Hampstead officials outline redesign of Roberts Field pond after state reclassification

Town staff told the Hampstead Planning and Zoning Commission on June 25 that the Roberts Field Stormwater Management Facility — commonly called the pond — will be significantly reconfigured after the Maryland Department of the Environment reclassified it as a “significant hazard” dam.

The change matters, staff said, because the facility no longer meets current stormwater and dam-safety rules; a breach could put nearby homes and people at risk. "If that would or would somehow breach or it would break, nearby homes and people could be at risk," a staff member identified in the meeting as the zoning administrator said.

The commission was told Carroll County’s resource-management staff have led the project for several years and are now close to final approval. The county plans to move the pond’s footprint back from its current location near the corner of Northwoods Trail and Boxwood, create walled containment areas, remove and relocate fish in September and later restock, and plant native vegetation and wildflowers around the new wet area. "They're taking the fish out live in probably September and transfer them to a new home," the zoning administrator said.

Staff emphasized doing nothing was not an option because of potential fines and legal obligations. The commission was also told the drainage area that currently flows into the pond covers roughly 41 acres — including parts of Main Street, Northwoods Trail, Boxwood and the shopping center near the railroad tracks — so the facility handles a large volume of runoff.

Commissioners and residents asked how the state classifies dams and whether there is a “no hazard” category; staff replied that classifications generally range from low hazard to significant hazard and that other Roberts Field structures are categorized as dams despite appearing dry.

Carroll County has secured a grant of about $1,000,000 toward the project, the zoning administrator said, and county staff will host a town hall meeting to present the detailed plan on Tuesday, July 22, at 6:30 p.m. "Janet and Claire from Carroll County [bureau] will be here, and they're the ones who have, you know, worked this project the whole way so they can answer any questions that you have," the zoning administrator said.

The commission did not take any formal vote on the pond at the June 25 meeting. Town staff asked residents to review the informational flyer in the meeting packet and attend the July 22 town hall to hear the county presentation and raise questions about access, fish relocation and final design.

The town and county will continue working toward the county’s final approval; staff said they expect that step soon but did not commit to a specific date.