Can we get real?

[Aimhigh2000]

Ok, we all know that growth is supposed to be good, but when will this county invest in smart growth here in the north end? (St. Mary's). I think Mechanicsville/Charlotte Hall is going to be the fast food rest stop between here and Waldorf. At the end of Golden Beach Road and its vicinity, we have Arby's, Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Subway, and Pizza Hut. Now, the signs proudly display the opening of Popeye's. St. Mary's is becoming nothing more than a battle of the sheets/wawa/fast food. Can we get maybe a professional office park? I am not talking about all this scattered site building, but if we could, how about something like Exploration down in the California area? If we are going to dig up the area, shouldn't we make an attempt to make it attractive? And on overdevelopment, what has happened with First Colony? All their land seems to be for sale, with not one house or apartment built yet. Is this another strip mall (with a WaWa) where promises were made by developers and then never followed through? (Recall that Wildewood was supposed to be an indoor mall) Sorry about my fussing, lack of sleep and poor planning and development gets on my nerves.

[BuddyLee (Premo)]

Give it time. If I'm right it will take place just as a forest does. First weeds/saplings/soft wood 'pines'/hard wood. St. Mary's and other like areas are the same. Mom and Pop stores/fast food joints/national known businesses/big business.

[kom526]

I have yet to see "smart growth" in any part of the county. We have no less than 4 large vacant buildings that used to house grocery and department stores. Instead of filling those vacant storefronts the county will let a whole strip center to built.

There is a woeful lack of infrastructure for the amount of new homes that are being built, but the permits keep rolling out. Wildewood developers offering to build a school and 400 new homes. Well, that school would be just about filled as soon as the 400th house was built. Don't even get me started on the Salem's Tract fiasco.

As far as the North End goes, maybe if the County Commissioners were to woo a few contractors into building satellite offices. An even better idea would be to build a telecommuting center in the area. The parcel behind the Wawa on Mt. Wolf Rd would be a good spot. The positive outcomes of this idea would be too numerous for me to even start listing.

Just my 2 cents...

[Chain729 (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Aimhigh2000

Ok, we all know that growth is supposed to be good, but when will this county invest in smart growth here in the north end? (St. Mary's). I think Mechanicsville/Charlotte Hall is going to be the fast food rest stop between here and Waldorf. At the end of Golden Beach Road and its vicinity, we have Arby's, Burger King, McDonalds, Wendy's, Subway, and Pizza Hut. Now, the signs proudly display the opening of Popeye's. St. Mary's is becoming nothing more than a battle of the sheets/wawa/fast food. Can we get maybe a professional office park? I am not talking about all this scattered site building, but if we could, how about something like Exploration down in the California area? If we are going to dig up the area, shouldn't we make an attempt to make it attractive? And on overdevelopment, what has happened with First Colony? All their land seems to be for sale, with not one house or apartment built yet. Is this another strip mall (with a WaWa) where promises were made by developers and then never followed through? (Recall that Wildewood was supposed to be an indoor mall) Sorry about my fussing, lack of sleep and poor planning and development gets on my nerves.

1) Not everyone would agree that growth is good.
2) When was the last time you saw the county gov't do something either wise or intelligent?

[Voter2002]

From St. Mary's County agendas concerning First Colony:



3. MAJOR SITE PLAN # 04-13200022, FIRST COLONY OFFICE BUILDINGS<o:p></o:p>

(Zoning Ordinance 02-01) (Use # 61) <o:p></o:p>

Owner: MARCAS LLC<o:p></o:p>

Agent: Loiderman Soltesz Associates<o:p></o:p>

Location: <st1:place><st1:city>44930</st1:city> Worth Lane, <st1:state>California</st1:state></st1:place>, MD 20619<o:p></o:p>

TM–034 GRID–22 PAR–0689 13 ED-8 TAX ID-141894<o:p></o:p>

Zoning: CC, AE Overlay<o:p></o:p>

Acreage: 7.49<o:p></o:p>

ACTION REQUESTED: Review of a MAJOR SITE PLAN for a 26,836 square foot <st1:place><st1:placename>Office</st1:placename><st1:placetype>Building</st1:placetype></st1:place>.

1. MEETING DATE/TIME: <st1:date month="11" day="10" year="2004">November 10, 2004</st1:date><st1:time hour="11" minute="0">11:00 A.M.</st1:time><o:p></o:p>

PROPERTY OWNER: First Colony Residential Development<o:p></o:p>

AGENT:, Inc.<o:p></o:p>

PHONE: # 301-870-2166<o:p></o:p>

PARCEL IDENTIFICATION: TAX MAP 34, BLOCK 22&23, and PARCELS, <o:p></o:p>

444,455,490,516 <o:p></o:p>

ZONING: PUD-X<o:p></o:p>

ACREAGE: 107.1 acres <o:p></o:p>

USE CLASSIFICATION: # 11<o:p></o:p>

PUBLIC WATER: Yes <o:p></o:p>

PUBLIC SEWER: Yes <o:p></o:p>

ACTION REQUESTED: Concept Site Plan for a 120- 240 Single dwelling homes and townhouses<o:p></o:p>

