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Planning commission hears a string of land‑use change requests across St. Mary's County; no final votes
Summary
After the Stanley Martin presentation, the commission heard a series of additional land‑use change requests (Medina Partnership, Bumpy Oak, Family Tree Ventures, LMZ LLC, Lloyd, Tommy’s Truck Service). Applicants described conceptual plans and argued for updated land‑use designations; neighbors raised traffic, stormwater and precedent concerns. Commissioners scheduled deliberations and asked staff to compile testimony.
The Saint Mary's County Planning Commission’s July 7 hearing included multiple applicants seeking changes to the draft 2050 comprehensive‑plan land‑use map.
Medina Partnership: Chris Longmore presented for a 6‑acre property at 29805 3 Notch Road in Charlotte Hall, asking that the frontage be changed from mixed‑use low intensity to mixed‑use moderate intensity to match adjacent commercial uses. Neighbors, including Carolyn Curtis, submitted petitions and said Charlotte Hall Road already supports many businesses and is congested and unsafe for additional intensity.
Bumpy Oak Corporation: Trustee Steve Valentine and team asked to move roughly 33 acres into the Hollywood Town Center and change the land‑use to residential low density. The applicant described the parcel as a logical buffer between new commercial frontage and rural preservation behind it and said the site would support single‑family development with access off purchased commercial frontage.
Family Tree Ventures, LMZ LLC and several smaller applicants each requested modest changes reflecting nearby development since 2010, seeking rural commerce or residential low‑density designations in order to allow different future uses. Presenters repeatedly said conceptual slides were shown to give neighbors context and that any rezoning and development would require multi‑year technical, environmental and public‑review steps.
Tommy's Truck Service requested a rural commerce designation to allow expansion of a vehicle repair operation; the applicant spoke briefly about a need for a larger shop facility.
Neighbors across multiple agenda items raised issues that repeatedly surfaced through the night: stormwater and downstream flooding (documented with photos in at least one case), narrow two‑lane roads with no shoulders (Sandy Bottom, Lawrence Hayden), school capacity and emergency services, and the risk of incremental changes to rural preservation boundaries creating precedent for further conversion.
No land‑use changes were approved at the July 7 hearing. Commissioners said they will consider testimony and expected to continue deliberations at their next scheduled meeting on July 13.
