Sharptown’s Comprehensive Plan
looks at potential growth within the Town through the year 2030. Infrastructure, housing, growth and many
other issues are discussed within this plan.
The main purpose of this plan is to properly prepare for growth and
other issues that the Town will encounter over the next twenty years.
The Town would like to thank
Tracey Gordy and Keith Lackie with the Maryland Department of Planning Lower
Eastern Shore Regional Office for assisting the Town in finding grant funding
and for providing technical assistance at no cost to the Town. The Town would also like to acknowledge
Davis, Bowen & Friedel, Inc.’s planning and engineering staff for assisting
in preparing the Town’s future growth plan and the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration for providing financial assistance for this
project.
Article 66B of the Annotated Code
of Maryland requires municipalities that maintain zoning authority over the
jurisdiction to develop a comprehensive plan.
Article 66B also requires municipalities to address specific issues
within their growth plans. 2006 House
Bill 1141 further requires municipalities to address the impact projected
growth will have on infrastructure, water resources, schools, libraries and
public safety. Sharptown’s Comprehensive
Growth Plan meets the necessary requirements under Article 66B and House Bill
1141, and further addresses housing in order to be able to participate in the
Workforce Housing Grant Program developed under House Bill 1160.
The information below further
discusses Maryland’s
visions and requirements for growth as they relate to Sharptown.
The following eight “vision statements” are based on the 1992 Planning
Act, and subsequent amendments thereto, and are incorporated into this
Comprehensive Plan as fundamental goals which will be achieved through a
variety of objectives, policies, principles, recommendations, and
implementation techniques.
(1)
The
Town will concentrate development in suitable areas. Further, the Town will
coordinate its planning activities with the County to establish a mutually
agreed-upon Town Growth Boundary (TGB) to accommodate future municipal growth.
(2)
The
Town will protect its sensitive areas from the adverse effects of development
and the improper management of resource lands.
The TGB will avoid sensitive areas, or protect them as public open
space, or protect them with innovative and flexible development regulations.
(3)
The
Town will work cooperatively with the County to encourage it to protect rural
resources beyond the TGB that affect the environment, setting, character, and
economics of the Town.
(4)
The
Town will promote stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay
and the land and will encourage a universal stewardship ethic that guides
actions of both the public and private sectors.
Stewardship principles will also guide preparation of land use
regulations and capital programs, and be promoted through incentives and
community volunteerism.
(5)
The
Town will conserve its land, water, and other valuable resources through
programs and policies that will reduce resource consumption by both the public
and private sectors. The Town will promote efficient and pedestrian-oriented
patterns of land use, energy saving measures for residences and businesses, and
recycling.
(6)
In
order to achieve Visions One through Five, above, the Town will encourage
economic growth through the policies and recommendations of the Plan, and will
practice regulatory innovation, flexibility, and streamlining.
(7)
The
Town will make certain that adequate public facilities and infrastructure under
its control are available or planned in areas where growth is to occur.
(8)
The
Town will address funding mechanisms to achieve the preceding Visions. The Town budget, capital improvement program,
tax structure, and fees will be reviewed and revised where needed to ensure
implementation of the Plan and to promote the community’s vision for the
future. The Town will pursue appropriate
State and federal grants, forge grant partnerships with the County in areas of
mutual interest, review Town capital projects to ensure consistency with the
Plan, and encourage State and County capital projects that support the Plan.
The 1997 Priority Funding Areas Act capitalizes on the influence of
State expenditures on economic growth and development. This legislation directs
State spending to Priority Funding Areas. Priority Funding Areas are existing
communities and places where local governments want State investment to support
future growth.
Growth-related
projects covered by the legislation include most State programs that encourage
or support growth and development such as highways, sewer and water
construction, economic development assistance, and State leases or construction
of new office facilities.
The
Priority Funding Areas legislation builds on the foundation created by the
Visions that were adopted as State policy in the 1992 Economic Growth, Resource
Protection and Planning Act and are articulated above as fundamental goals for
the Town of Sharptown.
Beginning October 1, 1998, the State of Maryland
directed funding for projects that support growth to Priority Funding Areas.
Funding for projects in municipalities, other existing communities, industrial
areas, and planned growth areas designated by counties receive priority State funding over other projects.
Priority Funding Areas are locations where the State and local governments want
to target their efforts to encourage and support economic development and new
growth.
Sharptown’s
municipal boundary, as it existed on January 1, 1997, is considered a
pre-defined Priority Funding Area, and as such enjoys a priority for State
funding for growth-related projects. For
those lands annexed after January 1, 1997, Sharptown must seek State
concurrence of Local certification of Priority Funding Area designation. Factors considered by the State include: provision
of public water and sewer, site location within a locally designated growth
area of the adopted Comprehensive Plan, as well as permitted density by zoning
category and a supply/demand analysis.
In addition to the Priority Funding Areas Act, the 1997
General Assembly passed four other pieces of legislation and budget initiatives
- Brownfields, Live Near Your Work, Job Creation Tax Credits, and Rural
Legacy-known collectively as "Smart Growth."
Smart
Growth directs the State to target programs and funding to support established
communities and locally designated growth areas, and to protect rural areas.
The Priority Funding Areas Act provides a geographic focus for the State's
investment in growth-related infrastructure. The remaining four components
complement this geographic focus by targeting specific State resources to
preserve land outside of Priority Funding Areas, to encourage growth inside
Priority Funding Areas, and to ensure that existing communities continue to
provide a high quality of life for their residents.
Maryland has adopted the following
principles of Smart Growth, which provide guidance for new development, infill
development, and redevelopment:
·
Mix
land uses;
·
Take
advantage of compact building design;
·
Create
housing opportunities and choices;
·
Create
walkable communities;
·
Foster
distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place;
·
Preserve
open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas;
·
Provide
a variety of transportation options;
·
Strengthen
and direct development to existing communities;
·
Make
development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective; and
·
Encourage
community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions.
Although the 1997
Smart Growth initiative was significant in the State's refusal to fund wasteful
sprawl development, it is also only one component in the continuum of Maryland's growth policy
development.
During
the 2006 Maryland Legislative Session, House Bill 1141 was enacted. This is a key planning related law having a
direct effect on procedures for annexation and requiring new planning elements
within Sharptown’s Comprehensive Plan.
There are two significant changes, with respect to
annexation procedures, which affect the Town.
The first change is dealing with “the five year rule” and the second
change deals with “annexation plans”
The Five Year Rule
There
are two changes here. First, the rule would be applied solely based upon
zoning. In the past, the five-year rule could be applied whenever a proposed
new zoning classification was substantially different from the use envisioned
"in the current and duly adopted master plan." The reference to the
master plan is now gone and the issue becomes the degree of change from the
current county zoning classification to the proposed municipal classification
following the annexation. When the zoning change is from one residential zone
to another," substantially different" now is defined as a density
change. The five-year rule will not kick in for a density change unless the
proposed zoning is 50% denser. For example, if the current zoning permits 1
unit per acre, the new zoning can be subject to the five year rule if it
permits anything more than 1.5 units per acre. As before, a municipality may
obtain a waiver from the county to avoid the five-year wait until the new
zoning classification applies. This
change took effect on October 1, 2006.
