St. Mary’s Planning Commission continues Evergreen Disposal transfer-station case after traffic, setback and variance questions

The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission on June 23 continued action on a concept site plan for a proposed Evergreen Disposal transfer station at 37315 Carpenter Lane in Charlotte Hall, setting a new hearing date of July 21 so the applicant can update traffic analyses and address variances and other outstanding questions.

The proposal from Evergreen Disposal Services LLC calls for a 17,400-square-foot transfer building and a roughly 12,800-square-foot maintenance and office building on industrially zoned land in the Charlotte Hall town center. Steve Scott, attorney for the applicant, said the facility would be privately owned and funded and would not accept hazardous waste. “This facility is not intended to accept hazardous waste or hazardous substances or toxic waste,” Scott said during the hearing.

The project design includes three points of ingress and egress off Carpenter Lane, an underground stormwater system with some surface facilities and landscaping and buffers consistent with the county code, Stacy Lagana of Lorenzi Dodds and Canal told the commission. She said the comprehensive plan’s solid-waste section specifically contemplates a transfer station in Charlotte Hall: “to serve the solid waste disposal needs of a growing population, this plan calls for a county permitted transfer station,” she said, citing the plan language included in the applicant’s presentation.

County staff reported the site plan meets many applicable technical standards but noted the proposal requires two variances before final approval. Planner Shawn Leigh Blasco told the commission that the nearest residence is about 1,000 feet from the proposed facility; the zoning ordinance requires 1,500 feet for use-type 96 (solid waste acceptance, processing, transfer station or resource recovery facility). The second variance relates to access: Carpenter Lane is classified as a minor collector in the county road standards, while the use requirement calls for access from a major collector. The planning staff’s recommendation notes the variances will be required from the Board of Appeals.

Traffic was the most discussed issue. Charles “Chuck” Marsh, the project traffic engineer, said his analysis — including counts and projections to 2041 — showed that adding the facility’s vehicles would not change the level-of-service ratings on Route 5 or at the Carpenter Lane intersection. “The inclusion of these 500 total trips in a day to this system does not impact the level of service for either the roadway or the intersection,” Marsh said, noting the facility’s peak truck activity is timed outside commuter rush hours.

Several commissioners and members of the public expressed concern that the study predates recent growth and local roadway changes and does not fully reflect current traffic patterns near the new Veterans Administration facility. Commissioner Lynn Delahaye said she was “a little skeptical of this traffic study” given recent construction and local congestion; other commissioners asked Marsh to update counts and to model the effect of the planned signalized intersection near the veterans clinic and to confirm turn‑lane lengths and stacking/storage capacity.

Applicant partner Larry Foster said Evergreen expects an initial ramp-up and described how the transfer operation would consolidate loads for longer-haul shipments, which he said could reduce county transportation costs. Foster estimated the project would create about 25 jobs and move the company’s existing yard operations from Charles County to the Carpenter Lane site. He said bulk loads would be removed daily and that the facility’s floor must be cleaned and cleared by closing (he cited about a 6 a.m. removal schedule for material left overnight).

Environmental and utility details raised during the hearing included geotechnical testing that found soils on site do not meet criteria for “highly erodible soil” and the use of public water (Metcom) for facility needs. Staff noted non-tidal wetland buffers and a 100-foot stream buffer from a neighboring stream will be protected; a geotech report and MDE permitting remain part of the project record.

After hearing comments and questions, the commission voted to continue the case to July 21 to allow the applicant to provide an updated traffic study (including current counts, modeling that accounts for the new signalized intersection near the VA facility), clarify vehicle routing and queuing at the Carpenter Lane / Route 5 intersection (including left‑turn storage and deceleration lengths), and to document any additional conditions the Department of Public Works requires. The motion to continue was moved by Connor Loughran and seconded by Jay Cousineau and carried by voice vote.