County planning staff to advertise public hearing on town‑center master plan chapters including Prince Frederick updates

Calvert County planning staff presented draft Chapter 1 (Town Centers) and Chapter 2 (Prince Frederick Town Center) of a consolidated town‑center master‑plan update and asked the Board of County Commissioners to authorize advertising a public hearing on the drafts.

Long‑range planner Tay Harris and Planning Director Jason Brinkley described changes to the Prince Frederick Town Center draft: the plan reduces maximum allowable residential density in the town center from 14 units per acre to 4 units per acre and consolidates proposed subdistricts from five to three (retaining a traditional suburban subdistrict, an expanded Old Town district with a potential Main Street candidate area, and a commercial redevelopment district along MD‑24). Staff also proposed adjustments to the town‑center boundary to include the CalvertHealth campus to the north and nearby employment‑zoned parcels, and to add parts of Calvert Town and Symphony Woods to the south.

Environmental highlights in the draft show the town center has approximately 29% impervious coverage and a relatively healthy 49% tree canopy; the draft maps sensitive areas, streams and watershed boundaries (Parkers Creek, Huntingtown and North Battle Creek subwatersheds). The plan identifies intersections with failing performance as of July 2025 — MD‑24 & Stokesley Road; MD‑24 & Dares Beach Road/Commerce Lane; and Church Street & Main Street — and recommends continued coordination with the Maryland State Highway Administration on road improvements and planned loop roads. The plan also recommends sidewalk‑gap filling and bicycle lanes along several routes; staff noted many road/intersection improvements rely on state planning and funding.

Commissioners questioned traffic‑study timing and the interaction between projects already in the pipeline — staff and the county’s public‑works director, Jared Cosgrove, said individual development proposals continue to submit traffic studies as required and that no county‑led town‑center traffic study is planned; traffic impact analyses are required for large developments and intersections of concern will be reviewed during permitting.

After discussion, commissioners authorized staff to advertise a public hearing for the draft chapters (staff indicated a tentative hearing date of Sept. 30 and will publish finalized dates and outreach materials). The motion passed by voice vote.

Ending: Staff will post the public‑hearing notice, host informational town halls (October) and return with summarized survey and outreach results; the public will have multiple opportunities to comment in the coming months.