Planning commission reviews five‑year mid‑cycle report on St. Mary’s County comprehensive plan

St. Mary’s County planning staff presented the five‑year mid‑cycle review of the county comprehensive plan at the Planning Commission’s Oct. 16 meeting, saying the report compiles development trends, implementation actions and potential updates.

"The report before you tonight is the 5 year review of Saint Mary's County comprehensive plan required by land use article 1207 c 6," said Kathleen Easley, acting deputy director of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management, as she opened the presentation.

Easley told commissioners the document summarizes trends drawn from annual reports covering 2011–2016, updates tables of permitted construction, and lists implementation tools and recent ordinance changes. She said the review follows a state schedule that created a five‑year mid‑cycle review and a 10‑year comprehensive plan cycle; the 10‑year review is scheduled for 2021–2023 to allow incorporation of 2020 census data.

The report identifies local implementation tools such as the Lexington Park Development District master plan, coordination with Naval Air Station Patuxent River, the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Planning Organization, the county hazard mitigation plan, public‑school planning, and the county’s 2013 stormwater management/grading/erosion and sediment control ordinance.

Commissioners pressed staff on state laws that have affected local planning. A commissioner asked about a 2014 change to septic rules that limits lot splits in rural areas to a maximum of seven lots, and described that restriction as "a major law affecting our growth in St. Mary's County." Easley acknowledged the change and agreed to include language about the septic/lot‑split rule in the mid‑cycle report.

Easley also said the report flags ongoing challenges the county faces in balancing growth in designated growth areas with preservation of environmental resources, and in meeting infrastructure needs such as roads, water and sewer.

Next steps described at the meeting include finalizing the mid‑cycle narrative and preparing for the 10‑year cycle update in the 2021–2023 window; Easley said copies of the materials and the Maryland Department of Planning transition schedule are available on the Maryland Department of Planning website.

The meeting did not record any formal vote on the five‑year report; commissioners instructed staff to add the requested clarification about the 2014 septic/lot‑split restriction and to proceed with the scheduled work toward the 10‑year review.