garrett county commissioners – Page 6

Board of Garrett County Commissioners – Public Notice

The Board of Garrett County Commissioners will conduct a public hearing on September 24, 2013 at 5:00 PM in the County Commissioners meeting room, (203 South 4th St., Courthouse Annex, Oakland, MD). The Board will review a petition submitted by Mr. Bill Meagher to amend the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance. Specifically, Mr. Meagher is requesting an amendment to the Table of Use Regulations to add a new category of use under section 157.024 (c) 23 for “Boat Rental including boat rides and / or boat tours as a separate service business and not offering any other services associated with a Marina.” The use would be P-Permitted in the TC and C zoning districts; permitted by SE-Special Exception in the TR, CR-1 and CR-2 zoning districts; and, N-Not permitted in any other district. Mr. Meagher’s
petition also includes an amendment to the Table of Dimensional Requirements for Principal Uses, section 157.041(c) 10 to read “Sale or rental of recreational vehicles, including boat rental as a separate service business.” The use would require a minimum land area of 10,000 sq. ft. in any districts where it is permitted except as provided in section 157.041(c) 3 which requires 6,000 sq. ft. per use and shopping centers.

The Board will also review proposals to amend the Deep Creek Watershed Zoning Ordinance as recommended by the Garrett County Planning Commission. Specifically, the Planning Commission is recommending an amendment to the Table of Dimensional Requirements for Principal Uses under section 157.041E.2 to add the C-Commercial district under the column heading “Zoning District” and within the same row and block as the TC-Town Center District. The Planning Commission is also recommending an amendment to section 157.041E.3 of the Table of Dimensional Requirements for Principal Uses to alter the types of uses that would qualify for reduced land areas within a shopping center; to properly align the column headings and minimum land area standards; and to strike certain provisions for other zoning districts and
land areas to read as follows:
157.041E.3. Retail uses, service businesses and commercial recreational uses that are situated in shopping centers having a minimum land area of 1 acre. Only those retail, service and commercial recreational uses specified under this Article as requiring a minimum land area of 10,000 sq. ft. in the TC and C zoning districts, are subject to the reduced minimum land area per use afforded by this Section. For the TC and C zoning districts, a minimum of 6,000 sq. ft. would be placed under the column heading “Minimum Total Lot or Land Area Per Use” and a blank space would be placed under
the column heading “Minimum Average Lot Area Per Dwelling Unit.” Additionally, the provisions for “Any other District” would be stricken from section 157.041E.3.

Copies of the specific amendments are available from the Planning and Land Development Office located at 203 South 4th Street, Room 210, Oakland, MD 21550. The Board welcomes any comments on these proposed amendments at the hearing or in writing before the hearing.

By order of the Board of Garrett County Commissioners.

Deep Creek Lake POA – Commissioners' Comments

Some of the comments that our county Commissioners made at the latest DCLPOA meeting:

1. Odor on Lake Shore Drive. I was not aware that the odor was again a problem at this location or any other station. The County has taken preventative measures and invested capital into control (not totally eliminating) this. Here is more detail about how this is controlled:

Odor Control

The Deep Creek Lake sewage collection system is predominately a series of pressure sewers and force mains, with a few areas of conventional gravity collection lines, that transport wastewater via seventeen major pumping stations to the wastewater treatment plant located on Mayhew Inn Road. The collection system consists of approximately 40 miles of pipeline and is essentially a closed system except at major pumping station wet wells, at points of discharge into gravity sewer segments, and at air release valves.

Since the spring of 1985, the Garrett County Sanitary District/Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has been addressing sewer gas odors. Odorous conditions are caused primarily by the generation of hydrogen sulfide from sulfate compounds naturally occurring in domestic sewage. Odors are created when oxygen levels are depleted in the wastewater due to naturally occurring bacteriological action and hydrosulfide is converted from a liquid form to hydrogen sulfide gas. Anaerobic bacteria which grow in slime coatings inside sewer pipelines also reduce sulfates to sulfide to obtain oxygen for metabolic processes.

