The Town of St. Michaels is pleased to announce our Sustainable Communities designation has been renewed for the next five years through November 20, 2028.
See attachments for more information:
Sustainable Communities – Partnering to Revitalize Maryland Communities
St. Michaels Sustainable Communities Designation Renewal Letter
Sustainable Communities is a State of Maryland program that is run through the State’s Department of Housing and Community Development. Local governments that choose to participate can qualify for various grant funds for community development. A work group was recently approved by the Town Commissioners to evaluate the past activities and set a framework for the future for this program.
We have begun working on our program update and will be meeting for the remainder of this year to establish a set of goals for various community improvement related issues which include the environment, economy, transportation, housing, quality of life, local planning and land use. A unified report will be produced by the end of the year. There will be a public hearing on the results. The Town Commissioners will then consider changes based on your review and input and decide what to transmit as the final product.
Our first efforts focused on the environment. Some environmental attributes of the town that were identified includes access to water and the Chesapeake Bay, the work of the Climate Change & Sea Level Rise Commission related to mitigating flooding, the walkable community design of St. Michaels and access to nature and green space.
Some areas to work on included public facility improvements to the town’s water supply system to accommodate peak season demand and additional water access for the public. Also, completing the next 1.25-mile extension to the St. Michaels nature trail is a goal for the near future.
Some agency partners to carry out the goals include work with county, state and federal governments to secure funding sources. We will also reach out to consultants and non-profits like the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and work with companies for activities such as installing new smart water meters to more accurately measure water usage.
Meeting Overview:
April 2023: Environment
May 2023: Economy
June 2023: Transportation
July 2023: Housing
August 2023: Community Health and Quality of Life
September 2023: Local Planning and Staffing Capacity
As the 2023 Sustainable Communities meetings come to a close, we want to extend our appreciation for the time and instrumental work the members dedicated to ensuring St. Michaels is a prosperous and thriving community for future generations. Steve Ball, Town Planner, is compiling a report generated from the data received to present to the Commissioners.
Click below to view the Presentation at the Commissioners of St. Michaels Meeting on October 25, 2023.
October 2023: Sustainable Communities Program Application for Designation Renewal
