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Residents urge commissioners to delay vote on proposed Queenstown zoning map change
Summary
At a Jan. 23 public hearing, residents and town officials debated proposed Ordinance 18-05 to repeal and reenact Queenstown's zoning map; speakers warned that expanding the Queenstown Resort District on the golf-course property would conflict with the town's Comprehensive Plan and reduce the town's negotiating leverage.
A public hearing on Jan. 23 drew multiple Queenstown residents who asked the Town Commissioners to delay acting on Ordinance 18-05, which would repeal and reenact the town's zoning map and reclassify parcels including portions of the Queenstown Harbor Golf Course.
Town Attorney Brynja Booth opened the hearing with an overview of the ordinance and the specific map changes proposed: adding Wheatland's recently annexed acreage with a pending zoning, changing the Kevin Dey parcel from residential to commercial, and converting some areas of the golf course from Queenstown Countryside to Queenstown Resort. Booth told the Commission that any rezoning requiring growth allocation would still need review and approval by the Planning Commission, the Town Commissioners and the Maryland Critical Area Commission.
The hearing shifted to public comment, where long-time resident Don Regenhardt asked commissioners to reject the ordinance as written. "I ask you, the Town Commissioners: (1) to reject the proposed Zoning Ordinance in its current form," Regenhardt said, arguing the proposed QRD expansion conflicted with the town's 2017 Comprehensive Plan and could surrender negotiating leverage to the golf-course owner or future owners.
Other residents raised related concerns. "If adopted, the town is giving away our control and gives the golf course the power," said George Plumbo, urging commissioners to disapprove the golf-course zoning change to protect the shoreline and community interests. Geoff Leech praised the golf course as "great stewards of the community" but questioned whether the town should give up leverage. Several residents, including Dave Sutherland and Joe Kelkowski, cited longstanding flooding and access problems at the Kevin Dey parcel and urged that it remain—or be restored to—commercial zoning.
Town Attorney Booth reiterated the multi-step approval process for any rezoning requiring growth allocation and suggested a joint work session between the Commissioners and the Planning Commission to clarify the Planning Commission's intent before the Town Commissioners vote.
Responding to public concerns, the Commission members did not vote on the ordinance at the meeting. President Thomas Willis said he was "not prepared to vote at this time," and Commissioners Holger Schuster and Al Hardee expressed agreement that further justification and a joint work session were prudent.
The Town closed the public hearing at 7:45 p.m. and left the ordinance eligible for future action pending the recommended inter-body discussion and any necessary Critical Area approvals.
