OMMUNITIES PROGRAM SUSTAINABLE C APPLICATION FOR ... · All Sustainable Community applications must meet the following threshold requirements: ... Please ALSO include GIS shapefiles

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PROGRAM

APPLICATION FOR DESIGNATION RENEWAL

Eligible Applicants:

Local Governments with a Sustainable Communities Designation

Local Government Consortiums with a Sustainable Communities Designation

Sustainable Communities Application Rounds

January 27, 2017

April 7, 2017

July 2, 2017

October 6, 2017

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

Division of Neighborhood Revitalization

2 N Charles Street, Suite 450

Baltimore, MD 21201

410-209-5800

http://dhcd.maryland.gov/

LARRY HOGAN, Governor KENNETH C. HOLT, Secretary

BOYD K. RUTHERFORD, Lt. Governor

General Information – SC Renewal 2017

i

OVERVIEW OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

The Sustainable Communities Act of 2010 established a framework for reinvestment and revitalization of

Maryland’s existing communities creating a single, locally designated geographic focus area. Since that time

the “Sustainable Communities” designation has provided an efficient means of targeting scarce public and

private resources for multiple State agency investments and prioritizations.

PURPOSE OF RENEWAL AND STREAMLINED APPLICATION

The Sustainable Communities (SC) designation must be renewed every five years. This renewal application

provides an opportunity for local governments to update their existing SC action plan and report on the

accomplishments made over the past five years. Through the renewal process, local governments can request

additional technical assistance and highlight any areas from the original action plan for which progress must

still be made.

APPLICATION ASSISTANCE

If a local government has limited capacity, staff from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community

Development (DHCD) and Department of Planning (MDP) will be available to assist local government officials

through the application process.

Please contact Mary Kendall at DHCD if you would like to request or learn more about this assistance (see page

iii for contact information).

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES BENEFITS

The benefits of a Sustainable Community designation are substantial. The SC designation is a threshold

requirement for application to several State of Maryland revitalization programs (such as the Community

Legacy Program and Strategic Demolition Fund listed below). Other programs offer additional points or

preference in the application process. (See attachment “Sustainable Community Benefits”). The Sustainable

Communities designation provides access to a suite of resources that can support housing and community

development, local transportation enhancements, tax credit programs and programs to support a healthier

environment. Taken together, these resources can promote safer, healthier and more attractive communities for

families to live and put down roots.

Community Legacy Program is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community

Development and provides local governments and community development organizations with financial

assistance to strengthen communities through such activities as business retention and attraction, encouraging

homeownership and commercial revitalization. Community Legacy funds are restricted to Sustainable

Community Areas.

Strategic Demolition Fund is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community

Development and provides grants and loans to local governments and community development organizations

for predevelopment activities including demolition and land assembly for housing and revitalization projects.


ii

The Strategic Demolition Fund catalyzes public and private investment in the reuse of vacant and underutilized

sites. These funds are restricted to Sustainable Communities.

Application Eligibility and Threshold Requirements

Local governments (municipal or county) are eligible to apply.

Eligible applicants are to convene their Sustainable Communities Workgroup to discuss the accomplishments

and challenges of their Sustainable Community Action Plans in addition to any update they may like to make to

the Action Plan. The applicant may choose to select new members to participate in the Workgroup. The

purpose of this workgroup is to continue and reinforce working relationships and collaborations among local

governmental departments and better align community development priorities and strategies. In addition, this is

an opportunity to assess if the Workgroup would like technical assistance from State government agencies to

implement certain action items or develop strategies to address local challenges.

Threshold Requirements

All Sustainable Community applications must meet the following threshold requirements:

1) Sustainable Community Area boundaries must be entirely within a Priority Funding Area (PFA) and should

be an area in need of renewal and reinvestment that would benefit from a targeted long-term strategy;

2) The proposed Sustainable Community is within or near a town center or transportation center, or there is a

need for financing assistance for small businesses, nonprofit organizations or microenterprises;

3) The updated Plan must be consistent with other existing community or comprehensive plans;

4) A Sustainable Communities Workgroup is re-convened and a roster of members must be provided with the

application.

Applications that do not meet these threshold requirements will not be considered.

Application Evaluation

The Sustainable Community application for renewal will be evaluated based on the reporting of the

accomplishments achieved and a thorough assessment of local strengths and weaknesses and how well desired

outcomes, strategies and action steps are connected to the local conditions.

Priority Funding Areas

All Sustainable Communities must be located entirely within a Priority Funding Area. Applicants can verify

Priority Funding Area boundaries by visiting the MDP website at:

http://www.mdp.state.md.us/OurProducts/pfamap.shtml

http://www.mdp.state.md.us/OurProducts/pfamap.shtml


iii

Application Training

The Department will be hosting various webinars for communities planning to submit a renewal application.

Attendance at a minimum of one application training session is strongly encouraged for all applicants. Contact

Mary Kendall (contact information below) to schedule an application training.

Application Submission

Applications will be submitted both electronically/digitally and via postal mail. Each applicant must submit

two hard copies (one original and one copy) of their application with all required attachments. DHCD reserves

the right to not consider incomplete applications.

The first printed page of the electronic application is a Table of Contents (see page vi). This should also serve as

a checklist and be used to provide corresponding tabs. In addition to the hard copies of an application, all

pictures and maps are to be submitted on a CD-ROM or flash drive. Pictures should be burned to the CD in a

JPEG format and maps should be burned to the CD in a pdf format. Please ALSO include GIS shapefiles of

Sustainable Community boundaries and other GIS related data. Please label your files on the CD-ROM

appropriately, i.e., “Proposed Sustainable Community Boundary,” “Current Sustainable Community

Boundary,” etc.

No incomplete applications will be accepted.

Deliver Sustainable Community Applications to:

Sustainable Community Application

ATTN: Mary Kendall

Division of Neighborhood Revitalization

Department of Housing and Community Development

2 N Charles Street, Suite 450

Baltimore, MD 21201

Site Visits, Follow-up Discussion, Technical Assistance

During the application review process, the review team may make site visits and/or hold meetings with

applicants. In addition, applicants may be contacted by the Department for follow-up discussions prior to

awards.

In collaboration with the Maryland Department of Planning, the Department of Housing and Community

Development is offering technical assistance to local governments with limited capacity to prepare their

Sustainable Communities applications for renewal.

Approval

Approval of applications will be made by the Governor’s Smart Growth Coordinating Committee on the

recommendation of an inter-agency review team. The review team is coordinated by the Department of

Housing and Community Development.

All questions related to application content, please contact Mary Kendall at 410-209-5800 or by email at

[email protected].

mailto:[email protected]


iv

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES PLAN ELEMENTS

Ongoing designation as a Sustainable Community is contingent upon the continuation, expansion, and/or

modification of a multi-year investment strategy that addresses the topic areas of Environment, Economy,

Transportation, Housing, Quality of Life, and Land Use/Local Planning. The table below provides a non-

exhaustive list of ideas that can be incorporated into each element as they are addressed in the sections that

follow in this application.

ENVIRONMENT: Environmental accomplishments and objectives may include improvement of

quality of land, water, air or watersheds, increased tree canopy, mitigation or adaptation to issues related

to sea level rise, reduction of carbon footprint, improved energy conservation, access to local foods,

green infrastructure, stormwater infrastructure/management, construction of parks, trails and other

recreation facilities, recycling, improved water and sewer capacity, etc.

ECONOMY: Economic accomplishments and objectives may include increased regional accessibility,

business attraction/retention, improved health of the business district and decreased commercial

vacancies, improved accessibility to employment opportunities and economic drivers, adopted local

policies/regulations that encourage economic growth, enhanced marketing and tourism, improvements to

cultural and historic assets, etc.

TRANSPORTATION: Transportation accomplishments and objectives may include increased access

to transit corridors, improved pedestrian safety and increased accessibility/sidewalks, alternative modes

of transportation, such as bikeways and trails, public transit, such as bus and rail, carpooling, improved

parking and road conditions, etc.

HOUSING: Housing accomplishments and objectives may include an increase in affordable, workforce

or market rate housing, either for homeownership or rental, improved housing conditions and values,

increase in housing programs, reduction in foreclosures and residential vacancies, increase in property

values and home sale values, etc.

QUALITY OF LIFE: Quality of life accomplishments and objectives may include crime, socio-

economic demographics, educational opportunities, museums, libraries, historic and cultural assets, civic

amenities, faith-based organizations, economic health of households, sense of place, etc.

LAND USE/LOCAL PLANNING: Land use accomplishments and objectives may include changes to

zoning, improved land use policies, increase/decrease in taxes and fees, etc.


v

RENEWAL APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

The Sustainable Communities application for renewal has three sections:

A. Contact information, General Information, Organizational Capacity:

In this section, applicants are asked to update their contact information, provide information

about demographic shifts over the past five years and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their

Sustainable Communities workgroup.

B. Qualitative and Quantitative Report on accomplishments over past five years:

The report is an opportunity to reflect on any accomplishments achieved in the Sustainable

Community area. It is a tool used to evaluate if the SC applicant achieved its intended outcomes,

implemented the strategies initially envisioned and identify what resources were used. Renewal

applicants are encouraged to discuss how priorities, actions, and objectives were or were not

achieved across the six elements listed on the previous page (iv), including how any of the elements

may have interrelated during the five initial years of SC designation.

C. Sustainable Communities Action Plan Update:

The Sustainable Communities Action Plan has been revised so that it less time consuming and

focused on developing a strategic implementation plan. Renewal applicants are asked to use their

previous Sustainable Communities applications as a basis for their updated Action Plan. You may

identify which weaknesses have not yet been addressed or which strategies have not yet been

implemented. Include your revitalization priorities for the next five years, basing them on your

community’s current strengths and weaknesses.

Sustainable Communities Renewal Application

vi

CHECKLIST AND TABLE OF CONTENTS

APPLICANT: Town of Elkton

NAME OF SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY: Elkton Sustainable Community Area

Please review the checklist of attachments and furnish all of the attachments that are applicable.

