ESLC Announces Eastern Shore 2010 Winners
Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) recently announced the recipients of this year’s Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards. The 2010 Eastern Shore 2010 Achievement Awards, inspired by the regional land use planning agreement that set the highest expectations for the care of the Eastern Shore landscape, distinguish outstanding leadership in the field of land use planning on the Eastern Shore. The purpose of these awards is to honor the projects, people and places that best define growth befitting the Eastern Shore.
The awards are presented annually at ESLC’s annual planning conference. This year’s conference, entitled “About Town: A Gathering to Uplift and Invest in Our Eastern Shore Town gathered experts, opinion leaders and citizens to discuss strategies, success stories, models and tools for investing in and revitalizing our towns. Nationally recognized keynote speakers Jess Zimbabwe, Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute’s Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership in Land Use, Ken Snyder, CEO of Place Matters and Maryland Secretary of Planning Richard Hall joined various guest speakers and local leaders to provide attendees with interactive workshops focused on both process – engaging community in desirable growth, and product – sustainable, safe, walkable town design and planning.
“We are very impressed with the 2010 class of award winners – there are so many great people and organizations working very hard to advance the goals of Eastern Shore 2010 and these five honorees are doing amazing work to preserve and protect the unique characteristics that make the Eastern Shore so special,” said Rob Etgen, ESLC’s Executive Director. “It is truly an honor to recognize these groups and individuals who are so committed to protecting our Eastern Shore quality of life.
This year’s Eastern Shore 2010 award recipients are:
Located on 1.2 acres in the heart of St. Michaels, Muskrat Park is a wonderful example of how collaboration can benefit an entire community. The renovations to this popular park include a more user-friendly place that is both visually compatible with the historic vistas surrounding it and environmentally friendly. Due to the collaboration of several groups – including The Citizens for Muskrat Green; Historic Saint Michaels-Bay Hundred, Inc. and the Town of Saint Michaels, Muskrat Park has become a source of pride for the town of St. Michaels and hosts numerous activities that bind the community together. The efforts to renovate Muskrat Park into its current state are a perfect example of how the environmental protection, open space and community interests can come together to create something an entire community can be proud of.
Goal Two: Economic development that supports farming, forestry and fisheries
The Mid-Shore Regional Council (MSRC) established an agricultural economic development specialist position in 2006. This position –held by Dr. Wen Fei Uva for three years – helped attract and grow agricultural businesses and develop agriculture policies and programs that support long-term economic viability of the industry on the Mid-Shore. MSRC works with county councils, state agencies, chambers of commerce, farm bureaus and other related organizations to promote alternative resource based enterprises – which include the expansion of agri-tourism in the region to the establishment of value-added producer products and services. MSRC staff works tirelessly to promote agriculture economic development, partnering with farmers to promote agriculture diversification and economic development. This success reflects the achievements outlined in Eastern Shore 2010’s Goal 2, by bringing awareness and investment to the traditional industries of the Eastern Shore.
Goal Three: Managing and directing growth to appropriate growth areas.
The Clay Street development in Easton – Habitat Choptank’s first multi-unit development – not only accomplishes the important practices of infill and redevelopment, but also provides affordable housing for five families in Easton. This development accomplishes principles of Eastern Shore 2010’s Goal 3 by efficiently and effectively reusing areas within the existing town limits of Easton. The project is a non-profit joint venture with Elm Street Development for which Habitat Choptank serves as the contractor and provides all labor.
Dover and Aurora Street Project: Anthony and Joann Genova
The Genova development – located at the intersection of Aurora and Dover Streets in Easton- is a mixed-use development on the site of a former gas station. This is an in-town development featuring the best in remediation and revitalization. It includes office space, apartments, in-block parking, retail and a restaurant. It is multi-use, incorporating both housing and commerce. Its design moves the buildings to the street edge, uses materials, massing and architectural features that retain the town of Easton’ s historic character. Finally, the buildings are separate rather than one large mass and while not required, parking is retained and shifted to the interior of the site, rather than on the edge of the site.
Whole Communities
The Corsica River Implementers Group is a collaborative effort between the local Corsica River Conservancy, the Town of Centreville, Queen Anne’s County and the State of Maryland. Their efforts have connected the local citizen on Main Street to State Circle in Annapolis. Their work began in 2000 when local citizens started to raise concerns about the health of the Corsica River. A partnership was created to begin monitoring the river. Shortly afterward the efforts were formalized by the establishment of The Corsica River Conservancy. Thanks to these partnerships, significant steps have been made to improve the water in the Corsica. Their efforts have engaged and connected an entire community to the Corsica River Watershed.
The updated Eastern Shore 2010 agreement, signed in 2007 by Caroline, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s and Talbot Counties calls for; reaching regional goals in land protection, strengthening the farming, fishing, and forestry industries, managing the amount and type of new development, and creating a regional transportation plan, by 2010.