LOCATION: Within the First Colony Subdivision, at the end of the <o:p></o:p>

existing <st1:street><st1:address>FDR Boulevard





http://www.co.saint-marys.md.us/agendas.asp



</st1:address></st1:street>

[Aimhigh2000]

I don't agree that all growth is smart, I was implying the BOCC should be smarter in approving it. And no, I haven't seen this county do anything smart, wise, or without it benefitting one of their friends. A telecommuting office would be nice, and I am with ya on the empty box stores. I mean, why can't the old Harvest Market become a Best Buy or Petco? Something along those lines. I mean, how far out is the Navy's zone that doesn't allow buildings to be built up? Instead of spreading out, we should be builing up. Of course, that opens up to the fire department regulations and what not. I guess we will just have to wait until there is no more room to build anything, and then just look at them and say "told ya so."

[Oz (Premo)]

Originally Posted by Aimhigh2000

I don't agree that all growth is smart, I was implying the BOCC should be smarter in approving it. And no, I haven't seen this county do anything smart, wise, or without it benefitting one of their friends. A telecommuting office would be nice, and I am with ya on the empty box stores. I mean, why can't the old Harvest Market become a Best Buy or Petco? Something along those lines. I mean, how far out is the Navy's zone that doesn't allow buildings to be built up? Instead of spreading out, we should be builing up. Of course, that opens up to the fire department regulations and what not. I guess we will just have to wait until there is no more room to build anything, and then just look at them and say "told ya so."

So if the Commissioners said "this is now Best Buy - this is now Petco" are these companies now expected to rent and occupy those buildings? Your post lacks any insight into the business community, or the county's zoning ordinance.

Your average small home builder is in big trouble thanks to our zoning. Large, corporate, cookie-cutter builders have bought most of the buildable lots in St. Mary's. There are 3 communities being built in and around Leonardtown. All are corporate builders. You'll see very few smaller communities, where a builder erects a spec house, and creates a small neighborhood.

Look at the Zoning Maps and see where you can build your dream home.

Best Buy, and Old Navy and xxx (I forget the 3rd) are supposed to anchor the property between Kmart and Target. Would you want your retail business there, or be stuck in San Souci? No retailer would answer San Souci. Not to mention that Walmart is the #2 electronics retailer in the country behind BB, and BB needs a better location to compete with Wally World. Why are businesses locating there on 235, or on Route 5 in Mechanicsville? Because it's Town Center/Development District zoning, which keeps development within the existing infrastructure, preventing sprawl. I'd like to see them rezone the Northbound side of 235 to allow retail space so some of those houses can come down, and keep the retail corridor shorter.

Hollywood is the next Town Center to face retail encroachment. Look for that field just north of Burchmart to become a strip mall. Expect the same for the opposite side of 235, north of route 245. Might take 5 or maybe even 10 more years, but it will happen.

People call this development sprawl, but by definition, sprawl is when your development exceeds your infrastructure (water/sewage.) Sprawl is when you have 1 home every 5-20 acres with wells and septic tanks, versus these cookie-cutter developments in TC/DD's with a 2500 sqft home on a 5000 sqft lot. Our current zoning seeks to direct growth into TC/DD's, thus slowing growth in rural areas.

Development in St. Mary's has basically been shut down to prevent sprawl. I would look for Lexington Park proper to become more of a business park, if it isn't already given the OBP's around Gate 1.

Seriously though - if you read our zoning ordinance, you will see it is doing just what it is intended to do.

[Aimhigh2000]

I don't believe I stated there was a mandate that these businesses must occupy, simply stating that before any new construction, perhaps these vacant buildings should be looked at first. And I understand the backazz sprawl protection that is in place in the county. The only problem is, it has been developed over the years by people who, in my opinion, have not had the expertise in growth. I hate to say it, but my nephew playing SimCity4 could probably manage growth in this county vs the BOCC. Seriously though, I know there is this protectionism within the county, but have our commissioners looked at how other areas are doing things? They have plastered these signs up saying "technology corridor", and I know that the I-270 corridor happened over years. But, that is a project that we could learn from and considering that there are basically two main arteries in and out of St. Mary's, perhaps a little future planning would not be such a bad thing. Oh, and I fully agree on San Souci. But, that is one of the few areas with "affordable" housing.

[getmeoutahere]

So great to hear that someone else agrees with me! I went to college in Ohio for five years and even they had exciting things to do. Moved back here to the same old thing...more places to eat, less things to do. I am sick of hearing that this place sucks, because believe it or not, this is an awesome place to live. We just need to make it something for everybody. How about an outlet mall?! Sick of shopping at crowded Walmart. How about go-kart and miniamore golf? C'mon. It's time to get in with the rest of the real world.

[RoseRed (Premo)]

Originally Posted by getmeoutahere

miniamore golf?

Does Swing-N-Swat in Hollywood count? I have never been there, so I wouldn't know.