Planning commission approves Virginia Knowles 55+ townhouse concept with conditions

The St. Mary—s County Planning Commission on Dec. 10, 2007 approved a concept site plan for 100 townhouses intended for residents aged 55 or older at a site known as Virginia Knowles (CCSP 05-13200009), subject to outstanding traffic-mitigation requirements, approximately 40 transfer-of-development-rights (TDR) credits or equivalent design enhancements, and a condition that the project comply with the Maryland Stormwater Management Act guidelines once they are finalized.

Planning staff member Bob Bowles, with the Department of Land Use and Growth Management, told commissioners the concept plan has outstanding items: "There are some outstanding issues. 1 is review and approval of the traffic study analysis. Design enhancements and approximately 40 TDRs will be needed to reach proposed density of 100 units." Bowles summarized the project's procedural history: the concept and a water-and-sewer plan amendment were reviewed in 2005, the county approved the water-and-sewer plan change and the Maryland Department of the Environment issued final approval on June 27, 2006.

Agent Jerry Nuckleby of Nuckleby's Surveying Inc. said the applicant has worked with Public Works on traffic mitigation and proposed making a private road into a county-standard public road that would bisect the property and provide two access points. "We have worked closely for the past year and a half with Public Works. A traffic study was done and submitted to them 11/02/2005," Nuckleby said. He described revisions to reduce curb cuts: removing individual driveways on 18 units and replacing them with two shared parking/service areas so garages would not back directly onto the county road.

Commissioners pressed the applicant on traffic access, acceleration/deceleration lanes on Route 235, and the interparcel connection to Joy Chapel Road. Nuckleby said mitigation details, including lane lengths, were still under negotiation with state and county traffic staff: "I'm sure it would be over 700 feet. They're still negotiating the length with state and everything." Several commissioners also raised the neighborhood impacts of weekend traffic near nearby businesses and taverns and asked that weekend and seasonal traffic patterns be considered in final design and mitigation.

The plan is being proposed as housing for people 55 and older to avoid triggering school adequacy-of-public-facilities (APF) requirements while the market supports it. The applicant and staff said the developer could return to the commission in the future to seek conversion of unsold 55+ units if school seats later become available; any conversion would require agreement of existing owners and the homeowners association. Nuckleby said, "We would come back before you and ask that the remaining portion be considered" for conversion if market conditions and APF availability change.

On a motion by Missus Guazza, seconded by Mister Chase, the planning commission approved the concept site plan with the condition that the project return at the subdivision stage for preliminary subdivision approval and be designed to comply with the Maryland stormwater management standards that took effect Oct. 1, 2007. The motion passed with Mister Thompson recorded as opposed.

What happens next: the applicant must resolve traffic mitigation details with Public Works, provide the design enhancements or TDRs to reach the requested density, complete engineering and stormwater design per county and state standards, and return for review at the preliminary subdivision/construction drawing stage.