St. Mary’s commissioners authorize assurance to MetCom so YMCA can obtain building permit while wastewater upgrades proceed

The St. Mary’s County commissioners on Feb. 4 authorized the county administrator to sign a letter of assurance to the St. Mary’s County Metropolitan Commission (MetCom) so the YMCA project can receive a building permit while upgrades to the Forest Run wastewater pump station are completed.

Deputy county attorney John Sterlinghauser told the board that MetCom would not issue the YMCA’s building permit until there were ‘‘assurances in the file’’ that sufficient wastewater capacity will exist once the YMCA is operating. He said the county’s letter of assurance attaches a condition that, should a nearby developer project not create the expected system capacity, the county would undertake the approved design and construction of pump station improvements.

Why it matters: The YMCA project is ready to move toward construction, and MetCom’s hold on the building permit risks delaying work that county officials and the YMCA say is time-sensitive. County officials said a developer project — the Villas at Lexwoods by Green Street Housing LLC — is contracted to deliver temporary pump-station improvements that will create the capacity MetCom needs to clear the YMCA for full permitting. Sterlinghauser said the developer project is bonded and expected to start construction within weeks, with pump improvements to follow over roughly four to six months.

Discussion and alternatives

Sterlinghauser described the letter as a form of public assurance that would allow MetCom to issue the permit while relying on the developer’s imminent work. He said the alternative courses of action if the developer does not proceed are: the county could pay for and carry out the pump‑station upgrades itself, the YMCA and county could renegotiate amounts and timelines, or MetCom could rely on other planned system upgrades that would take longer to complete. Sterlinghauser said, ‘‘Think of it as a bond, except it’s not a formal bond in the sense that there is not a note to call upon.’’

County officials told commissioners the estimated cost to complete the Forest Run pump‑station upgrades is $3,325,000. Sterlinghauser also noted the memorandum accompanying the proposed assurance references the county’s previously agreed construction contribution figure for the YMCA project.

County administrator David Weiskopf and legal staff said the Villas at Lexwoods project has advanced through multiple approvals and is the most likely source of the near‑term capacity increase that MetCom requires; MetCom policy requires sufficient capacity evidence before issuing use and occupancy authorization. Officials cautioned permitting still depends on approvals from state agencies, including the Maryland Department of the Environment, for wetlands and related work on the Villas site.

Timing, risks and mitigation

Officials said the developer has been through the planning process, obtained variances and applied for the remaining state approvals; staff described those approvals as ‘‘routinely granted’’ in similar cases but not guaranteed. Sterlinghauser told commissioners that if Green Street’s project faltered, the county could either fund the pump‑station work itself or pursue other arrangements with MetCom and the YMCA; he also said MetCom has long‑term upgrades that could eventually supply capacity but would delay YMCA operations by up to about a year.

Motion and vote

Commissioners voted to authorize the county administrator to sign the attached letter of assurance to MetCom related to improvements at the Forest Run wastewater pump station and to sign related documents on the commissioners’ behalf. The motion passed with the ayes prevailing.

Next steps

With the board’s authorization, staff will execute the letter so MetCom can proceed with the YMCA building‑permit process. County staff said they will continue to monitor the developer’s schedule, state permitting, and MetCom actions and bring any county cost obligations back to the board if the contingency is triggered.

Ending note

Commissioners and staff framed the action as a narrowly tailored administrative assurance intended to allow the YMCA to move forward while preserving the county’s right to review and approve any county expenditures should the developer’s commitments not materialize.