County advances design for Charlotte Hall athletic fields; layout to require agreement with Board of Education

St. Mary's County Recreation and Parks staff told the advisory board on Nov. 5 that design work has begun for a Charlotte Hall athletic‑fields project adjacent to Luddy Dent Elementary School and 5th District Park and that the recommended layout will require coordination and an agreement with the Board of Education.

Staff said an engineering firm under contract prepared three layout sketches; after consultations with school officials, staff recommended “Concept 2” (the sketch on the bottom right of the handout) in which two fields are aligned north–south and a third is aligned east–west. Staff said that configuration best addresses topography and drainage and concentrates athletic facilities toward the park side of the parcel.

Because parts of the new fields would be sited on school property and the school’s planned expansion will require stormwater management areas, staff said a formal agreement between the County Commissioners and the Board of Education will be needed to clarify use, land transfers or easements and shared stormwater responsibilities. Staff noted the Board of Education has included the school expansion, bus turnaround and parking in its six‑year Capital Improvement Program with planning requested in FY2012 and construction requested in FY2014.

Staff described the fields as intended primarily for team practice (football, soccer, lacrosse) to relieve pressure on existing playing fields; game use was not ruled out but practice needs drove the design choices. Parking and access were identified as the project’s biggest ongoing challenge; staff said school parking would be available evenings and weekends when school activities do not conflict, and that signage, outreach to leagues and an initial park attendant were options to manage parking and public awareness.

Staff also noted the Board of Education is pursuing acquisition of a nearby state‑owned residential lot to assist with stormwater management and future parking expansion; the lot has not been acquired and any school purchase would be an independent action by the Board of Education.

Staff said it hopes to complete engineering review and begin construction as early as summer following plan approvals and permitting, with seeding and two growing seasons anticipated before play could begin.