There are three basic approaches to correction of hydrogen sulfide odor problems – masking, removal and prevention. Masking entails the addition of deodorant chemicals to hide the odor; removal is generally accomplished by adsorption into activated carbon; and prevention is accomplished by maintenance of aerobic conditions in the collection system and retardation of slime growth.

Since system initiation, DPU has tested and utilized numerous methods for odor control including:

*Activated Carbon Canisters at the major pump stations and treatment plant
*Injection of Hydrogen Peroxide
*Injection of Potassium Permanganate
*Injection of Ferric Chloride
*Installation of Iron Oxide & Wood Chip Media Filters at major pump stations and air release vaults
*Injection of Sodium Hypochlorite
*Injection of Caustic Soda (Sodium Hydroxide)
*Sealing of infrastructure with a silicone caulking
*Installation of rubber seals on major pump station vault lids
*Installation of waterless vapor odor control units utilizing odor neutralization products
*Citrus based floating degreaser in major pump stations
*Citrus based air enhancing products
*Injection of an iron enriched mixture to bind water phase sulfides in the collection system
*Injection of a naturally-occurring, non-pathogenic bacteria that changes the biofilm in the collection system to reduce noxious and corrosive gas production
*Installation of dry-chemical media scrubber units

We are currently utilizing the iron oxide and wood chip media filters, seals on pump station vault lids, citrus based air enhancing products, and the dry-chemical media scrubber units. The recently added dry-chemical media scrubber units capture the odorous air being emitted from the system and permanently remove gases from the air through chemisorption. During this instantaneous process, gases are adsorbed, absorbed and captured throughout the entire volume of the media. The gases are then chemically transformed into harmless solids that remain trapped inside the media.

DPU has also retrofitted the influent piping in the major pump stations to minimize turbulence in order to inhibit release of odorous gases and installed odor logging units that continuously sample and record the levels of odorous gases in the system.

All major pump stations are manually checked on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and weekends. In order to manually view the sewage levels in the pump station vaults and to break up any mat that forms on top of the wastewater or to perform any maintenance on the pumping system, the vault lids must be opened which will allow gases to escape from the vault when open. Once maintenance procedures are completed, personnel are instructed to close and secure vault lids.

2. Public Hearing on September 24, 2013 that will allow pubic commentary on request for a permit for commercial personal watercraft by Bill Meagher. The Board of County Commissioners will take all public commentary including that of Mr. Meagher, the Planning Commission, Deep Creek Watershed Board of Zoning Appeals, and Department of Planning and Land Development under advisement. I would encourage members of the POA to submit their opinion to my attention and attend the hearing.

3. Realignment of Route 219 – Oakland (Bypass). Commissioner Raley spoke to this question by stating that this project was moved to #2 on the Board of Garrett County Commissioners Capital Transportation Plan. The 3 mile section of Route 219 from the PA line south to Interstate 68 is the #1 Project for the County and this project will begin construction this fall. Questions on this plan should be addressed to John Nelson with the County Department of Planning and Land Development.

4. Thayerville Water Project. The question on different ad valorem tax rates for different sanitary districts in the Deep Creek Lake Watershed. This is a question that will require an extensive answer and I would happy to facilitate such an response or session to meet. In short, there are many water and sewer projects with different costs and distinct debt service obligations and terms of repayment. If members would like me to compile a financial report let me know. The County’s General Audit will show this in brief and a copy of this can be sent to anyone if needed.

5. Thayerville Water Project. Questions and comments on real property taxes and ad valorem tax rate for the Thayerville Water System. I am not sure if there was question on this or just a comment. In any event I will be available to further talk about this.

6. Marcellus Shale. Comments and questions on an economic development survey. Commissioner Raley serves on the Governor’s Advisory Commission and I will speak with him about this and I will assure that information is posted on the County’s website.

