Saint Mary's County planning commission approves family conveyance to add one lot on Plum Lane

On May 19, the Saint Mary's County Planning Commission approved a minor subdivision under the ordinance's family-conveyance provisions to create one additional lot on a private road at 23238 Plum Lane in Bushwood.

The case was a family conveyance request filed by owners John and Lori Plumb to convey a new lot to their son, Jeremy Plumb. Planner Nicholas Colvin of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management presented the staff report, citing the subdivision ordinance and a deed-based ownership cutoff that qualified the property for the family-conveyance rule.

Colvin summarized staff findings and evidence supporting the request. He said the proposed lot would be the 14th lot under 15 acres across Plum Lane and East Plum Lane, and that the existing private road “is asphalt for the first 370 feet, and gravel for the remaining,” varying from about 16 to 18 feet in width with grass shoulders. Colvin read a surveyor’s letter noting that “the roadway is well drained and does not appear to have any flooding or maintenance problems. We believe the road is adequate for an additional user.” He also told the commission that all reviewing agencies had submitted comments and that those comments were attached to the record.

Applicant representative Barry Buckmer of Chesapeake Trail Surveying described the 20-foot dedicated right of way that serves the proposed lot and said the right of way is through the Plumb property, not across another owner’s parcel. Buckmer showed site-distance photos and said there was room for vehicles to pass or pull off to let emergency vehicles pass.

A neighbor, Rhonda Hill of 23596 Bushwood City Road, testified in support of the Plumbs, saying the family and neighbors have “coexisted” and that the Hill family “support them wholeheartedly.” Staff and the applicant told the commission that a road maintenance covenant already exists for the neighborhood and that the applicant will submit a signed road maintenance agreement as part of the recording package.

The commission discussed the staff report and the photographic evidence of road condition, and found the family-conveyance criteria in the subdivision ordinance had been met. Commissioner Pat moved to approve the family conveyance with conditions requiring a signed road maintenance agreement to be submitted with the recording package (the agreement will be recorded after the subdivision plat is recorded) and the family-conveyance restriction limiting sale outside the family for five years. The motion passed on a roll call vote with the members present voting aye.

The decision authorizes the subdivision plat to be recorded after the applicant meets the stated conditions; no additional permits or public improvements were approved as part of this action. The commission closed the hearing and adjourned the meeting.