By: Photos882
Queen Anne’s County voters last week settled two arguments on the direction of growth by defeating a “Big Box” law and another measure that would weaken infrastructure standards contained in the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance.
“It has been stated repeatedly by certain members of the QAC Board of Commissioners that a small vocal minority has been trying to stop everything in QAC,” said Commissioner David Dunmyer the day after the vote. “They have even gone further in saying that everyone they speak to wants to have more residential and commercial growth. Obviously they aren’t talking to enough people in the county. The votes…clearly reflect the desire of the citizens to maintain our rural way of life as defined by our exceptional comprehensive plan.”
The final tallies in the referendums rebuked three QAC commissioners who were accused of muscling through the legislation in the face of loud opposition from conservation groups and residents—in favor of business interests in the county.
Opponents said the measures would threaten family owned businesses and seriously delay road and school expansion as the population in QAC grows. But pro-business groups said the measures would create jobs, increase county revenues, and answer popular demand for superstores in QAC.
The “Big Box” law came from an amendment request in April of 2011 from a Kingstown landowner, who wanted the 65,000 square foot floor limit on retail stores waived in order to attract a superstore.
The zoning request received a negative recommendation from the QAC Planning and Zoning Commission in a 4-1 vote — but the QAC Commissioners overruled the planning commission and passed measure in August that changed the 65,000 square-foot limit to “unlimited” — sparking opposition from conservation groups and local residents who successfully mounted a petition drive to put the law to referendum.
Some of QAC’s neighbors to the north in Kent County joined the opposition out of fear that a large retail development near Chestertown would hurt smaller family owned businesses.
Barry Waterman, president of Barry Waterman Realty, and chair of the Queen Anne’s County Planning Commission, said that limiting the size of retail stores would continue to take money out of the local economy along with jobs.
“The downside is that people who want to shop at the “big box” will continue to drive out of the county to Middletown, Delaware,” Waterman said. “And jobs associated with the big box will remain there…it’s not like people aren’t going to go to a big box store because we don’t have one, it just makes it a little more inconvenient.”
Waterman also doubted opponents’ fears that super stores could not coexist with small businesses.
“I have not seen the destruction of small business in Talbot or Caroline, or anywhere else that has a big box,” Waterman said. “Those stores pay a lot of taxes and employ a lot of people. You see a lot of small businesses in shopping centers with Targets of Walmarts.”
The law was rejected by nearly 55% of the 22,167 votes cast.
The Adequate Public Facilities law would have allowed road and school construction requirements to lag until school populations reached 120 percent of capacity. Currently, the QAC school system is operating at 100 percent capacity–and overflow trailers have substituted as classrooms for nearly a decade.
The law was written by QAC Commissioner Phil Dumenil, who argued that easing infrastructure requirements until schools reached 120 percent capacity would trigger state funding to help pay for roads and schools.
Opponents, many of the same residents and organizations that fought the “big box,” argued that infrastructure would radically degrade under the proposal.
“[The current] APFO is designed to make sure that development does not get ahead of infrastructure,“ said Jim Campbell of Queen Anne’s Conservation in an interview with the Spy last October. “This new proposal would weaken the infrastructure requirements and let development move ahead in the hope that infrastructure will catch up with development later down the line.”
QAC voters rejected the law by a vote 13,217 to 8,674.
“The people have spoken on their vision of how they want the county to look as contained in the comprehensive plan,” said Queen Anne’s County Executive Direct Jay Falstad. “That vision has been validated by both of these referendums. It’s clear that QAC citizens want the county to remain rural, and it is clear that they care about the quality of their schools and roads, and that they support locally owned businesses.”
James Burden says
Well done residents of QAC, and Chestertown residents in Kent County. My wife and I have travelled 25 thousand miles around the USA in recent years and visited nearly every State. We did not see a prettier, more pleasant town than Chestertown and it’s surrounding countryside. We did see many lovely old towns that have been left virtually derelict and soul less by surround strip malls and ‘big boxes’.
Karen Gay says
We were hoping for a Big Box store in QAC. Tired of driving to Annapolis or Dover. Big box stores will one day be on the Eastern Shore when small minded people learn to get with the times. It’s only a matter of time. Too bad, but not surprising. It’s off to Annapolis we go . . .
Brett Lysinger says
Another example of small minded people forcing their beliefs on the rest of us. This has taken jobs and tax money from QAC. I hope you all took a look at the stores left in downtown Centreville and Chestertown ohhh wait there are not many there. I hope there is a way for the QAC to bring this back to the table.
John L. Seidel says
So let me get this straight. A participatory, citizen based process developed a comp plan that nixed big boxes. And a county-wide referendum showed that a majority of voters don’t want big boxes. But you can say with a straight face that a group of “small minded” people are ” forcing their beliefs on the rest of us”? The rest of who? The minority? And you want the county revisit it? The voters have spoken, and this issue should be put to rest.
Anna Marie says
The majority voters say no to the big stores like Walmart because they are afraid that it will take away from the small businesses in town, but it already has. I would rather go to a Walmart or Target then be charged ridiculous prices here in town. People are already going to Dover, Middletown, and Annapolis to spend their money. Why wouldn’t anyone want to keep the money here in QAC? More job opportunities, more money?? This reminds me of the whole casino in MD debate, why would you want to have people spend their money in Delaware instead of keeping it here in MD? The mom and pop business have been suffering for sometime now and closing one by one.
John L. Seidel says
I think you miss the point. Experience elsewhere shows no additional jobs from big boxes, just a shift to lower paying jobs as more local businesses close (yes, believe it or not, there are still quite a few of those around). And unlike the income generated by locally owned and operated businesses, which tends to stay here, big box profits end up far, far away. So it’s a net loss to the local area, on top of which there is a likelihood of increased local taxes to meet the infrastructure needs of these outside businesses. No matter how you slice it, it’s a bad deal for QA County, and the voters were smart enough to see it.
sheila walker says
Maybe a big box store could move into the 65,000 square foot building next to Chesapeake Auto in Centreville. It’s been empty ever since they built it 6 or 7 years ago. Must be all that demand for big box stores that’s kept it empty all this time.