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Developer proposes mixed‑use plan for Wheatland’s; commissioners warn of service, infrastructure costs
Summary
At the Sept. 26 meeting, developer Barry Waterman outlined a plan to convert the Wheatland’s site to a mixed‑use project with about 150 townhomes and a restaurant park; commissioners said residential development could obligate the town to provide new services and asked for tax‑revenue estimates while the town engineer urged sewer repairs and a preliminary engineering report to pursue a water tower/infrastructure project.
At the Queenstown Commissioners’ regular meeting on Sept. 26, 2018, developer Barry Waterman presented a revised concept for the Wheatland’s property that would shift the site from its originally planned 100% commercial use to a mixed‑use development including roughly 150 townhomes (targeted under $300,000) and a restaurant park. Waterman said he is not finding demand from large commercial or big‑box tenants and that the change reflects market realities.
Commissioners raised immediate concerns about municipal service obligations. President Thomas B. Willis, Jr. noted the town initially favored a commercial plan because it would not require the town to provide residential services such as street lighting, trash collection or snow removal. Commissioner Alton Hardee Jr. said residential uses could necessitate additional employees and equipment and might require creating a special tax district to fund services. The board asked Waterman to return with potential tax‑revenue estimates for the proposal.
Town Engineer Bob Rauch told commissioners that the town’s sewer system camera inspection found active groundwater infiltration and inflow (I&I) leaks. Rauch said many sewer runs are clay pipe and are not suitable for grouting; he recommended cured‑in‑place lining (either sectional or full‑section lining) as the preferred repair method. Rauch also said a preliminary engineering report (PER) will be required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to proceed with a water‑tower and broader infrastructure replacement project and that USDA and the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) might provide financing for repairs.
Waterman said a traffic study will be required by the State Highway Administration regardless of the site’s ultimate use, and he noted the County had instituted a five‑year hold on zoning changes in the area; he said the hold limited county engagement with the proposal until it is lifted. No formal zoning action was taken at the meeting; the commissioners set a work session for Oct. 17, 2018 to discuss the I&I recommendations, the tower/infrastructure project, and Waterman’s conceptual plan.
Why it matters: The developer’s concept would increase demand on local water and sewer systems and could change long‑term fiscal obligations for the town if services must be extended to residential parcels. The engineer’s findings indicate capital investment will be needed to address sanitary‑sewer leaks before or as part of any major development, and pursuing USDA/MDE financing requires an engineer report that the town has not yet authorized.
Key next steps: The board asked the developer for tax‑revenue estimates and scheduled a work session on Oct. 17, 2018 to consider sewer repairs, the water‑tower/infrastructure PER and the Wheatland’s concept.
