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 development above one unit per acre in those centers. Staff explained the change reverses earlier policy that had reduced the TDR burden and said the move is intended to limit density growth in designated centers.

- Rural community district (RCD) changes: Staff described a literal implementation of the Planning Commission’s recommendation to retain certain parcels as Rural Community District rather than rezoning them to Residential District; staff warned that under the draft RCD rules some parcels could see an approximately 80% reduction in density potential (from 1 lot per acre with TDRs under current rules to 1 lot per 5 acres under the draft) for areas inside the previously used one‑mile town‑center perimeter policy.

- Industrial zoning and day care use: The county combined the previously proposed Industrial Mixed Use (IMU) district with I‑1 (Light Industrial) to create a Light Industrial Mixed Use district. Staff noted an error in an earlier draft that omitted daycare centers as a conditional use in that district and said the board would need to vote to restore daycare centers as conditional uses in I‑1 if it wanted consistency with prior drafts.

- Community Enhancement District (CED): The board renamed “community benefit agreements” to Community Enhancement Districts and limited the types of uses that may be authorized through that overlay. After debate the board kept commercial uses eligible but removed institutional uses from the category and added a cap of four dwelling units per acre for any mixed‑use residential components authorized under a CED. The motion clarified that CEDs are intended chiefly as a negotiation vehicle for substantial industrial/commercial redevelopment while requiring public hearings and planning‑commission review for any proposal.

- Other technical changes: The board amended provisions governing commercial recycling facilities to allow outdoor processing where odors, dust, noise or vibrations meet applicable regulations; allowed daycare centers with conditions in I‑1; and revised a critical area section to comply with the Critical Area Commission’s requirements.

Public comment and concerns

More than 20 speakers addressed the board during the hearing. Many speakers thanked staff for changes and expressed support for the Planning Commission’s recommendation to leave certain parcels zoned RCD. Conservation groups and residents repeatedly urged commissioners to avoid upzoning farmland and headwaters, citing risks to water quality and local roads. The American Chestnut Land Trust and Friends of Hunting Creek highlighted creeks (Fishing Creek, Parker’s Creek, Hunting Creek, Mill Creek and Battle Creek) and said added impervious surface from higher density would harm watershed health.

Save Lusby Inc. and other Lusby residents raised the Lusby Villas development and related appeals as an example of why residents want stronger controls and earlier public engagement.• Josh Johnson (chair, Calvert County Republican Central Committee) and other speakers voiced legal and equity concerns about the CED process and urged limits to avoid favoring large national corporations over local businesses.

Quotes drawn from the hearing: “My thanks to the planning staff for many good changes in the zoning maps and zoning ordinance,” said Greg Ballen, a Prince Frederick resident. Friends of Hunting Creek representative Frank McPhillips told commissioners, “Updating the regulations regarding stormwater management and making investments in stormwater management infrastructure will pay dividends for generations to come.” Commissioner Hart, speaking during debate, said the county will include the public in any community enhancement district process: “This is your county. You voted us in, we work for you.”

Decisions and next steps

The board adopted the comprehensive plan amendments, master plan amendments for multiple town centers, and a package of text amendments (case numbers 24‑O‑1 through 24‑O‑6 and the zoning ordinance readoption). Most votes were taken by voice vote with “motion carries” recorded on the public meeting record; no roll‑call tallies were read into the transcript. Staff will post the adopted ordinance and updated zoning maps and proceed with implementation items identified in the ordinance language.

Ending

Commissioners and staff thanked participants and reiterated that the ordinance rewrite followed nearly two years of public engagement, multiple planning‑commission reviews, and attorney review. The board closed the public hearing and adjourned after the votes.