Planning commission recommends Halloween Point Park master plan update to BOCC

Calvert County Planning Commission on May 21, 2025 voted to close the public record on and find the Halloween Point Park Master Plan update consistent with the Calvert County Comprehensive Plan and to recommend adoption by the Board of County Commissioners.

The vote followed a staff presentation by Stephanie Sperling, park planner for Calvert County Department of Parks and Recreation, who said Halloween Point Park, at 4755 Halloween Point Road in Prince Frederick, "is an 81-acre park in Calvert County featuring athletic fields, walking paths, a playground, a basketball court, tennis courts, and pickleball courts." Sperling told commissioners the department contracted Murphy and Dittenhofer in 2023, collected more than 2,000 community survey responses, and completed a draft plan in September 2024 identifying needs for paved walking paths, natural surface trails, field upgrades and other amenities.

The draft plan includes a range of suggested improvements: new and improved paved and natural trails, upgrades to multiuse and baseball/softball fields (including proposals to convert one or more outfields to synthetic turf), an additional pavilion and playground, and an in-ground skate park. Sperling said cost estimates for proposed upgrades are included in the draft document and funds to update the master plan were previously procured.

State and county review agencies returned comments during a 60-day review. Sperling summarized responses from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, the Maryland Department of Planning, the Maryland Department of the Environment and the Maryland Historical Trust and noted comments from the Calvert County Historic District Commission and the Calvert County Environmental Commission. She said DNR was "very positive" about recreational aspects of the plan, the Department of Planning urged improved bicycle and pedestrian access to the park, and the Department of the Environment raised standard construction-related points including soil contamination screening, lighting, electric vehicle charging, petroleum storage and solid-waste management during construction.

Historic-preservation reviewers raised questions about three historic farm structures previously present on or near the site and asked the county to document and include a treatment plan. Sperling said two historic barns remain on county property and that one barn near the playground dates to roughly the mid-19th century; the Maryland Historical Trust and the county Historic District Commission recommended adding descriptions of the barns and considering archaeological potential where trails are proposed. Sperling said staff will amend the draft to incorporate the preservation and archaeology comments, and that park signage and improved interpretive displays are one likely approach.

Park access and traffic were also raised. Bob Prandham, director of Parks and Recreation, said county staff are pursuing coordination with State Highway Administration on a near-term fix and have scheduled additional meetings to consider signage, bollards and other measures. Prandham said staff are "looking for a much more expedited answer to control that, because we do recognize it's a dangerous situation."

After the presentation and questions, a commissioner moved to close the record, find the master plan update consistent with the county comprehensive plan and recommend adoption by the Board of County Commissioners; another commissioner seconded. The motion passed on an affirmative voice vote from commissioners present.

The planning commission's action was a consistency finding and recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners; final adoption remains with the BOCC.