7. Glendale Road – Thayerville Water Project. Request for a Public Hearing to receive public commentary on the financial impact (long term) for property owners who must connect to the System. I am not certain a public hearing is what should occur due to the fact that all legal requirements have been met. However, the Board of County Commissioners is certainly open to set up a work session to listen comments and provide clarification. I am not sure who would facilitate this on behalf of the person who asked today’s question or if the POA wants to take the lead but I will do what I can on behalf of the County.

8. “Western Conveyance” In 2003 the Board of Garrett County Commissioners began the process of extending the boundaries of the Deep Creek Lake Sanitary District in order to provide public water and sewer service to Shingle Camp Terrace, Brenneman Drive, Sandy Shores, Stockslager Road Extension, Penelacres, Slide Hollow, and Marsh Hill Subdivision. Public Hearings and Public Informational meetings were conducted as required by the Environmental Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland in 2004 and 2006 and the project has been under engineering design since 2007. During the period of 2007 to the present the Department of Public Utilities and the County Attorney have been securing easements and rights of way for all service lines. At this time plans are to finalize project engineering design this summer and fall, solicit bids for the project over the winter months, and begin construction in the spring/summer of 2014. The Board of County Commissioners would like to provide all property owners who would be in the service area with updates on the project status, a timeline for all phases of planning and construction, public hearing notice, system connection cost estimates, and other pertinent information. The County would like to develop an email distribution list to provide this information. Interested parties should contact County Administrator, Monty Pagenhardt to be added to the mailing list for this project.

Much more here.

ASCI, Wisp Road Decision, Airport Updates Given

Aug. 15, 2013

The Board of Garrett County Commissioners held a public meeting on Tuesday and received several updates from county agencies and affiliates. The agenda included further discussion on Wisp Mountain Road, updates at the airport and the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI), the announcing of members of the Deep Creek Wastershed Management Plan Steering Committee, and information from the Garrett County Board of Elections.

Wisp Mountain Road

At a July 16 public hearing concerning the Wisp Mountain Road, it was announced that public record would be kept open until Aug. 9, and a decision would be announced at the Aug. 13 meeting. However, the decision was deferred, and will be presented at a later date.

ASCI

Michael Logsdon, ASCI executive director, reported that advances in marketing have been made at the facility, and they are working on getting the word out about activities available there. Signs with new logos that better depict events at ASCI have been erected, and the information technology department has improved the web site and the method for guests to order photographs.

Modifications are being made to the stream bed for upcoming events, and requests for bids have been sent out for modification of the amphitheater. The clean-up also continues on the Fork Run Trail that was heavily impacted by the snow-hurricane storm in October 2012.

Garrett County Airport

Edward Kelley, Garrett County Airport manager, reported that there has been a large influx of jets to the airport since the extension of the runway. The yearly inspection of the airport occurred on Aug. 7, and it was found to be in excellent condition, he reported.

DCL Watershed

Management Plan

Steering Committee

A steering committee was selected for the Deep Creek Watershed Management Plan. A total of 22 individuals submitted their names to volunteer on the committee, and nine were selected.

Those selected are David Myerber, chair, Morgantown, W.Va., resident representative; Robert Hoffman, Oakland, resident representative; Peter Versteegen, McHenry, resident representative; Lulu Gonella, Swanton, resident representative; John Forman, Oakland, forestry representative; Steve Green, McHenry, recreation represtative; Bob Browning, McHenry, business representative; Willie Lantz, Mtn. Lake Park, agricultural representative; and Mike Sabad, Clarion, Pa., operations manager and power plant representative.

Board of Elections

Steve Fratz gave a report on the Garrett County Board of Elections. He said the beginning of the election season has been slow, with filing lagging. The deadline to file is Feb. 25, and information about filing can be found on the web site.

The process is under way for preparing polling places for the June 24 primary election. Coordination will begin immediately after Labor Day. Some polling places may be consolidated because of issues with parking and accessibility. They include Ryan’s Glade with Red House and West Oakland with East Oakland.

This will be the last year for the current voting system, which is 14 years old. The search for a new system will begin shortly.

More here.