Contents of the notebook should be tabbed and organized as follows:

√Section A - Sustainable Community Renewal Applicant Information

√Section B – Sustainable Community Renewal Report (Projects, Strategies and Partners)

√Section C – Sustainable Community Renewal Action Plan Update (Matrix)

√Section D – Sustainable Communities Workgroup Roster

√Section E – Signature Letter (acknowledging Disclosure Authorization and Certification)

√Section F – CD-ROM: The CD-ROM should include the following contents:

Map in pdf format of the proposed Sustainable Community modification area

GIS shapefile of the modified Sustainable Community boundaries and other GIS related data, e.g.,

spreadsheet of detailed listing of parcels that form the project boundary. (If you have additional

comments or questions about the GIS mapping requirements, please contact Brad Wolters, Senior GIS

Specialist, Department of Housing and Community Development, [email protected])

Pictures (jpeg format) of your accomplished projects of the last five years (as indicated in Section B)

mailto:[email protected]

Sustainable Communities Renewal Application - Section A

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I. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY RENEWAL APPLICANT INFORMATION

Name of Sustainable Community: Elkton Sustainable Community Area

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Name of Renewal Applicant: Town of Elkton

Applicant’s Federal Identification Number: 52-6000790

Applicant’s Street Address: 100 Railroad Avenue, P.O. Box 157

City: Elkton County: Cecil State: MD Zip Code: 21922

Phone Number: (410) 398-0970 Fax Number: (410) 392-6633 Web Address: www.elkton.org

Sustainable Community Renewal Application Local Contact:

Name: Jeanne Minner Title: Planning Director

Address: 100 Railroad Avenue City: Elkton State: MD Zip Code: 21921

Phone Number: (410) 398-4999 Fax Number: (410) 398-0128 E-mail Address:[email protected]

Other Sustainable Community Contacts:

Name: Robert J. Alt Title: Mayor

Address: 100 Railroad Avenue City: Elkton State: MD Zip Code: 21921

Phone Number: (410) 398-0970 Fax Number: (410) 392-6633 E-mail Address: [email protected]


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I. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY – General Information

A. Please inform us if you want to propose any changes to the existing Sustainable Community

Area(s)

(1) Provide a description of SC Area boundary modification. How did you determine that these are the

most appropriate boundaries for its target area? Describe the methodology for choosing this target

area. The Town of Elkton would like to modify our SC Area boundary to include infill areas

south of U.S. Route 40. The updated SC Area includes several small infill parcels recently

annexed, and a tract of land consisting of eight of the nine parcels once contemplated for

development of a PUD. This area is in Elkton’s PFA and sewer service area and is surrounded

by and/or adjacent to the existing SC area. The Town is actively collaborating with owners

and potential developers of the nine larger parcels to establish a Public/Private Partnership

with the intent to develop a world-class Sports and Recreation venue. This will address

Elkton’s open space deficit, promote recreational opportunities including water access and

further economic development by attracting more investment in the Town, creating jobs and

greatly expanding tourism. This project will implement recommendations of the Chesapeake

Bay Watershed Public Access Plan (2013) and the Cecil County 2011 Land Preservation, Parks

and Recreation Plan.

(2) If you are not requesting any changes to your boundary, explain why.

(3) Include the following in as an attachment (if requesting a modification to your current boundary):

a. PDF or JPEG of modified Sustainable Communities boundary map,

b. GIS shapefiles of modified Sustainable Community boundary (mapped to the parcel

boundary),

(4) Approximate number of acres of entire SC Area:__3,254__________

(5) Existing federal, state or local designations:

√Main Street ☐Maple Street

☐National Register Historic District √Local Historic District √Arts & Entertainment District

√State Enterprise Zone Special Taxing District ☐BRAC ☐ State Designated TOD

√Other(s): HUB Zone

(6) Describe the SC Area’s current demographic trends (with respect to age, race, household size,

household income, educational attainment, number of housing units, or other relevant factors). How

have demographics changed in the last five years?

The demographic trends in Elkton indicate the population is getting somewhat older and

earning slightly less than before. High school graduation rates are rising, as is the poverty

rate. The median age has increased from 32.8 to 36.3 years old, with the number of individuals

age 62 and older increasing from 11.6% to 12.6% of the total population. The percent of

children under 5 decreased significantly, from 8.4% to 6.3%. The percent of school-age

children (ages 5-19) increased slightly from 22.3% to 22.8%, while adults 18 and over, saw an

increase from 72% to 74.8% of the population.


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The racial diversity is relatively unchanged, with the white population currently at 77.5%

(77.3% at the 2010 Census). Black or African American population increased slightly from

15.1% to 15.6%. The Asian population increased from 2.6% to 3.1%, while the Hispanic or

Latino population saw the largest increase – from 5.9% to 7.5% of the population. *

Household size has also increased slightly from 2.65 to 2.71 persons per household. Household

income has decreased, with the median household income at $53,851.00 – down from

$54,902.00 in 2010 and is much less than Cecil County ($66,396.00) and Maryland

($74,551.00). Elkton’s poverty rate for individuals has increased dramatically over the past

five years from 12.6% to 17.5%. This is higher than Cecil County (10%) and nearly double

that of Maryland (9.7%). As for educational attainment, the rate of high school graduation

has increased significantly, from 80% to 85%. The number of individuals with an advanced

degree decreased slightly from 22.3% to 20.8%. The number of housing units increased from

5,944 to 6,102. Housing vacancy rates increased from 6.1% in 2010 to 9.9%. *(Note: comparisons were between the 2010 Census and the 2011-2015 ACS).

B. Organizational Structure, Experience and Public Input:

(1) Describe any changes to the Applicant’s organizational structure. Specifically, how has membership

of the Sustainable Communities Workgroup changed in the last five years? Who are/were the

leaders, and how will/did the Workgroup advisor or staff manage implementation of the SC Area

Plan? The SC Workgroup consists of many of the same members as in the original structure,

with the exception of the Mayor and one other member. Mayor Robert J. Alt is our current

Mayor who replaced Joseph L. Fisona in 2014, and Kelly McKenna has been replaced by

Bernard DeMarinis. The SC Workgroup will continue to meet as needed to advise and assist in

the implementation of the Community Action Plan. The Sustainable Communities

Workgroup consists of the following persons:

Mayor Robert J. Alt – resident, elected official, businessman and commercial property

owner.

Town Commissioner Mary Jo Jablonski – resident, Elkton Town Commissioner, Main

Street Manager, Executive Director of the Elkton Alliance, former Director of the

Elkton Boys and Girls Club, Façade Grant Administrator, successfully managed over

$400,000 in façade grants.

Margie Blystone – resident, Elkton Alliance Board of Directors, Elkton Design

Committee Chairman, Elkton Arts & Entertainment District Chairman, Façade Grant

Committee member, former co-owner of the Palette & the Page (voted Elkton Small

Business of the Year 2014), and TADD committee member (Tourism, Arts &

Downtown Development for the Eastern Shore).

Linda Tipton - Public Affairs manager with Delmarva Power.

Kathy Kunda - Board of trustees of Cecil College, Business and Education Partnership

Advisory Council coordinator for Cecil County Public Schools and Base Realignment

and Closure liaison, Project Coordinator at Cecil College working with STEM. Board

of Directors of the Cecil College Foundation and Women in Defense STEM

Subcommittee, Boys and Girls Clubs of Cecil County, Northeastern Maryland

Technology Council Visionary Alumni Subcommittee, Susquehanna Workforce

Network Youth Council, Elkton Chamber & Alliance and the Cecil County Chamber of

Commerce Ambassador and Membership Committee.


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Candy Davis – Operations Manager for Elkton Gas (recently retired), Elkton Chamber

and Alliance and Cecil County Chamber of Commerce Board member, former Sales

and marketing for Harvey and Harvey, former business analyst for CSX railroad.

Cindy Osborne – Executive Director of the Elkton Housing Authority, Executive

Director of Elkton Development and Management Corporation, Sr. Professional

Housing Manager for the National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Officials

(NAHRO), Housing Choice Voucher Manager, Housing Quality Standards Inspector

for the HCV Program, and Uniform Physical Condition Standards Inspector for the

LIPH Program. Current Sr. Vice President of The Maryland Association of Housing &

Redevelopment Agencies, a member of The Mid Atlantic Regional Council Board of

NAHRO and NAHRO Small Agency Task Force, Board Member on The Cecil Co.

Inter-Agency Council on Homelessness.

Bernard D. DeMarinis – resident, electrical engineer, President of University Research

Park (URP), a not-for-profit 501C3 organization that strives to increase

research/higher education activities in northeastern Maryland. Former Director of

Strategic Initiatives for MITRE. He is an officer/Board member of a large number of

professional, technical and educational organizations.

Jeanne D. Minner AICP – Director of Planning for the Town of Elkton for 25 years,

American Institute of Certified Planners, successfully managed over $5 Million in

grants for the Town of Elkton.

(2) What have been the strengths and challenges of the capacity of the Sustainable Communities

Workgroup with respect to implementation of the SC Plan?

Elkton’s Sustainable Communities Workgroup consists of dedicated and active community

representatives, including elected officials, residents, business owners, and other key

stakeholders, all with many years of experience in their professions, as well as their dedication

to serve on a variety of Boards, including the Elkton Chamber and Alliance. Elkton also has

established partnerships with Cecil County Government and other local entities. Several

Sustainable Community members serve on the Cecil County Economic Development

Commission and the Susquehanna Workforce Network. Mayor Robert Alt works tirelessly to

encourage investment in Elkton. The Town staff are also a key strength in implementing the

Sustainable Community Plan. The Town Administrator has nearly 30 years’ experience with

managing municipal improvement projects, and the Director of Planning has 25 years’

experience with urban planning and managing a variety of grants. The challenges include

securing adequate funding in order to acquire property or to construct public improvements.

