St. Mary's County Planning Commission on Nov. 25 examined draft natural-hazards and resiliency actions in the St. Mary's 2050 comprehensive-plan update, focusing on measures to reduce flooding risk and support agriculture and seafood industries.

Amy Bledsoe, the county's emergency manager, joined staff and consultants for discussion of two overall resiliency goals and several new action items. IRG, the planning consultant, described action 1.2.5 as a near-term option to "explore" cost-share incentives that would help farmers install best management practices—on-farm ponds, controlled tile drains and grassed waterways—to slow stormwater upstream and reduce repeated road and neighborhood flooding. "It is intended to be a cost share that makes it affordable for farmers," an IRG representative said.

The commission discussed the proposed scope and eligibility for any cost-share: IRG said the focus would be on hundred-year contributing areas where on-farm BMPs could mitigate downstream impacts, and that only farms with the characteristics needed to build effective measures would likely qualify. Commissioners asked whether county adoption of the plan would obligate funding; staff and IRG urged softer wording in the plan ("explore") and said funding sources and program design would be determined later.

A separate new action would map and prioritize "hot spots" of saltwater intrusion affecting farm fields and recommend adaptive pathways—crop shifts, conservation or marsh easements and upland migration corridors—so farmers can plan for changing conditions. Commissioners asked whether this would apply only to farms; staff said related policies on adaptive retreat and habitat are complementary and that Economic Development and agencies such as NRCS could be partners.

Staff also proposed a living-shorelines demonstration program at marinas, seafood landings and aquaculture hubs to track wave-energy reduction and habitat benefits; IRG noted Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay investments have generated demonstration lessons that could be scaled locally.

On infrastructure, the draft includes an action to prioritize storm-hardening and elevation of farm-to-market and seafood-access roads that face repeated closures, coordinated with a shoreline-conditions assessment and road-closure inventory to protect food-supply and market access.

Why it matters: these actions tie agricultural viability, food security and infrastructure resilience to rising flood and sea-level risks. Commissioners repeatedly asked staff to clarify eligibility, funding and whether new plan text would create binding county obligations.

No formal votes were taken; staff will return with revised wording that emphasizes exploration, potential partners and implementation steps.