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>Heritage Document Now Component Of County Comp Plan

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Jun. 23, 2011

The Garrett County Heritage Area Management Plan is now a component of the county’s 2008 Comprehensive Plan. On Tuesday, the Garrett County commissioners unanimously approved three amendments to the Comp Plan that provide for the heritage element.

Those attending the announcement included Director John Nelson, Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development; county attorney Mike Getty; Nicole Christian, GC Chamber of Commerce president/CEO; and Dee Dee Ritchie, newly appointed Heritage Area manager.

Inclusion in the Comp Plan is one of the final steps in the county becoming a certified Heritage Area. The Maryland Heritage Areas (MHAA) Program was created in 1996. Its purpose is to link resource preservation with economic development and tourism. Garrett County was recognized as a proposed Heritage Area in 2003.

Nelson said the first Comp Plan amendment simply adds the phrase “and the Garrett County Heritage Area Management Plan” to the last sentence in Section 2.2. This last sentence on Page 2–1 now reads: “More details about Garrett County’s history and heritage can be found in the Garrett County 2003 Heritage Plan and the Garrett County Heritage Area Management Plan.”

The second amendment adds a new bullet to Section 2.4.2 on page 2–4. It reads as follows:

“Garrett County Heritage Area Management Plan. This plan prepared by the Garrett County Heritage Area Committee describes the partnerships to be created between local governments, the state, and the broader community to preserve historical and cultural resources. The goal of this plan is to improve the local economy through heritage tourism, enhance recognition, and conservation of valuable resources that give Garrett County its identity and support heritage related project. Following the adoption of the plan by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, ‘Certified Heritage Boundaries’ and ‘Targeted Investment Zones’ are established to derive benefits from the Maryland Preservation and Tourism Areas Program.”

The third amendment adds the entire text of the Heritage Area Management Plan, which is about 800 pages long, to the appendix of the 2008 Comp Plan.

More here.

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>Regulations stall ridge line protection in Garrett County

>Angie Brant

The Cumberland Times-News Fri Jun 03, 2011, 11:25 PM EDT

— OAKLAND — Efforts to change the language in the Garrett County Comprehensive Plan to protect ridge lines have been stalled due to state and local regulations.

The inclusion of language designed to protect certain ridge lines in the county has dominated the time of the county planners for the last several months. The process to make the proposed changes was started at the beginning of this year at the request of the newly elected county commissioners. The commissioners asked the county planning commission to consider changes that had appeared in the original 2008 draft of the plan.

As per local and state law, the planning commission held a public hearing. The proposed changes were hotly contested by a number of residents who felt the language violated their property rights. Other residents felt the change was an important tool to maintain natural beauty of the region. In the end, the Planning Commission voted 3-2 in favor of the change with one abstention and sent the recommendation to the county commissioners for final approval.

While researching the topic, John Nelson, director of Planning and Land Development, discovered a voting procedure that requires motions for recommendation to the commissioners to include four favorable votes from the Planning Commission.

Nelson consulted with the county commissioners and the county attorney and was advised that the issue could be reconsidered, requiring a second public hearing, or the commission could stand by its vote, which would mean it is not endorsing the amendment.

“The previous vote was 3 to 2 with one abstaining and it takes four affirmative votes to pass. With this decision, the amendments to the plan will not be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners,” Nelson said.

Despite this setback, county officials have not abandoned the proposal entirely.

“The Board of County Commissioners will be discussing this matter over the summer months both with county staff and at the appropriate time during public meetings,” said Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator. “The public will be notified of meeting dates and times and commentary will be welcome.

“The board has also scheduled a strategic planning retreat with senior county government staff in July and the board will seek input and insight from these individuals.”

Contact Angie Brant at abrant@times-news.com

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

877-563-5350 Questions about ANY listed property? I can help! Call me!
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>GC Planning Commission Approves Ridgeline Protection Amendments

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Apr. 7, 2011

By a vote of three to two, the Garrett County Planning Commission yesterday decided to proceed with the proposal of adding mountain ridgeline protection text to the county’s 2008 Comprehensive Plan.
The vote was as follows: “In Favor of the amendments” – Troy Ellington, Tony Doerr, and Bruce Swift; “against the amendments” – Tim Schwinabart and Gary Fratz. George Brady was in attendance and did not vote. Committee members Bill Weissgerber and Jeff Messenger were not in attendance.

The commission has forwarded its decision to the Garrett County commissioners. The final decision to proceed or not to proceed with amending the plan will be addressed by the commissioners during a public meeting on Tuesday, May 3, at 10 a.m. in their meeting room at the courthouse.

The commissioners and Planning Commission held a joint public hearing on the issue on March 8, so there is no requirement for them to hold another public hearing, county administrator Monty Pagenhardt noted.

The amendments would recognize ridgelines as sensitive areas in need of protection from development, including wind turbine construction. A sentence may also be deleted from the comprehensive plan that reads as follows: “The county further acknowledges property rights of the owners of land that is suitable for wind power facilities to use their property for that purpose.”

The plan is not a regulatory document, but it does suggest how the county should more forward with growth. If the commissioners adopt the amendments, corresponding ordinances will have to be drafted that would establish regulatory control of ridgetop development through subdivision, sensitive area, and, possibly, zoning controls. It would also have to be determined which specific ridgelines would be earmarked for protection.

Read full article here.

If you or someone you know is considering buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! I take great pride in referrals, and I assure you, I will take great care of your friends, family & colleagues! As member of the Garrett County Board of Realtors, I can assist you with ANY listed property, regardless of the listing broker.

