Prince Frederick, MD – The Calvert County Planning Commission made decisions Wednesday, July 20 on what they will recommend to the county commissioners regarding proposed amendments to sections of the county and Prince Frederick zoning ordinances. The discussion was held one month after a public hearing on the controversial proposals, which would impact the future development of a prominent section of the county seat.
The proposed amendments would reduce setbacks (area between a building and a road), increase both density requirements and maximum building height; and building sizes in a renamed portion of Prince Frederick called “New Town.”
The planning commission—with Chairman Maurice Lusby and newest member Dr. Richard Holler both recusing themselves—voted down the proposed changes regarding setbacks, density and building height. However, after a lengthy discussion a majority of the panel made modifications to the proposed amendment regarding the size of a retail store.
The New Town District includes a parcel dubbed “Armory Square,” since its focal point is a vacant National Guard Armory. It is located behind a tract where Calvert Middle School once stood. The school building, which had been built during the 1940s, was razed in 2012. An adjacent parcel is being combined with Armory Square and is targeted for development by Bargo LLC. In June 2015, the county commissioners and Bargo LLC entered into an exclusive negotiating rights agreement for the county-owned portion of the tract.
Planning Commission Vice Chairman Mike Phipps stated he was pleased the county commissioners opted to keep the record open for two weeks, noting that a lot of additional public input was submitted. “I’m appreciative of the people who took the time and did their homework,” he stated. Phipps suggested the commission consider the zoning changes in three segments.
Planning Commission member Carolyn McHugh observed that the input suggests the opponents to the developers’ current plan outnumber the proponents. “I believe our community was telling us what they want for Calvert County,” said McHugh. “I think we should listen to them.”
After voting to not recommend decreasing building setbacks, increasing allowable building height and increasing maximum residential density, the panel’s majority found a compromise on the maximum store size component of the proposed zoning change. Phipps stated he would not be opposed if the planners were to apply “big box” limits in effect in the town center’s Village and Entry districts, to the New Town District. That would allow a retailer and developer to build a store no bigger than 120,000 square feet, provided it met the current setback requirements. Phipps explained later that this would mean the big box store would not be permitted at the Armory Square tract but could be built on the parcel located to the east. Phipps noted that the recommendation is essentially permitting the extension of the Prince Frederick Town Center’s big box regulation to apply to the New Town District.
The recommendation would appear to eliminate concerns that the proposed amendment would constitute “spot zoning” within the New Town District.
“I am not opposed to mix use development in this part of town,” said Phipps, who added any commercial and/or residential growth “needs to be appropriate.”
Planning Commission member Robert Reed voted opposed to the recommendation.
Phipps reminded his fellow planning commission members that the panel was strictly acting in an advisory role. The final decision on the proposed zoning amendments will rest with the county commissioners. That decision could be made at the board’s Tuesday, July 26 meeting.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
Previous stories on this topic
http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/1215/reactionmixedtobigboxproposal.html
http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/0116/developerslookingforasquaredeal.html
http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/0616/hearingendsindelayedzoningdecisions.html
http://www.thebaynet.com/articles/1215/biggerstoresinsmalltowntogethearing.html