SNOW HILL – A controversial sewer issue in Pocomoke is set to be reconsidered by the Worcester County Commissioners in the coming weeks.
At the request of Commissioner Bud Church, who was absent during last year’s discussion, the commissioners are expected to again schedule a public hearing regarding a request to allow Pocomoke City to provide sewer service to the Royal Farms store in New Church, Va. The Worcester County Planning Commission voted 4-2 to support the amendment last week, with those in opposition pointing out it would set a precedent.
“If Virginia needs sewer they need to put it in,” said Rick Wells, who voted against supporting the amendment.
Bob Mitchell, the county’s director of environmental programs, presented the planning commission with a proposed amendment to the county’s water and sewer plan that would allow Pocomoke City to serve the Royal Farms store just over the state line in New Church. The amendment would allow the store to abandon its existing septic system, which has failed, and to connect to a restricted access line that connects to the Pocomoke City Wastewater Treatment Plant.
“This is essentially the same amendment we had before,” Mitchell said, referencing the amendment considered in 2021.
That amendment, which was considered by the commissioners in late 2021, resulted in a 3-3 vote and failed to pass. Attorney Mark Cropper, now representing Royal Farms, said that Church hadn’t been present at that meeting and wished to have the issue brought back up.
“Mr. Church has indicated a great willingness to be heard on this matter but we can’t get back to the commissioners without going back through the process, which requires us to come back before the planning commission,” he said. “The facts of this are exactly as they were in 2021 when a favorable recommendation (by the commission) was given.”
He said Pocomoke was already receiving the effluent.
“It’s getting there by pump and haul instead of a pipe,” he said. “The pipe is already in the ground. The pipe is sized for this capacity. Everybody knows it works. It’s just a matter of the county commissioners approving the amendment to the comprehensive water and sewer plan.”
Noting that there was already a Worcester County sewer line providing service to the welcome center in Virginia, Cropper said Royal Farms had no alternative other than to connect to it, as its septic system had already been replaced twice. He said if the commissioners didn’t approve the amendment there was no alternative but to shut down the store, which has been in existence 29 years and employs 42 people.
Jeff Harman of Becker Morgan Group said it was safer to transport sewage in a pipe than it was to pump it and haul it by truck to the plant four times a week.
“There’s a plethora of reasons we don’t want to do pump and haul,” he said. “We think this is definitely the best thing to protect the environment, protect the county and its residents.”
Cropper said Royal Farms had invested tens of millions in Worcester County during the past several years.
“There are few applicants more worthy of that cooperation and generosity than Royal Farms in light of their commitment to Worcester County,” he said. “They’ve made a massive investment in Worcester County over the years.”
Jerry Barbierri, chair of the commission, said he couldn’t help but think of all the accidents that occurred on Route 113 near the store and the fact that a truck was hauling sewage from there four times a week.
“That is a very congested corridor,” he said.
Wells indicated he strongly objected to letting a store in Virginia connect. He said if this connection was allowed other developers in the area would try to connect.
“If that kind of stuff is going to happen state of Virginia needs to establish a service aera, they need to fund the service area, and they need to make a deal with the Town of Pocomoke through Maryland, Worcester County and Pocomoke to allow this to happen,” he said.
Wells said allowing connections like this one would just take capacity away from the Pocomoke treatment plant.
“I’m not sure Pocomoke is looking that far ahead to serve everybody that might want to be annexed along here,” he said.
The commission voted 4-2, with Wells and Brooks Clayville opposed, to forward the amendment to the Worcester County Commissioners with a favorable recommendation. The commissioners are expected to schedule a public hearing date—likely in October or November—for the proposal at their Sept. 20 meeting.
