La Plata, MD – The St. Charles Companies proposal before the Charles County Commissioners Tuesday, Sept. 1 was to bring a somewhat scaled-down version of their former plans for proposed developments at the Villages of Wooded Glen, Piney Reach and Fairview Village.
Peter Aluotto, director of the Charles County office of Planning and Growth Management, told the commissioners that the petitioner has reduced the number of apartment units from 636 to 583, has increased building setbacks, established landscape buffers and is seeking to expedite a traffic light proposed for DeMarr Road.
“When we met in July, the commissioners gave us a directive to meet with the community and address concerns,” said Craig J. Renner, St. Charles vice president of marketing and public relations. “We held meetings with each neighborhood and met with the entire community.”
Renner said they met throughout August with residents from Cleveland Park, Gleneagles and Heritage.
After hearing residents’ concerns, he noted, they made several adjustments in response, including reducing the number of apartment units in two of the three proposed expansions, relocating buildings to places further from local subdivisions, adding additional buffer landscapes and eliminating parking closer to property lines of Cleveland Park and Gleneagles Estates.
In parcel A, he explained, the number of apartments has been reduced from 208 to 180. In Parcel D, planners reduced the number of units from 208 to 198, also eliminating one commercial property, reducing stormwater runoff and eliminating parking along the property line of nearby subdivisions.
Parcel EE, located south of Billingsley Road, was originally designated for 300,000 square feet of commercial space. That has been reduced to 155,000 square feet, Renner said, but he continues to hold hope a “high-end” grocery chain will locate there.
“The new design adds common areas and a significant buffer along St. Charles Parkway and Gleneagles subdivision,” Renner stated.
“One thing we heard from neighbors is that a high-end grocery store is something that they actually want,” said St. Charles President Mark Martin. “We can implement that to allow both to succeed. Our hope is to attract a high-end end grocery, that way the space stays occupied so you don’t have a lot of commercial vacancy.”
“Parcel EE had the least level of community opposition,” Renner explained. “It’s buffered from existing neighborhoods.
“Some things could not be addressed or modified,” he said. “We tried to alleviate those concerns.”
The changes are consistent with the county’s proposed Comprehensive Plan, he added.
“Thank you for making the effort, for reaching out to community,” Commissioner President Peter Murphy [D] said. “The way I see it, we have two options. We can vote on this tonight or hold a public hearing.”
After discussion, Commissioner Vice President Ken Robinson [D – District 1] made a motion to hold a public hearing, seconded by Commissioner Amanda Stewart [D – District 3]. The hearing was set for Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m.
Contac Joseph Norris at joe.norris@thebaynet.com