EMMITSBURG,
Md. – In spite of a lack of applicants or representatives
at the Sept. 11 Emmitsburg East Industrial Park Phase II annexation
hearing, the board of commissioners unanimously approved that
the proposed site become part of the town.
When
asked if the board could legally proceed with the hearing
without the applicants present, town Attorney John R. Clapp
advised the board that they could proceed, and could make
as decision.
EEIP
Phase II would be located on a 39-acre site, known as the
“Waybright property,” east of U.S. 15 off Creamery
Road, owned by Emmitsburg brothers Sheridan “Dan”
E. Reaver Jr. and Gregory Reaver. The Reavers also own EEIP
Phase I located on Creamery Way; and the Emmitsburg Glass
Company is now located in their new facility on Creamery
Court.
The
board also denied EEIP’s request for an extension
on when town real estate taxes would go into effect, voting
unanimously to impose taxation in a year following the annexation
approval.
Conditions
on the EEIP annexation
•
Applicants must pay all costs incurred by the town in processing
the annexation.
• Town real estate taxes will take effect one year
from the annexation approval date.
• Public service improvements expenses necessitated
by the proposed development, which would otherwise be at
the cost of the taxpayers of the town, are to be paid by
the owners/developer.
• All water and sewer taps fees are to be paid by
the owners/developer.
• The main site of the EEIP will be zoned light industrial
park (IP). Flood plain areas and SHA property on the site
are to be zoned as open space.
• The town, itself, will not require any offsite improvements.
• Any necessary improvements to the Creamery Road/U.S.
15intersection will be left to the discretion of the Maryland
State Highway Administration or the county. However, if
EEIP fails to make any county or state-requested improvements,
the town may withhold building permits.
• The applicants must grant the town a 50-foot wide
easement across the development site for the location of
sewer line extensions.
The
proposed timeframe for the industrial park build-out is
five to six years. Six lots have been planned, according
to general comments submitted by the developers, but more
were shown on a site plan presented at a Jan. 23 review.
However, Attorney Scott Miller, representing EEIP, previously
said the number of proposed lots could still change.
A statement
issued by EEIP indicated “at an assessed value of
$75 per square foot, with a total build-out of 260,000 square
feet, this development could yield an assessable tax base
of $20 million, plus or minus.”