Annexation Plans
An
annexation plan is required that replaces the "outline" for the
extension of services and public facilities prior to the public hearing for an
annexation proposal. This section contains no additional language for the
content of the annexation plan to be adopted, but does require it to be
consistent with the municipal growth element for any annexations that begin
after October 1, 2009 (unless extended for up to two six-month periods). The
Plan must be provided to the county and the State (the Maryland Department of
Planning) at least 30 days prior to the hearing. The requirement for an
annexation plan and the requirement that it be provided to the Maryland
Department of Planning took effect on October 1, 2006. The requirement for
consistency with the Municipal Growth Element of the comprehensive plan takes
effect no later than October 1, 2009.
The
new legislation mentioned above requires two new elements (i.e., chapters) of
local comprehensive plans. The first element, the Water Resources Plan Element
- is required of all local governments (county and municipal) that exercise
planning and zoning authority. The second element, the Municipal Growth Element
- is required in municipal comprehensive plans only. Both elements are required
to be incorporated into the Town’s Comprehensive Plan not later than October 1,
2009 (unless extended for up to two six-month periods).
The Water Resources Plan Element
This
new planning element addresses the relationship of planned growth to water
resources for both waste disposal and safe drinking water. It will be required
of all county and municipal governments in the State. The element must identify
drinking water and other water resources adequate for the needs of existing and
future development proposed in the land use element of the comprehensive plan.
It must also identify suitable receiving waters for both wastewater and storm
water management to meet the needs of existing and projected development
proposed in the land use element of the comprehensive plan. The Maryland Department
of the Environment will provide available data to identify these resources.
Resource issues expected to be addressed in these elements include water
resource protection areas, groundwater resources, water quality standards and
Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs).
The Municipal Growth Element
This
element requires a municipality to identify areas for future growth consistent
with a long-range vision for its future. The growth element will be developed
based on consideration of a comprehensive list of factors including population
projections, an assessment of land capacity and needs and an assessment of
infrastructure and sensitive areas. Completion of the element will guide future
annexation proposals and plans after October 2009. Consultation with Wicomico County is required, and a joint planning
agreement with the county is encouraged.
THIS PAGE WAS LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK
Sharptown is an incorporated community of
approximately 680 residents.
It lies in the northwestern tip of Wicomico
County along the Nanticoke
River approximately two miles from the
Delaware State line. Direct access is provided to Dorchester County, Maryland
via Maryland Route 313 - Sharptown Bypass. The nearest urban centers are Laurel and Seaford, Delaware (approximately eight and twelve miles,
respectively), and Salisbury,
Maryland which is approximately
17 miles from Sharptown. Access to Salisbury is provided by
Maryland Route 313, Maryland Route 54 and U.S. Route 50. A map showing the location of Sharptown is
located on the following page.
When America
declared its independence from Great Britain
in 1776, Sharptown was little more than a hamlet on the southern bank of the Nanticoke River.
Although the Town's origin is uncertain, the discovery of thousands of
spear and arrow heads in the area proves that it was inhabited by Native
Americans. The area was the first high
and dry building site on the south side of the river from its mouth, almost 32
miles distant. Some sources indicate it
was recognized as a settlement about 1769.
By the very early 1800's however, it was known as
Sharptown. Speculation has it that the
village was named after Governor Horatio Sharpe, proprietary Governor of
Maryland from 1753 to 1769. Although the
Governor never seemed to mention this honor in his personal letters or papers,
he was in that area in June 1761 to observe the work of a group of surveyors
involved in the preliminary Delaware
boundary dispute.
Three years after the Governor's visit, the famous
surveying team of Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon crossed the Nanticoke in canoes,
making their way south toward the Middle Point, and landed at Twiford's Wharf
where they pitched their tents. On an
earlier visit in June they had hired ax men from the local populace who were
still part of their crew. Throughout the
next few weeks they continued to work in the neighborhood, keeping their
"headquarters" at Twiford's.
They left the last part of September of 1764.
Gravestones from the 1700's bear names of many
families still living in the town - Bennett, Phillips, Elzey, Robinson,
Gravenor, Dashiell and Collins. Around 1818, the Matthew Marine family settled
there. Matthew Marine's ancestors had
been among Maryland's
first settlers. They were of French
Huguenot stock and in the 1600's spelled their name Merine or Merin. His grandfather had been in Somerset County
in 1736 but later moved to Dorchester, and it
was from there that Matthew and his wife Nancy Rawlings came to Sharptown. The Nanticoke River
family settled there.
Matthew Marine's ancestors had been among Maryland's first settlers. They were of French Huguenot stock and in the
1600's spelled their name Merine or Merin.
His grandfather had been in Somerset
County in 1736 but later moved to Dorchester, and it was
proved to be more than a navigable river to use for
transportation; it was the basis for an industry that would carry the town's
name across the oceans.
As the founder of the Sharptown Marine Railway,
Marine owned the largest fleet of schooners of any one person on the Nanticoke that ran from Sharptown to Baltimore. He also became a financier,
philanthropist, a banker and "man of public affairs." He died in 1854.
His son, the Rev. Fletcher Marine, was in business
with his father for a while, but later moved to Vienna
and on to Baltimore
where he served as a minister until his death in 1889. The Reverend Fletcher Marine's son, William,
was appointed a collector of the port
of Baltimore by President
Benjamin Harrison.
Some of the better known ships built by the railway
between 1865 and 1893 included the “Martha Ellen”, the “Nettie R. Evans”, the
“James H. Hargrave” and the “John W. Elliott”.
At the turn of the century, 18 sailing vessels registered as U.S.
merchant ships had been built in Sharptown.
They ranged in gross tonnage from 9.43 to 215.5 tons. The
last large sailing vessel built on the Chesapeake Bay
was the four-masted “Anandale” constructed there in 1919. Some steamships were built at Sharptown, such
as the “George W. Johnson” in 1883, but the shipyard's prime product was always
the sailing vessel.
The
first steamboat to come by Sharptown on the way to Seaford was the “Osiris” in
1854, followed by the Kent
in 1855. From 1860 to 1885, several
companies including the Old Bay Line and the Tolchester Company, attempted to
establish steamboat lines on the Nanticoke
River, but they usually
proved unsuccessful. Then the Nanticoke
Transportation Line put the “W. E. Clarke” in service, later renamed “Nanticoke”, in 1883. That same year the Nanticoke Steam Boat
Company put the side-wheeler “Chowan” on the river. The same run was made by the chartered
“Conoho” of the Choptank Steamboat Company.
