Wetlands designation at fairgrounds referred to planning and zoning after communication gaps

Pocomoke City officials said they will put a wetlands compliance matter involving the fairgrounds on the Planning and Zoning agenda after committee members said the issue was not routed to the mayor and council in a timely way.

Committee members said the wetlands designation or violation was recorded months earlier and that multiple parties were involved in on-the-ground work before council members were informed. The mayor stated he has asked that the wetlands matter be placed on the Planning and Zoning agenda for the next meeting so the city can investigate and determine whether local or state regulations were breached.

Speakers warned the city could face significant fines if the state environmental authority finds violations; one participant said the city could face penalties on the order of $10,000 per day if noncompliance persisted, though a precise citation or statutory reference was not provided during the meeting.

Committee members and the mayor described the problem as a failure of communication across several actors — the fair committee, staff, contractors and council liaisons. City leaders instructed that future large or potentially regulated projects be escalated through the council liaison so the mayor and council are aware of activities affecting city property.

Ending: The mayor said the wetlands matter will appear on the Planning and Zoning agenda for further review; committee members and staff will be expected to participate in that process.