Planning commission continues St. Mary's Crossing PUD public hearing to July 9

The St. Mary's County Planning Commission on May 29 agreed to continue the public hearing for Planned Unit Development application 06-14500004, Saint Mary's Crossing, to July 9, 2007, so staff, the applicant and the Board of Education can further address outstanding issues.

The applicant, represented by John Norris of NGNO Engineering, asked the commission to continue the hearing so the developer could “further address the comments of staff in the staff report.” Norris told the commission he and his client would meet with residents who signed the public comment sign-up sheet before the continued hearing to address concerns.

Bob Boles of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management said staff also recommended a continuance. Boles said the Board of Education “would be in receipt of property for a school site from this development” and that continued discussions would be beneficial before the commission received testimony and staff responses.

Several members of the public were in attendance and asked whether testimony could be heard that night. The chair said the commission would open the public hearing but would not take testimony until the continued session; the chair asked residents to use the sign-in sheet so the applicant could contact them beforehand.

The commission recorded the continuance rather than taking public testimony or making a zoning recommendation at the May 29 meeting. The continued public hearing was scheduled for July 9, 2007, at 6:30 p.m. in the same room.

The continuance leaves unresolved staff comments in the application record and preserves the commission's opportunity to review revised materials and any Board of Education input before making a recommendation to the county.

Votes at a glance: the commission agreed to continue the public hearing; no roll-call tally was recorded at the hearing.