On October 29, the Kent County Commissioners approved an economic development plan put together by the Economic Development Advisory Board, which would focus on broadband Internet.

From the MyEasternShoreMD.com article,

Although there are both public and private fiber-optic cables running through the county, there is no way for residents and small businesses to connect to them.

“We decided to focus on the Internet,” said Tom Beckett (Economic Development Advisory board member). “We may be able to do it with fiber optics and airwaves.” Without affordable connections of that sort, he said, the county can’t expect “good businesses that can support middle class people in Kent County.”

Commissioner William Pickrum said students have high speed access in schools, but not at home, and “this is not a luxury.”

Other ideas in the plan include residential areas zoned for housing appropriate to retirees, and to consider a zoning category for office or professional parks.

Beckett said the plan calls for “much stronger collaboration and communication between the county, the towns and economic development officials.”

To read more on the economic development plan, visit MyEasternShoreMD.com.