Stewart’s Grant
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: December 7, 2022
A new neighborhood development is planned for the area near Carver Elementary School. The first picture is the layout of the development, the second a satellite image with a rough outline of where it is located.
This is a 425 acre site planned for the following use:
-80 acres residential w/ 670 townhomes, 290 single family homes, & 224 apartments in a 4 story building
-20 acres of commercial on Great Mills Rd
-256 acres of open space.
This Planned Unit Development (PUD) has been in the works for nearly 30 years, with the original development book containing a market study dated 1996. (https://www.stmarysmd.com/.../Stewarts_Grant_PUD_w...)
The most recent traffic study was completed in 2022: (https://www.stmarysmd.com/.../Stewarts_Grant_2022-11...)
The traffic study concludes most intersections in the area will operate above an accepted level of service until later phases of this project are constructed. Then, traffic flow will still meet requirements, but some levels of service will be impacted from an "A" to a "C" level.
The Planning Commission recommended this development for approval by the County Commissioners in 1992. Due to later changes, the Commission workshopped this development in 1996/97, during which time previous Commission Member Shelby Guazzo raised concerns about affordable housing. The answer to this was similar to the rent is "market driven" answer heard recently.
County Commissioner Mike Hewitt, then a Planning Commissioner, batted away concerns about added traffic. According to meeting minutes, when previous Housing Authority Chair Dennis Nicholson pointed out this development wasn't needed & would increase traffic, Mr. Hewitt countered by saying "32 low-cost housing units approved for the Housing Authority [are]... adding traffic onto Great Mills Road." The low cost units in question are LexWoods Apartments, Joe Baker Village, and Housing Authority units.
Ultimately this development was forwarded to the Commissioners for with a recommendation to approve in February 1997.
Should this proposed development include housing that is ACTUALLY affordable?