Both companies made three trips a week-between Baltimore
and the towns on the Nanticoke. By 1899, the “Chowan”, also renamed the
“Nanticoke” by her new owners, the Baltimore Chesapeake and Atlantic Railway
Company, could offer passengers their choice of fourteen state rooms equipped
with electric lights. Freight shipped
from Baltimore via a steamer was often
transferred to smaller steamers at Sharptown and then sent to other Eastern Shore towns.
In the early part of the 1800's, the prosperity in
the Town attracted many new settlers. By
1845, there were enough residents to warrant the establishment of a post
office. Nine years later, Somerset County made the area its thirteenth
election district. When Wicomico County was created in 1867, it became
District 10.
Religion has always played an important part in the
lives of the town's people. A Methodist
Episcopal church had been built outside of the town in 1832, but in those days
it was just too far to travel. Instead
the Methodist Protestant church in nearby Portsville,
Delaware, had started sponsoring
services in the homes of families in Sharptown.
The Phillips and Cooper families especially were instrumental in having
the Harmony Methodist Protestant church built in town in 1845. In 1885, the members, under the leadership on
Rev. G. R. McCready, built a new church on a lot on the corner of Railway and
Church Streets. A Methodist Episcopal
church, meanwhile, had been constructed in town in 1876.
During the Civil War, there was little enthusiasm for
either the North or South in Sharptown.
Although a Union regiment was formed, based in Salisbury,
they disbanded when ordered to cross the Chesapeake Bay. Few men joined the Confederate side.
By 1877, the town could boast of four dry goods
stores owned by John Smith, Thomas J. Twilley, J.R. Twilley, and S. T.
Cooper. There was also a basket company
located in Sharptown at this time which had been established by John Robinson
and his brother. They manufactured grape
and peach baskets, desk plugs, trunnel wedges, wood and iron turning, and fruit
crates and baskets. There was a
blacksmith/shipsmith shop (owned by Edward Burford), two ship carpenter/smith
shops (owned by John W. Robinson and W.I.J. Phillips), and a ship carpenter/sail
maker, C. J. Gravenor. Wesley Clarkson
owned a thriving business in groceries and whiskey by the wharf. The Sharptown Marine Railway Company was in
operation, now owned by R. M. Elzey and Brothers. Dr. Joseph Mann cured the town's ills. Joshua P. Bennett and Richard Darby served as
Justices of the Peace in the district, while James F. Marine was Officer of
Registration for elections.
The Town was first incorporated in 1874 but that was
repealed in 1880, only to be incorporated again eight years later (1888) in a
manner identical to that of the Act of 1874.
An unusual feature of that Act was that it allowed Town Commissioners to
alter town boundaries. The entire
charter was again repealed and reenacted in 1912.
For
several years after World War I, business declined due to the loss of the
railway. Robinson sold his growing
basket-making business to Marvel Package Company and with that as the main
employer, the Town provided jobs for approximately 200 of its own
residents. The population was maintained
at 600 to 700 for most of the years after 1920.
Marvel Package Company later sold to Atlas Plywood Company. After the factory was destroyed by fire in
1953, they decided not to rebuild it and Sharptown's bustling business days
came to an end.
To present day, the character of Sharptown
has not changed much from its shipbuilding and industrial days. With the exception of a national concern over
removing toxic chemicals from an old oil company site, Sharptown has flown under
the radar for the past 50 years.
In order to develop a vision for
the Town’s future, direct input from residents and businesses of the Town was
sought out. In Fall 2007, the President
and Town Commissioners and the Planning Commission met separately to discuss
whether the previous vision, goals and objectives listed in the 1996
Comprehensive Plan were still valid and discussed changes to the vision, goals
and objectives that should be added in this update.
Later in Fall 2007, the Town conducted
a Comprehensive Planning workshop. All
of the residents and businesses in Sharptown were invited to participate in the
input and visioning process. All members
in attendance were informed of the comprehensive planning process and the State
guidelines for developing a comprehensive plan.
The larger group was separated into smaller “breakout” groups and asked
to brainstorm about various issues, including future growth, the character of
the community and services provided to the Town. The groups input was compiled and used to
further develop the vision for this Plan.
The Town further sought out
alternative methods of gaining community input throughout this planning
process. Anonymous surveys and comment
forms were distributed door-to-door to members of the community. Surveys and discussion boards were also made
available via an internet website in order to gain a greater response from a
larger sample area. Survey results and
questionnaires were analyzed and incorporated into the vision for the Town.
The individual plan elements in
draft form were provided at Town Hall and on the internet for review and
comment by Town residents. Two public
hearings were held, by the Planning Commission and Town Council, where additional
feedback was provided. All comments were
incorporated into the Comprehensive Plan where applicable.
Resident Survey Results
Town residents were provided a
survey door-to-door and on the internet.
The survey asked residents to respond to a number of questions,
including their satisfaction with Town facilities and their feelings about
expanding Town boundaries to coordinate growth.
Out of the nearly 300 households and 680 residents, the Town received an
18% and 7.5% rate of response, respectively.
After
receiving input from the community, as described above, and reviewing the
Town’s vision for the future as stated in the 1996 Comprehensive Plan, the
character and vision for the community remains virtually unchanged. Sharptown would like to remain a small, tight-knit,
“bedroom” community. The Town prides
itself on remaining a personable residential community and maintaining the
character of the Town while recognizing and managing inevitable future growth.
The residents of Sharptown
realize their community is growing slowly but will continue to grow. The Town understands young families need to
be welcomed into Sharptown as residents and neighbors to the existing community
in order to maintain the Town’s vitality.
Residents also recognize it has a strong and growing retirement
population that is fundamental to the fabric of the community. In order to keep the close community together
as times change, it is important to the residents of Sharptown that its borders
remain small and the community does not expand to the point where the Town
loses its character mainstay.
The future of the Town must
maintain and carry on the story of its historical roots. Residents and businesses recognize the rich
history and historical resources of the Town.
Main Street
consists of a mix of residences and small businesses which provide important
services to members of the community within close proximity of their
homes. The downtown business community
also must be able to thrive in providing quality services to the locals.
Sharptown must also create a
business environment that allows for the development of additional services
within Town so residents do not have to travel long distances for essential
needs (e.g., food, medical care, senior services). The Town further notes any business expansion
must be sustainable – meaning it will need to be in scale and character to be
supported economically by the residents and businesses in Sharptown. Moreover, business development that is
incompatible with the Main Street Community should be developed along the
highway corridor in order to maintain the historic areas.
