The village of Wye Mills is located in southern Queen Anne’s County on the Talbot County boarder. This small community is home to about 350 people. The community is rich with history dating back to the early 1600’s. The Wye Grist Mill, built in 1628, is one of the oldest mills in Maryland. Environmental assets include, Wye Mill pond is a 50 acre lake that was built in Colonial times to service the grist mill, and the community also sits on the headwaters of the Wye River. Wye Mills is also home to Chesapeake College, a regional community college that serves the mid-shore counties.

In May of 2006 the Queen Anne’s County developed the "Chesapeake College Area Community Plan". This plan was intended to be adopted into the 2002 Queen Anne’s County Comprehensive Plan, to create the sixth Community Plan for the County. On July 12, 2007 the Queen Anne’s County Planning Commission directed planning staff to, "… to develop plan regarding a direction for community involvement in moving forward with a Wye Mills Area Community Plan." (July 12, 2007 Planning Commission Minutes) On September 11, 2007, the Queen Anne’s County Commissioners, resolved that the Planning Commission direct staff to move forward with the Chesapeake College Area Plan paying particular attention to the following:

• Community Involvement;
• "Revision of the Community Plan with more focus on an educational and research center with allowances for necessary types of spin-off businesses and support services’;
• "Additional information on the work and goals of the Center for Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology envisioned by the University of Maryland’;
• " Inclusion of the Foster Property into the Planning Area"; and
• " Revision of the fiscal impact assessment reflecting the new type of anticipated uses including educational and research facilities and associated spin-off businesses and support services."

A 13 member Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) was pulled together. Members included:

• Elizabeth Draper Brice,
• Lois Farber,
• Jay Friel,
• Michael Kilgus,
• Jim Luff,

• Kevin Leaverton,
• Dick Orrell,
• Carol Bilek,
• Betsy Gallagher,

• Rev. Charles Osberger, and
• Reginald Ryans.

The CAC met from March to December 2008 to develop a report to be given to the Planning Commission and the QAC County Commissioners. The plan was passed with a 9-2 vote.

Two CAC members, Carol Bilek and Betsy Gallagher voted against the plan and also drafted a minority report expressing their concerns with the plan and the planning process. To see the minority report please click here. (Link to minority report.)

The process is now at the planning commission. The QAC planning commission will further discuss the Wye Mills Plan at their March 2009 meeting. For more information please contact Helen Spinelli 410.758.1255 or via email hspinelli@qac.org

Wye Mills Draft Advisory Report Part 1| Part2| Part 3

Appendix A Part 1| Part2 | Part3| Part4

Appendix B