Planning Commission approves concept plan for 162‑unit Meadows townhouses with conditions including remediation and a school‑bus pad

The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission voted Sept. 29 to approve the concept site plan (CSP25‑0109) for the Meadows, a proposed 162‑unit townhouse development on a 32.44‑acre site in the Lexington Park Development District, subject to four conditions addressing traffic, school‑bus pickup, a buffer fence and a required environmental remediation program.

The commission’s approval followed staff presentation of the project’s regulatory framework and findings, a multi‑member presentation by the applicant team, and extensive public testimony focused on traffic safety, stormwater, and an historical on‑site dump that has prompted soil testing.

Why it matters: the project would add 162 attached dwelling units in an area planned for development and would require purchase of 100 transfer‑of‑development‑rights (TDRs) per the county ordinance. The project team told commissioners it is providing more forest conservation than required and is proposing multiple stormwater facilities and walking connections. Traffic review concluded the site’s intersections operate at acceptable levels of service, but the developer agreed to contribute $142.67 per unit — a fund contribution established in 2006 — totaling $23,112.54 toward a potential future traffic signal at the nearby Route 5/Willows Road intersection.

Project and staff summary

Staff said the site is zoned Residential Low Density in the Lexington Park Development District and described zoning and design standards that apply to attached dwellings, buffers, open space, stormwater and environmental protections. Staff identified wetlands, a stream and floodplain on the property and noted required buffers (100‑ft wetland buffer, 100‑ft stream…