Commissioners tentatively clear land for Leonardtown elementary school; ask board of education for final plat next week

The Board of County Commissioners on May 15 voted to accept a subdivision concept and asked St. Mary’s County Public Schools to return next week with a revised plat that clearly shows the elementary school and early childhood facility footprint and required easements.

School system representatives told the board the action is needed to meet the July 1 master-plan submission to the state, a prerequisite for state construction funding. The parcel under discussion — described in the meeting as the Hayden Farm site — includes roughly 40 acres and a concept that shows space for an elementary school, an early childhood center and a future middle school; the middle school and athletic fields are several years out and were not expected to be constructed immediately.

Several commissioners voiced support for moving the elementary project forward while reserving future decisions on the middle school and park layout. Concerns raised during the discussion included: precise acreage for the elementary site, stormwater-management easements, and emergency access routes that would allow police, fire and ambulance vehicles to reach the site if the primary entrance were blocked.

The board’s motion directed the school system to provide a finalized subdivision plan (a plat) that delineates the elementary school and early-childhood center placement; commissioners indicated staff would try to place the revised plat on next week’s BOCC agenda so state master-plan steps could proceed without delay. The motion passed with one commissioner recorded in opposition.

Votes at the meeting: motion to have the Board of Education return next week with the revised subdivision plan passed, recorded as four ayes and one opposed.