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St. Mary’s County board approves 3,000‑sq‑ft addition to Lovell Produce Auction
Summary
The Board of Appeals approved a conditional‑use application allowing a 3,000‑square‑foot addition and replacement pole building at the Lovell (Loveville) Produce Auction in Mechanicsville, ruling the request met county conditional‑use standards.
The St. Mary’s County Board of Appeals on Nov. 8 approved a conditional‑use request allowing a 3,000‑square‑foot addition to the Lovell (Loveville) Produce Auction and replacement of an on‑site dwelling with a pole utility building.
The auction operator had asked for the change to expand the selling floor for local growers. The board found the request met the conditional‑use standards in the county zoning ordinance and approved the project subject to the conditions that ran with the original approval.
Elmer Brubaker, who identified himself as the spokesman for the Lovell Produce Auction, told the board, “With the past success we had in the past 3 years at this produce auction, selling the local produce, we are already in need of more floor space to display this produce and that’s why we’re here tonight to ask approval to add 3,000 square feet to the selling floor and also to remove the old dwelling, and replace it with a more useful building to store boxes.”
Michelle (staff), reading the legal description, said the property is approximately 5.25 acres at 40454 Bishop Road in Mechanicsville, zoned Rural Preservation District, and that the Tech agencies reviewed the proposed addition and pole building. Staff recommended approval, noting the expansion “will not provide any adverse impact above and beyond what would be found in any other area in the RPD or for an auction house.”
A board member moved to accept the staff report and moved to approve the conditional‑use application, with a second noted on the record. The board voted to approve the application; staff will prepare a written order to be signed within 60 days and mail it to the applicant when available.
The order will trigger a 30‑day appeal period from the signature date, the chair told the applicant.
The decision allows the auction to proceed with the added selling area and the replacement pole utility building once applicable permits and the written order are completed.
