Planning commission approves preliminary Northwood (Norris Woods) subdivision after lengthy drainage and traffic discussion

The Saint Mary's County Planning Commission on April 28 approved a preliminary major-subdivision plan for Northwood (Norris Woods), a proposed residential development along Norris Road, after extended public testimony about drainage, retention ponds and cut-through traffic.

The commission approved the preliminary plan for Major Subdivision 13-120001 (Norris Woods) with conditions requiring final technical-agency approvals and that all road improvements be completed in concurrence with certificates of occupancy. The motion passed by roll call; commissioners Jay Cousineau, Joe Van Kirk, Patty Robrecht, Joe Sinclair and Connor Loughran voted in favor.

The approval followed more than two hours of resident testimony describing long-standing backyard flooding in the adjoining Heards Estates neighborhood and a multi-part staff and applicant presentation explaining stormwater controls, traffic counts and other site changes. Kevin Norris, the applicant, told the commission the revised plan no longer proposes the earlier 22 “affordable” units and instead proposes four workforce-housing lots that “are workforce housing in accordance with the comp plan.”

Staff and the applicant described the stormwater design as a combination of grass-bottom conveyance swales, micro-bio-retention facilities and riprap-armored channels where slopes are steeper. Engineer Pat Mudd and applicant representative explained the conveyance swales would be graded to intercept runoff from the Northwood site and from adjacent properties, be non-erosive at anticipated flows and, where necessary, be armored with riprap. Mudd said the typical design calls for a 2- to 4-foot bottom width for grass swales, with sections deepening to about 4 to 6 feet where needed.

Residents gave multiple examples and photos of existing flooding behind homes on Barkantine Court and neighboring streets. “We have a constant drainage problem as a result,” resident Cindy Lohman said, describing sandbagging and repeated standing water, and other residents showed photos of a 35-minute heavy storm that left yards inundated.

The applicant said the new plan’s ditches and on-site micro-bio-retention facilities are intended to capture Northwood runoff and to reduce the amount of water leaving the development toward the neighbors’ yards. The applicant also said micro-bio-retention facilities used in the design will generally include an engineered stone layer and planting soil so that, under current state and county criteria, ponding above the surface is limited and the facility must drain within 48 hours.

Traffic and school-bus access were also discussed. Traffic counts conducted in April recorded an average daily traffic (ADT) of about 2,735 along Norris (an increase from the 2,507 ADT figure previously presented), and traffic consultant Jackie Plott said intersections still operate at acceptable levels of service. The St. Mary's County public-works director, Jim Gotch, and applicant representatives explained the school system’s pickup location: the school board’s comment letter states buses would pick up at the end of Northwood Street and Norris Road after the county formally accepts subdivision roads and releases bonds; the school board reserves the right to relocate stops in future phases.

Commissioners discussed sidewalks and neighborhood speed control. Gotch said a sidewalk could be built along the north side of Norris Road in places but that right-of-way or easements would be required in areas crossing private property and that county funding is limited. He outlined the county process for neighborhood speed-control measures: a public-works speed study followed, if residents still want humps after a negative engineering determination, by a petition carrying 65% resident approval and resident-funded construction in some cases.

Multiple residents asked who would maintain ditches, riprap and micro-bio-retention facilities. The applicant said future maintenance would be the responsibility of the homeowners association (HOA). County staff and the public-works director noted county inspectors visit stormwater-management facilities on a multi-year cycle under the county’s MS4 implementation; Gotch said the county inspects facilities every three years and issues punch lists when maintenance is required.

After public testimony and commissioner questions, the commission moved and seconded approval of the preliminary plan with conditions that require final approvals from technical agencies and the director of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management and that road improvements be completed concurrent with issuance of certificates of occupancy. The commission concluded by reminding the developer and new HOA that maintenance and careful construction sequencing will be required to address the drainage issues residents raised.

Votes at a glance

- Preliminary Major Subdivision 13-120001 (Northwood / Norris Woods): Motion to approve preliminary plan with technical-agency and director final-approval conditions and a requirement that road improvements be completed concurrent with certificates of occupancy. Outcome: approved by roll call; recorded ayes: Jay Cousineau, Joe Van Kirk, Patty Robrecht, Joe Sinclair, Connor Loughran.

What happens next

The applicant must submit final plats and engineering for technical agency review and obtain the director’s sign-off before final plat approval. County reviewers will inspect stormwater-management facilities as part of permit and HOAs will be expected to maintain private drainage systems; county staff said it can pursue remediation when maintenance obligations are not met.