Planning director reports forming work groups, Chester Haven Beach appeals and MDOT historic-resource reviews

At a May 2025 meeting, Queen Anne's County Planning Director Amy Mordock updated the Planning Commission on legislative developments, legal appeals, state transportation studies and personnel changes in the planning department.

Mordock said work groups are forming to address next-session legislation, including a group related to the governor's housing bill that did not move this year and another to address the Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) process for community solar siting and fixes to "senate bill 931," which staff said will require additional drafting work in June.

Mordock told commissioners the comprehensive rezoning decision for Chester Haven Beach, which was made by the County Commissioners as part of the comprehensive plan update, has been appealed. "There are three court cases that have been filed," she said, listing a petition for judicial review in circuit court, a judicial review of the Board of Appeals decision, and a complaint for declaratory relief. Mordock said the county has submitted records requested in discovery and that one court decision dismissed a case on the grounds that the commissioners acted as a legislative body rather than an administrative body.

The planning director also reported staff participation in Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) studies that include Section 106 reviews of potential impacts to historic properties and archaeology along Route 50 to Ocean City and in a Bay Crossing tier 2 study. Mordock said the studies are assessing non-substantive improvements such as signage and striping and that staff will report back if studies produce substantive recommendations.

On personnel, Mordock announced the senior planner position has been filled by Mary Ellen Gray, who will join the staff on June 4 and "comes to us with over 20 years of public planning experience and about 30 years of general planning experience." Mordock said the permit technician crew still has one vacancy and additional interviews are scheduled.

Long Range Principal Planner Stephanie Jones added that several citizen-sponsored text amendments and cannabis regulations will be coming to the County Commissioners' agenda next week for introduction or public hearing. Jones noted that two residential applications (Aspire and Barnstable) seeking amendments to the comprehensive water and sewer plan have moved beyond concept; those applicants provided fiscal-impact studies requested by the commissioners and an informational meeting on those studies was scheduled for the commissioners' agenda next week.

Mordock asked the commission to note that staff is actively engaged in the referenced state and transportation studies and that the department will report back on substantive outcomes.