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Planning commission approves subdivisions, farm preservation recommendation and exception requests; summary of votes
Summary
At its Oct. 27 meeting the Planning Commission granted multiple preliminary approvals for subdivisions, recommended an agricultural land-preservation district, and approved an exception to an intra-family transfer for a waterfront parcel. The commission also approved procedural motions to close hearings and leave records open where noted.
The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission took a series of formal actions Oct. 27, approving several subdivision preliminary plans, recommending one agricultural-preservation district to the Board of County Commissioners, and granting an exception to a prior intra-family transfer restriction so a waterfront parcel may be sold to a non-family buyer.
Votes at a glance
- Bell Arbor (Major Subdivision 06-12000008, Pembroke Run) — Preliminary approval of phase 1 for 30 lots; finding of adequate public facilities granted for the phase; applicant must return for subsequent phases (motion by Mr. Chase, seconded by Mr. Evans; approved).
- Essex Woods Section 4 (Major Subdivision 07-12000020) — Preliminary approval for 76 lots overall with phase 1 approved for 24 lots; applicant must return for school-seat findings for following phases (motion by Mr. Thompson, seconded by Mr. Evans; approved).
- Sunset Ridge Manor (Major Subdivision 05-12000017) — Preliminary approval for 23 single-family lots (motion by Mr. Evans, seconded by Mr. Thompson; approved).
- Estates of Joy Chapel (Major Subdivision 04-12000023) — Preliminary approval for remaining lots (motion by Mr. Chase, seconded by Mr. Evans; approved).
- Friendly Farm (Exception request 08140010) — The commission recommended granting an exception under section 41.6.0.4(a)(3–4) to allow a parcel that had been transferred under intra-family provisions in 1991 to be conveyed to a person other than a family member because the current owner demonstrated changed circumstances; motion by Miss Quasler, seconded by Mr. Thompson; approved.
- Vallenningham (Vaniningham) Farms ALPD (ALPD 08-15000002) — The commission recommended the Board of County Commissioners establish an Agricultural Land Preservation District for Laningham Farms LLC; motion by Mr. Thompson, seconded by Miss Squazo; approved.
Procedural motions
- The commission closed the public hearing on the wind-energy text amendment and left the record open for additional written comment for a short period (motion carried).
Context and staff findings: Planning staff reported that the subdivision approvals met the county’s subdivision and zoning standards, met clustering and open-space requirements, and — in each case — the commission’s approvals were contingent on the applicants returning for school-seat adequacy findings for later phases, consistent with the county’s annual growth policy.
Notable details from record
- Bell Arbor: Staff noted the project would meet AGP phasing requirements and that traffic mitigation fees for the Willows Road/Route 5 intersection will be collected at the appropriate time.
- Essex Woods: The plan provides pedestrian and internal interparcel connections; staff noted open-space requirements will be satisfied with common areas managed by homeowners association documents approved by the county attorney.
- Friendly Farm: The parcel at issue (Lot 3, roughly 3.56 acres after tidal acreage adjustments) had been created by a bona fide intra-family transfer in 1991; the current owner demonstrated a lack of family successors able or willing to assume waterfront ownership obligations, and staff recommended the commission approve an exception allowing sale to a non-family buyer.
What to watch: Each subdivision is approved preliminarily with conditions tied to school-seat findings and annual growth-policy compliance; applicants must return for findings for subsequent phases before additional lots may be released for building permits. The Board of County Commissioners will act on ALPD and text amendments following the commission’s recommendations.
Ending: The commission’s approvals clear a number of long-pending projects that had been held in the queue awaiting school-seat allocations while advancing one agricultural-preservation application and a narrow exception for a long-held intra-family parcel.
