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St. Mary's County launches additional St. Mary's 2050 visioning sessions; consultants to report back March 10
Summary
County planning staff announced six additional community visioning sessions for the St. Mary's 2050 comprehensive plan update, including a Spanish-language session and virtual options, and said the consultant team will brief the Planning Commission on March 10.
St. Mary's County planning staff told the Planning Commission on Jan. 27 that the county has added six community visioning sessions as part of the St. Mary's 2050 comprehensive plan update and is working to broaden outreach.
"We are currently in community engagement window number 1 with our comprehensive plan update, St. Mary's 2050," said Courtney Jenkins, deputy director of Land Use and Growth Management. Jenkins outlined six new sessions and a mix of in-person and virtual options, including a Spanish-only session on Wednesday, Feb. 12 at the Lexington Park Library and a virtual Microsoft Teams session the same evening.
The new sessions announced by staff include:
- Monday, Feb. 3, St. Mary's College Campus Center, 5–6:30 p.m.; - Friday, Feb. 7, 2nd District Fire Department (Valley Lee), 9–10:30 a.m.; - Monday, Feb. 10, virtual Microsoft Teams session, noon–1 p.m.; - Wednesday, Feb. 12, Spanish-only session, Lexington Park Library, 1:30–3 p.m.; - Wednesday, Feb. 12, virtual Microsoft Teams session, 7–8 p.m.; - Thursday, Feb. 13, Leonardtown Library, 1–2:30 p.m.
Jenkins said staff have been working with the county's public information officer to distribute a news release and social-media posts and that flyers — which include a QR code linking to the comprehensive-plan website — are being posted around the county and will be placed on STS buses and at bus stops. "We are definitely working hard to help push the word out there," Jenkins said.
Commission members who attended visioning sessions described the format as well organized and interactive, with table exercises and mapping activities. Jenkins confirmed that all prior comments have been archived and documented and that the consultant team will return to brief the Planning Commission on March 10.
Commissioners also discussed scheduling a combined training session with the Board of Appeals on possible dates in March (Wednesday, March 19 or Friday, March 21) and asked staff to coordinate via e-mail. Staff asked commissioners to notify staff member Brandy about preferred dates and times so the session can be scheduled.
No formal action was taken on the comprehensive plan update at the Jan. 27 meeting; staff characterized the current phase as broad, ground-level feedback gathering (community engagement window 1) and said the zoning ordinance will be addressed after the plan is adopted.
