Planning commission approves concept plan for Charlotte Hall Square retail center

The St. Mary's County Planning Commission on Nov. 13 voted unanimously to approve a concept site plan for Charlotte Hall Square, a proposed 41,264-square-foot retail shopping center on Triangle Drive in Charlotte Hall.

Bob Boles, planner with the Department of Land Use and Growth Management, presented staff findings and told the commission the proposal "is consistent with the comprehensive plan and actual function plans" and that staff "has not identified any issues that would prevent a favorable determination" for concept approval pending later engineering and Chapter 70 requirements.

The commission's action followed remarks from John Parlett, representing Charlotte Hall LLC, describing the site as a Town Center mixed-use zoning location and outlining design elements, parking layout and a proposed 20,000-square-foot anchor to house True Value Hardware. Commissioners asked about sewer capacity, connections to a nearby force main and whether the project would remove parking used by a state-leased park-and-ride. Parlett said the project is not part of the existing park-and-ride and that a local underground sewer system permitted by the Maryland Department of the Environment currently has capacity to serve additional users.

Commissioners also discussed traffic circulation and previous upgrades at nearby intersections; staff said a traffic study and further engineering will be required during site-plan review and that Mount Wolf Road, with a recently installed signal, is the principal lighted access for the site. The planning commission found that objectives of the relevant zoning sections were met and approved the concept motion; the motion passed unanimously.

The approval is for concept-stage review only. Staff and the applicant said final site-plan approval will follow additional engineering studies, traffic analysis and compliance with Chapter 70 utility and facility requirements.