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Hearing on Garrett flood plain program

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners will conduct a public hearing Aug. 20 at 4:15 p.m. on a proposal to update and readopt the county’s Floodplain Management Ordinance to assure compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program.

The update will include adoption of all accompanying updated Flood Insurance Rate Maps effective Oct. 2, 2013, and amendments to the current ordinance.

Copies of the draft ordinance and updated study and mapping are available for review at the County Permits and Inspections office weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The ordinance can also be found on the county’s website under Permits and Inspections under the Planning and Land Development tab at www.garrettcounty.org.

The meeting will take place in Room 209 of the courthouse.

More here.

Garrett County broadband project receives $250,000 grant from ARC

Matching local funds will bring high-speed service to hundreds

Greg Larry Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — Garrett County’s continued effort to expand broadband services received a boost Friday when the Appalachian Regional Commission announced that it is awarding a $250,000 grant to assist the project.

Officials say the funding will allow high-speed broadband services to be accessed by about 800 additional homes in southern Garrett County.

“Today we are here to provide the county $250,000,” said Earl Gohl, federal co-chair of the ARC.

“Having an opportunity to make an investment like this really makes a difference in rural communities. It’s so important. It’s why the ARC was established,” said Gohl.

The method to be used to deliver the high-speed service is a newly developed wireless system that accesses unused frequencies on the television spectrum.

“Today’s ceremony takes from the planning stage to the doing stage. That’s great news,” said Jim Raley, county commissioner.

Numerous officials attended the event, including state Sen. George Edwards, County Commissioner Gregan Crawford and U.S. Rep. John Delaney of the 6th Congressional District.

“Let’s face it, access to high-speed communication is an absolute in the world today. We applaud the grant. It’s done in a smart way,” said Delaney.

Delaney said he enjoyed hearing of the cooperation among the private sector, government and community resources.

“I love the spirit that I hear out here. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from that in Washington,” said Delaney.

The grant awarded by the ARC is a matching grant, meaning funds in the same amount must be secured and added to the investment. The county plans to supply the $250,000 matching funds required to bring the total funding package for the project to $500,000.

The homes receiving the new high-speed service will be Crellin, Pleasant Valley and other communities south of Oakland. Residents in that region are currently using dial-up.

Raley said that the goal of the county is to deliver broadband to 90 percent of homes. That requires around 3,000 homes to be brought online. The grant will allow 800 more to have access, leaving 2,200 still needing high-speed service.

Frank Shap, assistant director of economic development for the county explained how the new system works.

“It’s really a radio signal going into the house. The technology is called Television White Space. It’s the unused frequencies on the television spectrum,” said Shap.

“There will be a receiver in the house almost like a modem. A wireless signal will go back to a transmitter mounted on a tower and from there to the internet,” said Shap.

A carrier such as Shentel, Comcast, QCall or Atlantic Broadband will be needed to administer the system.

“We will try to identify one or more carriers that want to work with us to deliver the service,” said Shap.

Crawford said that the more broadband is accessible in the county, the more likely people will buy a home or move their business there.

“We have a lot visitors that come to the county and say ‘If I just had a way to work from here I would do it,’” said Crawford.

The more flexibility we can offer them, the better the chance they will stay, Crawford added.

Greg Larry can be contacted at glarry@times-news.com

More here.

Commissioners Hold Hearing On Wisp Mountain Road Conveyance

Jul. 18, 2013

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The Garrett County commissioners held a public hearing Tuesday afternoon to consider a petition by DC Development LLC to convey Wisp Mountain Road into the county’s public road system. Company partner/former Wisp Resort owner Karen Myers reviewed the proposal for the commissioners and public.

She said the 1.4 mile private road was constructed to county specifications in 1999 and serves a development of about 350 residences. Myers provided the commissioners with a metes-and-bounds description.

“It has been maintained by the Wisp Resort Master Association for a number of years,” Myers said about the road.

The association comprises home owners in the Deep Creek Highland, Kendall Camp, Lodestone, Marsh Hill Road, North Camp, and Sandy Shores developments. In January 2012, the association requested financial help from the county in maintaining Wisp Mountain Road. The commissioners rejected the proposal because it is privately owned.

