Goddard Rezoning, Cottage Apartments
Planning Commission To Review Plans Monday
At their February 24th meeting, the Planning Commission (PC) is set to review two applications. First, a zoning amendment for 8 acres off Goddard Road in Great Mills, across Route 5 from Bay Ridge Estates. Property owners, through attorney Chris Longmore, filed a request to change the zoning from Rural Preservation to Medium Intensity Mixed-Use (MSM) which would permit commercial development.
Similarly to the Cusic property in Hollywood, also represented by Longmore, this zoning amendment request cites a change in the neighborhood and proximity of current commercial/industrial uses to justify the request. Commercial development has been on neighboring sites for decades, and the Great Mills Post Office recently moved into the building next door. Longmore also lists the planned update to Route 5/Great Mills Road intersection as support for the commercial use, signaling an anticipated traffic increase in the area. The property also seeks inclusion in the Lexington Park Development District (LPDD). The amendment application also says the applicant could still present evidence that this, too, was a mistake in zoning during the last Comprehensive Plan.
The staff analysis of the application, prepared by Land Use & Growth Management (LUGM), refutes the argument of a changing neighborhood saying it would be this development changing the character of the area. The analysis also states anticipated road improvements at the Route 5/Great Mills Road intersection were defunded in the FY25 budget and there is no timeline for completion. Public water/sewer is not currently planned to serve the property, which under MXM could see “large-scale and clustered commercial and residential developments” or mixed use residential/commercial development. LUGM notes growth boundaries for the LPDD are typically only updated during the Comprehensive Plan revision process.
In August 2024 the PC approved Bay Ridge Townhomes, a 60-unit community on 6.62 acres at the corner of Bay Ridge Road and Route 5. The site is a stone’s throw south of the Goddard property. At full build out, the community will add 352 average daily trips to the roads. Adjustments at the entrance of Bay Ridge Road, and possible signalization of the intersection were discussed during various stages of the project. The final approval from the PC included a provision that “any road improvement required by the state and county” must be complete before the Certificate of Occupancy can be issued.
Next, the PC considers the plan for a two story, six unit apartment building with a basement called “The Cottage Apartments.” The 1.63 acres site in Mechanicsville now has an existing house and a garage, built in 1940, more recently used as four apartments. The lot is adjacent to DJ’s One Stop, between Old Village Road and Route 5. The building, nearly 8K square feet, will have five 2 bedroom, and one 1 bedroom, apartments. A total of 15 parking spaces are also planned.
Owned by MIDBRIEN LLC, and developed by Two Point Construction LLC, the concept plan requires a variance to reduce the type B buffer from 65’ to 30’ with a 6’ fence. Planning documents show an average of 39 additional vehicle trips per day along Old Village Road. The property will not have access from Route 5. This development brings much needed living space to the northern end of the county.
Rendering of Cottage Apartments from planning documents.
Those interested in providing comments can attend the public forum on February 24th, 6:30PM, at the Chesapeake Building (41770 Baldridge St. Leonardtown, MD). Comments can also be emailed to Brandy.Glenn@stmaryscountymd.gov
