Public hearing on Saint Mary's Crossing PUD and proposed developer agreement continued after debate over school site credit, traffic fees and access

The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission opened and then continued a public hearing Jan. 14 on a proposed developer’s rights and responsibilities agreement (DRRA) and a corresponding planned unit development (PUD) for the Saint Mary’s Crossing project. The commission set a continuation date for Feb. 25 and directed staff and the applicant to supply additional documentation and legal review before taking a recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners.

The applicant, represented by John Norris, proposed the DRRA as a mechanism to mitigate school capacity by donating a 26‑acre, “ready-to-build” school site to the St. Mary’s County Board of Education. County staff (Bob Boles) said the DRRA would also establish a traffic mitigation fee and phasing plan tied to access points. Staff calculated a traffic mitigation credit and fee that resulted in a proposed net fee of $2,008.28 per dwelling unit after credit for the school site; the staff report also noted a higher county cost estimate was under consideration (roughly $5,900 per unit was discussed by public works analysis).

Board of Education representative Kim Howe said the school system “does have a continued interest in this future school site” and that, while compact, the site could accommodate an elementary…