Calvert County adopts rewritten zoning ordinance, limits town‑center density and creates ‘community enhancement district’ tool

Calvert County commissioners on Oct. 12 adopted a comprehensive rewrite of the county zoning ordinance and related master plan and town‑center amendments after a public hearing that drew more than a dozen speakers and multiple community groups urging protections for rural lands and waterways.

The ordinance overhaul reduces allowable residential density in town centers to a maximum of four dwelling units per acre, restores the transferable development right requirement to five TDRs for each unit above one unit per acre in town centers, and sets new procedures for a redevelopment overlay the board renamed “Community Enhancement District” (CED) during the meeting. The board also approved a series of companion master‑plan and text amendments affecting Huntingtown, Prince Frederick, Lusby, Solomons, St. Leonard and other town plans.

Why it matters: The changes alter how future development capacity is measured across the county and add a new tool the county can use to negotiate project‑level benefits and regulatory flexibility for major redevelopment or industrial projects. Citizens and conservation groups urged commissioners to reject broad upzoning and to protect watersheds, while developers and county staff said the new approach creates a controlled path for economic development.

Most significant actions and supporting details

- Density and TDRs: The board finalized a countywide cap of 4 units per acre for town centers and restored the TDR requirement to five TDRs per unit for residential…