The Town has the luxury of many
different parks of varying sizes and the use of the Nanticoke River. Residents recognize in order to maintain
these gems that parks and recreation must be utilized and supported by a broad
range of residents within Sharptown and the outside community. The community’s parks help Sharptown maintain
its rural character and also provide an environment for providing healthy
recreation.
Residents also realize that
Sharptown is a small part of a much larger community on the Eastern
Shore sharing vital water resources. The residents’ vision is to protect vital
resources by endorsing a growth pattern that leads to the least impact on water
supply and the Nanticoke
River. Development must occur in a manner that
recognizes the “big picture” problems that occur with a lack of infrastructure,
resources and sprawl.
In closing, the vision for the
community is simple: maintain the
character and quality of life in the community, provide services to the Town’s
residents and create an environment that allows for controlled growth while
introducing new families into the fabric of Sharptown.
The following goals and
objectives are guided by the State’s eight visions and the community’s
visioning and participation.
- Maintain the rural character of community;
- Recognize and protect the Town’s historic resources;
- Encourage infill growth where possible;
- Discourage sprawl;
- Ensure housing is available and affordable to all
members of the community;
- Encourage commercial and economic growth that can be
sustained by the Sharptown community and does not affect Main Street
businesses;
- Protect and preserve Sharptown parks and recreational
facilities;
- Protect the Nanticoke River
and its resources, and prohibit environmentally hazardous development
within the Chesapeake Bay Critical Area;
- Create a future growth pattern that has the least
impact on vital water resources and community infrastructure;
- Improve transportation patterns and street
infrastructure to meet the current and future needs of the community;
- Ensure Town resources are not diminished beyond
standards set in this plan concerning future growth;
- Work along side of property owners and developers to
mitigate future impacts and meet the needs of the Town;
- Develop mechanisms to implement the broad-based goals
of the community;
- Ensure funding mechanisms exist or are planned for as
part of the implementation process.
Sharptown is a beautiful hamlet
community in Wicomico
County. The Town looks forward to the challenge of
maintaining its current character, while adapting to future growth and other
growth challenges. This plan is being
developed to guide the visions of the community for future generations of
residents and public officers. In 2030,
Sharptown plans to remain a small, personable community that is more improved
by implementing this plan.
Implementation and funding is
important to make sure this plan is more than just a plan, but a mechanism for
guiding the future of the Town. The
policies that are drawn from this plan are as equally important as the future
vision for the Town and the goals and objectives discussed herein. A Comprehensive Plan is a living, breathing
document. The Town should revisit the
plan from time-to-time to see which goals have been met, where shortfalls
remain and to address the new goals of the community.
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Population Trends
The Town of Sharptown has experienced periodic increases
and decreases in population throughout the decades, showing a 31 person (4.6%)
net decrease in population from 1950 to 2000.
In the years from 1960 to 1970 and 1990 to 2000, Sharptown’s population
increased by 40 persons. In the years
from 1950 to 1960, 1970 to 1980, and 1980 to 1990 the town experienced a
decrease in population of 60, 6, and 45 persons, respectively. Sharptown is currently experiencing a period
of increasing population as of 2000 (See Figure 3-1 below).
Figure 3‑1
Source: MD Office of Planning, Planning Data
Services & 2000 Census
The 2000 Census population of
Sharptown is 649 persons, 40 persons (6.6%) above the 1990 Census count of
609. Prior to 1990 there was a 51 person
(7.7%) decrease in population since 1970.
Note that Sharptown conforms to the trend of increasing population among
Wicomico County municipalities from 1990 to 2000;
however, since 1970 Sharptown is the only municipality to experience a net loss
of population. Wicomico
County and the State of Maryland both have
experienced population growth according to every Census since 1950 (See Table 3
- 1)
Sharptown accounts for a small
portion of Wicomico
County’s total
population. In 1970, it accounted for
1.22% of the county total. By 1980 it
decreased to 1.01%, by 1990 to 0.82% and by 2000 to 0.77%. These decreasing proportions are reflective
of Sharptown’s primarily static population compared to the more rapidly
increasing population of Wicomico
County, which has
increased in population 56.1% since 1970.
|
Table 3‑1
|
|
Total Population
|
|
Place
|
1950
|
1960
|
1970
|
1980
|
1990
|
2000
|
|
Delmar
|
1,328
|
1,291
|
1,191
|
1,232
|
1,430
|
1,859
|
|
Fruitland
|
1,028
|
1,147
|
2,315
|
2,694
|
3,511
|
3,774
|
|
Hebron
|
723
|
754
|
705
|
714
|
665
|
807
|
|
Mardela Springs
|
428
|
380
|
356
|
320
|
360
|
364
|
|
Pittsville
|
497
|
488
|
477
|
519
|
602
|
1,182
|
|
Salisbury
|
15,141
|
16,302
|
15,252
|
16,429
|
20,592
|
23,743
|
|
Sharptown
|
680
|
620
|
660
|
654
|
609
|
649
|
|
Willards
|
464
|
531
|
494
|
540
|
708
|
938
|
|
Wicomico County
|
39,641
|
49,641
|
54,236
|
64,540
|
74,339
|
84,644
|
|
State of Maryland
|
2.3 M
|
3.1 M
|
3.92 M
|
4.22 M
|
4.78 M
|
5.29 M
|
|
Source: MD Office of
Planning, Planning Data Services & 2000 Census
|
Age Composition
The
age structure and total population trends are important components of future
land use designations for Sharptown’s future needs. Programmers of policies for community
facilities, such as schools or services, and providing transportation for
persons with limited mobility, rely on age composition data. In addition, key indicators of relative well
being, such as employment and housing, are also dependent upon the age structure
of the population (See Table 3-2). In comparison to the State, the County, and
other municipalities in Wicomico
County, Sharptown consists
of a smaller proportion of children less than 5 years of age. Sharptown also has a smaller proportion of
population from 18 to 24. Persons 18 to
24 years old are generally the most mobile population group. The lower proportion of 18 to 24 year olds is
most likely reflective of those individuals leaving Sharptown after completing
high school to enter the civilian labor force, go away to college, or join the
military.
