Bay Ridge Townhomes
Originally Published: August 6, 2024
Plan Seeks Reapproval
On August 12th the Planning Commission will again review a concept plan for Bay Ridge Townhomes located just south of the Great Mills/Route 5 intersection. If approved, the 6.62 acres at the corner of Bay Ridge Road and Route 5 will have 60 townhomes with twice as many parking spots.
The plan was previously approved at least once, in August 2019. During the presentation engineer Bill Mehaffey, representing owners John Wathen and Eugene St. Clair, gave a brief history of the property. St. Clair and Wathen purchased the property in the 1980s and built the Bay Ridge community in phases. Phase 5, where the townhomes are proposed, was originally planned as a 130 unit apartment complex. That plan lapsed, so this revised version was brought forward.
Concerns in 2019 centered on traffic and stormwater management (SWM). An adequate public facilities (APF) report from the Dept. of Public Works & Transportation (DPWT) noted the problematic intersection of Great Mills Rd/Route 5 impacting access to Bay Ridge Rd. Stormwater, Mehaffey explained, is primarily handled onsite via rain gardens, or small depressions in the ground designed to collect water. A stormwater pond across Bay Ridge Rd will also collect runoff. SWM standards changed since the pond's construction, Mehaffey said, but “rationale presented to the county was that it was designed per regulations at the time, 1990 or before, and that benefit has been realized by the county since.” Land Use & Growth Management (LUGM) accepted the SWM plan.
A lack of recreation areas in the community was raised. According to owner Eugene St. Clair, a one acre parcel adjacent to Wolftrap Way was intended as a recreation area but was never developed. St. Clair said it was because sidewalks were not present throughout the community to facilitate safe access. When asked by then-Chair Howard Thompson why sidewalks weren’t included, St. Clair said because they weren’t required by the county.
A revised version of the concept plan came back to the Planning Commission on August 26, 2019. Concerns were addressed by offering to stripe the entrance of Bay Ridge Rd with two dedicated exit turn lanes, one to turn left and another right, along with one entrance lane. Sidewalks are included in the plan along the right side of Bay Ridge Road and continuing down Route 5 along the front of the property. Recreation areas were not included. The Planning Commission approved this plan, conditioning that use and occupancy permits are concurrent with the road improvements shown at Bay Ridge Rd/Route 5.
Because that approval has since expired, the plan must seek reapproval before the Planning Commission, which will include another public forum. No formal traffic study is required since the proposal will not add significant traffic to the area. St. Mary’s County Public Schools has identified Bay Ridge Dr/Wolftrap Rd as the bus stop to serve these townhomes.
The hearing is August 12, at 6:30PM at 41770 Baldridge St., Leonardtown. Written comments can be emailed to brandy.glenn@stmaryscountymd.gov by 2PM on August 9th.
