I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! This is to follow up on an email I sent a few weeks ago about the new comprehensive plan.

As my previous email stated, the Commissioners of St. Mary's have hired an outside consulting group to prepare a new Comprehensive Plan, St. Mary's 2050. This plan, which is the primary tool for determining where new business and residential development can occur and the type of development suitable for each area, has the potential to significantly reshape our area. Beginning this week, the introductory meetings are the first step in this transformative process. Here is a link for more information: (https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/StMarys2050/GetInvolved/)

After my last email, our local Land Use and Growth Management, LUGM, contacted me. They informed me that the meetings to be held this week are to seek volunteers for the Community Engagement Team, which is being formed to help spread the word about the update to the St. Marys Comprehensive Plan.  

• The first Community Engagement meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 3rd, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Loffler Senior Center, located at 21905 Chancellors Run Road in Great Mills.
• The second Community Engagement Team meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 4th, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Leonardtown Public Library, located at 23630 Hayden Farm Lane in Leonardtown.
• The third Community Engagement Team meeting will be held on Thursday, December 5th, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Northern Senior Center, located at 29655 Charlotte Hall Road in Charlotte Hall.

**** LUGM also included this note in their email to me.  

Important note: Substantive Comprehensive Plan elements (such as identifying areas for directed growth or preservation, housing needs, and economic development) will not be discussed at these meetings. Again, the purpose of these meetings is to solicit ideas for locations and formats for future in-person and online public engagement events and activities (which are projected to begin in mid-January).

I firmly believe your input is crucial to the final outcome of this plan. Public input on the new comprehensive plan is scheduled to begin in January. I will continue to keep you informed as new information becomes available. I am uncertain about the specific outcomes of this week's meetings, but I plan to attend in person at the Northern Senior Center on Thursday evening. Please join me if you can.

I want to thank the staff at LUGM. Through several conversations and email exchanges, I have found their professionalism and assistance invaluable.

While my elected position does not have direct authority over the New Comprehensive Plan, the final decision ultimately rests with our County Commissioners. However, I feel it is my responsibility to share all relevant updates with you as they emerge.

With overdevelopment being a growing concern among many of my constituents, I have requested LUGM to provide a detailed list of approved or proposed High-Density Housing projects for St. Mary's County. Here is the consolidated list of projects LUGM supplied me:

1. Stewarts Grant-Great Mills-1,084 units (mix of dwelling types, apartments, townhouses and single-family detached).  The concept has been approved.  The major site plan has not been submitted to date.
2. Woods at Myrtle Point- Section 3, 132 townhouses (under construction)-Section 2, 70 Condo units, the major site plan has not been approved yet but should be soon. This is California area.
3. Villages at Clark’s Mill-Hollywood-18 townhouses-the concept site plan has been approved; the major site plan has not been submitted to date.
4. Park Place Apartments-California-160 units- The major site plan is under review.
5. Villas at Lexwood- Great Mills-40 townhouses-The major site plan is under review.
6. First Colony Apartments and Townhouses-California-233 units (8 of which are townhouses).  The concept was approved.  The major site plan has not been submitted to date.
7. Riverside, Townhouses-California-42, townhouse units-The concept site plan was disapproved by the Planning Commission.  The decision will likely be appealed to the Board of Appeals.
8. New Life Holdings-Great Mills-47 townhouse units-The concept site plan is still under review.
9. Lighthouse Commons-Piney Point-60 townhouse units- The concept site plan is still under review.
10. Pembrooke-Lexington Park (off Willows Rd.)-140 townhouse units-concept site plan still under review.
11. Pax River Village Center-Great Mills-91 townhouse units-concept site plan still under review.
12. Bradley Brooke Subdivision-Lexington Park (off Willows Rd.)- 150 townhouse units and 73 single-family detached units-concept site plan still under review.
13. Old Rolling Road Apartments-California-568 apt. Units-concept site plan has been reviewed; project has not moved forward.
14. Breton Bay Townhouses- Leonardtown- 84 townhouse development does not have sewer available currently
15. Bay Ridge Estates-Great Mills-60-unit townhouse development
16. Norris Woods Subdivision-Great Mills-44 single family-detached development- This project has expired. The applicant will be resubmitting it soon for reapproval.

These are the projects LUGM has currently approved or is in plan review.

If you add up the above numbers, it comes to over 3,000 units. I believe keeping St. Mary's unique heritage and rural character is essential. Again, I encourage anyone wanting input into the new plan to get involved.

For more information about the county's New Comprehensive Plan, please visit the county's St. Mary's 2050 plan website at https://www.stmaryscountymd.gov/StMarys2050/