Prince Frederick, MD – The construction is not quite finished at Dominion Cove Point’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Plant in Lusby. The enormous liquefaction unit, which cost $4 billion and was officially dedicated and activated last year, is finished and now the plant operators have plans to add a parking garage and maintenance building. Those added components were reviewed Wednesday, Jan. 16 by the Calvert County Planning Commission and received conditional approval.
Calvert Department of Planning and Zoning principal planner Rachel O’Shea stated that the project “consists of an 81,485-square foot three-story maintenance building containing office space on the second and third floors and shop space on the first floor, a 3-story 116,345 square foot, 320 space parking garage and a 5,500 square foot storage building to support the LNG Plant expansion project that was completed in April 2018. The facility expansion and export project increased the number of employees from 107 to 200 employees that are currently working in the existing administrative office building as well as temporary shop trailers and maintenance tents. The project proposal will provide permanent work space for the 200 employees.”
O’Shea noted that the Calvert County Department of Economic Development has designated the project for fast-tracking. “The total projected capital investment in real or tangible property for development of this project is $30 million,” O’Shea stated.
In a memo to Planning Commission Administrator Carolyn Sunderland, Department of Economic Development Director Kelly Robertson-Slagle stated, “to qualify [for fast-tracking], projects must be consistent with the Comprehensive Plan, Town Center Master Plans and Calvert County Zoning Ordinance. Special preference is given to development projects within our targeted industries of defense contracting, information technology, tourism, energy, advanced manufacturing, medical services and administrative services. Applicants receive points based on criteria such as job creation, targeted industries, capital investment and average annual salaries. Approved applicants must meet with appropriate staff to discuss project scope and details prior to plan submission and agree to ongoing status meetings.”
The structures will be located outside of the sound walls on the southeast corner of the LNG Plant, but within the security fence. O’Shea stated the project area is over 229 feet back off Cove Point Road and meets all setbacks.
The project’s landscape plan proposes perimeter plantings around the parking garage as well as surface parking lot and additional foundation plantings that are required around the maintenance building since it will contain office space. However project engineer Joe Kadjeski of Collinson, Oliff and Associates Inc. is requesting a waiver of the requirement “since the building is not visible by the public.”
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com