The agenda for the Board of Carroll County Commissioners’ meeting Thursday includes a public hearing on proposed new zoning regulations for the storage of food processing byproducts on farmland in the county.
Commissioners unanimously voted at their May 30 meeting to schedule a public hearing on the storage of Dissolved Air Flotation, or DAF, on agricultural land. On April 25, commissioners adopted a moratorium on the storage of food processing byproducts on farmland until Dec. 31.
At the April 25 meeting, commissioners also voted to forward the topic to the Carroll County Planning and Zoning Commission for its input. The commission recommended the following:
- Allow the storage of food processing residuals as a conditional use only on land zoned for agricultural use. Storage of DAF would be prohibited on land zoned for conservation.
- Require the storage of residuals or food byproducts be subject to both distance and site plan requirements.
- Prohibit the open top storage of residuals.
The spreading of DAF on farmland is regulated by the Maryland Department of Agriculture. The county regulates the storage of the material.
Staff from the county’s Department of Planning and Land Management and the Bureau of Comprehensive Planning will ask that commissioners allow another 10 days for the public to submit written comments, before making a final decision.
The commissioners’ agenda also includes a request to increase the annual contract with Johns Hopkins Department of Emergency Medicine, the independent contractor that provides the medical director for the county’s Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services, from $96,000 to $115,200.
The salary for the director works out to $192 per hour, 12 hours per week for 50 weeks, according to a county briefing paper. The funds are approved in the fiscal 2025 budget, which starts July 1.
This is not the first contract increase with the hospital. In July 2022, commissioners approved the first contract with Johns Hopkins for $52,000 annually to support an operational medical director position in the fire and EMS. In July 2023, commissioners agreed to renew the contract and increase the amount it pays to $96,000 for the current fiscal year.
A medical director is required by state law. Until July 2022, the medical director was contracted by Carroll County Volunteer Emergency Services Association. The county has since assumed responsibility for employing an individual to serve in this role.
The commissioners meeting is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m., in Room 311 of the County Office Building, 225 N. Center St., in Westminster. The meeting is livestreamed at https://www.youtube.com/@CarrollCountyGov. Anyone can make public comment at the meeting, in person or online. Those wishing to attend online should call 872-240-3212 and enter access code 317-923-893 to join the meeting.
