Public Hearing Authorized to Correct LPDD Master Plan Map
Leonardtown, MD – Tuesday, Jan. 31 at the Commissioners of St. Mary County business meeting, a motion was made to hold a public hearing to consider changing the error discovered by staff on a map of the Lexington Park Development District Master Plan (LPDD).
The proposed map correction was on the Monday, Jan. 23 agenda of the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission for public response and consideration. The error that was discovered happens to be land designated on the LPDD Master Plan map for commercial development which is located off Great Mills Road and Pleasant Mill Drive. The land in question is set to be developed by J.F. Taylor and become the Cecil’s Mill Business Park. The designated area is also at the entrance of the Cecil’s Mills housing subdivision. Cecil’s Mill Homeowner Association (HOA) members spoke up during the Jan. 23 public hearing in protest of the changes, as well as the project. The president and vice president of the HOA spoke on the floor stating
“Homeowners were not notified of any previous public hearings on this
matter.”The following items were forward to the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County for their approval and adoption, following the recommendation of the Planning Commission. The following items were on Jan. 23 agenda (1). Correction of mistake on Figure PC-2:2015 Concept Land Use in the Lexington Park Development District Master Plan; (2) Correction of mistake on “Great Mills Corridor Development Strategy” in the Lexington Park Development District Master Plan and (3) Recommendation to the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County to adopt Figure 1-2: Proposed LPDD Zoning in the Lexington Park Development District Master Plan.
In response, at the Jan. 31 meeting, Commissioner Tom Jarboe made a motion, which was seconded by Commissioner Todd Morgan to authorize another public hearing on the matter by the Department of Land Use and Growth Management (LUGM). At the time of publishing, the date of the upcoming hearing had not been set. However, it was mentioned during the meeting that the hearing is tentatively scheduled for the middle of March.
Point of Information Officer Tony Jones told TheBayNet.co
m that a Notice of Public Hearing should be posted on the government web site within the next week. “Any changes need to be approved by LUGM and will be taken care of at the upcoming hearing.”
The Planning Commission is an advisory board to the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County, however, the final approval for LPDD map changes must be made through a public hearing sponsored by the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County and LUGM. A copy of the Jan. 23, Notice of Public Hearing can be found here, which also includes the explanation by county government staff of the error found in the maps.
Contact Shertina Mack at s.mack@TheBayNet.com