877-563-5350 Questions about ANY listed property? I can help! Call me!
Visit the ‘I Love Deep Creek & Garrett County group’ on Facebook! News, events, photos, real estate, community, info, more! 1,750+ members & growing!

>Comprehensive plan heading to Garrett County commissioners

>Angie Brant
The Cumberland Times-News Thu Apr 07, 2011, 11:25 PM EDT

Wednesday. If the county commissioners approve the changes, steps must be taken to create an ordinance that would conform to the new language. Before an ordinance can be adopted, the county will be required to hold a series of meetings to gather public input.

During the public comment period, Planning Commission members listened to and read impassioned pleas from residents who are concerned that their property rights will be in jeopardy if these change are made. Several residents, including Steven Friend, believe this language will prevent property owners from choosing to develop their own property and is a veiled attempt to stop the future construction of wind turbines in Garrett County. Many of those individuals attended Wednesday’s meeting and questioned how the commission could consider moving forward after receiving so many letters from property owners opposed to the changes.

“What was the percentage of comment for and against the proposals? I heard it was 71 percent against and just 29 percent for the changes,” Friend said. “You are basically saying that you will not allow another windmill to be built.”

Troy Ellington, Planning Commission chairman, disagreed and said that there were many letters in favor of the changes written on behalf of large groups of people, such as the Garrett County Board of Realtors and Savage River Watershed Association.

“We had to take into consideration that there was an organized effort with form letters against the changes,” Ellington explained. “There were valid and legitimate arguments for both sides.”

Commission member Tony Doerr said it is not the intent of the Planning Commission to “judge your land or tell you what to do; this is a way to start a dialogue. This will not change or create laws. I have read every letter that came in and the Planning Commission is sensitive to everyone’s concerns. We are simply voting to get the language back in and begin the process to look at it all. The nuts and bolts will be decided later.”

Ellington agreed and said that the reinsertion of the language is just the first of many steps that must be taken before any real action is taken.

“We are opening the avenue for future consideration. This would not regulate wind turbines, per se, but it would allow for future changes,” he added.

Ridge lines that are currently designated as sensitive areas are Backbone Mountain, Meadow Mountain, Negro Mountain and Big Savage Mountain. Based on public input, the Planning Commission is also considering adding Four Mile Ridge and Elder Ridge to that list. Making this minor change would not require advertising or any public hearings.

The resolution to adopt the recommended changes to the comprehensive plan will be considered at the May 3 county commission meeting. The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. in the courthouse.

Contact Angie Brant at abrant@times-news.com

Planning Commission Proposing Changes To Comprehensive Plan

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Jan. 6, 2011

The Garrett County Planning Commission voted unanimously yesterday to reinstate four paragraphs regarding mountain ridgelines in the county’s Comprehensive Plan. The group had included the language in its April 2008 draft plan, but the previous county commissioners deleted the paragraphs before they approved the plan in October 2008.

Updating the document and its corresponding ordinances was a four-year process, involving the Planning Commission, county officials, and members of the general public. The 216-page plan serves as the policy guide for future growth in the county.

The new county commissioners took office on Dec. 14. One week later they asked Director John Nelson, Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development, to reintroduce the ridgeline issue to the Planning Commission and see if its members would want to reinstate the paragraphs.

Commissioner Gregan Crawford said at the commissioners’ Dec. 21 meeting that omission of the language ran contrary to the mission statements of both the Heritage Plan and the Comprehensive Plan. It was also noted at the meeting that a third wind power facility is planned for Four-Mile Ridge, and that without changes to the Comprehensive Plan and associated ordinances, the county would have to allow the project to proceed.

Nelson presented the commissioners’ request to the Planning Commission members yesterday afternoon.

“The race is on,” Nelson told them about establishing some type of control before the Four-Mile project begins.

Read the full article here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

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GC Commissioners Propose Adding Ridgeline Protection To Comp Plan

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Dec. 30, 2010

The new Board of Garrett County Commissioners is proposing that language to protect mountain ridgelines from development be included in the county’s recently revised Comprehensive Plan.

“I’d like to refer this matter back to the Planning Commission so they can have a public hearing on including language that was previously omitted from the Comprehensive Plan,” said commission chair Gregan Crawford during the board’s public meeting last Tuesday.

The 216-page Comprehensive Plan, which serves as a policy guide for future growth in the county, was adopted by the previous board in October 2008.

In order to be consistent with that updated plan, the county’s three principal land development ordinances – the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning, GC Subdivision, and GC Sensitive Areas – were revised earlier this year.

Updating the plan and ordinances was a four-year-long process by the Planning Commission and other county officials. Numerous hearings and meetings were held in which the public gave suggestions on various issues, including ridgeline protection.

Director John Nelson, GC Department of Planning and Land Development, said the commission’s initial Comprehensive Plan draft included language about protecting ridges from wind turbines and other tall structures. He presented the commissioners with copies of that proposed language.

“The idea was that there would be sighting requirements for development in the Sensitive Areas Ordinance – so there would be certain height limitations from the very pentacle of the ridge – preferably, that the wind turbines would be situated down slope from the very crest of the ridge, and that there’d be a maximum height from that crest at the ridge as well,” Nelson said.

Those concepts, however, were removed before the plan’s final adoption, he noted.

“I think omission of this language runs contrary to the Heritage Plan and to the Comprehensive Plan,” Crawford told Nelson.

Read the full article here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Deep Creek Do It All specializes in cleaning services in Garrett County & @ Deep Creek Lake. Give them a call (301-501-0217) or visit the website – competitive rates and quality results from a locally owned & operated company!