Planning Commission recommends adoption of Town Centers master plan chapters 1 and 2

The Calvert County Planning Commission voted July 16 to close the public hearing record and recommend that the Board of County Commissioners adopt draft Chapter 1 (Town Centers) and draft Chapter 2 (Prince Frederick Town Center) of the county’s Master Plan of Town Centers.

Tay Harris, long range planner, presented updates to the town‑center master plan process, noting the department has streamlined chapter formats and launched public outreach for Owings, Huntingtown and Saint Leonard town center updates. Harris said postcards will be mailed in July and online surveys will run from mid‑July to mid‑August; staff estimated the postcards would cost about $7,500 to produce and mail to the affected ZIP codes.

The public hearing on draft chapters 1 and 2 had been continued from May 21 to allow further work on intersection level‑of‑service concerns and APF for roads. Harris said staff revised draft chapters after public comments and agency feedback and made them available online on May 14; legal notices and press releases were published in May 2025. The draft Prince Frederick chapter includes revised subdistricts (neighborhood residential, Old Town development subdistrict, and a commercial redevelopment subdistrict), updated transportation language identifying signalized intersections along MD‑24 as critical, and a footnote listing failing intersections as of July 2025. The draft language directs that proposed projects affecting those intersections must demonstrate they meet APF standards or propose mitigation acceptable to Public Works or SHA, or else the project shall be deferred up to six years under the APF code.

Commissioners discussed survey questions for Owings (including whether the town center designation remains appropriate), the proposed St. Leonard expansion area (a 29‑acre parcel near St. Edward Elementary), and coordination with state definitions for priority funding areas. One commissioner noted concerns about a recent Public Works traffic presentation and urged attention to signal operations on Traskers Boulevard and Fox Run Boulevard.

After no additional public testimony at the July 16 hearing, a commissioner moved to close the record, find the draft chapters consistent with the comprehensive plan, and recommend adoption by the Board of County Commissioners. The motion passed unanimously. All commissioners present voted yes.

Why it matters: The master plan chapters guide land‑use expectations and future zoning/implementation decisions in town centers. The planning commission’s recommendation advances the chapters to the county commissioners for final action.

Next steps: Staff will forward the Planning Commission recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration; Harris indicated the public outreach results will be presented to the commission in September or October.