Figure 3‑2
|
Table 3‑2
|
|
Age Cohort by Municipality
|
|
City/Town
|
<5
|
5-17
|
18-24
|
25-44
|
45-64
|
65+
|
Median Age
|
|
Delmar (1,859)
|
8.4%
|
23.1%
|
9.8%
|
30.1%
|
18.6%
|
10.0%
|
31.7
|
|
Fruitland (3,774)
|
7.4%
|
20.8%
|
9.4%
|
30.0%
|
20.5%
|
11.9%
|
34.3
|
|
Hebron (807)
|
7.1%
|
23.4%
|
8.4%
|
30.4%
|
20.1%
|
10.7%
|
32.2
|
|
Mardela Springs (364)
|
6.3%
|
22.8%
|
8.2%
|
30.2%
|
20.6%
|
11.8%
|
34.3
|
|
Pittsville (1,182)
|
8.6%
|
18.2%
|
9.6%
|
34.1%
|
20.5%
|
9.0%
|
32.2
|
|
Salisbury (23,743)
|
6.2%
|
15.6%
|
21.8%
|
26.9%
|
17.0%
|
12.5%
|
29.4
|
|
Sharptown (649)
|
4.9%
|
20.4%
|
5.2%
|
31.1%
|
21.9%
|
16.5%
|
37.9
|
|
Willards (938)
|
8.6%
|
20.4%
|
9.4%
|
32.0%
|
17.5%
|
12.2%
|
32.4
|
|
Wicomico County (84,644)
|
6.3%
|
18.5%
|
11.8%
|
28.0%
|
22.6%
|
12.8%
|
35.8
|
|
State of Maryland (5,296,486)
|
6.7%
|
18.9%
|
8.5%
|
31.4%
|
23.1%
|
11.3%
|
36.0
|
|
Source: 2000 Census
|
The ratio of persons in the 25 to
44 year old age group for Sharptown is 31.1%, higher than Wicomico
County at 28.0% and slightly lower
than the State of Maryland
at 31.4%.
The median age of Sharptown is
higher than all other municipalities in Wicomico
County, as well as Wicomico County
as a whole and the State of Maryland. In 2000, the median age of the people
residing in Wicomico County was 35.8 years, while the median age of the
residents of Sharptown was 37.9 years of age; 2.1 years higher than that of the
county (See Figure 3-2). While the
median age difference is not that drastic between Sharptown and Wicomico County,
Sharptown’s median age is 8.5 years higher than that of Salisbury, the municipality with the lowest
median age.
The 45 to 64 year old group
comprises 21.9% of the total population in Sharptown. While this is the highest share for this age
group of any other municipality in Wicomico
County (ranging from 17.0% in Salisbury to 20.6% in
Mardela), the difference is minimal. For
the County and State, the percentage of this age group to total population are
22.6% and 23.1%, respectively, both of which are greater than Sharptown’s
proportion in this age group.
Persons 65 years old and over
comprise 16.5% of Sharptown’s population, compared to 12.8% for the County and
11.3% for the State. In other
municipalities, this age group ranges from 9.0% in Pittsville to 12.2% in Willards. When this age group is coupled with the
grouping of persons 45 to 64 years, persons 45 years and older accounted for
38.4% of Sharptown’s population. In Wicomico County, the two age groups accounted for
35.4% of the total population and 34.4% Statewide. In other municipalities of the County, the
range is from 29.5% in Salisbury
and Pittsville and 32.4% in Mardela Springs and Fruitland (See Table 3-2).
Gender and Racial Composition
In the 2000 Census, Sharptown’s
population was 46.8% male and 53.2% female.
This closely mirrors the gender characteristics of Maryland
and Wicomico County (See Figure 3-3). Sharptown exists as a dominantly white
community with 94.9% of its population being white. Sharptown considerably lacks the racial
diversity that exists in Wicomico County and the State of Maryland (See Figure 3-4).
Figure 3‑3
Figure 3‑4
Education
The majority of Sharptown’s
persons 3 years and older are enrolled in elementary schools (grades 1-8) which
are generally 6 to 14 year old children.
The proportion of elementary age children is considerably higher than
that of Wicomico County
and Maryland. In contrast, the proportion of persons
enrolled in college or graduate school is 8.6%, considerably less than that of Wicomico County
and Maryland. Sharptown has a higher percentage of high
school graduates, but a lower percent of persons with degrees of higher
education than the County, but a lower percentage than the State (See Table 3-3).
|
Table 3‑3
|
|
Educational Statistics
|
|
|
Sharptown
|
Wicomico
|
Maryland
|
|
Persons 3 years or older enrolled in
school
|
175
|
24,554
|
1,475,484
|
|
Nursery school, preschool
|
1.7%
|
5.4%
|
6.5%
|
|
Kindergarten
|
5.1%
|
4.3%
|
5.1%
|
|
Elementary school (grades 1-8)
|
66.3%
|
41.0%
|
43.5%
|
|
High school (grades 9-12)
|
18.3%
|
19.8%
|
20.9%
|
|
College or graduate school
|
8.6%
|
29.5%
|
24.0%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Educational Attainment: Persons 25 years and
over
|
429
|
53,521
|
3,495,595
|
|
Less than 9th grade
|
4.4%
|
6.0%
|
5.1%
|
|
9th-12th grade, no diploma
|
14.0%
|
13.4%
|
11.1%
|
|
High school graduate (Includes GED)
|
43.4%
|
34.4%
|
26.7%
|
|
Some college, no degree
|
21.0%
|
19.4%
|
20.3%
|
|
Associate degree
|
2.6%
|
5.0%
|
5.3%
|
|
Bachelor's degree
|
11.2%
|
13.7%
|
18.0%
|
|
Graduate or professional degree
|
3.5%
|
8.2%
|
13.4%
|
|
Source: 2000 Census
|
Employment and Labor Force
Characteristics
According to the 2000 Census,
Sharptown has a civilian labor force of 313 persons over the age of 16, with 9
people listed as unemployed; the unemployment rate for Sharptown is less than
half of that of the County’s 3.7% unemployment rate (See Table 3-4). Over half of Sharptown’s labor force is
dedicated to one of the following employment sectors: 1) Manufacturing; 2) Retail Trade; or, 3)
Education, Health, and Social Services.
Of the town’s 304 workers, 81.91% are within the private wage and salary
worker class (See Table 3-5). Both of
these statistics closely mirror those of Wicomico County.