(3) How did residents and other stakeholders in the community provide input to the Sustainable

Communities Action Plan update? On which existing local plans (comprehensive plans, economic

development plans, sector plans, etc.) is the Sustainable Communities Action Plan based?

The SC Action Plan update is based on the existing Sustainable Community Plan and the

Elkton Comprehensive Plan (January 2010). The SC Workgroup reviewed the SC Plan and

provided recommendations for updating the Plan. The working group consists of a broad

cross-section of residents, elected officials, business owners, utility providers, public housing

providers, educators and local government staff.

(4) Would you like any technical assistance from State agencies to help expand the capacity of your SC

Workgroup or implement your SC plan? The Town of Elkton would appreciate technical and

financial assistance from State agencies to help implement our SC plan. Bay Restoration funds


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may assist the Town with extending sanitary sewer collection systems to areas of failing septic

systems, and FEMA funding programs may help to address certain floodplain issues.

Financial and technical assistance will be necessary to conduct a watershed analysis and

implement stormwater retrofit activities. Grants and technical assistance will be pursued for

other desired outcomes identified in the Action Plan section of this Sustainable Communities

Plan.

Sustainable Communities Renewal Application - Section B

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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY RENEWAL REPORT

PART I: QUALITATIVE ASSESSMENT

Purpose:

The purpose of this assessment is to capture significant projects/ improvements that have been completed since the

approval of your local government’s Sustainable Communities designation.

In relation to the goals stated in your local government’s Sustainable Community Action Plan, please highlight three

major accomplishments from the last five years, including how you achieved them. When writing your narrative, consider

the questions below and refer to the six elements discussed in the General Information section of this document (page iv)

– Environment, Economy, Transportation, Housing, Quality of Life, and Land Use/Local Planning.

1) Outcome: Which outcomes identified in your Sustainable Community plan were you able to achieve?

2) Projects: Which projects did you implement in order to achieve the outcome? Also indicate when you started

and completed these projects.

3) Partners: With whom (i.e. state agencies, local stakeholders) did you partner to complete projects?

4) Impact: What kind of measurable impact did the achieved outcome have on your community? Are there other

intangible benefits?

5) Pictures: Please also include pictures that depict your accomplishments.

[EXAMPLE] Descriptive Narrative: Please list the most significant accomplishments that apply

Example – Accomplishment 1

Outcome: Improved stormwater management

Projects:

Project 1: Stormwater Retrofit Plan – In October 2014, the Town Council approved the Town’s stormwater retrofit

plan which outlines various strategies and capital budget expenditures over the next five years. Strategies include

reducing the amount of impervious surface in the community and improving stormwater management. One of the plan

recommendations is to pass an ordinance that assesses an environmental protection fee on municipal permits.

Project 2: Green Streets – The Town added green elements to approximately 600 linear feet of roadway that had been

experiencing severe flooding. Specifically, bioswales were constructed and trees were planted.

Partners:

Chesapeake Bay Trust – provided technical assistance

MD DHCD – provided financial assistance in form of a Community Legacy grant (totaling $50,000).

Impact: The implementation of the projects had a significant impact on the community by improving stormwater

runoff. The streets with the newly constructed bioswales no longer experience flooding.


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Descriptive Narrative: Please list the most significant accomplishments that apply.

Accomplishment 1: “Identify cost-effective drinking water sources for redundancy and

growth, and develop a plan to develop those sources.”

Outcome: The design and construction of two (2) additional municipal wells (well #2R and #5).

Projects:

Project 1: Well 2R: Located at 14½ Walter Boulden Street, this project began in 2012. The well house was

completed in 2016. Well 2R is a backup well and is combined under the existing permit for well 1R, jointly

providing a water appropriation of 100,000 gallons per day (gpd) (200,000 gpd during month of maximum use).

Project 2: Well 5: Located adjacent to Elkton’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, this well is permitted for 100,000

gpd. This project began in 2013 and the well house was completed in 2016. Well 5 is a backup well. Once

withdrawals are initiated, a reduction of 100,000 gpd (150,000 gpd during month of maximum use) for

withdrawals from the Big Elk Creek by the Elkton Surface Water Treatment Plant.

Partners: Town of Elkton; KCI Technologies; Wickersham Construction

Impact: This project addresses the Environment element by providing improved water capacity. The new wells

also impact the Economy, Housing, Quality of Life and Land Use/Local Planning elements by providing

infrastructure necessary to ensure adequate, safe drinking water, through operational flexibility, redundancy, and

additional supply capabilities, to the citizens and businesses in the Town of Elkton.

Accomplishment 2: “Rehabilitation of the Belle Hill Water Tower”.

Outcome: Completion of rehabilitation of Belle Hill Water Tower Projects: This project, located at 319 Belle Hill Road, entailed the repair and rehabilitation of a 400,000 gallon

water storage facility originally constructed in 1987. The tower was deteriorating and was in need of repairs.

The project was identified by an inspection report by Mumford-Bjorkman Associates, Inc. on June 14, 2012.

Repairs included removal of interior coating and exterior lead paint, repair of areas of corrosion, recoating of

interior and repainting of exterior, and installation of a number of proper safety and security components.

Total project cost was estimated at $791,788.00. The Town of Elkton applied for and received a grant from MD

Community Development Block Grant for $500,000.00. The project came in under budget with a savings to both

the Town and the State.

Partners: DHCD provided financial assistance in the form of a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

totaling $400,000.00.

Impact: This project addresses the Environment element by providing improved water capacity and the

Economy, Housing, Quality of Life and Land Use/Local Planning element by maintaining infrastructure

necessary to ensure adequate, safe drinking water and fire flow for businesses and residents now and in the

future. The Belle Hill Water Tower is an important component of Elkton’s water distribution system. The

restorative work was necessary to retain its viability in the system. The Belle Hill Tower provides municipal

water storage, pressure and fire flow to the northeast portion of the Town, and is interconnected to all other

water systems to provide additional back up for supply and storage.


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Accomplishment 3: “Installation of Wayfinding signage and Gateway features”

Outcome: The installation of four (4) Wayfinding Signs at the major intersections on the periphery of town

was completed on August 1, 2016.

Projects: The Town of Elkton, in late 2009, requested the assistance from Architect on Call Design Services, to

develop a Wayfinding Plan that will enable visitors to navigate successfully in, around and through Elkton’s

Central Business District. On March 2010, the Town received recommendations for locations and prototypes of

Wayfinding signs for Elkton’s Downtown from David H. Gleason Associates, Inc. – the architectural firm that

provides technical assistance to Towns through the Architect-On-Call grant. A list of destinations was developed

by the Town staff. The project was delayed until SHA completed drafting a “Community-Based Signing

Guidelines” document. The Guidelines were finalized in 2011. The Guidelines required that the Town utilize

professional engineers to design and submit signage plans to SHA. In 2012 Elkton engaged the services of KCI

Technologies for design and specifications for approval by SHA. Over the next three years, the Town worked with

SHA on the Wayfinding sign designs and locations. SHA required that we also design and install a number of

Trailblazing signs as a condition of approval. The Town is working with their engineer to design Trailblazing

signage plans.

Partners: David H. Gleason Associates; Maryland Downtown Development Partnership; KCI Technologies, Inc.,

Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA), Town of Elkton.

Impact: The purpose of the Wayfinding Project was to design a wayfinding signage system for downtown Elkton

in order to provide directional assistance for a wide variety of users. The system provides directions to high-

traffic generating destinations from multiple approaches, as well as directions to public parking and all other

destinations of public interest for both for the driver and pedestrian. We want visitors to know where they are,

help them find the way to where they want to go, and recognize that they have arrived in the right place and to get

there safely. This project addresses the Transportation Element by improving safety through wayfinding for

motorists, and the Quality of Life, Land Use/Local Planning and Economy Elements by attracting and

efficiently directing motorists to key destinations in Elkton’s Central Business District.

Descriptive Narrative: Please use this section to describe any major outcomes or projects from

your last Sustainable Communities Action Plan that have NOT been accomplished and why.

Outcome: Community Recreation Center

Narrative: The Town has identified a need for a community recreation center. Town-owned land on U.S. Route

40 was considered, but ultimately rejected due to concern regarding safe access by pedestrians and distance to

neighborhoods. The Town has now identified surplus land owned by the Cecil County Board of Education/Cecil

County Government that could be developed as a community recreation center. This site is in the center of

Elkton’s downtown, in a Qualified Census Tract, and within walking distance of a number of neighborhoods.

Elkton is currently in negotiations with Cecil County Government to acquire the property on which to build a

community recreation center. The Town will be applying for CDBG funds in FY18 for this project. We hope to

begin construction within the next year.


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Outcome: Passenger Rail Service

Narrative: The only gap in commuter rail service along the Amtrak Northeast Corridor (NEC) is a 21-mile

stretch between Perryville, Maryland and Newark, Delaware. A priority project is to re-introduce passenger rail

service to Elkton, develop a multi-modal transportation center and implement Elkton’s Transit-Oriented

Development (TOD) Plan. Reopening the Elkton Train Station is about jobs, the environment and sustainability.

Passenger rail service would provide more transportation choices and improve access to community amenities,

enhance economic competitiveness, support existing communities, coordinate policies and leverage investment.

The Mayor of Elkton and Elkton planning staff began meeting with representatives of MDOT/MTA;

representatives of WILMAPCO (Wilmington Area Planning Council), consultants Parsons Brinkerhoff and Cecil

County planning in January 2012 to develop the 2014 Elkton Rail Feasibility Study. The study included

reviewing previous rail studies and Elkton’s TOD Plan, updated ridership modeling by WILMAPCO and a NEPA

study. We developed a conceptual layout, cost estimates, and determined that passenger service to Elkton was

feasible. The capital cost estimate for Elkton rail service is $20-$25 million. Elkton also held some preliminary

meetings with Union Hospital and Cecil College regarding shared, phased parking for the train station. We may

also consider leasing parking from the adjacent bowling alley.

