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Parks director outlines FY2026 Program Open Space plan; projects include Calvert Marine Museum acquisition and park improvements
Summary
Parks & Recreation Director Bob Brannon presented the FY2026 Program Open Space annual program, describing funding (0.5% property transfer tax), two funding pools (acquisition vs. development), candidate acquisitions including a 1.1‑acre Calvert Marine Museum waterfront parcel, and development projects such as Halloween Point Park pathway improvements and a Cove Point playground replacement.
Parks & Recreation Director Bob Brannon presented the county’s FY2026 Program Open Space annual program and asked the Planning Commission to find the plan consistent with the Calvert County comprehensive plan so it can be forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners for submission to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
“How the fund generates revenue is through, point 5% property tax transfer,” Bob Brannon said, explaining that the county separates Program Open Space funds into acquisition and development pools. Brannon listed candidate acquisition and preservation projects, including a potential Calvert Marine Museum acquisition that would add 1.1 acres of waterfront property to improve public access and vessel maintenance capacity. He also described Chesapeake Beach interests: a canoe/kayak launch and additional parking, a 201.86‑acre preservation parcel, Bridal Cliff open‑space preservation, plus development requests such as Halloween Point District Park pathway replacement to improve ADA access, Cove Point Park playground replacement (noted as listed in the draft FY26 CIP), and Keloms Field Park expansion.
Brannon noted timing: staff will present the recommended Program Open Space plan to the Board of County Commissioners for approval on June 10 and the deadline to submit the plan to DNR is July 1. During discussion commissioners asked whether state budget changes reduced Program Open Space funding; Brannon said acquisition is more affected than annual development funding and described a Greenspace Equity Advisory funding cycle in which the governor awarded about $7,000,000 to three projects this cycle that did not apply locally.