|
Table 3‑4
|
|
|
Industry & Employment Characteristics
|
|
|
|
Sharptown
|
Percent
|
Wicomico Percent
|
Maryland Percent
|
|
|
|
Employment
Status:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Population 16+
years old
|
489
|
|
66,207
|
4,085,942
|
|
|
Employed Persons
|
304
|
62.2%
|
63.8%
|
63.8%
|
|
|
Unemployed
Persons
|
9
|
1.8%
|
3.7%
|
3.2%
|
|
|
Not in labor
force
|
176
|
36.0%
|
32.3%
|
32.2%
|
|
|
|
|
|
0.2%
|
0.8%
|
|
|
Industry:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, mining
|
4
|
1.3%
|
2.2%
|
0.6%
|
|
|
Construction
|
28
|
9.2%
|
7.2%
|
6.9%
|
|
|
Manufacturing
|
51
|
16.8%
|
14.5%
|
7.3%
|
|
|
Wholesale trade
|
7
|
2.3%
|
3.8%
|
2.8%
|
|
|
Retail trade
|
61
|
20.1%
|
12.3%
|
10.5%
|
|
|
Transportation,
warehousing, utilities
|
13
|
4.3%
|
4.3%
|
4.9%
|
|
|
Information
|
1
|
0.3%
|
2.6%
|
4.0%
|
|
|
Finance,
insurance, real estate
|
20
|
6.6%
|
4.5%
|
7.1%
|
|
|
Professional,
scientific, management, administrative, waste management
|
16
|
5.3%
|
5.8%
|
12.4%
|
|
|
Educational,
health, social services
|
45
|
14.8%
|
24.1%
|
20.6%
|
|
|
Arts,
entertainment, recreation
|
20
|
6.6%
|
8.6%
|
6.8%
|
|
|
Other services
|
21
|
6.9%
|
4.4%
|
5.6%
|
|
|
Public
administration
|
17
|
5.6%
|
5.6%
|
10.5%
|
|
|
Source: 2000 Census
|
|
|
Table 3‑5
|
|
|
Class of Worker
|
|
|
|
Sharptown
|
Percent
|
Wicomico Percent
|
|
|
|
Employed population
|
304
|
|
|
|
|
Private wage & salary workers
|
249
|
81.91%
|
75.7%
|
|
|
Government workers
|
41
|
13.49%
|
18.1%
|
|
|
Self-employed workers
|
14
|
4.61%
|
5.8%
|
|
|
Unpaid family workers
|
0
|
0.00%
|
0.3%
|
|
|
Source: 2000 Census
|
|
Commuting to Work
The lack of public transportation
is apparent in Sharptown as no workers commuted to work via public
transportation. The vast majority of
workers in Sharptown used a car, truck, or van as their means of transportation
to work in 2000. Compared against Wicomico County, Sharptown’s citizens carpooled,
utilized public transportation, walked, and worked from home less. The mean travel time to work was 26.8 minutes
for Sharptown workers; 5.9 minutes longer than that of Wicomico County
workers (See Table 3-6). This travel
time infers that a considerable amount of workers travel to other
municipalities for employment.
|
Table 3‑6
|
|
|
Commuting to Work Statistics
|
|
|
|
Sharptown
|
Percent
|
Wicomico Percent
|
|
|
|
Drove Alone
|
256
|
86.2%
|
78.8%
|
|
|
Carpooled
|
26
|
8.8%
|
12.4%
|
|
|
Public Transportation
|
0
|
0.0%
|
1.6%
|
|
|
Walked
|
3
|
1.0%
|
2.5%
|
|
|
Other Means
|
2
|
0.7%
|
1.2%
|
|
|
Worked At Home
|
10
|
3.4%
|
3.5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mean Travel Time to Work (Minutes)
|
26.8
|
|
20.9
|
|
|
Source: 2000 Census
|
|
Median household income for
Sharptown was $1,165 higher than Wicomico
County in 2000; however, the median
family income was $2,629 less and the per capita income was $3,981 less than Wicomico County (See Figure 3-5). The rate of persons below the poverty line in
Sharptown was 8.1%, compared to 12.8% in Wicomico County.
Although Sharptown’s income
statistics are similar to that of the County, Sharptown’s residents’ incomes
are further reduced by the expenses involved with longer commutes to work in
other municipalities and surrounding areas.
Sharptown’s mean travel time to work is 5.9 minutes longer than the
County’s resulting in an additional 11.8 minute daily round trip travel time. The lack of existing services and employment
within Sharptown places further financial burdens on its residents.
Figure 3‑5
Household Type
Sharptown had 258 households in
2000 (See Table 3-7). This is practically
no change from the 255 households reported in 1990. Of the 258 households, 180 are family
households (69.8%). This is up 1.7% from
1990 when 177 (69.4%) were family households.
From 1990 to 2000, non-family households had no increase.
The relatively minimal increase
in family households and no change in non-family households are in contrast to
household type trends for Wicomico
County as a whole. Family households increased 11.6% in Wicomico County from 19,513 in 1990 to 21,781 in
2000. In addition, the number of
non-family households increased 26.4% from 8,259 in 1990 to 10,437 in
2000. Household density, or number of
persons per household, closely resembles that of the County.
|
Table 3‑7
|
|
Household Characteristics
|
|
|
Sharptown
|
Wicomico County
|
|
1990
|
2000
|
% Change
|
1990
|
2000
|
% Change
|
|
Total Households
|
255
|
258
|
1.2%
|
27,772
|
32,218
|
16.0%
|
|
Family Households
|
177
|
180
|
1.7%
|
19,513
|
21,781
|
11.6%
|
|
Non-Family Households
|
78
|
78
|
0.0%
|
8,259
|
10,437
|
26.4%
|
|
Average Number of
Persons Per Household
|
2.39
|
2.52
|
5.4%
|
2.56
|
2.53
|
-1.2%
|
|
Source: 2000 Census
|
Housing Occupancy
According to the 2000 Census, 9%
of households in Sharptown are vacant.
The 2000 Census shows 77% of Sharptown’s housing units were
owner-occupied, nearly 15% greater than the proportion of owner-occupied units
existing in Wicomico
County (See Figure 3-6).
Figure 3‑6
Introduction
Community facilities are vitally important
to maintaining and increasing the public health, safety and welfare of the
residents and visitors of Sharptown.
Community facilities are defined in Article 66B as parks and recreation
areas, schools and other educational and cultural facilities, libraries,
churches, hospitals, social welfare and medical facilities, institutions, fire
stations, police stations, jails, or other public office or administrative
facilities.
Community facilities are
especially important to Sharptown because of its size and location. Existing regional community facilities are
located near larger population centers.
Moreover, Sharptown’s location is on the border of Wicomico
County and Dorchester
County with the Nanticoke River
as the buffer between the two counties. This
places the burden on Sharptown to encourage its residents at all socioeconomic
levels to use regional health, cultural and social welfare facilities, and to
provide additional opportunities if possible.
It is also important that Sharptown provide adequate police and fire
protection to its residents. Lastly,
Sharptown residents need adequate access to health and medical facilities.
This section will provide an
inventory of various community facilities throughout Sharptown and the adequacy
and capacity of those facilities. Map 1,
located within Appendix A, is provided indicating the location of community
facilities discussed herein. This
section will also detail the state of existing community facilities and document
any current deficiencies or areas where improvement is appropriate. The goals and objectives of this section will
focus on the existing conditions of those facilities and the manner in which
community facilities can be used to provide increased services to the
community.
This section will not focus on
future growth or level-of-service standards for community facilities as those
issues are more appropriately discussed in the Municipal Growth Element and the
Water Resources Element.
Water Supply
All of the potable water supply used for industrial,
commercial and residential purposes within Sharptown is secured from
groundwater aquifers. The Town is almost totally dependent upon this source of
water for its continuing development and prosperity. The original water system, which began
operation around 1936, consisted of a 75,000 gallon elevated water tower, a
distribution system comprised of cast iron 6 and 8 inch water mains and a 300
foot well.