The 2014 Elkton Rail Feasibility Study lays the foundation for the next phase which is preliminary engineering

(PE). The next step is to develop 30% preliminary engineering designs in order for this project to be eligible for

federal aid funds (TIGER grant). The good news is the estimated cost keeps going down with each study.

A starter service to Elkton is feasible earlier than 2030. Officials from Cecil County, the Town of Elkton and

MARC met earlier this year to discuss the possibility of MARC resuming service to the existing rail station in

Elkton. Restoring the existing train station would reduce the cost of the project to $3 million, and could be

accomplished by 2021. This scenario also would not require a maintenance facility to be constructed in

Perryville.

Also of note, officials from DART and MARC met during the summer of 2016 to discuss extending Maryland

passenger trains from their current terminus in Perryville, Maryland north to Newark, Delaware. Those train

arrivals could align with northbound departures of Philadelphia-bound SEPTA trains. A feasibility study is

currently underway by WILMAPCO, to estimate ridership demand for increased rail transit across the Delaware-

Maryland state line.

In addition, the Amtrak NEC Future Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement Preferred Alternative plan includes

a future Elkton station, however, it is shown north of Elkton’s corporate limits. The Town sent a letter in

February 2017 requesting that the future Amtrak passenger station is located within Elkton, at the site of the

former train station.

Next steps include continuing efforts by Elkton and Cecil County officials to push for restoring passenger rail

service to Elkton; entering into formalized agreements with property owners adjacent to the new train station and

multi-modal transit center for Phase 1 shared parking; and possible acquisition/relocation to construct rail

siding, a platform, parking lot and road re-alignment, if necessary.


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Outcome: Elkton Pedestrian Plan

Narrative: The Town of Elkton in 2014 requested the assistance of WILMAPCO in developing a Pedestrian Plan.

The project will build upon and incorporate pedestrian improvement maps recently completed with MD SHA and

studies and analysis such as Elkton’s Comprehensive Plan (2010), WILMAPCO’s Top Pedestrian Priority

Segments (2012), Elkton Walkable Community Workshop (2008), MD SHA’s U.S. Route 40 Improvements

(Landing Lane to MD 213) 2012 and WILMAPCO’s 2013 Transportation Equity Report Environmental Justice

and Title VI (2013).

The project will assist the Town in creating a comprehensive pedestrian plan that will prioritize improvements to

pedestrian facilities, create complete streets, establish walkability enhancements within Transportation Justice

areas where identified, identify areas in need of retrofits to meet ADA standards, and establish a network of

bicycle and pedestrian facilities within Elkton.

Participants include the Town of Elkton, WILMAPCO, SHA planners, and Cecil County Planners.

This project is currently under development. The Town of Elkton Planning Department and Elkton Department

of Public Works has been meeting regularly with WILMAPCO and SHA planners to conduct and gather field

data. We expect the Pedestrian Plan to be completed by the end of FY 2018.


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SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY RENEWAL REPORT

PART II: QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT

Purpose:

The purpose of the quantitative assessment is to capture indicators of accomplishments in each Sustainable Community.

Indicators should reflect the five year time period since the adoption of the Sustainable Communities Action Plan. Thus,

the following questions focus on the common outcomes that were identified in the various Sustainable Community Action

Plans approved by the State. The assessment will be grouped in the sections of Environment, Economy, Transportation,

Housing, Quality of Life and Land Use.

Please answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge.

Check “YES” if applicable to your community. If you answer “YES” please quantify the accomplishment (i.e. Q: Has

there been an increase in the number of businesses in your Main Street/commercial district? A: YES 4 new businesses

have opened in the past five years). In your answer, be sure to only share the quantifiable changes that have occurred since

your Sustainable Communities designation was approved. If necessary, please also provide a short description of the

accomplishment.

Please check “NO” if the question item did not have any impact on your community. If you answer “NO” please briefly

summarize what kept you from achieving your plan’s desired outcomes.

Check “N/A”, if the question item does not apply to your Sustainable Community.

If there is an issue with which you would like assistance in addressing, please check “interested in technical assistance”.

State agencies would like to provide assistance to communities in helping them achieve their goals identified in their

Sustainable Community Action Plans.


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ENVIRONMENT YES

If YES, specify in

quantifiable units and

compare values from the

last five years

NO

If NO, why not? What kept

you from achieving your

plan’s desired outcomes?

N/A

Interested

in technical

assistance

1. Has there been an improvement in water quality?

If so, explain (1-2 sentences):

X *Installation of a rain

garden in the Howard Street

municipal parking lot.

*Installation of landscape

islands in the Main Street


*An illegal sanitary

connection to storm sewer

was detected and corrected.

*Elkton is working on the

new MS4 requirements to

plan for water quality

projects to meet our

TMDL.

2. Has the amount of impervious surface in your

Community been reduced? (Amount in SF)


X The rain garden and

landscape islands in the two

municipal parking lots

involved the removal of

impervious surface and

installation of landscape

plant materials.

3. Have there been improvements and/ or additions to

your park and/ or recreational green space?


X *The Town of Elkton

developed a dog park and

installed playground

equipment in East Meadow

Park. *Elkton High School

students planted 30 trees in

West Meadow Park.

4. Did the Sustainable Community implement any

recycling or waste reduction programs?


X Continuation of single-

stream recycling program

with municipal trash

service and continuation of

neighborhood “clean-up”

days.


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5. Do all residents have access to healthy food options

(i.e. fresh food grocery stores, farmers markets etc.)

within the Sustainable Community?


X Continuation of Elkton

Farmer’s Market in

downtown Elkton.

OTHER:

The Town of Elkton solar power project.

X The Town of Elkton

contracted with Standard

Solar Inc. to install 7.4

acres of solar panels in a

field adjacent to Elkton’s

wastewater treatment plant.

The Town of Elkton Electric Vehicle Charging stations project

and LED lighting in a newly renovated municipal parking lot.


contracted with Charge

Point to install two (2) 2-

port electric vehicle charge

stations and four (4) LED

lights in a downtown


The Town of Elkton installed 60 LED street lights on Main

Street February 20, 2017.


installed 60 LED street

lights on Main Street

February 20, 2017.


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ECONOMY YES

If YES, specify in



last five years

NO




N/A

Interested

in technical

assistance

1. Has there been an increase in the number of new

businesses in your Main Street/ Commercial District?


X There are eight (8) new

retail businesses open and

three (3) new service

establishments in the Main

Street area. The Town also

has 3 new food truck

vendors.

2. Did the Municipality/ Sustainable Community area

receive any designations that support local economic

development?


X Elkton has received

accreditation for our Main

Street Program, renewed its

HUB zone status and

renewed and expanded our

Enterprise Zone. Elkton

has also received a re-

designation of its Arts &

Entertainment District for

an additional 10 years

(2016-2026).

3. Has there been an increase in foot traffic in the Main

Street/commercial district?

If so, explain (1-2 sentences) – what contributed to

the increase:

X *Lyons Pharmacy on Main

Street was the subject of the

reality television show,

“Restaurant Impossible”.

The improvements by the

show, and the international

publicity attracted tourists

from all over the world.

*The former Howard House

restaurant was redeveloped

as Minihanes’s Irish Pub

and now includes live

music and Irish cuisine.

*Spork, a farm-to-table

restaurant and bakery

recently opened and has a


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dedicated following.

*Cecil County Department

of Tourism moved into a

storefront in downtown

Elkton. *The Elkton

Alliance produces “rack

cards” and brochures and

distributes them to area

hotels, B&Bs and Rest

Areas.

*The Elkton Alliance and

local business owners in

2016 produced a

promotional video based on

Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t

Stop the Feelin’.

4. Have the number of commercial vacancies decreased?


X The vacancy rate in the

downtown went from 10%

to 5% due to new owners

and the willingness of

commercial landlords to

work with commercial

tenants on rent prices.

5. Has there been an increase in local jobs within the

Sustainable Community for its residents?


X A 26,000 square foot

building was leased to the

State of Maryland,

employing approximately

30 people. Union Hospital

expanded and leased a

30,000 square foot building.

Terumo Medical has/is

hiring an additional 100

employees with their latest

expansion.


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OTHER: Other new businesses in Elkton’s Sustainable

Communities Area include the following:

X Dental Offices, Radiation

Oncology Center, 2 Car

Dealerships, Thrift Store,

medical billing offices,

urgent care centers, cell

phone store, convenience

store, 10 restaurants, a dog

groomer, and a counseling

center.

TRANSPORTATION YES

If YES, specify in



last five years

NO




N/A

Interested

in technical

assistance

1. Has the amount of bike trails/paths increased? How

many linear feet do the trails cover?


X Due to limited staff and

funding we were unable to

accomplish every goal on our

SC plan within 5 years.

X

2. Have there been improvements to the public transit

infrastructure?


X *Cecil County Transit has

expanded their Mid-County

Route #3 service that serves

Elkton, North East,

Charlestown and both Cecil

College in North East And

Cecil College Elkton Station.

This connection was

designed to help facilitate

transportation service for

school students while

providing extended hours of

evening operation for

additional passengers’ needs.

*Cecil County’s new Route

#4. This services the town of

Elkton, Glasgow, DE,


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Newark Industrial Park, Four

Seasons Plaza, Newark Park

& Ride, Newark Train

Station, Newark Transit Hub

and the Rt. 279 corridor

including the Elkton Library

& Cecil College Elkton

Station.

*Representatives from Cecil

County Government and the

Town of Elkton met recently

with MTA regarding

extension of MARC service

to Elkton as soon as 2021.

3. Has there been an increase in sidewalks? (Amount in

linear feet)


X *Sidewalks are required for

all new and redevelopment.

*New sidewalks and

crosswalks have been

installed along MD 279/213

adjacent to Elkton Housing

Authority apartments and

now provides a safer

pedestrian access to the

schools.

