The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission spent the bulk of its Dec. 1 work session reviewing the transportation chapter of the draft Saint Mary’s 2050 comprehensive plan, concentrating on pedestrian networks, sidewalks, bicycling facilities and policies to improve interparcel connectivity.

Jessica Andritz, director of the Department of Land Use and Growth Management, highlighted new and carry-forward policies and said the chapter begins with a target to "ensure a safe and complete pedestrian network." The draft lists several specific policies, including a proposed policy to "require sidewalks for new development," language that prompted extended discussion among commissioners about scope and cost.

Commissioners pressed staff for clarity about where sidewalks would be required. Several members supported a requirement in denser areas but opposed a blanket mandate in rural subdivisions. As one commissioner noted, the draft clarifies the sidewalk proposal applies to lots zoned at less than one acre; staff said that was intended to avoid imposing sidewalks on large-lot rural development. Commissioner Joe Van Kirk and others favored wording that lets reviewers distinguish road-frontage sidewalks from internal paths so the policy is practical on a site-by-site basis.

The commission debated how strongly to word other connectivity items, including an action that would require new development to provide "safe routes connecting to surrounding amenities." Deputy county attorney John Sterling Hauser cautioned about mandatory phrasing: "The issue with a word like mandatory is that it is directory. That is a shall. That is literally mandatory language," and he warned such language can be difficult to reverse in a comprehensive plan amendment process. Commissioners discussed alternatives — "should," "encourage," "when feasible," or adding a phrase tying requirements to growth areas — to preserve flexibility and reduce implementation cost pressure on attainable housing.

On bicycling, consultant Angeline Crowder of Burns & McDonnell and Clarion Associates' Leanne King urged context-sensitive standards. Crowder described "end-of-trip support" as facilities tailored to the setting: bike parking at rural trailheads and more substantial provisions (racks, lockers, showers) in urban centers. Commissioners suggested narrowing the objective "promote bicycling as a viable transportation mode" to growth areas or town centers where roadway geometry and demand could support commuting by bicycle.

Courtney Jenkins, who administers the Calvert–Saint Mary’s Metropolitan Planning Organization work program, told the commission the MPO has two upcoming studies on the schedule: an FDR Boulevard study to quantify traffic relief from that corridor and a multimodal study to identify ways to increase bus ridership and walking/biking connections. Jenkins said these studies will help staff target investments and support grant applications.

The commission also flagged access-management language proposing county action on key state roads and asked staff to refine the wording to emphasize coordination and influence through the MPO and MDOT rather than direct county control. Commissioners requested follow-up on an apparent omission in the draft that removed 3 Notch Road from a list of referenced corridors; staff said they would check the draft language with the consultant.

Next steps: staff will return revised language that softens directive phrasing where appropriate, add context and examples (sidewalks internal vs. frontage, what counts as an "alternative route") and bring the MPO study results or representatives to a future meeting so commissioners can consider data when finalizing policy choices.