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 area, and that respondents expressed more openness to smaller starter homes and townhouses across several community areas. On environmental and agricultural issues, respondents favored actions such as natural stormwater management, purchasing shoreline or conservation easements, and support for agricultural infrastructure (packing hubs, small processing). On transportation and services, respondents prioritized improved local transit routes, expanded sidewalks and bike facilities in several centers, and services that support aging in place and health care access.

The trends and projections portion of the report summarized technical benchmarks: Clarion said St. Mary’s County population is projected to grow from about 115,000 (ACS figure cited) toward roughly 154,000 by 2045 under state projection scenarios; the report also documents county land‑use patterns, priority preservation areas (about 97,000 acres), and infrastructure baselines for water, wastewater, stormwater and transportation. King noted the document is intended as a technical reference for drafting policies and not an exhaustive compendium.

King presented three draft vision themes emerging from outreach and technical analysis: (1) Guiding growth through 2050, balancing protection of natural and agricultural resources with targeted growth in planned centers; (2) Protecting environmental and agricultural resources through targeted preservation, parks, and coastal resiliency actions; and (3) Serving the community by prioritizing efficient county facilities and services, core infrastructure in town centers, and strategic investments to improve multimodal access and human services.

Commissioners and attendees pressed Clarion and county staff for broader outreach before the public review draft. Commissioner Patty Robrecht and others said 1,380 respondents represent a small fraction of county residents and urged additional efforts to reach people who do not use computers or who are not reached by social media. Members suggested intercepts at grocery stores and sporting events, enhanced outreach through schools (district emails to families), senior centers, health clinics, and mailing postcards as ways to increase participation. Several commissioners and attendees volunteered to assist with distribution and suggested giveaways, on‑site computers, and having staff at evening or weekend events where families gather.

Clarion and county staff described steps already taken to broaden participation: surveys in Spanish at a Spanish‑speaking event, presence at the Charlotte Hall senior center, distribution of postcards and QR codes at events, and partnerships with community organizations. King acknowledged the difficulty of engaging residents for a document that guides decisions two decades forward and said the project will hold a third public review window when the draft plan is available; staff and the consultant encouraged commissioners to help promote the forthcoming public review draft.

The presentation included requests for follow‑up: commissioners asked that Clarion and county staff consider targeted outreach to underrepresented groups (seniors, low‑income households, non‑English speakers, and younger residents) for the next engagement window and to use school and county distribution channels where possible. Clarion said the trends and projections report and full engagement summary will be posted on the project website and used as a basis for drafting policies and strategies to be shared in the public review draft later this year.