D.R. Horton outlines Pine Grove master plan, infrastructure and on‑site ecological mitigation in La Plata briefing

D.R. Horton representatives and consultants presented a comprehensive briefing on the Pine Grove master development plan to the La Plata Planning Commission on Oct. 7, describing the project’s history, phasing, infrastructure work, environmental mitigation, and the developer’s obligations under the Developer’s Rights and Responsibilities Agreement (DRRA).

Brian George, project manager for D.R. Horton, described Pine Grove (formerly Heritage Green) as a multi‑neighborhood, mixed‑use project governed by a master site development plan and multiple annexation agreements dating to 1990. He said the full MSDP sets a maximum of 3,170 residential units on about 1,021 acres, and that the company is building a multi‑stage parkway, neighborhood streets, water and sewer trunk lines and other infrastructure.

Steve Scott, the developer’s land‑use attorney, and Danielle Conroe of Rogers Consulting walked commissioners through the legal and plan history: multiple annexation agreement amendments, a 2018 zoning rewrite that placed the property in the TDX (Traditional Mixed‑Use) zone, and the amended MSDP approved April 2021. Scott noted a three‑party DRRA among the county, the town and the developer that governs school allocations and related obligations.

Scott and Brian George said D.R. Horton has paid for school allocations under the DRRA and reported payments to Charles County totaling about $9.88 million for allocations to date. George described a range of completed and planned infrastructure: the La Plata Parkway (the developer aims to have the parkway connected by 2026), on‑site sanitary trunk sewer and force main work, a waterline extension on Rosewick Road, intersection signals on Route 6 and La Plata Parkway, and a set of intersection improvements on U.S. 301 required by the traffic analysis. The team estimated they have spent more than $20 million so far on Pine Grove infrastructure and said the full program of improvements could exceed $52 million.

Traffic consultant Robert Engle of Lenhart Traffic Consulting summarized work done under Charles County’s adequate public facilities ordinance (APFO) and state guidelines. Engle said the team prepared a comprehensive traffic impact study for the full development in 2020; that study (and subsequent updates) was reviewed by the state and county; and that the town conditioned one neighborhood approval on an updated traffic analysis every 750 units or every three years. He said the most recent update confirmed previously identified improvements would mitigate project impacts, and another update is in progress.

Environmental consultant Kelly Donovan of Rogers Consulting described the project’s ecological mitigation approach: more than 1,800 linear feet of stream restoration across three reaches, and over 9 acres of constructed wetlands in four mitigation areas, with the consultant team aiming to complete required wetland and stream mitigation on‑site rather than buying mitigation credits offsite. Donovan said the final forest conservation plan preserves existing forest where possible and calls for strategic reforestation and native plantings.

Kelsey Stewart (D.R. Horton) said neighborhood amenities vary by pod — examples include pools, a clubhouse, playgrounds, dog parks for apartment residents and pocket parks maintained by homeowners associations — and that a central park (20‑25 acres in the MSDP) is planned to be dedicated to and maintained by the Town of La Plata for public use. The developer said it remains open to discussions about partnerships with the town for shared amenities, including possible co‑use arrangements.

Commissioners pressed D.R. Horton on multiple operational points: the status of the CSX at‑grade crossing (Heritage Green crossing), which had prior CSX approval but was later held in abeyance; the timing and triggers for installing a third pump and force‑main upgrades at the Willow Lane pump station; whether infrastructure improvements would be paid by the town or by the developer (the developer said it is funding the work); and the potential for a town recreational center site shown in the MSDP. The presentation generated extensive technical questions but no formal action; the item was listed as an informational presentation and Q&A.

The briefing provided detailed technical context: the MSDP and annexation agreements include limits such as a 275 building permits‑per‑year cap in the annexation agreement and DRRA rules requiring purchase of school allocations (minimum 100 seats annually, maximum 200). The developer said it remains committed to completing the parkway and the infrastructure program but acknowledged timing depends on market conditions, permitting and utility availability.

Commissioners and staff said the presentation helped newer members and the public understand project scale and interdependencies; staff flagged Pine Grove infrastructure coordination, forthcoming major site‑plan submittals for individual neighborhoods (G and J), and the town’s continuing review of the remaining phase of La Plata Parkway.