Commission asks staff to cite failing intersections and APFO consequences in Prince Frederick town-center master plan

At its April 16 meeting the Calvert County Planning Commission directed staff to add language to draft Chapters 1 and 2 of the Master Plan of Town Centers to explicitly cite intersections within Prince Frederick that the commission and recent traffic studies identify as failing and to note the implications under the county's Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO). Commissioners voted to move the revised chapters to a May 21 public hearing.

Tay Harris, long-range planner with the Department of Planning and Zoning, presented the draft chapters. Chapter 1 contains town-center-wide background and policies; Chapter 2 contains the Prince Frederick Town Center update. Staff said the drafts consolidate prior agency comments and public comments received in the 90-day review period and reflected planning commission feedback from the March 19 meeting.

During discussion, a commissioner cited the November 2024 Prince Frederick assisted-living traffic impact analysis and identified five intersections that study materials and staff review show as currently failing APFO level-of-service criteria: Route 4 at MD 402, Route 4 at Commerce Lane, Route 4 at Church Street, Main Street at Church Street, and Route 4 at Stokely Road. The commissioner observed that under the APFO a finding of failing intersections in the study area would constrain future site plan approvals unless roadway remediation were implemented by the State Highway Administration, the county, or by developers, or unless time-based relief applied.

J. R. Cosgrove, director of public works, told commissioners that listing the failing intersections and the APFO consequences in the town-center chapter would be appropriate and that longer-term mitigation would likely require a coordinated, multi-party approach and significant funding. Commissioners discussed the feasibility of remediation and whether developers could be expected to shoulder major intersection upgrades alone.

A commissioner offered specific language directing staff to add text in the traffic-conditions section citing the five failing intersections and to state that such failures would affect future commercial and residential growth in Prince Frederick by requiring traffic-flow remediation or a six-year delay in site-plan approvals unless overridden by the State Highway Administration. The commission approved that modification, and later approved sending draft Chapters 1 and 2, with previously approved modifications, to public hearing on May 21.

Commissioners asked staff to continue coordinating with the Department of Public Works and other agencies in drafting the revised text and to provide additional background on possible mitigation strategies for future hearings. The commission also discussed timing and funding constraints for large-scale intersection improvements and the role of state agencies in financing and implementing capacity projects.