Consultant reports 1,380 respondents to St. Mary’s 2050 outreach; commissioners urge broader public participation

Clarion Associates presented an update to the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission on the comprehensive plan update, “St. Mary’s 2050 — Charting Our Tomorrow,” reporting results from the project’s second community‑engagement window and releasing a draft trends and projections report. Leanne King of Clarion Associates summarized the outreach and technical findings and shared three working vision themes that will guide the draft plan.

Courtney Jenkins, deputy director of the county Department of Land Use and Growth Management, introduced Leanne King before the presentation. King said the second engagement window ran in May–June and included 15 in‑person intercept events (festivals, farmers markets, library events) plus online surveys. Clarion reported 1,380 people participated in the second round of surveys and that staff will use those results alongside technical data to prepare a public review draft for a later engagement window and for formal adoption this winter or early next year.

King said survey respondents supported concentrating mixed‑use and multifamily development in higher‑intensity nodes such as Lexington Park, Leonardtown and the California growth…