Town Commissioners — 2020-05-12

This is the minutes of a virtual special meeting of the Queenstown Commissioners on May 12, 2020, called to discuss an infrastructure project, potential development, and draft FY2021 budgets. Developer Barry Waterman presented a conceptual plan for the Wheatlands property proposing a mixed‑use core with a central HC zone, roughly 78 townhomes and 129 single‑family condo/cottages, interest in commercial pads (Applebee’s, Royal Farms, Wawa, Starbucks noted), and about 15–20 acres remaining on the east side; the master conceptual plan was approved and the next step is a Queen Anne’s County Master Water/Sewer Plan amendment. Commissioners discussed maintenance and whether an HOA should manage common areas and trails and agreed to meet with the Planning Commission; Town Engineer Bob Rauch reported design work on a new water tower is underway, that 90,000 gallons has been allocated to Wheatlands, and that water and sewer capacity and cost estimates will be developed (he will coordinate numbers with the town attorney). The board voted 3–0 to keep the playground and basketball court closed due to COVID‑19 after signs were removed, and voted 3–0 to introduce the FY2021 budget ordinance after presentation of final Water/Sewer and General Fund drafts (no property tax increase and a “5oh” increase to water/sewer rates adopted in June 2019 were noted).