Did we discuss the watershed amendment already? i think we did..

DannyMotorcycle

Active Member
something like...

oh yea we did..

the gist i seem to recall was... that if it passes, developers can't build on it or some crap...

what was it though, only 1 house per 1 or 3 acres?

I just saw someone on facebook saying his family owned 30 acres for 150 years or something?
and he is unhappy that it won't be able to have houses put up for the tons of kids and grandkids?
(in indian head)

seems like it was lose/lose.. either way they'll claim property values are higher and tax more?

I think less people seems like a better idea to me... so that's good i don't feel any need to contest it i think..
 

BernieP

Resident PIA
I think the law is one house per 20+ (could be 25) acres lot.
The problem for some people is they bought several lots, each might meet current code, but none will meet the new requirement.
They have "acres", but they would have to put the various properties together to form one big parcel.

What I gather is that this is not uncommon for farmers to do, but additional parcels when they become available.
Then they gift them to family members so they can build on the farm.

What bothers them is that they can't afford the legal costs to have boundaries redrawn and all that.
They now own worthless lots (to them). But someone with the means could buy them out, and then pay to have the land combined and subdivided into lots that meet the new law.
 

nutz

Well-Known Member
something like...

oh yea we did..

the gist i seem to recall was... that if it passes, developers can't build on it or some crap...

what was it though, only 1 house per 1 or 3 acres?

I think the law is one house per 20+ .

There are lots of variables in here. Devaluation of property, rezoning (again), TDR's have lost value....Take a good look at the proposed map. People living, working and faming on the western side of the county that did not subdivide their property will not be able to do so. St. Charles Properties is continually removing forest area and "natural wildlife habitat" replacing it with townhouses, apartments, and houses. You get to help in deciding which is "fair". It is very disheartening to have to sell a family farm because you can't afford to put in a roadway that meets county standards so that you can build a house for your child or grandchild. Development should not be haphazard, there does need to be some tit for tat but this is not the answer.
 

black dog

Free America
I don't recall the land owners crying when they sold there TDR's or received large amounts of money for putting land into preservation programs or the unbelievable Zekiah Swamp Conservation Program, I have a family member that was paid around 24 thousand a acre for them not to develop swamp land that in no way shape or form could ever be developed in the first place.
And the huge check for putting the rest of the farm in along term preservation program. It's nothing more than the fleeceing of America's tax payer.
 
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Kinnakeet

Well-Known Member
I don't recall the land owners crying when they sold there TDR's or received large amounts of money for putting land into preservation programs or the unbelievable Zekiah Swamp Conservation Program, I have a family member that was paid around 24 thousand a acre for them not to develop swamp land that in no way shape or form could ever be developed in the first place.
And the huge check for putting the rest of the farm in along term preservation program. It's nothing more than the fleeceing of America's tax payer.

not to develop swamp land that in no way shape or form could ever be developed in the first place.

IT COULD AND WOULD OF,THAT IS HOW ST.CHARLES WAS BUILT IGC FILLED IN THE SWAMP LAND AND BUILT.
 

black dog

Free America
not to develop swamp land that in no way shape or form could ever be developed in the first place.

IT COULD AND WOULD OF,THAT IS HOW ST.CHARLES WAS BUILT IGC FILLED IN THE SWAMP LAND AND BUILT.





Saint Charles was planned in 1965 and developed in 1968, laws were a little different in rural Charles Co almost 50 years ago.
 

nutz

Well-Known Member
I don't recall the land owners crying when they sold there TDR's or received large amounts of money for putting land into preservation programs or the unbelievable Zekiah Swamp Conservation Program, I have a family member that was paid around 24 thousand a acre for them not to develop swamp land that in no way shape or form could ever be developed in the first place.
And the huge check for putting the rest of the farm in along term preservation program. It's nothing more than the fleeceing of America's tax payer.

Go track down some of the people that sold their TDR's and ask them if they'd do it again. TDR's peaked in 2006 at $20,000 per 3 acre. Today, a 3 acre TDR is about 4500. If you think Waldorf/St. Charles is a great place to live, I'm happy for you. I wish those people would incorporate and pick up their fair share of the tax burden for the services they are demanding the rest of us pay.
 

nutz

Well-Known Member
Saint Charles was planned in 1965 and developed in 1968, laws were a little different in rural Charles Co almost 50 years ago.

You ay wish to double check that. They are not done developing. They have purchased more land and are getting ready to hop over 488.
 

black dog

Free America
You ay wish to double check that. They are not done developing. They have purchased more land and are getting ready to hop over 488.

Planning for St. Charles was started in 1965 by St. Charles City, Inc.[1][2] That developer sold the undeveloped land in 1968 to Interstate General Co. (now known as American Community Properties Trust).[3][4] According to the developer, it is halfway through completion as outlined in its master plan.When completed, St. Charles will comprise five villages — Smallwood and Westlake, which have been completed; Fairway, which is under development; and Piney Reach and Wooded Glen, which remain undeveloped. Each village has three to four neighborhoods. Residents in St. Charles have access to a variety of community amenities, including walking paths, swimming pools, scenic lakes, playgrounds and neighborhood centers. Many residents commute out of the County to work, including military residents who are stationed at Andrews Air Force Base, Bolling AFB, Patuxent River NAS, or the Pentagon. Many civilian residents are federal employees. St. Charles Town Center is a 1,200,000-square-foot (110,000 m2) 2-level regional shopping mall serving residents of a large four-county area.[5][full citation needed] It opened in 1988 and was remodeled in 2007.[citation needed]Many sections of St. Charles are still in development, including a retirement community for persons 60 years and older, and several themed restaurants west of U.S. Route 301. Hampshire, Lancaster, Dorchester, Sheffield, Heritage, Bannister, Wakefield, Huntington and Carrington are the already existing neighborhoods of St. Charles. In 2008, St. Charles Parkway was connected with Rosewick Road, providing a new alternative route to the county seat La Plata.

All I'm saying is the development laws were much different in the 60's in Maryland compared to now.
And most towns and city's continue to grow and the annax more land into the city for continuing growth and tax revenue.
 

black dog

Free America
Go track down some of the people that sold their TDR's and ask them if they'd do it again. TDR's peaked in 2006 at $20,000 per 3 acre. Today, a 3 acre TDR is about 4500. If you think Waldorf/St. Charles is a great place to live, I'm happy for you. I wish those people would incorporate and pick up their fair share of the tax burden for the services they are demanding the rest of us pay.

Why would they be upset that they sold their rights?
Alot of land owners made a #### ton of cash off TDR's.
I would say if the prices of tdr's have dropped to 4,500 they would probably do well in the long haul to repurchase what they have sold and sit on them. But I would have a talk with Jim Hooper before I would do anything.
I know my family member made hundreds of thousands from selling there TDR's and Swamp development, it paid the mortgage off and left a few hundred thousand for the savings account.
And the part about living in Charles Co? Not this guy, no way shape or form would I ever live in Charles Co much less MD.
 

DannyMotorcycle

Active Member
Dammit.. I guess i have to protest this now. 1 house per 20 acres is ridiculous.. there are plenty of houses on a quarter acre and less all over the country..

Someone having 3 acres of land should be able to build 6 houses for their family if they want to. That's plenty of space per house.

What you do with your land should hardly be the gov'ts business, especially if it's not harming anyone else..
 
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