*Elkton is currently drafting

the Elkton Pedestrian Plan

with assistance from

WILMAPCO and MD SHA.

4. Have there been any roadway improvements that

support “Complete” or “Green” streets?


X *Bridge Street sidewalk

improvements;

*MD 279/MD 213

intersection improvements;

*East High Street ADA

sidewalk improvements;

*Railroad Avenue traffic

calming/sidewalk

improvements.


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5. Has traffic congestion along major roads decreased?

(Amount in percent)


X SHA changed the traffic

control devices at certain

intersections (MD 268 at

Main Street; and MD 268 at

High Street) from stop lights

to stop signs. This has

enabled traffic to flow more

freely at those intersections.

OTHER:

HOUSING YES

If YES, specify in



last five years

NO




N/A

Interested

in technical

assistance

1. Have any residential facades been improved?


X A 6-unit apartment building

on West Main Street received

a Façade Grant of $23,000.00

with matching funds for a

total investment of 46,000.00.

2. Has the home ownership rate increased?


X The home ownership rate per

the 2010 U.S. Census for

Elkton was 50.3%. The

2011-2015 ACS shows home

ownership increased to

52.3%.

3. Has there been an increase in the number of housing

units in the Sustainable Community area? What

number and/or percent are affordable?


X North Street Apartments – 53

new affordable senior

apartments; 20 homes in the

South Stream development; 2

homes in Gilpin

neighborhood (infill); 1 on

Lincoln Ave. (infill).


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4. Has there been demolition of blighted properties?


X Demolition of the former

George’s Restaurant

property, and the Becker

Homes building. The Becker

property was redeveloped as

a Wawa. Both properties are

located on US Route 40

(Pulaski Highway).

5. Has the residential vacancy rate decreased?


X No, housing vacancy rates

have increased from 6.1% in

2010 to 9.9%.

X Yes

OTHER:

X *Cecil County Housing

Office offers housing

counseling services and

administers the Housing

Choice Voucher Program

(Section 8), among other

housing programs.

*The Elkton Housing

Authority (EHA) owns and

manages 3 properties

providing 150 units of

federally subsidized

affordable apartments and

also administers 40 Housing

Choice/Section 8 rental

assistance Vouchers.

EHA has partnered with the

Ingerman Group in a PPP to

renovate and undertake new

construction of the EHA’s

existing housing to provide

modernization, ADA

accessibility, and greater

housing choice for LMI


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families.

QUALITY OF LIFE YES

If YES, specify in



last five years

NO




N/A

Interested

in technical

assistance

1. Has there been a decrease in crime rate?


X The Elkton Police

Department statistics show

that during 2016, total crime

in the Town of Elkton

decreased by 10% compared

to the previous 5-year

average.

2. Have there been improvements and/ or additions to

your public spaces (i.e. museums, community centers,

public plazas)?


X *Elkton constructed a new

dog park and playground in

Meadow Park East.

*The Historical Society of

Cecil County will unveil its

new World War 1 exhibit this

year.

*Public improvements also

include decorative iron

archway, mailbox, and bird

bath at the Elkton Alliance

building.

*decorative custom iron gates

at Meadow Park and Marina

Park were designed and

constructed by a member of

our Department of Public

Works.

*Painting and improvements

at a gazebo in Eder Park.


21

3. Has there been an increase in public art/ arts &

entertainment programs/venues (i.e. murals, movie

theatre, music events)?


X Elkton has approximately 40

outdoor events annually,

including 15 Arts and

Entertainment venues.

A new art installation has

been placed on the Cecil

County Courthouse property.

The fiberglass (full-size) Elk

(from a previous art venue)

was repainted at the corner of

Main and Bridge Streets.

Creatively repainted benches

in front of the Elkton

Alliance; “Never Wet”

stenciled pop-up sidewalk art

project; “Chalk the Walks”

event; “Before I Die I Want

To…” wall; new Christmas

decorations on the

Downtown streetlights; Color

Vibe 5K Run; Music on Main

Thursdays; Car shows;

Empty Bowls event;

downtown empty storefront

window decorating; new arts

section of Fall Fest;

Historical Society of Cecil

County Cemetery Tour; an

increase in the number of

venues along the Elkton Art

Loop during First Friday

events. In addition, Cecil

College offers a Lifelong

Learning Program, Youth

programs, including Summer

Camp and Theater programs,

and Concerts, a student Art

Gallery and Open Mike


22

night.

4. How many historic properties were

renovated/improved?


X There have been 16 Historic

District Work Permits issued

in the past 5 years.

5. Are there any residential health and wellness

opportunities in place (i.e. athletic facilities,

recreational indoor/ outdoor courses or groups)?


X A dog park and playground

was constructed in Meadow

Park East. The YMCA

constructed a new outdoor

pool at their site in Elkton.

OTHER:

LAND USE/LOCAL

PLANNING YES

If YES, specify in



last five years

NO




N/A

Interested

in technical

assistance

1. Have there been any infill developments?


X Construction of 53 senior

apartments in the downtown

which entailed the adaptive

reuse of a historic building.

Commercial infill included

two automobile dealerships, a

thrift store, an office building

and a fast food restaurant.


23

2. Has there been an increase in the amount of

preserved/protected land?


X Additional land placed under

Forest Conservation

easements as a requirement

for development activities.

3. Have there been any developments hindered by

growth constraints?


X Lack of water and sewer

infrastructure at the periphery

of the Town boundaries have

hindered potential

development in those areas.

4. Have there been any zoning or any policy changes

that have fostered growth in your Sustainable

Community?


X Elkton updated their Zoning

Ordinance to encourage more

mixed-uses at a pedestrian-

scale in the Town Center

zone.

5. Have there been any significant improvements to the

municipal infrastructure within the Sustainable

Community (i.e. street lighting, water/sewer lines)?


X *Belle Hill Water Tower

rehabilitation.

*Elkton Water Treatment

Plant Raceway Dredging

Project.

*Walnut Hill Water Tower

rehabilitation.

*117-119 West Main Street

Parking Lot improvements.

*VFD installation at Water

Treatment Plant.

*Upgrades to the Warner

Road, Meadows at Elk Creek

and Patriots Glen Sanitary

Sewer Pump Stations.

*Development of two

additional wells.

*Sidewalk reconstruction

with brick accent on East

Main Street.


24

OTHER:

COMPETITIVE FUNDING: Use the rows below

to list competed funds sought for sustainability or

revitalization projects since receiving Sustainable

Communities designation.

Source

(federal, state,

foundation, etc.)

Amount

Received

If no funding was received, what technical or

other assistance from the state would help

with future applications?

Other Notes

Funding Program:

CDBG Grant: Rehabilitation of Belle Hill Water

Tower

State $500,000.00

Funding Program:

CDBG Grant: Raceway Dredging Project

State $227,000.00

Funding Program:

CDBG Grant: Walnut Hill Water Tower

Rehabilitation project

State $448,915.00

Funding Program:

Community Legacy: Façade Grant

State $550,000.00

Funding Program:

Strategic Demolition Smart Growth Impact Fund

Grant: Municipal Parking Lot improvements

State $100,000.00

Funding Program:

MDNR Community Parks & Playgrounds grant:

Dog Park

State $24,000.00


25

Funding Program:

CDBG Grant: North Street Senior Residences

State

$500,000.00

*Please add more rows if necessary

[Type text]

26

III. SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN UPDATE

The Sustainable Community Action Plan (SC Plan or Plan) is meant to be a multi-year investment strategy – a

strategic set of revitalization initiatives and projects that local partners believe will increase the economic

vitality and livability of their community, increase prosperity for local households and improve the health of the

surrounding environment. The Plan should be flexible enough to be updated regularly and renewed every five

years as the community envisions new goals. The priority initiatives and projects identified in the action plan

are your priorities for improving the livability of community places -- residential, commercial, or other public or

private properties – and the sustainability of new work, retail, recreational and housing opportunities for

residents. At the same time, the plan should only discuss the strategies that will impact the geographic area

targeted for revitalization, so that resources have the best opportunity to have the intended effect. These projects

can also be designed to reduce the environmental impact of the community through water and energy resource

conservation and management strategies. In this way, the Plan can be a road map for local stakeholders as well

as State agencies to work together to create a more a livable and sustainable community.

All communities submitted an SC Plan when the community earned its original designation. Some applicants

may want to take advantage of the designation renewal process to outline new strategies, set new priorities or

reaffirm existing strategies for their Sustainable Community. Changes to SC Plans may be due to changes in

external factors affecting the community or changes in the priorities of the applicant.

Guidance for completing the Action Plan can be found on the next page.

[Type text]

27

Action Plan Guidance

The document has been broken down into the same six categories as the Quantitative Assessment section of this

document. These parts address key components of your Sustainable Community Action Plan. Follow the

guidelines below to fill out the matrix.

1) For each of the different sections, pinpoint essential strengths and weaknesses of your community.

Example Transportation: Strength - Good sidewalk connectivity. Weakness - Insufficient amount of

downtown parking.

2) Based on those strengths and weaknesses, formulate specific outcomes that address the most

pressing issues or greatest potentials. Include a means of measuring the success of said outcome.

Example Economy: Outcome – Expand broadband fiber optics in Town. Progress Measure - Linear

measurement of fiber laid and number of residential and business connections.

3) After defining the outcomes, list detailed strategies (break down to several action steps if needed)

that will serve as the means to achieve those goals. Example Economy: Strategy - Increase number of

Town sponsored events Develop with community input, a series of weekend events that the Town

could host.

4) List potential partners that can support the successful implementation of these strategies through

different types of resources. Example Economy: DHCD (Community Legacy program), Small

Business Administration (Services and financial assistance) etc.

