Published: March 22, 2008 12:17 am      

Millersville man hopes to subdivide Martin’s Mountain parcel, can’t afford taxes

Planning commission grants hearing over 146-acre tract

CUMBERLAND — Joe Lepore will have his hearing.

The Millersville resident owns a 146-acre parcel on Martin’s Mountain Lane near Oldtown. Due to a significant increase in property taxes over the last three years — they have more than tripled, and will be about $600 per month next year — Lepore asked the Allegany County Planning and Zoning Commission on Wednesday to let him present evidence that subdividing his land is a good idea.

The commission members voted 6-0 to grant the hearing, which could be scheduled sometime in May. Commission members wanted ample time to follow past practice of conducting a site visit before making a recommendation.

Lepore told the commission the property passed an engineer’s test for sufficient water resources and Allegheny Power indicated electricity is available. Only a transformer on the proposed lot needs to be installed.

“The property’s pretty much ready to go,” Lepore said. “I can’t even sell my property (without a variance).”

Lepore first approached the commission at its Feb. 27 meeting. There, he outlined a plan to sell 55 acres, or slightly more than one-third of the parcel.

He said that would leave less than 100 acres for himself and that subdivision rules dictate the minimum size of each lot be 50 acres. Further subdivision would not be possible, Lepore said. His is one of 14 lots in the subdivision.

The Anne Arundel County resident said property owners there pay for private road maintenance and have no public trash disposal pick-up. He said he doesn’t have any children in the Allegany County school system.

“I’m just asking for relief,” Lepore said, from one expense over which he has some level of control. “It’s too expensive for me to afford.”

County planner Phil Hager said the commission must decide whether to set aside current provisions of the county code. Hager said last month that “some aspects (of the request) make this potentially feasible.”

Contact Kevin Spradlin at kspradlin@times-news.com.