[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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],{"_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",6472684,"mediaKeyId","5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc","parentId",5775962,"title","Draft land-use maps, growth areas and zoning categories remain under review; public speaker urges consideration of specific parcels","audioSeconds",3086,"startMs",2404000,"endMs",5490000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc&start=2404&end=5490","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc/thumbnail_2404000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6472684/Worcester-County/Maryland/Draft-land-use-maps-growth-areas-and-zoning-categories-remain-under-review-public-speaker-urges-consideration-of-specific-parcels","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472684-5c07d32e032b5ce04ad028df7302d229/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501725&Signature=GUSRAZk6SuAWAgqJUi2pr3h9qvKvJ-k7rf804LZOOtY7QjDxD-J~zAYUH~rjV9iPZ75sY777JaeWJ5WnGvDoq4esbyuDVN-ZwTPpYTLRTa7LE5HFmBk0gxNuP32GcpRzwgEsFPNU7GbMSL-gvBElhCXsbYkUkRD-EqmUpVVvqE0M7pSB0kDoPD-1k6UK8M8kIq79-~-NIIphQA0XeLQQN85GCiyB7SYWmBTYvWbKmVAyBDR5Dy2GqRFUuii5bsw0ekQlMLCOPj1ghBS9QIVneCLaixCrMPpz2aQBLuvNC8Jc5ZWZBdCtcessWhOYjL2mYsGB1Zjr4wOXWl~9JEfvSA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Worcester","date","2025-09-11T00:00:00Z","article","Worcester County planning staff presented the draft land-use chapter and maps at a Sept. 11 work session and outlined remaining mapping tasks, coordination with municipalities and next steps for public review. Staff said the future land-use map is still in progress and that shape files have been shared with county reviewers.

Why it matters: future land-use designations and growth-area mapping set expectations for where infrastructure and development will be encouraged and affect later rezoning decisions and permit eligibility.

Key points from staff and commissioners

- Maps and legends: staff acknowledged incomplete map legends and several placeholders in the draft. They said some maps were copied from prior state or MDE sources and will be redrawn to match the county's updated growth-area outlines.

- Parcel-level mapping and boundaries: planners said the future land-use map will be parcel-specific and cross-referenced to growth-area tables, but they also discussed building in reasonable flexibility for parcel-boundary interpretation where cadastral data has changed since older map layers were created.

- Zoning categories and suggested edits: participants suggested updating language to encourage mixed-use development, add solar as a planning consideration, and reference completed design guidelines for commercial development. A previously used \"E-1\" or estate-type district and other legacy categories were discussed for possible elimination or rephrasing in the new plan.

- Agricultural protections and transfer-development mechanisms: staff and commissioners discussed existing agricultural subdivision limits (minor subdivision rules), rural-cluster ordinances, and the county's limited use of transfer-development-rights (TDR) or purchase-of-development-rights (PDR) approaches. Several participants said the county's soil and water constraints have helped preserve agricultural lands.

Public comment: parcel-specific request

Mark Propper, identified himself and said he had submitted materials on behalf of Skolnick/BLS Realty for parcels west of Route 589 and near Route 113. He urged the planning commission to keep those parcels under consideration for future growth-area designation and to avoid adopting a land-use map that would bar later rezoning. \"If I'm gonna be seeking a rezoning of this property in however many months, and you've already decided what the land use category is, and that land use category doesn't support the rezoning, then you're done,\" Propper said. He described proximity to Ocean Pines and River Run, existing road access, and near-term infrastructure as reasons to consider the parcels for growth designation.

Staff response and next steps

Planners said they will continue working with municipal partners, finalize the future land-use map and produce a tracked-changes draft for review. They recommended collecting municipal comments while the draft is refined and said the team will bring updated maps back to the work group for further review, tentatively in October. Staff also said they will explicitly note where mapping and zoning categories have already been implemented in the code versus where language is aspirational.

