Prince Charles had the vision of creating a beautiful and thriving town, Poundbury, and empowered an architect to guide the development. The town was all new, built with stone and brick, and looks like it is hundreds of years old. All the necessities are within a 10-minute walk. There is housing for all income levels and family sizes. There are shop spaces for folks to start businesses in. People there love it because it is beautiful.
Chestertown has a lot of these characteristics, and this is the reason why I moved here. Part of why Chestertown is so attractive is because organizations such as Main Street, the Historic District Commission, Downtown Chestertown Association, the Town of Chestertown (management, zoning, town yard, etc.), and community leaders are forming Chestertown into the place that people want to live. And, Washington College and the Sultana bring youthful energy, intelligence, and the drive to learn.
We need to recognize that Chestertown’s greatest strength is in its peaceful beauty. This makes Chestertown a refuge, surrounded by a world that is hectic, crowded, filled with
anxiety, and just plain ugly.
It would be a big mistake to allow Chestertown to develop into yet another clogged-up suburban wasteland like the DC-Manhattan corridor.
Free markets are great, but they require regulation to guide their power into best serving the people. Left unchecked, growth will narrowly benefit individual builders and homeowners, while damaging the continuity of the whole community. This is why guidance from Zoning and HDC is beneficial.
So, Chestertown needs to understand why it is such a great place and must be vigilant in preserving and nurturing its character. We must ensure that our growth does not destroy our Garden of Eden but rather nourishes it so it can bloom into an even more wonderful place.
Dave Hoatson
Frances McKenna Miller says
There is no arguing that Chestertown is a special, beautiful place. I grew up here and came back from a big city after a divorce. It was indeed a refuge, a place to hunker down and lick my wounds.
The longer I’m here though, the more I worry about the disparities between those who view this lovely place as a “Garden of Eden” or a refuge from the ugliness of elsewhere and…well…everyone else. Those who cannot afford housing (to buy or to rent). For those who cannot afford to take advantage of the downtown shops, restaurants, and arts there is the economic reality of Middletown or the now-plentiful Dollar Generals.
Will the Master Plan address the needs of the average citizen here? There must be a plan to make our lovely town accessible for everyone.
Linda Hall says
This is a wonderful article and so true. Please save and pass it on to the powers that be. Linda Hall