Saint Mary's County Planning Commission begins Saint Mary's 2050 housing review; debate centers on affordability, density bonuses and AMI targets

Jessica Andrich, director of Land Use and Growth Management for Saint Mary's County, opened the Nov. 14 work session by saying the meeting is the first of five planned sessions to develop a draft of Saint Mary's 2050, the county's comprehensive plan update, and invited the Planning Commission to provide guidance before an initial draft is released and a 45-day public comment period follows.

Andrich and consultants from Clarion Associates framed the session around a housing framework and analysis that uses the term "attainable housing" to describe a spectrum of options distinct from traditional labels like "workforce" or "affordable." The presentation cited community engagement earlier in the year, which staff summarized as strong support for smaller homes and townhouses (reported by staff as 76% support) and significant backing for multifamily options in growth areas (reported as 66%).

Commissioners pressed for more and clearer data. "If you drop out the outliers... 35% of our young people ... can't afford to buy a home here," Commissioner Judy Gillies said, urging staff to provide additional income breakdowns and to revisit how "affordable" is being defined. Gillies and others said conversations with local small builders indicate high pre-construction costs push new homes into the upper $300,000s and $400,000s,…