The Calvert County Planning Commission took steps Wednesday, Dec. 11 to take proposed amendments to the Huntingtown Town Center Master Plan to a public hearing early next year. An application for amendments was submitted to county government by the attorney on behalf of a Huntingtown business owner seeking modifications to the extent and location of a wooded buffer currently mandated in the plan.

According to a Department of Community Planning and Zoning staff report, the Huntingtown Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance adopted 20 years ago includes a section entitled “Community Appearance, Landscaping.” A part of the section states, “preserve a 100-foot wooded buffer along the town center’s frontage on Maryland [Route] 2/4 from the northern intersection with Old Town Road to the proposed location of the Maryland 2/4 over/under pass. This will buffer the town from Maryland 2/4, screen the rear of any new development along the east side of Old Town Road from Maryland 2/4 and preserve the attractive natural setting along Maryland 2/4.”

The overpass referenced in the plan has since been deleted. In 2011 the Huntingtown Master Plan was amended to remove references to the proposed Hunting Creek Road extension.

The applicant seeking the master plan changes is Oldtown Automobile and Truck Sales Inc. and attorney Mark Davis submitted the application. The staff report noted the Calvert County Board of Appeals has heard three cases regarding development within the 100-foot buffer setback for the parcel owned by Davis’ client. “The first case was for a special exception to operate a motor vehicle dealership,” the report stated. “The board of appeals granted the special exception request with conditions, including the condition that display vehicles within the 100-foot buffer be kept to a minimum and be unobtrusive as possible. The subsequent two cases were for variance requests to reduce the 100-foot buffer/setback. The board of appeals denied both variance requests.”

During the Dec. 11 meeting, the planning commission had staff’s recommendations to schedule a public hearing on the request and narrowing the options to two. One option would be the applicant’s proposal to amend the master plan by having the wooded buffer and its setback from Route 2/4 extend from the northern intersection of Old Town Road to approximately 700 north of the southern intersection of Old Town Road with Route 2/4. The other option would amend the plan to reduce the area of the 100-foot wooded buffer/buffer setback to the southernmost extent of the 2011 forest cover, approximately 1,180 feet from the southern intersection of Route 2/4 and Old Town Road.

Planning commission member Roxanne Riddle Cumberland stated it would be wise to take a “no change” option to the public hearing. “You always have the option of making no changes whatsoever,” said plann