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Commissioner: Planning-commission approvals are not final; calls for focused growth and finishing Lexington Park master plan
Summary
A St. Mary's County commissioner said recent Planning Commission actions are not final and urged residents to contact officials as the county finishes a long-delayed Lexington Park master plan funded in part through Tri-County Council grant work with consultant Clarion.
A St. Mary's County commissioner opened the meeting by warning residents not to treat planning commission votes as final and by urging a focused approach to growth.
"There are quite a few people who said that it's a done deal. Stanley Martin's gonna be able to develop and do whatever they want now," the commissioner said, adding that the planning commission's recent decisions "have not come before us yet." He said he watched the entire Planning Commission meeting and has been following social-media discussion that he described as confusing and inaccurate.
The commissioner said the county has pushed a Lexington Park master plan for years and that, over the past year, Tri-County Council grant money was forwarded to a contractor (identified in the meeting as work expanding Clarion's role) to complete the plan. He said some of that grant funding has already been spent and that the new request tied to the Planning Commission's work represents "more of a lift." The commissioner urged residents with questions to contact a commissioner or the Planning Commission directly.
Why it matters: Lexington Park is a growth area for the county and the master plan is intended to guide where and how development happens. The commissioner framed the conversation as one about directing growth to appropriate areas rather than opposing growth altogether.
Details: The speaker criticized social-media posts that characterized recent Planning Commission votes as final and emphasized the separation of authority between the Planning Commission and the county commissioners. He said the Tri-County Council provided grant funds to support Clarion's work on the Lexington Park Development District and that the master plan had been delayed for years; the exact grant amount and the contractor contract value were not specified in the remarks.
Next steps: The commissioner said the Planning Commission's report will be presented to the county board in a few weeks, and that the board and public will continue reviewing the proposal before any formal county action.
