A project that would bring townhomes to a small development off Mervell Dean Road is now headed to its next step after getting the go-ahead for its concept site plan from the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission on Monday.
The proposed 18-unit development is slated to be built between Route 235 and Mervell Dean Road near Clark’s Mill Road. Five of the units are slated to be workforce housing. The property is located at 44410 K&R Way.
The meeting was a continuation of a March 15 meeting in which developers were asked to add six additional parking spaces, show sidewalk and curbing, add a bus stop, increase the size of the playground area and show lighting for the project.
“We heard you and we made the decision to go ahead and make these revisions,” Tom Benefield of FDR Holdings said. “It does reduce our open space, but I think we have a fairly good shot with board of appeals to go for that reduced open space.”
But parking woes for the project — some parking would be on mountable curbs in front of homes — worried some members.
“I do have concerns and it’s really for the safety and welfare of children,” member Patricia Robrecht said. “I just think based on everything I’ve heard, it does put the residents at greater risk of safety because it’s like you’re putting all these buildings in a small space. You show people walking [in your concept drawings] but suppose the kids run out into the street?”
“With all due respect, commissioner Robrecht, we are not trying to set a precedent by doing this,” Benefield said. “If anything we have looked at some of the past projects that have been constructed and approved by this commission.”
Benefield referred to the Villages at Lexwood where 40 almost identical townhomes were placed on an almost identical parcel.
Robrecht noted that with three bedrooms in each townhome, there is a possibility of three vehicles per residence, or 54 vehicles in the development.
“If 18 people each have a guest, six spare parking spots will not accommodate them at all,” Robrecht said. “Worst case scenario, but it is a concern.”
“I would be remiss if I didn’t agree if that was a possibility, but is it a probability?” Benefield asked. “Probably not.”
Jay Hopson of J. Hopson Consulting in Solomons added streets would be 25 feet wide and only 16 feet is needed for two cars to pass safely.
Member Joseph VanKirk noted each residence has 16 foot long driveways and that the average vehicle is about 16 feet long, which means they would be pushed into the street.
“It’s a little bit of an issue for me,” VanKirk said.
Member John Brown asked if school busses would pull over on the side of Mervell Dean Road, which has no sidewalk, to pick up children, to which the answer was yes.
Benefield added that sightlines to the north was more than 500 feet, and 490 feet to the south.
Several public speakers voiced their concerns on the proposal, many of them wanting sidewalks in the area.
“What I’m worried about is the kids walking up,” to the surrounding markets, said Richard O. Wood, who has lived on Clark’s Mill Road for about 40 years. He added the “county has some narrow shoulders.”
The commission approved the concept site plan, though with five conditions: Any road improvements required by the state and county must be concurrent with the issuance of the certificate of occupancy, a variance to reduce the 65-foot buffer yard must be obtained from the board of appeals, a zoning yard reduction agreement must be recorded, variance to reduce undeveloped open space from 50% of lot area to 20% of lot area must be obtained, and a motion to also include to have SMECO agreement improvement in writing.
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