Service connections to water customers were either
3/4 or 1 inch iron pipe connected to the water main with a 24 inch lead
(gooseneck) pipe. A few large service connections were used to supply customers
with large water usage.
Potable water was supplied to the distribution system
by a 12 inch, 300 foot well in the Nanticoke Aquifer. Well number 1 originally
used a 15 HP turbine pump with an emergency gasoline engine as a backup in
power outages. As new wells were drilled and placed into operation, well number
1 became a backup source of water. In 1990, during a water system upgrade, the
turbine pump was removed, the well cleaned and a submersible pump installed.
Well number 1 remains as a backup water source.
The chart below details the various wells in Town and the current use.
|
Table 4‑1
Well Capacities and Parameters
|
|
Well No.
|
Capacity
|
Depth
|
Width
|
Pump Type
|
Status
|
|
1
|
132g/min.
|
300
|
12”
|
Submersible
|
Emergency Use
|
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
Capped
|
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
Capped
|
|
4
|
82g/min.
|
60
|
12”
|
Submersible
|
In Use
|
|
5
|
205g/min.
|
70
|
12”
|
Turbine
|
In Use
|
|
6
|
400g/min.
|
298
|
12”
|
Turbine
|
Used for Blending
|
Sharptown's
water system was upgraded in 1990. The old water tower was replaced with a
200,000 gallon water tower which increased storage capacity and water reserves
for fire protection. Also, static water elevation was increased to raise the
Town's water pressure from 42 pounds per square inch (psi) to 52 psi.
With the exception of dead-end streets, all
water mains smaller than 6 inches were removed from the distribution system and
replaced with 6-inch PVC watermains, looping wherever possible to increase
water circulation and eliminate most dead-end mains. All remaining goosenecks were moved from
water customer service lines. Nine
hydrants were added to the water system and since then, 19 of the original
60-year-old fire hydrants have been replaced.
The Town plans to replace one or two more every year until all remaining
fire hydrants conform to national standards.
Sharptown has 6.2 miles of paved streets within the
corporate limits. There are 4.85 miles
of 6 and 8 inch watermains and 335 water customers to be maintained, along with
water meters, fire hydrants, water tower, 4 wells and treatment facility,
including related equipment.
The Sharptown Water Treatment Facility was built and
began full operation in October 1990.
All the wells are connected to a central 10-inch water main which passes
through the treatment building where chlorine gas is injected for disinfection. Lime is also added for pH adjustment and
corrosion control. The treated water is
pumped to the top of the water tower to properly blend together all wells and
to achieve the necessary detention time for quality treated potable water.
In the future, if it is necessary to abandon the
Town's shallow wells (wells number 4 and 5) due to excessive nitrate levels or
other contamination, the Town water supply would rely on the Nanticoke Aquifer
only. Water from this well is sufficient in quantity but not in quality. High
dissolved solids and mineral content have been negative to water customers in
the past. Recognizing this situation, a test well was drilled 800 feet into the
Piney Point Aquifer where water analysis showed salt water infiltration,
negating this attempt to secure a new quality water source.
Records of wells that have been drilled in other
areas of Sharptown suggest alternative water sources may possibly be available
for the Town's water system and should be extensively investigated before
another upgrade occurs. The only drawback to this scenario is the distance of
piping to the treatment facility or erecting a treatment facility at the new
well location, which could be cost ineffective. Piping valves and fittings are
now in place at the treatment facility if a filtering facility proved to be a
cost effective alternative.
Providing power to the well system during emergency
situations was addressed by the installation of a 100 KW generator with an
automatic transfer switch. Sharptown
currently has enough water supply in reserve to accommodate future Town expansion
of at least twice the current size without jeopardizing the capacity of the
water system. However, increased usage
of wells 4 and 5 could result in higher nitrate concentrations over time,
shortening the life of these wells without future advanced treatment or
additional water supply.
Water meters were installed and in operation in
September 1990. The average daily water
usage prior to the use of water meters was 140,000 gallons per day and has
dropped to 65,000 gallons per day since.
Sewer System
Sharptown has a separate sanitary sewage collection
system. Despite the fact that this
system was constructed about 1936, most of the vitrified clay pipe is still in
relatively good shape. There are 4.99
miles of 4 to 10 inch sewer mains, 75 known manholes, one pumping station and a
150,000 gallons per day activated sludge treatment plant. The WWTP is equipped with a 100 KW generator
on an automatic transfer switch capable of full load, continuous plant
operation during emergency or power outages.
Originally the collection system had two separate
outfall pipes directly dumping raw sewage into the Nanticoke River.
During a 1972 system upgrade an interceptor sewer was constructed to divert all
sewage into one collection point where it is pumped into the Wastewater
Treatment Plant (WWTP). The WWTP has two extended aeration tanks, a comminutor
for grinding large particles and two hopper bottom-type clarifiers for settling
sludge from the treated effluent. After a 24 hour treatment in the WWTP, more
than 95 percent of the organic compounds are removed from the wastewater, and
the effluent is chlorinated to remove harmful bacteria, dechlorinated and then
is discharged into the Nanticoke
River.
In 1983, the entire sewage system was upgraded. A
concrete chlorine contact basin was constructed to achieve a 45-minute
detention time. The aeration tank blowers and pumps in the pumping station were
replaced, an inflow and infiltration study was performed to correct any major
problem areas and flow studies indicated about a dozen areas that required
replacing sections of sewer main with PVC pipe.
Some minor sections were chemically sealed. Manholes that had infiltration through brick
walls were also chemically sealed. In 1995, all manhole lids with inflow
problems had manhole cover bowls inserted to reduce rainwater inflow.
Tree roots are the sewer maintenance crew's largest
problem for maintaining continuous sewer main flows. Over the years tree roots
have entered the pipes causing joint failure and cracks. During the wet
periods, when the water table rises, any sewer main below water level allows
water to infiltrate the system. The
increase in flows due to inflow and infiltration during wet weather has at
times increased the volume of the water in the wastewater system to twice that
of the WWTP capacity.
The Bloch & Guggenheimer (B&G) Factory is
currently the only significant industrial user connected to the collection
system. In 1989, B & G constructed a
rainwater-pickle vat drainage holding lagoon.
According to the April 2006 discharge agreement, as much as 14,400
gallons per day of pre-treated wastewater may be pumped into Sharptown’s
collection system.
The average daily residential wastewater flows were
recently estimated at 90,000 gallons per day (gpd). Simple calculations of 90,000 gpd
residential, plus 120,000 gpd infiltration and 14,400 gpd from B & G
Factory exceeds the daily designed flow capacity of the WWTP. Sharptown must pursue plans to correct
infiltration of the sewer mains and/or reduce the present wastewater allocation
to B & G further if future development in Sharptown is considered.