If accepted into the public system, Wisp Mountain would be a connector road from Shingle Camp Road to Wisp Adventure Road and the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI), which is located atop Marsh Mountain.

“Do you just want to alleviate yourself of the maintenance of it?” Commissioner Gregan Crawford asked Myers about the road.

She explained that DC Development is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

“We’re in the process of liquidating all of the assets, and that road, we think, is a viable connector and it makes sense for it to be an official public road,” Myers said.

She added that most people traveling Wisp Mountain think that it is a public road.

Oakland area resident Eric Robison noted that giving the road to the county would alleviate ASCI’s “land-lock” problem. Currently, the county only has a deeded right of way to the county-owned center.

Robison indicated the only problem he sees with the proposed conveyance is that significant modifications will have to be made to the road in order for it to meet new county stormwater specifications.

“Other than that, it looks like a really good deal, and we should thank Karen for the effort,” he said.

Swanton area resident Dick Bolt, however, wondered what it would cost the county to take over the road.

“I would think the county would be interested in that as well,” he said.

Myers indicated she did not have specific information about Wisp Mountain, as the Wisp Resort Master Association maintains and plows several other roads in that area as well, including Overlook Pass.

“The bulk of the maintenance expense has been on that (Overlook Pass Road),” she said.

Commissioner Jim Raley indicated it was the county’s due diligence to get information about the cost of maintaining Wisp Mountain Road, not DC Development’s responsibility.

County attorney Mike Getty concurred. He noted that the public hearing concept regarding a conveyance is dictated by a state code.

“It simply says that anyone has the right to petition the county to take a road, but in doing so, has to give public notice of their intent to do that,” Getty said.

DC Development announced their intention in a public notice that was published in three issues of The Republican in May.

More here.

GC Commissioners To Present "State-Of-The-County" Report

Jul. 11, 2013

The Garrett County Chamber of Commerce will present a state-of-the-county forum at its next Business Before Hours event on Tuesday, July 16, at Dutch’s at Silver Tree. The event begins at 8 a.m. with breakfast and networking, followed by the program from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Garrett County commissioners Jim Raley, Bob Gatto, and Gregan Crawford will review the county’s priorities, pending projects, challenges, and plans for this fiscal year.

“We are very pleased to host our county commissioners to provide our members an overview of how Garrett County is faring,” said Nicole Christian, chamber president/CEO. “It’s been a tough few years and it is important that what is happening in the county is communicated with the business community. These commissioners have made it a goal to be accessible and transparent and their participation in the state-of- the-county [event] is helping them to achieve that goal.”

Potomac Edison and Garrett County Memorial Hospital are the forum sponsors.

The cost for chamber members is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. The cost for nonmembers is $30. Interested persons are asked to register by visiting www.visitdeepcreek.com or calling Carol Hauser at 301-387-6171 by noon on Monday, July 15, to receive the advance payment discount for members. Space is limited, so early reservations are recommended.

The Business Before Hours breakfast programs are bimonthly events designed to focus on specific topics with formal presentations. Noncompeting sponsorship opportunities are available for each forum.

For more information or sponsorship opportunities, persons may contact Paula Thomas at 301-387-5237 or paula@garrettchamber.com. More here.

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Garrett County planners to discuss mini-marina issue

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The Garrett County Planning Commission will meet Wednesday to discuss a petition by William Meagher, owner of Lakeside Commercial Properties LLC, to amend the Deep Creek Watershed zoning ordinance.

During a hearing in June in Garrett County Circuit Court, Judge Jim Sherbin found that a zoning amendment that allowed Meagher to run a mini-marina was of no legal effect and ordered that the decision by the county’s Board of Zoning Appeals to issue Meagher a permit be reversed.

The court issued Meagher a cease and desist order June 26 and he had until July 3 to respond.

On June 5, 2012, the county commissioners voted to make amendments to the Deep Creek Watershed zoning ordinance to allow Meagher to have a marina that doesn’t offer the services associated with it.

