Leonardtown, MD – The Recreation and Parks Citizen Advisory Board’s February meeting, originally scheduled for February 7, 2019, has been rescheduled for Thursday February 21, 2019 at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place in the commissioners meeting room inside the Chesapeake Building, at 41770 Baldridge Street, in Leonardtown.
Citizens are invited to attend the meeting and provide public comment regarding a Master Plan project targeted for the Lexington Manor Property, located on Coral Drive, adjacent to Lancaster Park.
The Landscape Architect firm, Lardner Klein & Associates, has been selected to design and develop the plan. An overview of the project will be presented by Lardner Klein staff prior to the meeting being opened for public comment.
The scope of work includes the following:
- Conduct a thorough site investigation of the property to determine existing conditions.
- Provide site analysis opportunities and constraints to include site topography, existing trees (tree survey), street frontage and community connections.
- Define permissible and non-permitted uses.
- In addition to meetings with staff, the consultant will provide opportunity for public consultation to include presentation at two (2) public meetings.
- Prepare a corresponding written narrative (executive summary, body, and conclusion) document.
- Identify key findings and vision statement. Design objectives, design philosophy, park elements and recommended treatments, sustainability and carbon footprint. Mobility and accessibility, civil engineering summary and preliminary cost estimates.
On August 30, 2016, the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County designated the 33.8-acre Lexington Manor North Parcel as open space and submitted a letter to the Maryland Department of Commerce documenting their decision. The letter states, “…while the County retains the right to develop the property for commercial use, we do not foresee doing so.”
The 2017 approved Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan (LPPRP) includes a recommendation to “repair and enhance the trails/old streets in the Lancaster Park south and north parcel (old “Flat Tops” housing area for hiking, biking, walking, and rollerblading and for Arts in the Parks events (page 57).” The Lexington Park Development District master plan (approved February 9, 2016) shows the use of the property as public open space.
Recreation and Parks Department staff met with Community Development Corporation (CDC) and Unified Committee on Afro-American Contributions (UCAC) representatives on September 6, 2017 to discuss improvements such as completing bicycle trails and pedestrian walkways on the former Lexington Manor North Parcel in Lexington Park. Additional planning meetings were held on July 26, August 16, and September 6, 2018 with UCAC, CDC & R&P staff. The Recreation and Parks Board was briefed on the project on September 6, 2018 and provided concurrence with the scope of work during the R&P Board meeting of October 4.
The Commissioners of St. Mary’s County received a briefing on the project at their October 16, 2018 meeting.
Citizens wishing to obtain additional information please contact Arthur Shepherd, Recreation and Parks Director, at arthur.shepherd@stmarysmd.com or call 301-475-4200, ext. 71812.
