LA PLATA, Md. — The Charles County Planning Commission has delayed its decision on whether to grant a final four-year extension for The Villages at Swan Point subdivision after hearing opposition from residents who warned that flooding, evacuation and emergency access remain unresolved as growth continues.
Staff and Planning Commission board members emphasized repeatedly that the Sept. 15 hearing was limited to whether an extension should be granted, with broader issues such as road elevation and stormwater improvements to be addressed separately through permitting and zoning reviews. Even so, residents continued to raise those concerns, and board members — acknowledging the community’s worries — pressed Swan Point Development Co. LLC, represented by consultant Dewberry, on how the project would address them.
Developer’s Request And Timeline
As of September 2025, the developer’s timeline indicates that Potomac Breeze Drive roadway work, originally slated to begin in fall 2024, should already be underway. The first townhouse phase on Coscoroba Place was scheduled for spring 2025, with additional townhouses on Towhee Place planned for fall 2025. The Beach Club was projected to open in late 2025, followed by the Beach Club Villas in early 2026. Later phases, including Forest Homes in 2026 and waterfront cottages in 2027, are still pending.
The applicant stated that no new changes were proposed to the approved plan and that the request was only to allow permitting and construction to proceed without interruption.
Public Concerns: Flooding, Egress, And EMS Access
Residents emphasized their worries that Swan Point Boulevard — the only road in and out of the community — is vulnerable to flooding because parts of the area fall within FEMA’s 100-year flood zone. They argued that adding more homes before the road is upgraded for safety only compounds the risk during an emergency, a concern they feel has not been fully addressed.
Board member William Murray questioned whether flooding should even be weighed during an extension hearing.
“Is flooding something we should even be considering at this point of approval? If we approve anything in La Plata, should we consider a tornado? Many people choose to live in a critical flood area. If you choose to live there, these are the problems you are going to have.”
Residents outlined concerns about flooding, egress and emergency access. Speakers recalled Hurricane Isabel in 2003, when more than two feet of water covered the Swan Point/Woodland Point Road intersection and cut off access to the community. They pressed for clarity on when road improvements would occur, warning that adding hundreds of new homes without upgrades could overwhelm Swan Point Boulevard — the community’s only evacuation route. Testimony also emphasized that emergency vehicles could be blocked during floods, making the issue one of life safety. As one resident put it, “It’s not about the 1 percent chance — it’s about when it happens.”
Later in the discussion, board member Ryan Sekuterski responded to Murray’s comments, pointing out that many families had lived in Swan Point long before the current wave of development. He said it would be unfair to blame longtime residents for voicing safety concerns, since every new phase of growth adds more people who may have to evacuate on the same vulnerable road.
Chairman Kevin Wedding asked the applicant directly about the timeline for the improvements meant to support evacuation in emergencies, asking: “To do this extension on the shoulders for emergency vehicles — are we talking four years down the road, five years? Do we know? Is there some kind of timeline for that?”
Kelsey R. Szablowski, a project manager with Dewberry representing Swan Point Development, responded: “I can’t predict the future and we don’t have a set time frame, but we will definitely look at those spaces.”
Development agreements and shoreline use
Many questions tie back to Docket 250, the county’s long-standing development agreement that governs Swan Point. First adopted in 1986 and amended several times since, the agreement sets the conditions for growth and allows additional housing units to move forward under certain requirements.
Another point of contention is the Potomac River shoreline and beach adjacent to Swan Point. Under a 2015 Memorandum of Agreement and a 2022 Shoreline Access Agreement, the shoreline must remain open to the public, not just Swan Point residents.
Speakers noted that some marketing materials have promoted a “community beach,” raising concerns that prospective homebuyers could be misled into believing the shoreline is exclusive. They urged the Planning Commission to make it explicit in the conditions of approval that the shoreline must remain open to the public and to ensure compliance going forward.
Project Size
According to public testimony and the Villages at Swan Point history, the area is capped at 1,500 homes at full buildout — a reduction from an earlier 1986 plan that envisioned around 1,650. The current Enhanced Plan also expands the footprint to approximately 900 acres, with density lowered to 1.67 homes per acre and open space preserved at nearly 50 percent.
According to public testimony, about 970 homes have already been built in the Villages at Swan Point, leaving roughly 530 units still to be developed.
What’s Next
The motion to keep the record open for additional public comment passed after a tie vote, with Jeffrey Bossart and Ryan Sekuterski in favor, William Murray and Denard Earl opposed, and Chairman Kevin Wedding casting the deciding vote. Secretary Dawud Abdur-Rahman was absent.
As a result, the public record will remain open until Sept. 30, 2025, allowing more time for written public comment and the applicant, Swan Point Development Co. LLC (Dewberry), to respond to residents’ questions and provide data explaining what steps are being taken to address concerns before a final decision at the Oct. 6 meeting.
For residents who want to follow the discussion in full, the Sept. 15 Planning Commission meeting can be watched and reviewed on Charles County Government Television (CCGTV).
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