Setting the record straight for TPA

Twice in two days, The Star Democrat has erroneously reported that the Talbot Preservation Alliance opposes the proposed community pier at Easton Village. We don't oppose the pier. Five years ago, TPA negotiated a written agreement with the Easton Village developer (Elm Street Development) which included several improvements to that project. Two of the provisions were:

1. Virtually all development on the site will be set back the maximum 300 feet from the water, rather than the legal minimum 100 feet
2. Stormwater on the site will be treated through state-of-the-art bioretention system, rather than by traditional stormwater ponds, thereby retaining and treating most runoff on site.

The developer also agreed to limit its water access to one community pier which would have considerably fewer slips than what is currently allowed under Maryland law. We believe the impact of a single community pier with 30 slips is a best effort on the developer's part.

TPA, however, does oppose construction of a "created" marsh at the expense of the destruction of 50 mature trees along the shoreline and existing marsh grasses growing right off shore. A new "created marsh" isn't necessary to provide the filtering of runoff that will already occur because of the required features of the project mentioned above. We have made our official position clear to the developer, Town of Easton officials and the Board of Public Works.

The revised project with this significant and substantive change - the "created marsh" - was never brought back before the public by way of a public hearing, at which local affected and interested parties could voice their concerns.

Ms. Michalak, though a concerned neighbor and TPA member, isn't an officer or member of TPA's board nor a spokesman for the organization. Neither reporter contacted any TPA official to verify the statements attributed to the TPA.

Eileen A Deymier
Vice President, Talbot Preservation Alliance