Leonardtown planning commission votes to recommend 2025 comprehensive plan update to town council

The Leonardtown Planning and Zoning Commission on March 11 voted to recommend that the Town Council adopt the town’s updated 2025 Comprehensive Plan, Ordinance No. 227, after staff reviewed state and county comments and proposed revisions.

Staff member (identified in the record as “Speaker 3”) told the commission that the draft plan was sent to the state and county for the required 60-day review, that comments were returned on March 11, and that staff and the consultant had provided proposed responses to those comments. "This public hearing is for ordinance number 227 in regards to the Leonardtown 2025 comprehensive plan update," Speaker 3 said during the presentation.

The plan update addresses the state-required elements under the Maryland Land Use Article — including land use, housing, transportation, community facilities and sensitive areas — and adds local sections on community character, downtown development and the waterfront. Staff said the plan is intended as a policy guide and does not itself adopt specific zoning changes; the plan recommends further code updates such as zoning and subdivision amendments and potential adoption of form-based code in targeted downtown locations.

Why it matters: The comprehensive plan guides future annexations, land-use decisions and capital improvements, and it is the basis for later zoning and ordinance changes the town will use to shape development and protect sensitive areas.

Key discussion points

- Housing and fair housing requirements: State reviewers said Leonardtown’s housing element did not meet minimum recommendations and asked the town to address workforce and low-income housing and to affirmatively further fair housing. Staff said the consultant will add updated statistics and recommended adding an explicit goal and action item to conduct an in-depth housing study to identify local needs.

- Wastewater capacity and EDU counts: The Maryland Department of the Environment questioned inconsistent EDU (equivalent dwelling unit) figures in the draft (the document lists 4,386 at full build-out on one page and 4,222 active EDUs on another). Staff explained the EDUs projection includes nonresidential uses and gave an updated projected need of about 4,306 EDUs for full build-out; the plant expansion underway will accommodate 4,222 EDUs at present. Staff said they will clarify the language and update calculations in the draft.

- Environment and critical-area protections: State reviewers asked for clarifications on riparian buffers, floodplains and threatened or endangered species references. Staff said the plan will add goals and action items to review and, if needed, consolidate resource protection standards (forest conservation, wetlands, floodplains, steep slopes) into a single town-code chapter after plan adoption.

- Downtown design and Main Street recommendations: The Main Street Advisory Board submitted written comments recommending a form-based code option for the Main Street District to encourage redevelopment that fits neighborhood character. Staff said the plan will recommend studying form-based code and that subsequent ordinance updates would implement detailed design standards.

- Transportation and electrification: The Maryland Department of Transportation suggested the town consider a complete streets policy and expand documentation of recreational trails. Staff said they will add goals and action items addressing complete streets and more detailed trail inventories, and will note locations for potential electric-vehicle charging infrastructure as parking areas are renovated.

Public input and annexation requests

Staff summarized four written public comments included in the record: a Main Street Advisory Board letter recommending code options; a request from a property owner (26650 Point Lookout Road) seeking inclusion in the town’s growth area; two separate annexation requests for properties along Point Lookout Road (including McGee Farm); and a verbal request for rezoning of a property at 41680 Courthouse Drive to allow residential uses. Staff noted each request and attached exhibits were provided to commissioners for review.

Formal action and next steps

Commissioner (identified in the record as "Speaker 2") moved to recommend that the Town Council adopt the 2025 Leonardtown Comprehensive Plan update "in accordance with the Land Use Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland." The motion was seconded by Commissioner (identified as "Speaker 5") and the commission voted in favor.

Staff said the commission’s recommendation and staff responses to state comments will be incorporated into the draft before the town council’s public hearing and final action, currently targeted for April and with adoption aimed for June to align with the new fiscal year.

Ending

After the vote, commissioners discussed that ordinance changes (including zoning and design standards) will follow the plan’s adoption and that those changes, rather than the plan itself, will contain enforceable rules about building form and land use. Staff advised the public that a full draft is posted on the town website and that additional public comment will be accepted at the town council public hearing.