Smart Development Vs. Job Growth at Terrapin Run?
By: Matt, October 30th, 2007
That’s what some say about a proposed development known as “Terrapin Run” in Eastern Allegany County, Maryland, but the truth may in fact be much different. The concept of “growth vs. conservation” is not a new one, but in addition to an old concept being run out before the public again, the same age-old reactions have been witnessed as well. At issue is the fact that the proposed development is to be situated in a part of Allegany County, and Maryland, that is among the most pristine in the state. Additionally, the development would be roughly 25 miles from all established services in the area, which are located further to the west, and about 100 miles from Washington and Baltimore, where residents would presumably commute for work.
Without going into the various legal battles that are being played out, the situation can be summed up fairly simply. On one side, a development company and some “pro-growth” politicians in the county want the development to go through, noting that the jobs in the county are typically those that pay just above minimum wage, and that many children still are on the “free lunch” program designed for the working poor. They contend that this development, and more like it in the future, will bring commerce and jobs to the area and bring it out of the decades-long depression that has been the mark of nearby Cumberland and much of the county.
On the other side, conservationists note that Terrapin Run, after which the development is to be named, and 15 Mile Creek, will likely be adversely affected, as will the turtles and various plant life that the area supports. Beyond the conservationists views, however is the more relevant (to some) point that the new development would use land that is virtually untouched (and designed to stay that way according to state and county “Smart Growth” plans) while other development-quality land, as well as Cumberland itself, have not piqued the interest of developers.
The politicians cheering for the Terrapin Run project seem a bit misguided, in my view, because they could probably convince other developers to buy up other portions of the county, or even large swaths of Cumberland itself, to reinvigorate the area. Instead, one particular developer is pandering to the wants of near-retirees who want to “live in the country.” Never mind the fact that once they’re in “the country,” it will have been turned into a despoiled suburb. The irony? The would-be project’s name, Terrapin Run, would likely live on only as the name of the development because the often-dry run itself would likely cease to exist in its current clean form after so much human intrusion occurs.
To sum this all up as quickly as possible - huge growth is possible in Allegany County without destroying Terrapin Run and 15 Mile Creek, and it is likewise possible to create many more jobs. There is no need for the project to go through to “save” the area. More succinctly, and to quote the Eagles, “You call some place paradise…kiss it goodbye.”
Tags: job growth, land development, maryland smart growth, terrapin run
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December 31st, 2007 at 9:52 am
Hurray for your input. I am from Harford County. We moved here in March 2005 and a couple of months later learned of Terrapin Run. Just what we moved here to get away from. Harford County, where we lived for almost 21 years is now a mess, full of overdevelopment, gangs, crime, drugs, etc. It would be such a shame to see this beautiful county go in the same direction. We attended around 32 hours of hearings on this development and heard all of the pros and cons. It appears that the developer just wants to open up this end of the state to development and is fighting to get the opening. If Allegany County officials let this happen, it is going to be a big mess. If people are so anxious to move here, they can do like we and many others did and buy an existing house and land or find a piece of land and build on it. It would be a much better choice than moving to a “city in the country,” What kind of country living is that, having neighbors 15 feet from you?
The politicians seem to think for some reason that putting 4,300 houses in Green Ridge forest is going to bring jobs and money. I simply don’t see it. I worked all of my life and I would stop on my way home to get whatever I needed, groceries, etc. There was no way I was going to go home after a hard day’s work and go out again and travel to an out of the way store to shop. People who are going to travel 100 miles each way to work are going to stop on the way home to shop, not go another 25 miles to Cumberland to get groceries or whatever. I don’t understand why the County executives don’t see that. Not only that, but with gas prices the way they are, people are going to travel 200 miles a day to work?
Thanks for voicing your opinion on this stupid development.
December 31st, 2007 at 12:53 pm
It’s apparent that there seems to be a “close relationship” between the Planning Comm. and the Allegany Co. Comm. with Realtors and Contractors who stand to make huge profits at the expense of Allegany Co. Taxpayers. It’s us taxpayers who will pay for the extension of Public Utilities and Infrastructure to this area. The tax dollars received from Terrapin will not come even remotely close to paying for new schools, Police and Fire Rescue requirements to serve this far flung community. Maybe it’s time for the Attorney General to at the very least take a look at this possibility. Our elected (soon to be unemployed politicians) have the gull to lable opponents of Terrapin Run obstructionist. In reality we support “SMART GROWTH” and don’t cater to just builders and realtors, who can still reap profits with SMART GROWTH.
We want growth, but managed growth.
January 1st, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Yes to our County Commissioners AND Planning Commission, it’s “develpment at any cost.” The people in the questioned area are not anti-development, they just want it done with the Smart Growth ideas in mind. There is NO pblic water, NO public sewer and minimal at best ground water supplies. But the aforementioned “politicians” and appointees do not live in the area in question. Therefore, they could really care less about what happens in the eastern part of Allegany County! I know of a development going in off Cash Valley Road in the LaVale area that, according to co-workers, has some serious violations of storm water runoff (amongst other issues). The developer has been looked into for these violations and been “charged” if you will with these violations. But for some unknown reason someone high up within Allegany County government keeps squashing any fine or penalty that would be assessed. So you see, it IS who you know in Allegany County and it IS development at ANY cost for our commissioners and planning people. Their back-door attempt to shove changes to water/sewer plan with little or no public involvement was caught on to and thankfully more people away for the Terrapin Run area are up in arms.
The only way to change the mindset of what happens in Allegany County in terms of development is to elect county commissioners that actually will use common sense. Too often, if not always, our commissioners come from the area west of Rocky Gap. They say they “care” about what happens county-wide but their actions prove otherwise. Their “care” is merely lip-service; it’s good ‘ole boy politics at its finest. Or as a neighbor told me, “They’re gonna do what they wanna do anyway! They always have, they always will!”
Pathetic…….