Planning commission approves Park Place concept plan with stormwater, traffic and sewer conditions

The St. Mary's County Planning Commission approved a concept site plan for Park Place (CCSP-0613200039) on Oct. 2007, allowing a mixed-use project on 41 acres along Maryland Route 235 and Shady Mile Drive while attaching conditions on stormwater design, traffic mitigation and future sewer capacity.

Staff said the revised concept reduces the overall commercial square footage to 280,700 and lowers the number of transfer-development rights needed. "Staff believes this plan addresses all the standards of section 65-60.5.3," said Bob Bowles, Department of Land Use and Growth Management.

The commission’s decision followed presentations from developer representatives and engineers and extended public comment from Town Creek-area residents who cited traffic, water runoff and wetland concerns. "We ask the planning commission tonight to deny the request for Park Place as it currently stands," said Celia Rabinowitz, a Town Creek resident who asked the commission to delay approval until infrastructure and environmental studies were complete.

Developer representatives said they had revised the plan in response to prior comments, adding a 50-foot Type B buffer and an earthen berm along Shady Mile Drive, reducing parking in the inter-parcel drive, and reconfiguring building footprints. "When you're building a restaurant park like this, however, you find yourself with everyone wanting to eat at approximately the same time of the day. So as a result, we need to provide adequate parking to accommodate those restaurants," said John Parlett of CMI Group LLC, representing the applicant.

Traffic and circulation emerged as central issues. The developer presented two mitigation options developed with the Department of Public Works & Transportation and the State Highway Administration: (1) acquiring right-of-way to construct an additional auxiliary/through lane along the Route 235 frontage and a deceleration lane into Shady Mile Drive, or (2) if right-of-way is not attainable, providing alternative channelization and added turn/queuing lanes at the intersection. "If the deceleration lane is not attainable, then a series of alternative mitigation improvements are proposed," Bowles said. Traffic consultant Carl Wilson described lane and channelization scenarios intended to reduce queuing at peak times.

Stormwater management and protection of a natural pond and downstream streams were also heavily discussed. The applicant said the project must meet Maryland Department of the Environment and county stormwater rules, use groundwater recharge and bioretention features, and that the existing natural pond would be integrated into the engineered stormwater system. "We're not allowed to increase the discharge rate of water from this property," Parlett said, describing planned groundwater recharge and bioretention measures.

Metropolitan Commission chief engineer Chuck Frederick said Metcom would execute sewer infrastructure as directed by county planning and public works and welcomed coordination on main sizing. The commission attached a motion condition requiring the developer to work with Metcom to provide a second force main or equivalent participation for future sewer capacity "with Metcom's approval and participation," a developer representative confirmed during the vote.

Final motion language made three explicit conditions to concept approval: that stormwater management be designed to satisfy the new MDE rule effective Oct. 1; that the developer post a bond to fund any future traffic calming improvements on Woodlawn Drive; and that the developer, with Metcom participation, provide an additional force main to facilitate future sewer service. The motion was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote. No roll-call tally was recorded in the transcript.

The commission noted concept approval is the technical green light to begin detailed engineering and permitting; final site plan approvals, TEC reviews and agency permits remain required before construction. Bowles said concept approval is valid one year and may be extended by the director. The developer said engineering and permitting are expected to take many months and portions of the project will return to the commission for final site plan review.

Next steps include completion of engineering studies, coordination with MDE, DPW&T and Metcom on the specific mitigation designs, and future public hearings at site-plan stages where individual phases and lots will be reviewed.

Votes at a glance: the planning commission approved CCSP-0613200039 (Park Place) with the three conditions noted; the transcript records the approval by voice vote ("Aye"), without a named roll-call tally.