WALDORF, Md. — A Waldorf homeowner’s plan to rent five bedrooms inside his newly built home drew questions about parking, shared living space, safety and neighborhood impacts before the Charles County Board of Appeals delayed its decision.
The board voted unanimously Tuesday, July 14, to hold the record open for one week in Docket No. 1488, a special exception request filed by property owner John Pedro.
Pedro wants to operate a boardinghouse at 11890 Acton Park Place, a private road near Western Parkway and Acton Lane. He would rent five of the home’s six bedrooms by the month and continue living in the remaining bedroom.
County planning staff recommended approval with conditions. Board members and the board’s attorney, Stan Brown, requested additional photographs, business records and information before a final vote.
Two nearby residents opposed the request, citing concerns about traffic, noise, tenant turnover and changes to the single-family character of the area.
Five Bedrooms Would Be Rented
The approximately 0.33-acre property is Lot 4R in Acton Park, a five-lot residential subdivision. It is zoned High Density Suburban Residential, or RH.
Boardinghouses and rooming houses may be allowed in the RH zone through a special exception, meaning the use is not automatically permitted and must be approved by the Board of Appeals.
Pedro’s proposal calls for five rental bedrooms and one owner-occupied bedroom. Tenants would share the kitchen, living areas and bathrooms.
Tetchiana Y. Anderson, a planner with the Charles County Department of Planning and Growth Management, said staff reviewed the proposal under the county’s boardinghouse requirements and the nine-part test used for special exceptions.
Staff found the proposal met those standards and recommended approval with four conditions, including compliance with applicable county, state and federal regulations.
Before testimony began, the clerk asked whether board members had viewed the site.
Vice Chair Benjamin Watkins and members Jennifer Walker, Timothy Treanor and George Grindle said they had viewed the property. Chairperson Claude Humbert II said he had not.
Anderson also said she had not inspected the home in person and instead reviewed it using county geographic information system maps.
Parking And Shared Kitchen Questioned
Board members questioned how Pedro and five tenants would share the driveway and common areas.
The submitted parking plan provides six spaces, including two in the garage and four in the driveway. Vehicles would be parked in tandem, meaning some cars could block others.
Pedro said tenants would coordinate their schedules and that parking rules would be included in their leases.
“That will be coordinated with each of the residents at the address,” Pedro said.
He said visitors could use available areas along Acton Park Place, which is a private road. Brown said Pedro’s submitted plan appeared to meet the ordinance’s parking requirements, but parking beyond the property could fall outside the board’s authority.
Members also asked how six adults would share one stove, one oven and one refrigerator.
Pedro acknowledged residents would have to coordinate when they prepared meals. He said he works remotely and would be at the property for much of the day to help manage kitchen and parking schedules.
Pedro said he previously lived in a similar room-rental arrangement after leaving the U.S. Army and moving to Prince George’s County.
Pedro said he plans to advertise the rooms through Avail, a third-party rental platform.
Prospective tenants would undergo credit and criminal background checks, he said. Leases would run from six to 12 months and include rules covering parking, visitors and shared spaces.
Pedro owns the property as an individual but testified that the rental business would operate through a limited liability company.
Brown said the record did not include the LLC’s certificate of good standing and asked Pedro to submit it before the record closed.
Sign And Safety Questions Raised
Brown also raised questions about the required identification sign, safety requirements and the home’s exterior entrances.
Pedro said he had not realized the ordinance requires a freestanding boardinghouse sign. County staff said the property would still need to meet applicable building, fire marshal and permitting requirements if the request is approved.
Brown also questioned a bedroom near the attached garage because of carbon monoxide concerns. Pedro said the bedroom does not directly connect to the garage.
The board requested photographs of all four sides of the home to confirm it has no more than three exterior entrances.
Brown also said the broader neighborhood had not been clearly defined in the record. The property is in the five-lot Acton Park subdivision, which contains single-family detached homes, while the staff report describes the surrounding area as a broader section of Waldorf with both single-family and multifamily housing.
He said the board must identify the surrounding neighborhood before deciding whether the boardinghouse could harm the use, enjoyment or economic value of nearby properties.
Neighbors Oppose The Request
J. Spencer, whose property backs up to Pedro’s lot, said residents chose the community because it was developed as a single-family neighborhood.
“We chose this community because it was designated and designed to develop as a neighborhood of single family homes,” Spencer said.
Spencer said her concerns involved the proposed land use rather than the identities of future tenants.
She said unrelated tenants could create different patterns of visitors, traffic, noise and turnover than a traditional household.
Spencer also raised concerns about a forest preservation area shared by nearby properties. She said the area does not have a homeowners association responsible for maintaining it.
D. Ferguson also opposed the request, citing concerns about safety, property values, neighborhood infrastructure and whether approval could lead to additional boardinghouse applications.
Both residents submitted written statements. No one other than Pedro spoke in support of the request.
Staff Says Proposal Adds Housing Options
County staff found the proposal consistent with Charles County’s Comprehensive Plan goals for a wider range of housing options.
The staff report says the addition of five rental spaces would support workforce and affordable housing needs within the county’s development district.
Staff also found that the proposal would not generate enough traffic to require a traffic impact study. The home is connected to public water and sewer, with no capacity concerns identified.
Treanor and Brown also asked about recently adopted accessory dwelling unit legislation in Charles County.
County legal staff said the county commissioners adopted the legislation the previous week and that it would take effect 45 days later.
Staff said the new rules would not directly affect Pedro’s request because an accessory dwelling unit is an independent living space and only one would be allowed per lot. Pedro is seeking to rent five bedrooms whose occupants would share common areas.
The board requested information about the legislation before considering the application.
Record Held Open For One Week
The board voted to keep the record open for one week so Pedro could submit the LLC certificate and photographs showing all sides of the home.
Written public comments could also be submitted during that period.
Once the record closes, board members will review the completed record and decide whether to approve or deny the request.
The board is expected to discuss Docket No. 1488 again during a virtual meeting Tuesday, Aug. 11.
The board has not approved or denied the application.
Watch the full July 14, 2026 hearing on CCGTV and see agenda documents below.
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