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Residents urge county to drop Harper Road site in public hearing on 10-year solid-waste plan
Summary
At a public hearing on the county’s draft 10-year solid waste management plan, nearby residents urged commissioners to remove Harper Road (proposed Midshore 3) from consideration, citing wells, wetlands, traffic and visual impacts; staff said the plan is available for review and the record will remain open for two weeks.
Queen Anne’s County held a public hearing April 14 on its draft 10-year Comprehensive Solid Waste Management Plan; county staff described public-review procedures and encouraged written comments, and two nearby residents testified urging that the Harper Road property not be used as the proposed Midshore 3 facility.
Shane Moore, a county engineer, summarized the administrative history of the draft plan, said it was submitted to the Maryland Department of the Environment in January 2026, and noted planning-commission consistency review and municipal outreach. The county announced the record would remain open for two weeks to accept additional comments.
Residents James Schroeder and Laura Schroeder, both of 125 Grace Pond Lane in Shrewsbury Farm, said they oppose using county-owned Harper Road for a regional solid-waste facility. James Schroeder cited concerns about private wells near the site, increased truck traffic and safety on local roads, and sight and odor impacts for nearby neighborhoods. Laura Schroeder objected that the draft plan omits detailed siting criteria carried forward from earlier plans, and she described substantial wetlands, a stream, and what she called an inadequate layout at Harper Road that would make the site unsuitable for Midshore 3.
County staff noted the draft plan has been placed in county libraries and online and that MDE comments have been addressed; staff did not make a technical determination on site feasibility during the hearing. The commission closed oral comment but left the record open for an additional two weeks to receive written testimony.
What residents asked for: The Schroeders asked the county to pursue alternative locations with better highway access and to complete a full site suitability evaluation before designating any county-owned Harper Road parcel as Midshore 3.
Next steps: The county will accept written comments for two weeks and incorporate public input into the plan’s review and any subsequent decisions.
