PLANNING / ZONING / DEVELOPMENT

A.A. County Planning & Zoning Info.

The Holder Property

The Holder Property (112 acres adjacent to the Shady Side Post Office) is, once again, slated for development. The developer, Sturbridge Homes, has proposed building 38 single family homes. Several years ago, a 47-home subdivision was proposed for the same property, but was unable to get the required adequate facilites waiver (for schools).

A "Formal Pre-submittal Review Meeting", was held on August 22, 2002 at 10am at the Heritage Office Complex on Riva road. Representatives of the SSPA were present and presented their concerns.

There are many issues surrounding this proposed development that the community needs to ensure are carefully examined, including roads and emergency access, water/well adequacy, schools, the environment, especially wetlands and streams, and conformity with recommendations made in the Deale / Shady Side Small Area Plan.

Update: April 2003

A "Sketch Phase" meeting for the Holder Property is planned for June 5 at 9 am at the County's Office complex on Riva Road (Office of Planning and Code Enforcement - PACE), where Sturbridge Homes still proposes building 38 houses.

The purpose of the sketch phase meeting is for the various County divisions to provide comments to the developer on the proposed subdivision, with regard to whether it meets County Code and policy requirements for their respective areas (schools, public works, critical areas, etc.). At the end of the meeting there is opportunity for public comment. Plans may be reviewed in advance at the subdivision office of PACE.

The SSPA submitted comments on this subdivision at the "Pre-Sketch" meeting in August of 2002. We are in the process of reviewing the revised plan (will make comments available prior to the meeting). However, in the previous "Pre-Sketch" phase, this project presented a number of concerns, from adequate facility issues such as roads and schools (e.g. the Shady Side Elementary school still has no walls separating classrooms) to environmental concerns related to the cumulative impact of multiple subdivisions on the headwaters of one of West River's main tributaries. The SSPA is especially committed to ensuring that recommendations of the Deale/Shady Side Small Area Plan are considered as part of the subdivision process.

Update: June 14, 2003

"Sketch Phase" meeting (June 5, 2003)

Thanks to the community for a strong turn-out at the "sketch phase" meeting for the proposed 38-home Holder subdivision, on West River Road! The County did not approve the "sketch" plan for this development, as presented by Strurbridge Homes!

While this is good news, please note that there will not be another routine public meeting (according to the subdivision review process), so please stay tuned to the website for updates... There will still be opportunities to provide comments to the County...

The developer failed to provide basic information requested by the County's Office of Planning & Zoning, such as a jurisdictional determination of wetlands by the Corps of Engineers and a flood plain study. Without a definitive "call" as to the extent of wetlands on the site, and flood plain information, much of the site plan remains in question.

And, critical to the potential development of this site, the presence of hydric soils throughout the site may require extension of the critical area buffer beyond 100 feet (possibly to 1000 feet) which will mean a variance would be required to go forward with any plans to develop within the critical area of this site.

There are many other issues surrounding the proposed development, including questionable stormwater management plans, roads and emergency access, water/well adequacy, stream/wetland crossings, and schools that are of concern.

Please stay tuned!

2005-2009: No current activity noted.

For those interested, the subdivision review process is described on the Planning and Zoning Development page.

You may call and make an appointment to review the plans. Of the 112 acres, 34 are outside the critical area. Of the 77 acres within the critical area, 24 are classified as LDA (limitied development), and the remaining 53 acres are classified as RCA (resource conservation area).

Former Smith "Lumber" Property

No activity noted.