title","Commission recommends rezoning of roughly 150 acres after finding 2009 zoning error and existing conservation easement","audioSeconds",1083,"startMs",1672000,"endMs",2755000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd&start=1672&end=2755","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd/thumbnail_1672000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6486598/Worcester-County/Maryland/Commission-recommends-rezoning-of-roughly-150-acres-after-finding-2009-zoning-error-and-existing-conservation-easement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486598-eae4fbcf6401332b68851f8df62b12df/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394661&Signature=A09HSlaqHyJ-3eJExsNjRs-oD3aXP6L~Jj16RG9qiTzJ028IqOvd0z5PhSYazLOnaz~lh3rGbtvVTqJZ13UiP3zAYDreCBbz3tapbWD2mCZXhz01EwCD1uxIzXOnV2XpGB~tzwwwt1aC7hk-HWO6BNPnli8OiwI0E3ezsI~pw5kEp1vttJ1J7lxEfIxSaPhtLHx2e3Y7LUqOVNWSitTKEqrSwFnEizAnbf-eZT452Hrk7nI2BcaQA47t2klsI~RrnmfWhM~~lyBYk0-TybdnFlyZT1XRbZCf364HjZ8yspfPCwNfzNjy2yaBMwwF6X8SB8aokjpQO8hjWewcu1LxyA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Worcester","date","2025-08-07T00:00:00Z","article","The Worcester County Planning Commission voted to recommend rezoning about 150 acres from the E1 estate district to A1 agricultural zoning after hearing that the property has been under a deed of conservation easement since June 22, 2009.

Applicant representative Hugh Crocker argued the E1 zoning designation resulted from a good-faith mistake during the county’s comprehensive rezoning process, and that the parcel’s conservation easement — he said dated June 22, 2009 — precludes subdivision. Former county natural-resources administrator Chris McCabe testified that the property was subject to the conservation easement before the comprehensive rezone and that the easement prevents subdivision.

Crocker and witnesses said the parcel remains active farmland with tillable acreage planted in corn and soybeans; staff and the commission noted the county’s land-use map designates the area for agriculture. Commissioners reviewed the standard eight rezoning questions used by the county and found no changes in population, public facilities or transportation patterns that would weigh against rezoning. They concluded the requested A1 zoning would be more consistent with the comprehensive plan and the property’s present use.

Staff and the applicant discussed density comparisons: E1 provides roughly one dwelling unit per two acres (which, on the property’s approximate acreage, would have yielded a substantially larger number of dwellings under E1). The commission voted by voice vote to forward a favorable recommendation to the county commissioners.

The rezoning recommendation will be transmitted to the Worcester County Commissioners for final action; staff said the item may return as part of a later comprehensive rezoning discussion or as a separate legislative action before the commissioners.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Worcester - Planning Commission","oneSentenceSummary","The Planning Commission voted to forward a favorable recommendation to rezone roughly 150 acres from an Estate (E1) classification to Agricultural (A1), citing a preexisting conservation easement (dated June 22, 2009) that precludes subdivision and a county land-use designation of agriculture.","taxTitle","Worcester County, Maryland","taxId",53952,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6486603,"Planning commission approves Crepe Myrtle Court, grants sidewalk waiver for 25-unit development",540,567000,1107000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd&start=567&end=1107","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd/thumbnail_567000.jpg","/articles/6486603/Worcester-County/Maryland/Planning-commission-approves-Crepe-Myrtle-Court-grants-sidewalk-waiver-for-25-unit-development","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486603-363f663ae9034d4bab6ed57761be646b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394661&Signature=cwADKvRtVgjCo0knov7WAr756tnwiP2jPVf69gNKNOMMqUM3fU0lxGrMQFE3H0mqK46XObPkTusLtUQmDIUJEZsFEA~Vg~dHmd4OVfr4HNhO1Ck~w168HeUHgHNDJ-731dPaX8xpdwY-sbqD9DGYyhq5Bv5FT0jxgUqDQ84ZPL8rLoMWz2QtapUImmf8yiIXSB1ZrkSidhRdu2J4eH0gizkqXC5ozT6kWTqlgUBY3YGq7RmS6Tn0oVN6o4V1tJH1hL8SbySrdS78zSxcs6XsmtiYOxgg9m0L7biBN4nsm71yQBxgkQ7dqqGrWDnHQseL3Cjyy7MHiUzud8mE9YJ4yQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Worcester County Planning Commission approved the site plan for Crepe Myrtle Court, a 25-unit residential development, and granted a waiver reducing the internal sidewalk width from 5 feet to 4 feet.

