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Manchester tells commission it will limit growth as sewer, water near capacity
Summary
Manchester officials told the commission their 2028 comprehensive plan will reduce the town's municipal growth area because potable water and sewer capacity limit development; the town also described wastewater upgrades, an RFP for PFAS treatment design and several residential and solar projects.
Manchester officials told the Carroll County Planning and Designing Commission on March 5 that the town will narrow its municipal growth area in the 2028 comprehensive plan because limits on potable water and sewer capacity constrain new development. "Manchester's potable water is currently derived from 13 wells," zoning administrator Michelle Wilder said, and she described the town's sewage treatment plant as having a "limited capacity of 500,000 gallons," with a plan for expansion once capacity reaches "400."
Wilder said the town does not intend to increase sewage capacity to encourage growth and is proactively reserving sewer capacity for existing septic customers who may need to connect in the future. She listed developments now in review or recently annexed — Equine Meadows (roughly 30 lots), Patriots Overlook (36 lots), Patapsco 91 LLC (14 lots) — and said Mavericks Solar is starting on about 10 acres inside town limits; she clarified the solar project is Manchester's and not part of the county's countywide solar portfolio.
Wilder also told the commission the town issued an RFP for PFAS treatment design and reported the town's wastewater treatment plant is undergoing an engineering and rehabilitation upgrade with 60% design complete and 90% expected within two weeks; construction was described as likely in 2026–27. "This is a major cost to our town, Manchester," Wilder said.
On downtown economic activity, Manchester officials described constrained public parking and heavy peak traffic where Maryland routes 30 and 27 run through town, which they said discourages shoppers from stopping on Main Street. Commissioners raised possible county assistance for turn‑lane improvements and asked staff to include Manchester in the county's capital planning "tickler" so road or intersection projects can be considered in future capital cycles.
Manchester officials thanked county planning staff for review support of site plans and stormwater work; they asked to be kept informed about nearby out‑of‑state subdivisions that could increase commuter traffic through town. The presentation concluded with a request that the county continue collaboration on stormwater and development review matters.