Ending note

The planning team asked attendees to submit written comments and said it will reconvene with updated maps, shape files and a consolidated implementation chapter before submitting the full draft to the state for review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Worcester - Planning Commission","oneSentenceSummary","At a Sept. 11 work session, planners displayed draft land-use maps and future-growth-area material, discussed map legends and parcel-level mapping, and heard public comment from Mark Propper asking the planning commission to consider specific properties near Routes 589 and 113 for future growth-area designation and rezoning consistency.","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},6472689,"Planners update fisheries chapter; staff to add DNR catch data and local economic context including wind impacts",182,2190000,2372000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc&start=2190&end=2372","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc/thumbnail_2190000.jpg","/articles/6472689/Worcester-County/Maryland/Planners-update-fisheries-chapter-staff-to-add-DNR-catch-data-and-local-economic-context-including-wind-impacts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472689-c0f3627743bce31f3f9444b76f37146f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501725&Signature=Gaoxd8fQ~Su7kJCDu7NIGGlEjeVAx0gd2nvL01XvPrd0yI2KAfr5g-lRp8vBHP4EAtOOkUxp8rlQH7JBoeuMNN5n~WyeVmKeJhOPPDccnO5ZKk89-G7SMDaxP6h9LIpXnoLsazAgF5rHd0EGFR-JPhvEuQ8qY~IOkuCfMRVO7RE3Y5OTJK1Ep~KqDGCGo1vlyxQhQxAIbd6ansmsVKpCU0pmHLMvh66g-~bXC~~WItSs7xMaIfEfj~6yyk506m1rnbe07FmPy8YTjHCk8tJC17rWsLAUOjo3D7rAABS62s1KDsBmAifDZf-OwV5qIEKeLk7SjdrceOaiuLLwMLendA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Worcester County planners told a Sept. 11 work session that they will revise the fisheries chapter of the Comprehensive Plan after obtaining additional data from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and county economic-development staff.

Staff said the fisheries chapter will remain a separate element but will be folded into the larger plan document once updated. \"We have public boat ramps, etcetera, so some data there. So, been working with DNR to review this and just make sure that we have, to the extent, other data sets that we would could add them,\" a planning staff member said.

Why it matters: fisheries and commercial-landing activity shape local marine economic activity, boat-ramp and landing planning, and may be affected by changes such as offshore wind operations or the siting of operation-and-maintenance facilities.

Discussion highlights

- DNR and economic data: Staff reported recent comments from DNR with updated catch data and said they will add material from county economic development, including updated impact numbers since a 2012 state study on the white-marlin tournament cited earlier in the draft.

- Commercial landing and scallop operations: Staff and a planner discussed a commercial scallop operation in a growth area south of an inlet; the facility and public landings were noted as locally significant marine economy sites.

- Offshore wind and operations impacts: Participants recommended adding language about how offshore wind development and any associated operation-and-maintenance facilities could affect fish houses and landings; staff said they had asked economic-development staff to contribute data on economic impacts.

Next steps

Staff will incorporate DNR catch data and any economic-development information received from county staff into the fisheries chapter and then fold the chapter into the overall plan document as a discrete element. The chapter will be refined ahead of state review and public hearings.","Worcester County planners said they will revise the fisheries chapter after receiving data from Maryland DNR and economic-development staff, and will add local commercial landing and potential offshore-wind impact language ahead of drafting the final chapter.",{"_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},6472693,"Worcester County staff refine water-resources chapter; PFAS, aquifers and wastewater capacity highlighted",1523,246000,1769000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc&start=246&end=1769","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5775962-d633e85a7697b05e9c62fa124f9322dc/thumbnail_246000.jpg","/articles/6472693/Worcester-County/Maryland/Worcester-County-staff-refine-water-resources-chapter-PFAS-aquifers-and-wastewater-capacity-highlighted","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6472693-2418a2b557486cfa5365b0491f8578ab/orig.mp4?Expires=1770501725&Signature=Ae-H0Wuryz2L9dOescqQle7sk1~G4hMHkpEQ~BVsFo3p~j29TbA7JiWq8ZUheMe2nIf3OlHlp9amH-C~~oNRMufIPWII~6Ve8kUJL6l-z0k9uDDoW0a3s1RzArO7U-piDWAdOTg5gAGUdv6uCJKgulC4IKzxIizW0V9B1gRBBtUdNK1fMwX2W1PqVUEwJ~oVVsUCftyCxEEspAAPHaKaeyp~v7LTfVSArVsiCWfKhHLmKVQHf-2JouNXo-ZMwloaVwujmzwLOlL5CGi9EIxVevRbHNk3c0627oBtC-y8te70rvWxSlYzdMM0J85YFl0FTcFWBeIOajMDnHyYeyZXNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Worcester County planning staff and consultants reviewed a near-complete draft of the county\fomprehensive Plan\fhapter on water resources at a work session Thursday, Sept. 11, and outlined remaining technical checks before the draft is sent to the state for a 60-day review.