Sustainable Community Action Plan Elkton

Submitted by Town of Elkton

4/4/2017

[Type text]

Environment (Environmental strengths and weaknesses can include but are not limited to quality of land, water, air, watersheds, tree canopy, risk of sea level rise, carbon footprint, energy conservation, access to local foods, green infrastructure, stormwater infrastructure/management, parks,

trails and recreation, recycling, water and sewer capacity, etc)

Strengths Weaknesses Critical Area and Floodplain overlay zones protect environmentally sensitive

areas.

Forest conservation ordinance protects trees and canopy cover.

Sensitive Areas ordinance protects streams, wetlands and steep slopes.

Wastewater treatment plant recently upgraded to provide improved service capacity and cleaner state-of-the-art technology (BNR/ENR).

Floodplain land acquired for open space.

Farmer's Market to ensure access to healthy local food.

Pet waste bags available in parks to reduce the amount of pet effluent entering the waterway.

Stormwater management ordinance requires environmental site design and other best stormwater practices.

Rain garden and rain barrel installation at public parking lot/Farmers’ Market.

The town is a member of the Cecil County Watershed Implementation Plan Advisory Committee (WIP), which assess water quality and collaborates to plan and install best management practices (BMP) for stormwater.

Elkton is an MS4 Phase II community/SWM program.

There are several large public parks adjacent to Big and Little Elk Creeks, and Howard’s Pond.

Tree planting (30) in 2016 by Elkton High School students at Meadow Park.

There is a small craft launch at Marina Park.

Residential recyclables (single stream) are collected by Waste Management once a week.

Elkton has installed energy and cost efficient devices in our Water Treatment Plant.

Elkton installed a 7-acre solar array adjacent to our WWTP,

Elkton installed LED lights in our Municipal Building and on 60 street lights.

Elkton installed four (4) EV charging stations in our Municipal lot.

Land is relatively flat and conducive for development.

Street tree planting at the Elkton Municipal Building.

Trees and landscaping were installed at the Municipal Stairway.

A watershed assessment is needed to determine the location of BMPs and stormwater retrofits for compliance with Elkton’s MS4 permit. Following the watershed assessment, engineering design, and cost estimates for stormwater management retrofits are needed to meet our nutrient loading reduction requirements. Funding is needed to assist Elkton in implementing the required stormwater retrofits and other MS4 requirements. In addition, sanitary sewer service should be extended to areas with failing septic systems.

A majority of Elkton’s parkland is in the 100-year floodplain. The parks end up being closed for days during and after flood events. There is a need for additional parkland/ballfields outside of floodplain.

Lack of a trail system to connect neighborhoods to each other, the downtown, our Historic Elk Landing site and the East Coast Greenway, Lower Susquehanna Heritage Greenway and the Mason-Dixon Trail.

Need to develop a Sourcewater Protection Plan to protect drinking water quality.

Need to conduct an Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) analysis to determine the extent and location of any breaches in the sanitary sewer collection system.

The streambanks along the Big Elk Creek are deteriorating in areas and are in need of restorative work. Siltation of the Big Elk Creek contributes to the intermittent flooding problems in Elkton.

[Type text]

Desired Outcomes and Progress Measures

Based on the strengths and weaknesses identify the strengths on which you would like to build and the challenges you would like to address.

What outcomes are you trying to achieve? Where/ in what area do you want those

changes to happen? Progress Measure: Identify how you will know

that you have achieved your outcome.

Strategies and Action Items Identify strategies that will help your community to achieve each

identified outcome to the left. If applicable, break down each strategy into specific action items that outline different steps of the strategy.

Specify how you are planning to achieve the desired outcomes.

Implementation Partners Which community stakeholders need to be involved to realize each action step and strategy?

Name specific public and/or private sector partners.

Outcome 1: Compliance with TMDL/MS4

requirements.

Progress Measures: Reduction in nitrogen and

phosphorus loads from existing impervious surfaces.

Strategy A: Identify and apply for funding assistance Strategy A: Conduct a Watershed Assessment Strategy B: Complete a BMP analysis Strategy C: Develop a construction timetable Strategy D: Draft engineering plans to extend sewer service to failing septic systems in the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area. Strategy E: Connection of sanitary sewer to septic systems in the Critical Area

Town of Elkton KCI Technologies (consulting engineer) Cecil County MDE grants

Outcome 2: Identify potential parkland outside of the 100-year floodplain on which to develop active outdoor recreation opportunities. Progress Measures: Establish additional recreation opportunities in an area not subject to flooding.

Strategy A: Identify available property conducive for recreational use. Strategy B: Contact owner to determine willingness to sell property. Strategy C: Conduct an appraisal of the property. Strategy D: Identify possible funding assistance for acquisition of the property. Strategy E: Develop a park plan for the property. Strategy F: Identify potential grants for park development.

Town of Elkton Private property owner(s) MD DNR Program Open Space

Outcome 3: Development of a trail system that connects neighborhoods, the downtown and our parkland. Progress Measures: Creation of a Heritage Trail system

Strategy A: Engage the services of a consultant to develop a comprehensive trail system in Elkton. Public participation is a key component of this plan. Strategy B: Identify funding sources. Strategy C: Develop engineered trail plans and cost estimates. Strategy D: Apply to grant programs for construction assistance.

Town of Elkton Consultant MD DNR Program Open Space FEMA MD Heritage Area Grant Program Federal Trails Program

[Type text]

Outcome 4: Development of a Sourcewater Protection Plan. Progress Measures: Establishment of maps and associated land use regulations for the protection of wellhead recharge areas.

Strategy A: Engage the services of a consultant to accurately map wellhead recharge areas. Strategy B: Draft sourcewater overlay regulations to ensure future land use will not compromise municipal wells. Strategy C: Adopt Sourcewater Protection maps and land use regulations.

Town of Elkton Town Consulting Engineers Consultant MDE MDP

Outcome 5: Completion of a comprehensive Inflow and Infiltration (I&I) analysis. Progress Measures: Reduction of flow surge at Elkton’s Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) during periods of precipitation. Thus providing more plant capacity and eliminating the costs of treating stormwater inflow at the WWTP.

Strategy A: Identify any available grant funding. Strategy B: Engage a consultant to determine locations of compromised pipes in the sanitary sewer collection system. Strategy C: Develop plans to repair sanitary sewer collection system. Strategy D: Repair areas of I&I.

Town of Elkton Elkton Department of Public Works Elkton’s Consulting Engineers Consultant MDE

Outcome 6: Streambank restoration project. Progress Measures: Stabilized stream banks, and reduced silt loads in the Big Elk Creek. Reduced incidents of flooding.

Strategy A: identify sources of grant funds Strategy B: Engage a consultant to analyze and map the condition of the stream banks. Strategy C: Identify areas of erosion and develop stabilization strategies. Strategy D: Implement stabilization strategies Strategy E: Explore possibility of dredging excess silt from the Big Elk Creek Strategy F: Obtain necessary permits to dredge the Big Elk Creek. Strategy G: If approved, hire contractor to dredge excess silt from the Big Elk Creek.

Town of Elkton Consultant MDE FEMA Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Commission ACOE

[Type text]

Economy (Economic strengths and weaknesses can include but are not limited to regional accessibility, business attraction/retention, health of the business district and commercial vacancies, workforce/employment and economic drivers, local policies/regulations, marketing, tourism,

cultural and historic assets)

Strengths Weaknesses

Elkton is the county seat and is the commercial, governmental, and employment center for a large rural area.

Elkton is within the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). An MSA is an area of one or more adjacent counties or county equivalents that have at least one urban core area of at least 50,000 population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured by commuting ties. The PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA has a population of over 6 million.

Elkton’s Sustainable Community Area includes the downtown mixed-use central business district. Union Hospital; Cecil College; Circuit and District Courts; Cecil County Board of Education; the Cecil County Health Department; Cecil County Historical Society; Cecil County Arts Council; Cecil County Office of Tourism; Cecil County Chamber of Commerce; Elkton Chamber and Alliance (including a Visitor Center); Elkton Police Department and Elkton Municipal Offices are all located in the downtown central business district.

Elkton is a Main Street Community with a strong Façade Grant program.

Elkton’s downtown includes an Arts & Entertainment District and Historic District.

Certain zones provide assistance to property owners such as Maryland Main Street; Arts & Entertainment district; HUB zone; Enterprise Zone; and Historic District.

Active Chamber of Commerce/Elkton Alliance that hosts a large number of Community Events within the CBD.

The Elkton Alliance, a collaborative CDC, works closely with the MD Dept. of Commerce to provide assistance to local businesses.

The Elkton Alliance actively recruits new businesses to the downtown.

The Susquehanna Workforce Network is a regional nonprofit working in Harford and Cecil that works to maximize the nation's regional business potential.

Broadband is available throughout the town.

Water and Sewer availability throughout town.

Proximity to "tax-free" Delaware hinders growth.

Perception of high water and sewer connection fees may discourage potential growth.

Lack of grocery stores in downtown.

Number of vacant storefronts/buildings in the downtown.

Poor property conditions in the business district with high vacancies and blight.

Existing marketing plans and strategies are over 15 years old, and need to be updated

Absence of a multi-year Capital Improvement Plan.

Homeless population in parks, outside certain businesses and in the downtown.

Flooding affects certain commercial areas.

Lack of multi-modal transportation system (see Transportation section below).

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Small-business assistance program available via the actively used, award-winning (National Medal) Elkton branch of the County Public Library.

The Elkton Alliance was recently approved for a grant to engage a consultant to conduct an updated Market Analysis and Marketing Plan (Branding Design and Action Plan).

The Upper Chesapeake Corporate Center on U.S. Route 40, is an attractive industrial park in the SC Area, and is the location of Cecil County Administration Offices, Cecil Soil Conservation Services, Cecil County Emergency Management, Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), a trucking business, several industrial firms, a day care center, medical offices, a credit union, a grocery store and 60 undeveloped acres available for development.

Cecil County’s Phase 1 Business Incubator space is located in the downtown Cecil College campus.

Elkton is represented on the Cecil County Economic Development Commission.