A boat rental permit was issued by the Board of Zoning Appeals on June 11, 2012, to Meagher. St. Moritz Properties LLC, Bill’s Marine Service Inc. and Silver Tree Marine LLC appealed the issuance of the permit. The Board of Zoning Appeals denied the appeal and upheld the issuance of the permit.

Meagher rents personal watercrafts and pontoon boats.

The planning commission will meet Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the County Commissioners Meeting Room in the courthouse annex.

More here.

Garrett County commissioners OK transportation plan

Priority list now includes Route 135/Sand Flat Road intersection

Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The Garrett County commissioners approved the county planning commission’s recommended priority list for nine projects, one of which is new, to the State of Maryland Consolidated Transportation 2014 Plan. The planning commission recommended that a new project, state Route 135/Sand Flat Road intersection, be added to the list for safety reasons, according to John Nelson, director of planning and land development.

“The planning commission noted a number of accidents at that intersection recently, many which resulted in serious injuries and/or fatalities,” said Nelson at Tuesday’s commission meeting. “The problem seems to be one of sight distance, speed.”

The planning commission asked that the intersection be reviewed by experts with the Traffic Safety Engineering Division of the Maryland State Highway Administration.

The remainder of the priority list is similar to last year’s list. On the list again is the U.S. Route 219 North project (North/South corridor) from Interstate 68 to Pennsylvania, which is a No. 1 priority and is part of the state’s CTP. The state doesn’t have most of the funding for the project because it is part of the Appalachian Development Highway System, according to Nelson.

“The problem still lies with the Pennsylvania (line) to Meyersdale section. Pennsylvania argues they don’t have the funding in place for that section,” said County Commissioner Jim Raley.

A letter from Gov. Martin O’Malley agrees to allocate all the Appalachian Regional Commission funds for that project to be complete in Maryland but the project is being held back because of Pennsylvania Department of Transportation planning initiatives, according to Nelson.

The section of the North/South corridor from Somerset to Meyersdale, Pa., is getting ready to go out to bid, according to Raley. The alignment of the section from Pennsylvania to Maryland to where it comes into I-68 still has to be determined by the Maryland impact study, according to Nelson.

The second project on the list is the Oakland bypass, which would relocate U.S. 219 from north of Oakland to state Route 135 (2.4 miles). Elected officials and residents ex-pressed concerns about the bypass during a Maryland Department of Transportation tour last year.

Even though both the North/South corridor and the bypass are on the CTP, there is no capital funding for them or any projects throughout the state, according to Nelson.

“We don’t foresee those projects having any additional funding associated with them,” said Nelson. “The other five remaining projects are essentially community safety enhancement projects.”

Also on the list are the state Route 546 bridge project which goes over I-68 in Finzel and the U.S. 219 resurfacing project that is currently under way from Oak Street to East Lake Street.

The planning commission noted minor changes to those projects on the priority list.

Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.

Mini marina ordinance update

From deepcreektimes.com:

The judge did not make a decision regarding the mini-marina ordinance as expected on June 1. A public notice appeared in last week’s Republican stating that Deep Creek Marina has submitted an application to rent boats out of the Lakeside Club/Service Center location on Deep Creek Drive. Written public comments will be accepted until Monday June 17 and can be sent to: Deep Creek Lake Recreation Area, 898 State Park Road, Swanton, MD 21561.

Category: garrett county commissioners

Board of Garrett County Commissioners – Public Notice

Deep Creek Lake POA – Commissioners' Comments

ASCI, Wisp Road Decision, Airport Updates Given

Hearing on Garrett flood plain program

Garrett County broadband project receives $250,000 grant from ARC

Matching local funds will bring high-speed service to hundreds

Commissioners Hold Hearing On Wisp Mountain Road Conveyance

GC Commissioners To Present "State-Of-The-County" Report

Garrett County planners to discuss mini-marina issue

Garrett County commissioners OK transportation plan

Priority list now includes Route 135/Sand Flat Road intersection

Mini marina ordinance update

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