Applicant representative Hugh Crawford told the commission the development reduces density from a previous approval, will include one single-unit model (to be sold) and mostly duplexes, and that the project’s sidewalks will be designed to serve only the internal community rather than through traffic. Crawford said the development provides active recreation areas (a pool and a second recreation area for a tot lot or exercise), community mailboxes, and bike racks; the design team placed the sidewalk on the outer loop to link to the State Highway sidewalk.

Commissioners discussed the requested waiver to allow 4-foot sidewalks inside the community while retaining a 5-foot sidewalk along Old Bridge Road. Staff had no objection on record to the requested waiver; the commission voted to grant the waiver and then to approve the site plan with the setbacks and standard conditions.

The approval included the standard requirement that final engineering and construction drawings be submitted for review and that required landscaping and other site improvements be bonded or secured before permits are issued.","The Planning Commission approved the Crepe Myrtle Court site plan, reducing the required internal sidewalk width from 5 feet to 4 feet and approving setbacks; the development will include 25 units (one single-family model and duplexes), active recreation, and community mailboxes.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6486608,"Planning commission approves two Peerless Road solar site plans, grants irrigation waivers",875,465000,1340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd&start=465&end=1340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd/thumbnail_465000.jpg","/articles/6486608/Worcester-County/Maryland/Planning-commission-approves-two-Peerless-Road-solar-site-plans-grants-irrigation-waivers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486608-3dc17dda63a0ccaf19da1264d778b904/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394661&Signature=HXdMkrt29rkKs670eEeTUwv1lquOP5oOlvxbIggrKmD89CkR94Ci307nKJJvkt88cdcGtbF1X7PDulpnCfQ4RC~C2PaO8vUMvBwU5G7e1wv1N7ieUBxob~WoMwRsZ9dhFtdpusS7RhYvssbqFXP090pCCkEMkFoMGnbeOQW9Pxbt6v~8BI9ydVBVzmVmjr35I0T1onOnOSVRIFcWCTTywBTFqvufJG4LNjE1NSvWbLOE9I7Y2j4XtGdQQr1cYpHvW9bxUxPOAHaDHAMGkwuUZwALEBq2J6M37sfXt8OjikXrl3dqlEgzAG-J-GjksTiljmEEOg2Yb~wYiTzv8x8puQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Worcester County Planning Commission approved two major solar site plans on Peerless Road and granted waivers from the county’s underground irrigation requirement for the landscaped buffers.

At the Aug. 7 meeting the commission voted to approve waivers for WO27 and WO60, both solar projects sited at or near 9251 Peerless Road, and to approve the overall site plans after hearing presentations from project representatives. The applicant for at least one site identified itself as Turning Point Energy; the civil engineer on record was Nick Lefner.

Turning Point Energy representative Francis Uhas told the commission the projects would not rely on underground irrigation. “The underground we believe the underground irrigation is not necessary,” Uhas said, adding that the applicants will irrigate newly planted landscaping by truck and will post a landscape bond to ensure plant survivability.

Engineering staff described shared-access and phasing plans. The two projects share an access drive; staff and the applicant said the construction phasing will likely build access drives first to support equipment delivery, with equipment installation and the remainder of site work following. The applicant estimated full construction could be completed within months depending on seasonal start dates (applicants suggested roughly six to nine months from start, weather dependent).

The commission voted to grant the irrigation waivers and to approve both site plans by voice votes. Staff noted the approvals include the standard conditions: a posted landscape bond, final plan submissions to the development review committee, and the need to return final construction plans for permits.

