With little discussion why, three of five St. Mary’s Commissioners voted for the second time to reject a Planning Commission decision to add properties to the northern end of the Lexington Park Development District (LPDD).

The (LPDD) is a mapped area surrounding Lexington Park that is earmarked for a higher level of residential and commercial development, similar to the county’s several marked town centers.

 

Commissioners McKay,

top, and Mattingly 

supported the change 
 

The issue involves five properties seeking to be added to the LPDD, but one owned by Bernard Beavan stands out as a point of argument for several citizens.

 

Raley, top, Jarboe and

Dement voted Against

the change
 
 

Beavan has 75-plus acres on the west side of Indian Bridge Road, just on the outside edge of the LPDD. He has been fighting with the county for four years to have his land put back into the LPDD, because it was included since the plan’s inception until it was removed without giving him any notice. Some officials have admitted it was a mistake to remove it in the first place.

Citizen activists have jumped on the band wagon to deny Beavan property rights to land that’s been in his family for 80 years, because he has made known plans to develop the property into as many as 200 homes. Although, recently the developer submitted a proposal to the county to limit the total dwelling units to 75, but the offer was ignored.

With a motion from Commissioner Dan Raley (D-Great Mills) and a second by Larry Jarboe (R-Golden Beach), the board denied the package of changes with another vote from Commissioner Kenny Dement (R-Piney Point).

Commissioner President argued before the vote several points on why the Beavan property should be included, even though he admitted he’s “swimming upstream on this one.”

The issue has become a political platform for some officials seeking to appear pro-environment or anti-development, as rules are periodically bended to allow projects and steer development.

McKay pointed out that adding land to the north end of the county eases housing congestion around the Patuxent Naval Air Station. Much of the remaining land in the LPDD is also the most environmentally sensitive, he said.

“We are making a grave long term mistake by pushing residential development toward Pax River and that is what the current development district boundary lines do,” McKay said. “I tell you Oceania learned that a very difficult way … and we need to be aware tha