九色视频

In a 4-1 decision, with council member Maureen Curry the lone yes, the council voted down an amendment proposed to change the wording of the odor law that takes effect July 1.

The town鈥檚 ordinance, passed back in December, is meant to address resident complaints of odor from Chesapeake Brand Seafood on Maryland Avenue, a crab processing facility near many homes. Per the ordinance, the business must install odor control technology and do so 鈥渋n such a manner that no odor ... can be detected.鈥�

While attorney Zach Smith said Monday that an odor control system was recently installed, he appealed to the council to accept the amendment. Smith and Chesapeake Brand Seafood owner Mitch Hughes have said the 鈥渘o odor鈥� standard is unachievable, citing industry experts. They鈥檝e expressed concern that once the ordinance goes into effect, further complaints could leave them out of compliance and force them to close the business.

Ward 2 representative Robert Rankin visited the business last week and said on one hand, he鈥檚 鈥渙ptimistic and hopeful鈥� the new odor system will address the residents鈥� complaints.

鈥淥n the other hand, it just being installed over the weekend, it doesn鈥檛 give a lot of time to measure success,鈥� Rankin said.

Ward 4 representative the Rev. Elmer Davis said it鈥檚 a 鈥渨ait-and-see鈥� approach. 鈥淲e may have to look at our (original ordinance) and make sure that it has teeth,鈥� he said.

Ward 3鈥檚 David Montgomery said he wished there was a more obvious correct decision. He said the focus will turn to town code enforcement on how future complaints or violations are dealt with.

During more than 40 minutes of public comment on the topic, multiple residents said the smell hasn鈥檛 gone away since the system was installed. A Chesapeake Brand employee noted the system may take some time to be fully dialed in.

Those who spoke included family and friends of Hughes or local watermen. Some criticized the town for issuing the restrictions targeted toward Chesapeake Brand, a business that was legally permitted by the town and opened in 2019.

鈥淭here鈥檚 been a negative portrayal of my cousin in the paper and on social media when in fact it should be the town that is to blame for all of this drama,鈥� said Kim Gibbons-Neff, Hughes鈥� cousin.

鈥淭he town should have nipped this in the bud after the initial complaints and told the residents that the business is in compliance and they are doing nothing wrong,鈥� she added.

Local business owner Donna Bramble said the town could be losing trust with small businesses.

鈥淎s a business owner, how can small businesses trust the Town of Easton if you issue a permit, they put the expense in of starting their business, and then because there鈥檚 a complaint, you force them to move?鈥� Bramble asked. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 really what鈥檚 happening. You鈥檙e going to force Mitch to close up and move.鈥�

Peter Maloney, one of the residents who鈥檚 led calls for reduced odor from the business, said residents don鈥檛 have anything against Hughes or small businesses.

鈥淭hey got a legal permit to be there. And that is a question you all need to ask, as to why that legal permit was given,鈥� Maloney said toward the council. 鈥淏ut that doesn鈥檛 mean that they should be there.鈥�

Smith, the attorney, warned the council that its 鈥渁uthority here is not limitless.鈥�

鈥淲hile the town can certainly adopt new standards to some extent, you can鈥檛 adopt standards that are going to preclude him from continuing to operate his business,鈥� Smith said.

Following the public hearing and vote, council President Don Abbatiello said people on both sides made valid points and that it wasn鈥檛 an easy decision to reject the business鈥� amendment.

鈥淏ut at the end, at least for myself, it鈥檚 responsibility to represent the residents,鈥� Abbatiello said. 鈥淎nd my hope is that going forward, this mitigation process will work, and the facility will be able to stay there and be successful.鈥