Planning Commission — 2023-05-17

The Planning Commission met May 17, 2023 and conditionally approved the final site plan for the Queen Anne’s County Board of Education building on Vincit Street, adopting staff memo (Chris Jakubiak, May 12, 2023) with an added sentence recommending a right-of-way be dedicated to the town along the southwest side of Rt. 304 and the northernmost corner at Vincit Street and Kidwell Avenue. Presenters noted Board of Appeals approval, a 7+ acre property with about half developed, a supplemental lighting plan with 12-foot poles, inclusion of a bike rack, a proposed pedestrian connection (final location to be set during construction), intent to include EV chargers, and that the landscaping plan needs more detail on plant species and counts; staff also recommended specific sidewalk connections and a note that a connection/easement be made when the southern part of the lot is developed. The Commission unanimously elected Kara Willis as Chair, Tim Zuella as Vice Chair, and Mitchell Delaney as Secretary. Commissioners discussed the Draft Comprehensive Plan: consensus to reduce a western growth area by following an existing parcel line, proposed edits to Growth Area, Municipal Growth and Future Land Use chapters (including Planned Unit Development language), and the need to set infill parcel densities while noting a 3.5 units/acre state benchmark was mentioned. Miscellaneous correspondence included State Clearinghouse Project MD20230428-0341 concerning an almost eight-acre S. Commerce St. parcel the Town is interested in acquiring (to be sold to the County or Town based on appraisals) that is contiguous to planned town trails.