| *** Save Mattawoman Creek *** |
| Crabtowne Bassmasters Annapolis, Maryland |
| *** Report 3/4/08 *** Well I went to the meeting last night and signed up to speak. The people from the Mattawoman Watershed Society were glad to see someone there from a BASS organization since the only other organization present was from the Sierra Club. I have protest sheets that I would be happy to fax to anyone interested in getting involved with putting a hold on the development around Mattawoman Creek. There were many people from surrounding neighborhoods that had nothing but complaints about the work that the same developer had performed to the St. Charles development. Many of my concerns related to how the Bass fishery would ultimately be affected. Run-off from impervious roadways, new construction disturbance, buffer zones ( of which the development encroaches upon within the Army Corps of Engineers maps), swales and storm water management that falls within the stream valley flow areas, thermal transference from the additional paving that could affect spawning patterns, insects that provide a food source for hatching's and fry. This development does not appear (at least at this time) to be favorable to the Bass fishing society. I think the Mattawoman Watershed Society could use all our help in maintaining what we as Bass fishermen have come accustom to, and that is protecting our Bass fishery! Many fish besides largemouth bass spawn within this watershed including the american shad. The past County Commissions have prevented development within this area and yet this developer has purchased this property knowing that the people in the area have not wanted this intrusion of their watershed and continue to push forward. Probably the most compelling speech given last night came from a young schoolgirl (Debra Coppins) who had many good points of why development could be created elsewhere instead of a delicate area such as the watershed. The County staff stated that the areas placed into the buffered area would be placed into a conservation easement and that a detailed plan of this area has yet to be designed (whats with that?). The County is leaving this case open for further review and will be accepting input from everyone until April 2, 2008 at which time they will review the information provided to them. So lets put a halt to this development and protect our watershed. Please contact me if you have any questions and thanks for reading. Jim Adair Southern Region Crabtowne Bassmasters |
| Important Public Meeting On a 974-acre development proposal that would degrade Mattawoman streams in the name of protecting them. Monday, March 3, 2008 Charles County Government Building—Commissioners Meeting Room 7:00 PM Sign up to speak opens at 6:30 PM. The meeting is before the Charles County Planning Commission, which will advise the County Commissioners on whether a development proposal meets the requirements of a zoning text-amendment that purports to protect Mattawoman Creek stream valleys. Please read the summary below or check out http://www. mattawomanwatershed.org. We believe you will agree that this development proposal would set a very poor precedent. Please attend and consider speaking (3 minutes) and/or submitting written comments to tell county officials that this development would not lead to stream valley protection and would set a very poor precedent. The developer wants to benefit from a zoning text amendment that allows “restoring” building density in the deferred development district from one unit per 10 acres to one per acre if stream valleys are protected in a natural state. The problem is that this ordinance invites the ultimate destruction of our streams. Consider: The development proposal: · Nearly 1000 wooded acres in Pomfret that drain to sensitive spawning habitat of the Mattawoman (see web site for maps). · Six hundred houses; private tennis courts; private swimming pool: high groundwater usage. · Six bridges to cross streams would be needed. · 15% impervious cover, which the County’s own Watershed Management Plan associates with “severe” degradation. · Unknown impacts to stream valleys—such as sewer lines & stormwater management ponds. The developers have renamed their development from Port Tobacco Country Club to Preserve at Green Spring. They have elaborately wrapped the development in green wrapping paper, even naming a 600 house subdivision a “preserve.” Yet no amount of wrapping paper can disguise the ultimate outcome. Science tells us that you cannot put 600 houses with such large impervious cover on a site and expect the aquatic resources to function properly. (Impervious cover represents roofs, roads, parking lots, and sidewalks, which funnel rainwater in erosive surges down our streams. And because the water can’t soak into the soils, the streams tend to run dry between storms.) Note that a recent 2007 report by the Chesapeake Bay Program states that modern attempts to treat stormwater are not up to the task—pollution of the Chesapeake Bay from urbanization is increasing. Please consider making the following points to the Planning Commission. You can speak for 3 minutes. You can also submit written comments at the Meeting on March 3, or write to: Shelley Wagner Dept. of Planning and Growth Management PO Box 2150 La Plata, MD 20646 · Impervious cover above 10% causes significant degradation. And 15%, foreseen by the developers for this site, causes severe impacts according the Mattawoman Creek Management Plan. Therefore, the cumulative impacts to streams of such intense development will not maintain them in a natural state, as required by the ordinance the developers want to exploit. · Are there going to be sewer lines in the stream valleys? Will the right-of- way be cleared? How does that represent a natural state? · Are stormwater management facilities going to be placed in the stream valleys? That does not represent a natural state. · Is the Planning Commission aware that the stream valley boundary in the Green Spring proposal is smaller than that delineated by the Department of Natural Resources? There are houses sketched within the DNR-delineated stream valley, in violation of the ordinance. · The county staff has not provided the Planning Commission with an analysis of the impacts to the stream valleys. No detailed maps of housing- unit placement or limits of clearing have been provided. In fact, the simple maps that the developer showed the County Commissioners show houses in a tributary stream valley. How can the Planning Commission make a recommendation if they don’t have more detailed plans? Don’t forget to check out: http://www.mattawomanwatershed.org Click the “Streams Threatened” button for more information and maps |
| Crabtowne Bassmasters is doing it's part to support efforts to protect the Mattawoman Creek watershed. Please take the time to visit the Mattawoman Watershed Society website (link below), read the information posted below, then download the .pdf fax so we can pass along your voice in support of the efforts to protect this valuable resource. |