A economic development promotional video was filmed in 2016 based on Justin Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop This Feelin”, and featured the Mayor, local businesses, newspaper, Arts Council, citizens, and municipal employees.

Elkton’s Historic Elk Landing site and events attract tourists to Elkton.

Desired Outcomes and Progress

Measures Strategies and Action Items Implementation Partners

Outcome 1:

Completed Branding

Design and Action

Plan.

Progress

Measures: Increase

in the number of

successful

businesses and

industry in Elkton’s

Sustainable

Communities Area.

Increase the number

Strategy A: Work with the consultants recently engaged by the Elkton Alliance to develop a Branding Design and Action Plan. Strategy B: Develop a prioritized list of capital projects to implement the Branding Design and Action Plan. Strategy C: If necessary, seek out financial assistance to implement the recommendations of the Plan.

Elkton Alliance Town of Elkton Consultant Town engineers Business Owners

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of tourists visiting

Elkton. Increase in

employment rate

and income levels.

Outcome 2: Development of a 5-year Capital Improvement Plan. Progress Measures: Well-maintained, fully functioning municipal infrastructure.

Strategy A: Develop a prioritized 5-year Capital Improvement Plan, which incorporates the recommendations of the Marketing Plan. Strategy B: Research funding sources to finance the recommended capital improvements Strategy C: Implement capital improvements consistent with timelines set forth in the plan.

Town of Elkton Elkton Alliance Town’s engineer MDE SHA DHCD

Outcome 3: Collaborate with Cecil County agencies on addressing homelessness. Progress Measures: Reduction in the number of homeless individuals in Elkton.

Strategy A: Convene another meeting with representatives from Cecil County Government, the Health Department and Social Services, the Mary Randall Center and the Men’s Shelter and other key stakeholders/service providers. Strategy B: Collaborate with the stakeholders to identify strategies to reduce homelessness in Cecil County. Strategy C: Identify grant funding that may enable implementation of strategies identified. Strategy D: Begin implementing strategies

Town of Elkton Cecil County Health Department Social Services Mary Randall Center Men’s Shelter DHCD

Outcome 4: Revisit the Flood Control Study completed by ACOE for Elkton in 2006. Encourage and assist property owners to implement the flood control measures recommended in the study.

Strategy A: Engage a floodplain expert to review the findings and recommendations of the Elkton Flood Control Study completed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2006. Strategy B: Determine if additional analysis of the floodplain is necessary. Strategy C: Identify available funding through FEMA for floodproofing or acquisition. Strategy C: Meet with property owners affected by flooding, and encourage the installation of floodproofing measures.

Town of Elkton Consultant FEMA Property Owners

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Progress Measures: Increase in the number of properties that have installed floodproofing measures. Reduction in flood damage to buildings in the floodplain.

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Transportation (Transportation strengths and weaknesses can include access to transit corridors, pedestrian safety and accessibility/sidewalks, alternative

modes of transportation, such as bikeways and trails, public transit, such as bus and rail, carpooling, proximity to transportation centers, parking, road conditions)


Completed 13 million dollar Main Street streetscape (phase 1) program with pedestrian improvements, traffic calming, and lighting.

Streetscape Phase II completed to the western end of Main Street.

Large public parks suitable for trail systems.

Located on major highway routes.

Newly adopted Bicycle Master Plan to improve cycling access.

Compact downtown with street grid.

Cecil County Transit Office provides fixed-route and demand-response transit service between Elkton, Glasgow, Newark, University of Delaware, North East and Perryville.

New wayfinding signs have been installed.

Implemented recommendations of Elkton’s TOD Plan regarding changes to the Zoning Ordinance.

Public Parking lot improvement project on Main Street included two-way access to Main Street, 4 electric vehicle charging stations, landscaping and LED lighting.

Elkton is currently developing a Pedestrian Plan.

New sidewalks and crosswalks linking Elkton Housing Authority residents with schools and downtown.

Lack of commuter rail. The former station is now closed, and there is no

connection to MARC. Lack of Elkton train station is missing link between Newark and Perryville, MD. Passenger rail service needed to connect Baltimore, Aberdeen, Elkton, Newark and Wilmington.

Lack of bicycle infrastructure.

Poor trail-cycle lane-sidewalk connectivity for bikers and pedestrians. (See Environment above).

Some sidewalks difficult to traverse and/or include impediments.

Not all major roads have sidewalks.

Lack of a multimodal transportation system to attract new workers to the area.

CBD needs more streetscape improvements. Priority is the “Train to Main“ (North Street, Railroad Avenue and Bow Street)

Bow Street municipal parking lots in need of upgrades.

A number of privately-owned parking lots are deteriorating and in need of maintenance.

Traffic congestion on MD 213 at U.S. Route 40.


Strategies and Action Items Implementation Partners

Outcome 1: Re-establish passenger rail service to

Elkton.

Progress Measures: The establishment of passenger rail service and a multi-modal transportation hub in downtown Elkton will create jobs, provide more transportation choices, improve access to community

Strategy A: Extending MARC passenger rail service to Elkton. Strategy B: Construction of a multi-modal transit center: Identify funding sources and partners; engage consultant to design transit center; bid and construct transit center. Strategy C: Construction of Phase III streetscape on North Street and Railroad Avenue to establish the “Train to Main” pedestrian link: Identify funding for streetscape improvements; engage consultant to design improvements; bid and construct improvements.

Town of Elkton Cecil County Government MTA MARC State of Maryland State of Delaware WILMAPCO Consultant

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amenities, enhance economic competitiveness, and enhance Elkton’s sustainability.

Outcome 2: Improved bicycle and pedestrian connectivity.

Progress Measures: Increase in the amount of “complete streets” in Elkton. Improved safety of pedestrians and bicyclists. Creation of healthy transportation choices in Elkton.

Strategy A: Implement the prioritized pedestrian and ADA improvements recommended in the Elkton Pedestrian Plan. Strategy B: Research funding opportunities for construction. Strategy C: Engage engineer to develop sidewalk improvement plans Strategy D: Construct improvements to the sidewalk infrastructure

Town of Elkton WILMAPCO Consulting engineers Elkton DPW SHA

Outcome 3: Improved public and private parking lots Progress Measures: Increase investments in public and private parking lots to make them more attractive, improve lighting and landscaping and efficiency in layout.

Strategy A: Identify key parking lots in need of improvement. Strategy B: Contact the owners of the parking lots and encourage them to make the necessary improvements/maintenance. Strategy C: Explore grant opportunities to assist the property owners.

Town of Elkton Property Owners DBED

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Housing (Housing strengths and weaknesses can include affordability, homeownership vs rental, housing stock diversity, housing condition and value,

housing programs, foreclosures, residential vacancies, property values, home sale values)


Diversity in housing age and type and price points.

A variety of housing options are available close to downtown.

Affordable housing is available in the SC area and throughout the town > over 13% of housing units in town are available to LMI individuals.

Several buildings on the National Historic Register and the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties.

A new 53-unit affordable senior housing complex within walking distance of bus and the proposed train station -> building was full within 7 months of opening.

The Elkton Housing Authority (EHA) provides affordable housing to 150 households on three (3) properties: Rudy Park, Windsor Village and Main Street Elderly – all within the Sustainable Community Area.

EHA received $250,000.00 in Strategic Demolition funds for improvements to their properties mentioned above. EHA has partnered with the Ingerman Group in a PPP to renovate and undertake new construction of the EHA’s existing housing to provide modernization, ADA accessibility, and greater housing choice for LMI families.

EHA administered a “Living to Leave a Legacy” grant that enabled them to place a family in a home. EHA administers 40 Housing Choice rental assistance vouchers.

Cecil County Housing Department offers a number of housing programs to assist those who are delinquent with mortgages, rent, budgeting, etc.

There are numerous faith-based food and shelter assistance programs for those in need.

Elkton’s Comprehensive Plan identifies areas of future growth/annexation areas.

Absentee landlords.

The Town is concerned about the high percentage of rental properties and would like to see an increase in home ownership.

12.3% vacancy rate.

Need for additional quality residential housing in downtown.

Lack of/deferred property maintenance.

Reduction of Federal funding for Housing Authorities.

There have been 191 foreclosures on homes in Elkton in the past 5 years.

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Outcome 1: The renovation and new construction of

the EHA’s existing properties.

Progress Measures: Re-investment in the

residential units to provide modernization, ADA

accessibility, and greater housing choice for low-

income households in need of affordable housing.

Strategy A: Utilize 9% LIHTC and a conversion of assistance under the HUD RAD Program. Strategy B: Begin construction, renovation, modernization and increase handicap accessibility for Windsor Village; Rehabilitate/reconfigure the Main Street Elderly property; demolish and construct new and expanded townhome apartments at Rudy Park.

Elkton Housing Authority The Ingerman Group

Outcome 2: Meet with Cecil County Housing Officials to identify and address barriers to homeownership. Progress Measures: Increase in the number of owner-occupied housing units in Elkton.

Strategy A: Meet with Cecil County Housing Officials to identify barriers to homeownership in Elkton. Strategy B: Collaborate with Cecil County Housing Officials on addressing the barriers to homeownership. Strategy C: Implement strategies.

Town of Elkton Cecil County Housing Office DHCD

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Quality of Life (Strengths and weaknesses can include crime, socio-economic demographics, educational opportunities, museums, libraries, historic and

cultural assets, civic amenities, faith-based organizations, economic health of households, sense of place, etc)


Elkton's Union Hospital is an award-winning, full-service community hospital located in downtown Elkton. It is nationally recognized for clinical excellence in the treatment and prevention of disease. The 84-bed (licensed), not-for-profit hospital is dedicated to providing superior, personalized, quality health care and is the largest regional hospital in Cecil County. Union Hospital also offers wellness and addiction programs and has expanded its footprint and services in downtown Elkton.

