Planning commission continues Randy Sloan equipment-storage proposal amid truck-traffic concerns

The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission on Oct. 23 continued review of Concept Site Plan 1713200004, the Randy Sloan Equipment Storage proposal, after extended public testimony raised concerns about truck traffic, start/stop times for nearby gravel pits and whether the storage yard would increase local truck movements.

Brandy Glenn of Land Use and Growth Management told the commission the filing is for a 215,713-square-foot disturbed area with about 1 acre of actual equipment storage; the land use is listed as construction materials and equipment storage (Use 47). Staff noted the concept plan does not meet parking requirements as drafted and that the applicant must submit a written request to the director to reduce parking; buffer-yard plantings on several perimeter segments need revision in the plan. Staff also listed outstanding technical items (geotechnical testing for biofacility design during detailed site-plan review, and final TEC/agency reviews) that would be required during detailed review.

Consultant Jay Hobson and other applicant representatives described the site at Maple Road near Friendship School Road and Parsons Mill Road, adjacent to Zimmerman Gravel Mine. Hobson said much of the perimeter would remain as natural buffer and the storage area would be a large gravel yard; stormwater control would use bio-swales and grass channels. The applicant’s representative later clarified the storage area would normally contain backhaul stone and trucks — not continuous quarrying — and said the intent is to provide an overflow storage yard, particularly during winter months when local job-site demand drops.

Public testimony drew several residents who said dump trucks currently use narrow local roads, sometimes at early hours, and expressed safety concerns for a largely Mennonite community whose members walk and bike in the area. Speakers asked whether the proposed storage yard would increase truck trips on Parsons Mill, Friendship School and Maple roads, and whether a historical Board of Appeals order restricting empty truck routing or limiting trip counts remains in force. Resident witnesses described a mix of truck storage practices (some drivers leave trucks at home; others park at mine sites) and reported instances of high early-morning noise and one account of a near collision. A representative for Mr. Sloan, Ernest Grice, said the 24 trucks discussed at the hearing are Mr. Sloan’s existing trucks that already travel the area and that parking them in one location is intended to reduce the number of empty return trips; Grice said he did not expect a meaningful increase in daily truck trips.

Commissioners said the public raised substantive traffic, routing and enforcement questions that staff could not fully answer during the meeting. Commissioner Shelby Guaso moved to continue the case to allow the owner, Randall (Randy) Sloan, to appear and to give staff time to compile additional materials; Commissioner Joe Vankirk seconded. The motion passed by voice vote.

The commission requested staff gather: (1) copies of Board of Appeals orders and permit conditions for nearby gravel pits (including any trip limits, start/stop times and road-routing restrictions), (2) a list of active mining operations within the local area and their permitted trip counts, and (3) clarification on whether material storage at the proposed site would be included in any existing mine trip limits. The commission asked that Mr. Sloan attend the next hearing (commission staff indicated the matter would be scheduled for the commission’s next available meeting) so commissioners could ask direct operational questions and hear specifics about truck storage, the intended scale of material storage and how the proposal would interact with existing Board of Appeals conditions.