Another area to consider for correcting inflow and
infiltration problems is replacing older sections of sewer main which have
either become too expensive to repair or were mistakenly installed improperly. These mains must be upgraded before some
sections of the Town can develop. An
updated infill and infiltration study and detailed collection is recommended to
better identify deficient areas.
In 1990 a Sludge Management Project was
produced for the WWTP. The project included an 18,000 gallon sludge holding
tank, a sludge loading station and an 85 HP farm tractor for towing the Town's
1,000 gallon sludge applicator. Also a steel storage garage was constructed to
house the tractor and tanker and for performing necessary repairs of equipment.
Sharptown currently applies its aerobically digested
waste sludge to farmland as fertilizer. Due to the Town producing relatively large
amounts of sludge, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to acquire
permitted farmland and a property owner willing to set aside a few acres for
sludge disposal. The Town should investigate the option of purchasing its own
farmland for sludge management or explore the construction of a sludge drying
bed where sludge could be dried and stored until a sludge field is available.
Another option to explore would be a composting facility.
Sharptown's gravity flow collection system was
designed for future capacity upgrading. Over the years, some sewer main
extensions that were installed at shallow depths or with inadequate diameter
pipe have hampered the connection of new homes to the collection system. Whenever a development or new buildings are
proposed, the Town should investigate optimal manhole placement, sewer main
size and sewer main grade to avoid the expense of replacing sections of the
collection system.
Parks and Recreation
The following is a summary of
Parks and Recreation facilities in Sharptown:
|
Table 4‑2
Parks and Recreation Facilities
|
|
Recreational Facility
|
Area (in Acres)
|
|
Carnival Grounds
|
5.06
|
|
Cope Bennett Park
|
7.40
|
|
Gene Lowe
Park
|
4.71
|
|
Cherry Beach
Park
|
4.09
|
|
Main Street
Park
|
0.21
|
|
Total Area:
|
21.47
|
|
Source: State
of Maryland
– 2006 Maryland
Property View
|
The Carnival Grounds site is an
important recreational facility for the Town which is owned and operated by the
Town’s volunteer fire department. The
Sharptown Carnival started in 1926 and has become a growing annual event every
since. The carnival grounds with its
large metal Ferris wheel and distinctive octagonal pavilions mark the southern
entrance into Sharptown.
Main
Street Park
and Cherry Beach Park
are maintained by the Town with the rest of the Town’s recreational facilities
maintained by the County. A plan to
renovate and provide better facilities at Cherry Beach
Park has been approved
and will be implemented when the Town finds funds to complete the
upgrades. No other parks are scheduled
for upgrade, expansion or renovation at this time. Additional information concerning the
potential to expand Cherry
Beach Park
and level-of-service standards for parks and recreational facilities are
discussed later in the Municipal Growth Element
Educational
Students from Sharptown attend Northwestern Elementary School for grades Pre-K
through 5 and Mardela Middle/High School for grades 6 through 12. Both schools are located near Mardela
Springs. The County has plans to expand
Mardela Middle/High School. The Wicomico
County School Board published an updated facilities plan in the summer of 2008
and is discussed in the Municipal Growth Element. The Town should review these plans to be
informed of future expansions to schools serving the area.
Libraries
Library service is provided by Wicomico County to all residents of the
County. No libraries are located within
Sharptown. The two main branches of the Wicomico County
library are located in north Salisbury and
downtown Salisbury. The Wicomico County
library provides library services directly to the residents of Sharptown using
the “Bookmobile” one Saturday per month.
The “Bookmobile” also provides monthly service to nearby Mardela
Springs.
Fire Protection
Sharptown is served by its own
volunteer fire department. Currently,
the fire department consists of 88 volunteers, 40 of which are active
firefighters. Of the 40 active
firefighters, 16 are Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and three are
certified paramedics. The Town also has
one paid paramedic position staffed 20 hours a day Monday through Friday by
eight part-time workers, which is funded with County assistance.
Public Health Services
Currently, the Town does not have public health
facilities within Town. Residents needing
public health services travel to either Salisbury,
Maryland or Laurel, Delaware. The Town’s population does not currently lend
support to having public health services provided in Town. Sharptown should consider working with other
local communities, the County and surrounding municipalities to expand regional
services for its residents based on projected future growth.
Police Protection
Wicomico County’s
Sheriff’s Department responds to police calls and emergency calls. The Town also receives regular patrols from Wicomico County
and State of Maryland
troopers. Historically, Sharptown is a
low-crime area and is small enough to not require having its own police
force. Sharptown also does not have
funding to implement its own police force.
Sharptown will continue working with the County in making sure adequate
police staffing is available for the Town.
Public Offices and Administrative
Facilities
Sharptown’s Town Hall is located at
401 Main Street. The Town Hall adequately houses the Town’s two
administrative staff and accommodates Town meetings. The original Town Hall building is located at
303 State Street
in front of the water storage tower. The
Town currently leases that building for office use.
Churches and Institutions
For its size, Sharptown has a
great number of churches and social institutions within the Town limits. Two Methodist churches have been long
established within the Town. The Town
also has an American Legion post and a Masonic Temple
which is being renovated. These social
and religious institutions help define the community fabric and further assist
Sharptown in maintaining its close-knit rural community character.
Sharptown is a hamlet-style
village consisting of mostly single-family residential homes. From a commercial standpoint, Sharptown has
few “visible” commercial facilities.
However, Sharptown is a very industrious town, where many residents run
businesses directly from their homes. The
downtown area used to consist of a greater mix of commercial and residential land
uses at a time when traveling to larger neighboring municipalities was
difficult. The downtown area still has
some commercial land uses mixed in the historic residential community and other
services to provide to the local residents, but the residents would like to
foster economic development to the area; especially the development of a community
grocery store and medical facilities.
The B&G Pickle Factory is the only remaining industrial site in
town. During the visioning process the
Town residents did not indicate interest in additional industrial sites.
1)
Maintain the rural character of the community;
a)
Encourage owner-occupied units and
homeownership;
b)
Foster home occupations that are not adverse to
the surrounding community;
c)
Use “Smart Growth” measures in subdivision,
zoning and other regulatory measures.
2)
Increase and foster commercial growth to provide
needed services to the community;
3)
Maintain existing parks and recreation areas;
4)
If possible, direct future growth within the
current Town limits;
5)
Allow age-restricted residential retirement
communities to accommodate Sharptown’s aging senior population;
6)
Create future growth areas that limit
environmental impacts, as discussed in the following:
a)
Sensitive Area Element
b)
Floodplain Maps
c)
Critical Area Maps
|
Table 5‑1
|
|
Existing Land Use Acreages and Proportions
of Total Land Uses
|
|
Land Use
|
Area (in acres)
|
Percentage
|
|
Residential
|
150.45
|
54.90%
|