Planning staff said the projects will return final plans for administrative review and that phasing and shared-access details will be reflected in final permit documents.","The commission granted irrigation-system waivers and approved major site plans for two solar projects on Peerless Road, allowing trucked watering and requiring a landscape bond; commissioners discussed shared access and phased construction.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6486612,"Worcester County planning commission backs updated solar rules, including decommissioning and visual buffers",1162,2825000,3987000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd&start=2825&end=3987","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5545559-fcba7e5794affcfe53606e8bed1163fd/thumbnail_2825000.jpg","/articles/6486612/Worcester-County/Maryland/Worcester-County-planning-commission-backs-updated-solar-rules-including-decommissioning-and-visual-buffers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486612-4c095cab70d61e25d6ca11775638e20e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770394661&Signature=Y1O3fg1B41KGegBGnxPmimN~G7OWHeKUrWt95NFCMPqRqqbHs7hHNiWUSUc3UqV2dfdYvhMaPADbFT-sb4vh7OgaikoC5bvGBW2z6pCjvxofCisGRz9hc0Fkg37aQlP9N7Cl7vJPiRBsgsfVEuxsjsfdEsWqzBp2EzD7scs0B6IbWUyFQUwYwieloY6RZ4OgA97unyKs4mbOxDHGrVdYUCtXLuHRCHb3HHhxQwHYtPE3vub9e9QZYMiajdUSm3kl5ct89oOIpMuQir6LgBb-a4A3fN9O-BOylumljTX1uMffsryJDETvm0phVpuaFKZPeD8P3bOmPKTr4EYr2ERgFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Worcester County Planning Commission voted to recommend a text amendment to county solar regulations that adds a local decommissioning standard, a visual-buffer requirement for mid-size farms and clarifies how bonding and salvage value are handled.

The commission’s recommendation, made by staff and approved at the Aug. 7 meeting, covers systems from 200 kilowatts up to thresholds controlled by state law. Planning staff said the change is intended to align county code with recent state law and to fill gaps not addressed by state siting preemption for larger systems.

Staff member Miss Keeter, presenting the draft ordinance on behalf of the commissioners, told the commission the rewrite pulls together several changes enacted in recent years and adds a new decommissioning section. “The commissioners asked that I prepare legislation that was pertaining to decommissioning in specific,” Keeter said. The proposal lays out what a decommissioning plan must include, a cost estimate process, and a timeline for removal and site restoration.

Commission discussion focused on three practical points: whether required visual mitigation around solar compounds should be a full screen or a lighter buffer, how to treat salvage value when setting a bond amount, and which systems should be covered. Commissioners settled on a buffer approach rather than mandatory full screening for systems in the roughly 200-kilowatt to 1-megawatt range; systems above state preemption thresholds remain governed primarily by state siting rules.

On bonding, the draft rejects allowing developers to reduce county bond amounts by claiming salvage value. Keeter told the commission the state allows salvage deductions in some cases, and commissioners expressed concern that a wide salvage deduction could leave the county with insufficient funds to restore a site. The recommended local language therefore asks for a county bond in addition to any state bond and prohibits deducting estimated salvage from the county bond amount.

The draft also proposes regular cost-estimate updates and specified timelines for decommissioning; staff recommended the rule apply to major systems (the staff packet used 200 kW as a working threshold). During discussion commissioners asked staff to consider widening the rule so that larger on-site systems (for example, sizable commercial or agricultural systems used for on-site consumption) are likewise covered; staff said they would prepare language that would make major on-site systems subject to the same decommissioning requirements.

Separately, staff described a complementary idea under development: a county fund modeled on a Queen Anne’s County program that would collect mitigation payments for projects sited on prime agricultural soils and direct the proceeds into farmland preservation. Keeter said commissioners are pursuing follow-up legislation to establish that fund and related fee mechanisms.

The commission voted to give a favorable recommendation to the amended text amendment and to transmit it to the county commissioners for consideration.","The Planning Commission voted to recommend a text amendment tightening local rules for solar energy systems, adding a county-level decommissioning regimen, a visual buffer requirement, and measures to address bonding and salvage-value concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Commission recommends rezoning of roughly 150 acres after finding 2009 zoning error and existing conservation easement

Planning commission approves Crepe Myrtle Court, grants sidewalk waiver for 25-unit development

Planning commission approves two Peerless Road solar site plans, grants irrigation waivers

Worcester County planning commission backs updated solar rules, including decommissioning and visual buffers