By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

The engineering firm George, Miles, and Buhr (GMB) will evaluate and provide recommendations for the extension of water and sewer utilities from the Ocean Pines Service Area to parcels along Route 589 south of Pennington Commons as interest in developing there increases.

Per a letter from Dallas Baker, director of Worcester County Public Works, to Chief Financial Officer Weston Young, water and sewer services to this location are anticipated to come from the Ocean Pines Service Area. Worcester County Public Works has requested the engineering group analyze and recommend infrastructure requirements “on a regional basis to serve the area in question.” The cost to the county will be $23,700.

“As individual developments are approved in the future, the sewer and water infrastructure installed should account for future service needs for the county to effectively serve this area,” the letter reads. “Having an approved water and sewer extension plan in place for this area will ensure that Public Works can adequately serve those approved to connect.”

The proposed study was presented at a March 18 county commissioners meeting and approved 5-2. Commissioners Chip Bertino and Jim Bunting, both of whom represent portions of Ocean Pines, dissented.

The scope of the work will see GMB work with the county to develop EDU projections for the future service area, keeping zoning and expected environmental limitations in mind. The study’s completion will offer recommendations on approximate placements and the “capacity of regional lift stations and associated force mains to strategically reach as many parcels via gravity sewer as feasible.”

Regional force main discharge locations will be discussed with public works based on their knowledge and understanding of the current Ocean Pines infrastructure capacity. GMB will review past water service planning documents and supply an updated concept layout with recommendations for future water main locations and potential loops.

The feasibility study will be completed in two phases based on site geography.

“The first area, North Turville Creek, will include parcels that border the Pennington Commons development and continue south to Turville Creek,” agenda documents in the meeting packet read.

“The second area, South Turville Creek, will include parcels south of Turville Creek to the intersection of Route 50. Only parcels and large lots bordering Route 589 will be considered, but the study area can be further defined as GMB works with the County on EDU projections for each area.”

During the discussion, Bertino moved to table the item. He  argued that rezoning will likely have to occur with increased development, and that the evaluation should be considered after the “rezoning and public hearings associated with them.”

“It’s a major rezoning from one of the requests, “ the commissioner said. “Impact on the 589 corridor will be extensive. To move forward without input from the public is premature … Once the public hearings [have happened] and we hear input from people who want to speak, a decision will be made. I don’t want to not do the study. I just think the timing of it is wrong … we have not had input from the public on the rezonings.”

Commissioner Eric Fiori, however, argued that the evaluation would be a smart move to get ahead.

“If you look at the history of water and sewer and planning, we have not been good stewards on that front,” he said. “I don’t think we should be tabling this with the amount of interest on 589.”

Officials from public works maintained that the study would include looking at current zoning maps and land uses to determine what can go in the area, such as where the logical place is to put in sewage lift stations and to what size.

The goal would be to condense these lifts into two or three locations rather than several up and down Route 589, which would drive up maintenance costs.