St. Mary's Planning Commission approves Martinez small appliance repair shop in Charlotte Hall

The St. Mary's County Planning Commission on Sept. 22 approved concept site plan CSP25-0103, permitting a 2,253-square-foot small appliance repair shop at 297453 3 Notch Road in Charlotte Hall.

Staff told the commission the proposed use is classified as use type 58 (maintenance and repair service, minor) and is permitted in the site's RMX (residential mixed use) zoning district. The commission's approval was conditioned on required road improvements being completed concurrent with any certificate of occupancy, securing a variance from the Board of Appeals for the 65-foot buffer yard along two property lines, and obtaining a letter from the owner of Parcel 84 allowing use of off-site parking there.

Sean Lee Blasco, the county planner who presented the staff report, said the plan meets applicable sections of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, including development standards in Schedule 32.1 and landscaping and buffer requirements in chapter 63. Blasco noted there are no sensitive environmental areas on the parcel and staff entered the report into the record as Exhibit 2.

Applicant representative Steve Vaughn described the property as the former Woods Produce stand and said no exterior building changes are proposed. "We're not changing anything exterior," Vaughn said, adding the project will meet the county's 20% landscaping minimum and will provide on-site parking plus additional spaces on adjacent Parcel 84, which the owner also controls.

A participant identified as Mr. Martinez clarified a technical point in the staff report, saying a transfer of development rights (TDR) would not be required because the structure is a legally existing nonconforming building and no physical changes are proposed. The commission added a condition to reflect that clarification.

Commissioners asked about the surface of the side parking and whether outside storage of parts would occur. Vaughn said the side parking would remain gravel and that all storage would be indoors: "There will be no outside storage," he said. The record shows the applicant intends incidental retail of small maintenance items (oil, etc.) inside the shop, but not exterior sales or display.

With no public testimony, the commission moved to deliberations. A motion to approve the concept site plan with the conditions read into the record was seconded and carried by recorded aye votes.

The commission's approval allows the applicant to proceed with the next steps in the county review process, including obtaining the stated variance from the Board of Appeals and the required off-site parking agreement. The record does not show a building permit issuance date or a scheduled construction timeline.