The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission on April 27 approved the concept site plan for Willows Road Business Park (CCSP‑08‑1320019), a proposed commercial development on roughly 26.98 acres with 289,675 square feet of building area.

Staff presentation and finding: David Barry of the county’s Department of Land Use and Growth Management summarized technical review findings and said staff identified no outstanding issues that would prevent approval of the concept plan, subject to standard subsequent engineering, comprehensive water and sewer plan amendments and final APF (adequate public facilities) checks. The plan had been reviewed by the Technical Evaluation Committee and is sited in a business park zone with portions in an APZ‑2 overlay.

Motion and proffer: The commission adopted a motion approving the concept plan after the applicant provided a written proffer offering a future land dedication: an offer to dedicate up to 40 feet from the center line (40 feet per side would make an 80‑foot corridor once both sides are dedicated), with an immediate commitment to reserve a 10‑foot strip (10 feet from center line) if future widening is required. The motion and proffer were explicitly referenced by the commission as a condition in their approval.

Transportation and community concern: Much of the discussion focused on Willows Road traffic and how to pay for long‑term corridor improvements. County staff and traffic engineers described current average daily traffic and projected increases as area development continues; one slide showed existing counts near 9,600 AADT (average annual daily traffic) at a key point and projected growth if surrounding residential projects build out. Commissioners and members of the public urged proactive right‑of‑way planning to avoid expensive later takings, and some commissioners recommended developers set aside a 10‑foot strip now to allow eventual widening without large acquisitions. The applicant’s representative confirmed the letter offering the 10‑foot reservation had been delivered to the commission and would be recorded.

Who pays? Commissioners debated how road widening and signals are funded. Staff and the applicant noted that developer fees (fee‑in‑lieu and per‑unit contributions) are collected toward intersection and corridor improvements, but the state controls larger projects (and traffic signals on state routes). Commissioners emphasized that collecting fees now does not guarantee the state will schedule or construct a signal or major widening; the county intends to keep tracking and advocating for necessary state work.

Other technical points: Staff noted the project’s proposed setback (BRL/front setback) is 35 feet; some commissioners observed adjoining buildings along the corridor are set further back and asked why. The applicant confirmed the front BRL matches zoning requirements and that developers may choose larger setbacks for design reasons.

Next steps: As a concept approval, the project still requires a comprehensive water and sewer plan amendment and detailed engineering before final site plan sign‑off. The commission approved the concept plan and recorded the applicant’s proffer for future right‑of‑way dedication.

Ending: The vote cleared concept approval with the proffered dedication; commissioners signaled they will continue to press for coordinated corridor improvements and to monitor fee collections intended for intersection upgrades.