Calvert commissioners direct restart of Prince Frederick master plan to create 'Edge Commercial' subdistrict
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Summary
After a lengthy public hearing, the Calvert County Board of Commissioners voted to direct Planning & Zoning to redesignate about 50–60 acres of Employment Center land in Prince Frederick as an "Edge Commercial" subdistrict and restart the Planning Commission review to craft detailed zoning and use rules.
The Calvert County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 13 voted to send the Prince Frederick Town Center master plan back to the Planning Commission with direction to create an "Edge Commercial" subdistrict for roughly 50–60 acres of land previously zoned Employment Center.
Jason Brinkley, director of Planning and Zoning, and Tay Harris, long‑range planner, told commissioners the comprehensive plan already contemplates folding Employment Center parcels into town centers but that environmental constraints and development potential vary across the parcels. Harris said about 50–60 gross acres lie to the west of Prince Frederick; after accounting for steep slopes and rights of way, he estimated substantially fewer acres may be developable.
Commissioners debated whether converting the parcels to town‑center zoning would allow more residential density — including apartments and townhouses — than the board prefers. "If we change it to TC, it could provide opportunity for more apartments," one commissioner said, pressing staff on limits. Harris and Brinkley said staff’s proposal for an Edge Commercial subdistrict would allow the county to retain commercial‑oriented uses while explicitly restricting stand‑alone residential development.
Speaker 1 moved that Planning and Zoning modify the Prince Frederick chapter to designate the Employment Center area as an Edge Commercial subdistrict and restart the review and approval process with the Planning Commission; Speaker 2 seconded. Staff told the board the change would be substantive, require additional public hearings and likely take four to six months to return with draft zoning text and a defined set of permitted uses.
The motion passed. County staff said they will work with the Planning Commission to draft specific permitted uses and a zoning text amendment so the board and the public can review potential restrictions — for example, limiting higher‑impact commercial uses or explicitly prohibiting new multiunit residential buildings in the subdistrict.
Next steps: Planning staff will present draft subdistrict language to the Planning Commission and hold at least one additional public hearing before the matter returns to the Board of County Commissioners for final action.