The Lexington Park Development District (LPDD) master plan was certified by the St. Mary’s Planning Commission on Monday, putting into effect the long-range development plan that has been years in the making.
The St. Mary’s Board of Commissioners gave final approval to the plan on Nov. 1, and the planning board Monday certified the version approved by the commissioners as being an amendment to the county’s comprehensive land use plan, as required by state law.
The document includes land use suggestions and transportation goals, among other aspects.
The version of the plan voted on by the planning commission in February was modified slightly by the board of commissioners. County land use planner Jeff Jackman explained the gist of the changes to the planning commission.
The county commissioners rejected a recommendation to enlarge the boundaries of the LPDD, to include room for a Wildewood expansion westward and to include the Patuxent Naval Air Station, among other properties in the Rural Preservation District.
The county commissioners modified the map designation for the “Town Creek corridor,” from residential mixed use to corridor mixed use, and asked for an ongoing discussion on expanding the permitted uses for the land abutting Rt. 235 between Town Creek Drive and Rt. 4, Jackman explained.
The transportation element of the plan sets out future plans for enlarging FDR Drive to a bona fide road and expanding Pegg Drive to Callaway. County Land Use Director Denis Canavan has said the transportation plan will be used as a guide by property developers, and most of the work on FDR and Pegg drives will be completed in the private sector.
With the planning commission’s certification, the plan will now be printed into a book, created on compact disc and made available on the county’s Web site, Canavan said.
The planning commission also approved the preliminary site plans for the Patuxent Naval Air Station Museum on Rt. 235 in Lexington Park. The museum project, which has also been years in the making, can now move forward to the final stages of engineering and plan development.
Commission President Larry Greenwell asked whether the board of county commissioners, who own the building, were required to follow the same rules as any other commercial developer, noting the traffic study for the facility was complete in 2002.
Staffer Phil Shire said at the time of final approval staff will determine if the traffic study and other adequate public facility requirements are still valid, and require mitigation if the need arises.