Board of Appeals approves garage variance that will encroach on wetland buffer in Leonardtown

The St. Mary’s County Board of Appeals on June 11 unanimously approved a variance for a homeowner to build a 24-by-24 garage that will intrude into an expanded 100-foot non‑tidal wetland buffer.

Chairman George Allen Hayden Sr. opened the public hearing and staff planner Andrew Chaney Jr. described the application (VAAP 25‑1709) for property at 39793 Lady Baltimore Avenue in Leonardtown. Chaney said the property is zoned rural neighborhood conservation, is about 1.5 acres, and that hydric soils and mapped non‑tidal wetlands expanded the wetland buffer to 100 feet around portions of the lot. He told the board the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) conducted a site visit and exempted the proposed garage from certain COMAR requirements, and that stormwater and health‑department approvals were in place.

Homeowner Michael Kuczynski told the board he reduced an earlier 24‑by‑32 plan to a 24‑by‑24 garage specifically to minimize disturbance to the wetland buffer. He told the board the proposed work would affect approximately 6 square feet of the 25‑foot portion of the buffer and that the smaller footprint “is a modest and reasonable request” intended for vehicle and yard equipment storage, not commercial use.

A neighbor, Reverend Paige Johnson, testified in support of the application, saying the small disturbance is insignificant relative to her adjacent agricultural property and that the request was reasonable.

Board members debated whether to grant a larger 24‑by‑32 request (which would have required the applicant to return to the state for approval) but ultimately accepted Kuczynski’s voluntarily reduced footprint. A motion to approve the variance from the county zoning ordinance’s wetland buffer provision was moved, seconded and carried by unanimous voice vote.

An order reflecting the board’s decision will be prepared by staff and signed by the board within 60 days; a 30‑day appeal period follows the date the order is signed, the chair said.

Why it matters: The ruling permits a small, private accessory structure inside a locally expanded wetland buffer after state and county reviewers determined the specific proposal would have minimal adverse impacts; neighbors testified both for and against cases in other hearings, underlining local sensitivity to shoreline and wetland development.

Next steps: Staff will prepare and circulate the signed order to the applicant when completed.