Cecil College Elkton Station is conveniently located in downtown Elkton. The new state-of-the-art facility opened its doors in 2005 and credit courses were offered at this location for the first time in the College's history. The fine arts, music, theatre and teacher education programs are located here and they are joined by Cecil's four-year college and university partners. Elkton Station also serves as the home for career and community education and youth programs, as well as the Mid-Atlantic Transportation and Logistics Institute and workforce development and business solutions. The student learning experience is enhanced through presentation technology and ultra-modern studios designed specifically for dance, music, theater and ceramics. The Performing Arts Hall and Elkton Station Gallery host student performances and art work.

The Elkton (Central) Branch of the Cecil County Library is an actively used award-winning (National Medal) library. They recently constructed a new parking lot and installed a solar panel array.

Elkton has a Historic District which includes a number of buildings on the National Historic Register and Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties. The diversity of architecture in Elkton shows the steady development and prosperity of the town over its 230 year history.

Elkton's Historic District Commission reviews all requests for alterations or new construction in Elkton's Historic overlay zone to ensure community character. The Town is in the process of adopting new Historic District Design Guidelines.

Elkton is a Main Street community and coordinates efforts of Sustainable Communities with Main Street Five-Point Approach for commercial revitalization.

Elkton Chamber and Alliance hosts approximately 40 outdoor events annually,

Community lacks a neighborhood recreation center.

Schools estimated to be over-capacity within the next five years.

Perception of Increased crime, drug use, and prostitution.

Homelessness. (See Economy)

17.5% of the individuals living in Elkton are below the poverty level. This has risen significantly since the 2006-2010 ACS (12.6%) and is higher than Cecil County (10%) and nearly double that of Maryland (9.7%). (See Economy)

Household income has decreased over the past five years, with the median household income at $53,851.00 – down from $54,902.00 in 2010 and is much lower than Cecil County ($66,396.00) and Maryland ($74,551.00).

Flooding in some parks. (See Environment)

Lack of passenger rail service. (See Transportation)

Road congestion at 213/40.

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including 15 Arts and Entertainment venues.

Arts and Entertainment District in downtown Elkton.

The Cecil County Arts Council, the Cecil County Historical Society and Cecil County College also host a number of cultural and arts programs/events in downtown Elkton throughout the year.

The Historical Society of Cecil County’s Eva M. Muse library has the largest collection of books, manuscripts, maps, government documents and newspapers pertaining to Cecil County in existence. The constantly expanding collection contains over 2,000 books and 14,000 issues of newspapers (starting in 1827). The Cecil County Historical Society will add a new WW1 artifact display to its museum this year.

The Cecil County Arts Council acts as a clearinghouse for information on the arts in Cecil County. Now in its 40th year, the Arts Council is a non-profit organization, dedicated to “presenting, promoting and sustaining the arts in Cecil County”.

Elkton is the only town in Cecil County with a Parks and Recreation Department. The Parks and Rec Department offers children’s dance classes, summer day camp, youth basketball, crafts, junior police academy, etc.

Elkton has a number of public parks offering tennis, basketball, football, fishing, a walking track, a dog park, playground equipment and picnic pavilions, and a small craft boat launch.

Little League ballfields adjacent to the downtown.

Cecil County Tourism Office is now on Main Street in the downtown.

Farmers Market in the downtown.

The Town has been very successful in obtaining and managing a variety of grants for capital improvement projects.

Elkton has its own Police Department.

The Cecil County Health Department is located in downtown Elkton.

Historic Elk Landing site (Revolutionary War and War of 1812).

Elkton is served by 3 public elementary schools, 3 public middle schools, 2 public high schools, a Parochial school, and a Christian Academy.

High school graduation rates have increased significantly, from 80% in 2010 to 85% today.

Faith-based and non-profit organizations provide food and shelter assistance to those in need.

EHA resident services ensures active involvement of residents with a variety of services in their pursuit of self-sufficiency and upward mobility. EHA was one of the first PHAs to implement Smoke-Free Housing.

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Outcome 1: Development of a community recreation

center within walking distance of older

neighborhoods within a Qualified Census Tract.

Progress Measures: The construction of a community neighborhood recreation center offering sports, recreation and education to the surrounding neighborhoods.

Strategy A: Prepare an RFQ to solicit qualifications for Design/Build firms Strategy B: Apply for funding assistance through DHCD’s CDBG program. Strategy C: Select a few firms from the responses to the RFQ to prepare an RFP to design and construct a community recreation center. Strategy D: Select a firm. Strategy E: Construct the building

Town of Elkton DHCD

Outcome 2: Reduction in crime/criminal activity.

Progress Measures: Continue to reduce crime rate, building on past success of the Elkton Police Department.

Strategy A: Make crime prevention a top priority. Strategy B: Ensure EPD has the resources it needs to do their jobs in a safe and effective manner. Strategy C: Keep public areas clean and well-lit. Strategy D: Continue to engage children in the community in EPD programs such as the Junior Police Academy. Strategy E: Engage adults in the community.

Town of Elkton Elkton Police Department Residents

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Local Planning and Land Use (Strengths and weaknesses in the local planning and land use subject area include but are not limited to zoning, land use, policies, taxes and

fees, historical patterns of development, lot sizes and shapes, etc)


Dedicated elected officials and staff with decades of experience.

Active Elkton Chamber & Alliance; Cecil County Arts Council; Elkton Historical Society; Cecil College activities and events with dedicated volunteers.

Elkton’s location in the Mid-Atlantic.

Elkton was once known as “The Marriage Capital of the East”.

Transportation network includes a number of State highways and Interstate 95.

Location along major transportation routes (roads, rail and water) contributed to Elkton’s early growth and development.

Elkton is the County Seat.

Passenger rail is planned to be re-established in the downtown.

Compact and Walkable downtown.

Main Street community; HUB zone; Enterprise Zone; Arts & Entertainment District.

Current zoning conducive to revitalization/mixed-use development.

Elkton acquired 62 acres of historic, environmentally sensitive land through Program Open Space grants. The Elk Landing Foundation was established and granted a 99-year lease to restore, maintain and interpret the historic buildings on this site which played a role in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, and is the site of Fort Hollingsworth.

Elkton recently reduced zoning barriers for senior and handicapped housing in the central business district.

Union Hospital and Cecil County College located in the downtown.

A number of large employers are located in and near Elkton.

Relaxed parking requirements in the Town Center zone.

Elkton was once perceived as a bedroom community for nearby New Castle County, Delaware. A number of large employers in NCC where many Elkton residents were employed, have closed or relocated in recent years (Chrysler, General Motors, Avon, MBNA). Elkton also has a need for additional parks, water access and recreation facilities. Large sports and recreation facilities are beyond the financial means of most small towns. Both of these weaknesses could be addressed by collaborating with sports developers via a public/private partnership (PPP). Mayor Alt has begun conversations with interested parties and property owners to develop such a facility on the south side of U.S. Route 40.

Need to develop a Sourcewater Protection Plan for our wellhead areas. (See Environment)

Need to link parkland with residential and commercial areas via trail system. (See Environment)

Elkton should either acquire or make an effort to protect the Little Wedding Chapel to preserve this iconic site and link to Elkton’s famous past.

Continue to work with and encourage the owner of the historic Holly Hall through Preservation Maryland’s Six to Fix Program to restore and adaptively reuse this important historic structure.

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Elkton has a water purchase agreement with Artesian Water Maryland for back-up to its surface water treatment plant.

Elkton recently constructed two (2) additional wells for redundancy and supply for future growth.

Elkton has a state of the art wastewater treatment plant with plenty of capacity.

Elkton’s Comprehensive Plan, Transit –Oriented Development Plan, and Bicycle Plan, promote and encourage Smart Growth Principles.

Elkton’s environmental regulations protect floodplains, wetlands, Critical Areas, forests, steep slopes and streams.

Elkton’s historic district regulations and design guidelines promote historic preservation.

Large community parks are located adjacent to the Big and Little Elk Creeks.

Plenty of available industrial-zoned land available for development.

There is an abundance of undeveloped land available for residential development.



Outcome 1: Development of a world-class Sports and

Recreation venue in Elkton.

Progress Measures: Construction of Large sports stadium, a variety of outdoor fields and water park.

Strategy A: Engage the services of a consultant to perform a feasibility study to determine the viability of a Sports and Recreation Complex. Strategy B: If the consultant determines the project to be feasible, seek funding sources and partners for the project. Strategy C: Engage engineering firms to design the Sports and Recreation complex. Strategy D: Construction of the complex.

Town of Elkton Cecil County Government Property owners Sports complex developers Investors MD Stadium Authority

Outcome 2: Acquisition/preservation of the Little

Wedding Chapel

Progress Measures: Preservation of an important

link to Elkton’s iconic past. Attract increased tourism

to downtown Elkton.

Strategy A: Purchase the property, or, encourage purchaser to retain key features of the building. Strategy B: Apply for Strategic Demolition Funds for acquisition and restoration. Strategy C: Develop the site as a tourism attraction.

Town of Elkton Elkton Alliance DHCD

SIGNATURE LETTER

On behalf of [INSERT Applicant local government full name], I hereby approve the

application for renewal of the Sustainable Communities designation for [INSERT Sustainable

Community Name]. I understand that the Disclosure Authorization and Certification from the

original Sustainable Communities application continues to apply to the applicant local

government, and as such the applicant agrees that not attaching an objection constitutes consent

to the information being made available to the public, and a waiver of any rights the applicant

may have regarding this information under Maryland’s Access to Public Records Act, State

Government Article, Section 10-611 et seq. of the Annotated Code of Maryland.

I also confirm that I am named or a former holder of my current title is named as an

authorized official for the Sustainable Communities designation for my local government in the

Local Government Authorization submitted with the original application.

________________________________________________

Authorized Signature

_Robert J. Alt, Mayor_______________________________________________

Type Name and Title

________________________________________________

Date

OMMUNITIES PROGRAM SUSTAINABLE C APPLICATION FOR ... · All Sustainable Community applications must meet the following threshold requirements: ... Please ALSO include GIS shapefiles

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