St. Mary’s commissioners direct staff to create FDR Boulevard Phase 4 and pursue land buys, fold Nicollet Park entrance into project

Commissioners for St. Mary’s County agreed on creating a new Phase 4 for FDR Boulevard to secure land needed to extend the road from Peg Road toward Great Mills Road and to move the Nicollet Park entrance into that same project.

The move was presented to commissioners as a way to capture available properties — including a parcel tied to the estate of David Millison and another owned by Crossroads Construction — and to hold land now rather than risk higher prices later. County staff said informal appraisals and recent conversations with developers indicate land needed to complete the Peg Road–Great Mills connection could be acquired for roughly $525,000 for one parcel and about $75,000–$100,000 more for smaller parcels, placing an initial estimate in the “about $600,000” range for key acquisitions.

Why it matters: FDR Boulevard is intended to provide an alternate connection that commissioners said would relieve traffic on MD 235 (Great Mills Road). Staff and several commissioners argued acquiring property now could preserve future options and keep the broader program moving while design work continues on earlier phases.

What the county decided and how it will be done

- Commissioners decided to add a Phase 4 line to the capital improvement plan (CIP) that will include land acquisition for the Peg Road–Great Mills Road corridor and the Nicollet Park entrance. Commissioners discussed combining the previously separate Nicollet Park entrance line (about $700,000) with the roughly $600,000 acquisition estimate to create a single Phase 4 package of approximately $1.3 million.

- George Erickson (staff member) advised commissioners that the county has verbal agreements and expressions of interest from private owners and a local developer (Brian Norris) for parts of the corridor but stressed that verbal commitments do not acquire title; standard appraisal, title search and negotiation steps would still be required.

- Commissioners directed staff to prepare the Phase 4 CIP entry and to pursue negotiations with the estate of David Millison and Crossroads Construction, and to explore opportunities for donation or public–private partnership where property owners are willing to cooperate.

Details and context presented at the meeting

- Staff said some parcels along the alignment already generate interest from developers willing to build connecting sections; one Crossroads Construction parcel was described as being appraised previously at about $1.4 million but currently offered at about $525,000.

- Staff and commissioners discussed timing: design for Phase 3 was not completed, and land acquisition for Phase 3 is expected in FY 2016; commissioners agreed land for Phase 4 could be acquired earlier but that any reprogramming should ensure Phase 3 acquisition funds are returned to the CIP when they are needed so construction is not delayed.

- Commissioners noted traffic counts on MD 235 (reported in the meeting) near Great Mills Road as high (approximately 38,000 vehicles per day) and said incremental construction and strategic land buys could help staged improvements and future connections.

- Staff cautioned that without an engineering design there is limited flexibility in alignment for Phase 4 parcels; acquiring land without completed design can limit options but can also lock in favorable prices.

What was not decided

No ordinance or appropriation vote was recorded at the meeting. Commissioners gave direction to staff to create a Phase 4 CIP entry and to pursue negotiations and more detailed cost estimates; formal authorization to execute purchases, accept donations, or make budget amendments was not recorded and would require subsequent formal action.

Ending: next steps

Staff will prepare a revised CIP entry describing Phase 4 land-acquisition needs, updated cost estimates and a proposed method for reprogramming unexpended balances. Commissioners requested that building Phase 1 continue without delay and that any reprogramming be coordinated so Phase 3 land acquisition and Phase 1 construction are not affected.