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Garrett County opens public hearing on water and sewer plan amendments for Grantsville, Gorman and other service areas
Summary
Garrett County commissioners opened a public hearing March 18 on amendments to the county's Water and Sewer Master Plan, proposing map and text changes in Grantsville, Gorman, Chestnut Ridge and Jennings to support planned well, pump station and service-line work.
The Board of Garrett County Commissioners on March 18 opened a public hearing on proposed map and text amendments to the Garrett County Water and Sewer Master Plan, originally adopted in February 2014.
Sierra of the Garrett County Department of Community Development and Planning described several targeted changes: the town of Grantsville is pursuing annexation and wants Hemlock Drive in the northwest corner of town reclassified from planned to existing/under construction service area; the Gorman water system has one collapsed well and staff are mapping a new well site on Mountain Road plus an associated raw-water line and pump station to convey water to the treatment plant; and the Chestnut Ridge and Jennings areas will see added pump stations, some force mains converted to gravity lines, and replacements of septic systems with grinder pumps where needed.
Sierra said the water and sewer plan was adopted in 02/2014 and is intended to guide service areas for a 10-year horizon; staff are also preparing a full rewrite of the plan but need these targeted amendments to proceed with specific projects. She said comments will be accepted through the week before the county's next meeting, after which the commissioners hope to approve the amendments and submit them to the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) for review and approval.
Commissioners clarified that the Gorman amendment does not expand the system’s customer base but adds redundancy by locating a replacement well and related infrastructure. Sierra said the map changes also reflect where accounts already exist and noted that some lines will be reconfigured to improve service and replace aging septic systems in specific locations such as Maple Grove.
The public hearing was opened by a motion from the board; the meeting record shows the board later closed the hearing and resumed the public meeting. Commissioners invited written comments to Sierra and encouraged stakeholders to submit input before the stated comment deadline.
If approved by the commissioners at a subsequent meeting, staff will forward the amended plan to MDE for its approval before construction proceeds.