The water-resources element is being revised to reconcile hydrology, land-use inputs and growth-area assumptions that affect demand and infrastructure planning. \"We'll start with the water resources element. So this is the this is the complete version. I won't say it's quite the final because we do need to get some more comments back from Bob,\" a staff member said during the meeting.

Why it matters: water-resource assumptions drive where new development can be served, what wastewater upgrades are required and the schedule for public hearings. Staff emphasized the chapter's connection to the land-use and growth-area analyses that will feed the county's implementation chapter and subsequent public review.

Key details from the discussion

- Aquifers and cross-jurisdiction coordination: Consultants noted aquifer boundaries cross state lines into Delaware and, in places, connect to coastal plain systems in Virginia. The consultant said Virginia has a more restrictive approach in some coastal areas, citing single-source aquifer protections and tighter well-appropriation controls. Participants discussed coordinating with neighboring jurisdictions where groundwater systems overlap.

- PFAS (\"forever chemical\") monitoring: A consultant reported two county wells tested for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS): one in Ocean Pines and one in Berlin. Measured concentrations were given as roughly \"2 parts per trillion, 1 and a half parts per trillion,\" below a cited 4 parts-per-trillion standard. The county is participating in related class-action litigation and coordinating with state grant priorities for communities with higher concentrations.

- Saltwater intrusion and vulnerable shorelines: Staff and consultants flagged saltwater intrusion in waterfront communities and identified vulnerable areas such as sections of the St. Martin's River. They said private shallow wells in low-lying waterfront areas can fail and require deeper drilling.

- Wastewater treatment capacity and nutrient limits: Participants noted inconsistent counts and capacity figures in the draft (one map/table referenced 13 plants, another 15). Staff said some plants had nearly all capacity committed while still reserving space for projected growth. Riddle Farm (listed in the draft) was discussed as operating with roughly 81% of capacity committed and about 19% remaining; staff said committed capacity may be reserved for future growth and that numbers should be footnoted and reconciled.

- Spray irrigation and nutrient compliance: Several spray-disposal (land-application) plants were discussed. Staff and a consultant explained monitoring typically reports concentration values that are converted to pounds-per-acre for agronomic application, and that nutrient management plans are part of discharge permits. Participants recommended clearer footnotes tying hydraulic-flow numbers to permit-based nutrient limits.

Next steps and process directions

Staff said the team will: compile an implementation chapter summarizing goals and action items across plan elements; send the draft to Bob Mitchell for additional county input; finalize numerical tables and map legends; and then submit the full draft to the state for its 60-day review before public hearings.

Ending note

Planning staff repeatedly told the group the chapter remains data-heavy and will require formatting fixes and clarifying footnotes before it is released for formal review. \"Don't feel overwhelmed,\" one staff member said, noting the chapter will be revised further before the state review and hearings.
","At a Sept. 11 work session, Worcester County planners and consultants reviewed an updated water resources chapter, flagged monitoring needs for aquifers and “forever chemicals,” and discussed clarifications needed on wastewater plant capacities and nutrient limits before the draft goes to the state.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Draft land-use maps, growth areas and zoning categories remain under review; public speaker urges consideration of specific parcels

Planners update fisheries chapter; staff to add DNR catch data and local economic context including wind impacts

Worcester County staff refine water-resources chapter; PFAS, aquifers and wastewater capacity highlighted