BOCC 10/28/03

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=210 BGCOLOR="#99CC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0968dfc3.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id66.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC Meeting Notes 7/1/03 12/31/03"><U><B>BOCC Meeting Notes  7/1/03 - 12/31/03</B></U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=130 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Welcome to the Web Site of Clare Whitbeck</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the Web Site of Clare Whitbec"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id130.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 7/1/03"><U>BOCC 7/1/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id132.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 7/8/03"><U>BOCC 7/8/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id134.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 7/15/03"><U>BOCC 7/15/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id135.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 7/22/03"><U>BOCC 7/22/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 8/5/03"><U>BOCC 8/5/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id139.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 8/19/03"><U>BOCC 8/19/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id141.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 8/25/03"><U>BOCC 8/25/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id142.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 9/2/03"><U>BOCC 9/2/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id152.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 9/9/03"><U>BOCC 9/9/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id151.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 9/16/02"><U>BOCC 9/16/02</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id153.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 9/23/03"><U>BOCC 9/23/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id158.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 9/30/03"><U>BOCC 9/30/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id159.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 10/7/03"><U>BOCC 10/7/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id160.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 10/21/03"><U>BOCC 10/21/03</U></A>   |   <B>BOCC 10/28/03</B>   |   <A HREF="id166.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 11/18/03"><U>BOCC 11/18/03</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id175.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BOCC 12/2/03"><U>BOCC 12/2/03</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=350 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0978dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>BOCC 10/28/03</I></div> <div> When I arrived, the BOCC was in the County Administrator’s agenda.  There was discussion about the November 4 agenda, which includes a public forum for comment on legislative proposals.  </div> <div> Phil Cooper, Acting Director of Emergency Communications,  was next, seeking guidance about whether to increase the 911 fee from $.50 to $.75.  Cooper noted that the new law allows the County and/or the State to audit telephone company books to determine whether the fee paid is correct.  Cooper said this is an opportunity for a revenue source that would apply to the 911 operation.  Cooper said the emergency services board has a new fiscal person who will develop the procedures for the audit.  McK noted that the wireless fee has realized about $25,000 in fees, and that money most likely comes from the same people that this fee would come from.  Some of our citizens have had their fees increased in the last couple of years.  Mattingly noted there is a trend for people to have cell phones, but not wired phones.  He thought an audit made the revenue number look awfully low.  There are issues about how to identify where the revenue should be assigned.  Mattingly noted the billing address should be more accurate.  Raley asked if were appropriate to do this now, or should we wait for budget time?  Cooper said it could be done at either time.  John Norris, III noted that the BOCC currently has $.75 in authority if we can show that the rate will not exceed the allowable costs.  Cooper said Charles County has decided to implement the increase.  Mattingly asked if any revenue goes into the trust fund for improvements.  Cooper said part of the 911 fee goes into a State trust fund.  McK asked if anyone wished to make a motion.  Raley moved that staff should proceed to further investigate.  McK said the request is to move the process forward.  Raley changed his motion to have staff prepare the topic for public hearing.  McKay asked if Cooper has established the need for this revenue.  Cooper said the costs of operating the 911 Center are in excess of revenue, and this fee is intended to offset costs.  McKay asked if the income were equal to the $58,000 that Cooper believed is coming, would the money be in addition to current budgeted costs.  Cooper said for this fiscal year it would be in addition.  It could be used for another console to put another person in place.  After this year, it could be used toward the recurring costs of operations. Raley noted that if his motion were passed, it would just send the number to public hearing to see what the public has in mind.  Jarboe noted there would be a resolution prepared for the public hearing.  McKay said this is another fee on the same people, and he can’t support it.  Mattingly said there is additional information needed, what will the maintenance contract cost, etc?  McK said there has to be controls on rising expenses.  Mattingly said the new costs will be different from those of the old system.  Norris said he would ask Mrs. Kramer to work with Mr. Cooper to determine the level of funding allowed.  Raley said this would put it before the people and let them tell us what they think.  Forrest said he would task Mr. Cooper to tell us about costs.  McK said we haven’t justified that we need tax increases.  Raley said this is not a motion to raise taxes, but to hold a public hearing and see what people think.  He is surprised to hear McKay vote against taking something to public hearing.  Mattingly said what the motion would do is take to public hearing a means of funding some of the new features.  Cooper said this could not be used for any radio equipment, only personnel and hardware for dispatching and receiving calls.  Mattingly noted this would relive general funds. There followed a disagreement between McKay and Raley.  McKay said he believes they can manage without these taxes.  Dement said we need the public input.  He thinks the public should have some input.  McKay said he thinks the people had input at the election.  The vote was 3 - 2 in favor of Raley’s motion to approve going forward.  </div> <div> George Erichsen was next with a Grant approval for the MAA portion of the funding for the Environmental Assessment.  The vote was 5 - 0in favor.</div> <div> Erichsen’s next items were acceptance of Avenmar Drive and Avenmar Court into the County Highway system and the posting stop signs and a 25 mph speed limit.  The vote was 5 - 0 in favor.  </div> <div> The next item was a budget amendment so we could begin work on the road to the new pool.  The money will be moved from pay-go closeouts.  Phil Rollins and Recs and Parks and Elaine Kramer came to present the proposal.  Rollins said this money, $20,600 includes putting another access to the road from the parking lot.  The amendment was approved 5 - 0.  Rollins also informed them that the piers can be analyzed for around $5,000 by a marine engineer.  If the board approves they will get the analysis done.  Jarboe said the issue has been brought up.  Jarboe said the days of the watermen unloading 300 baskets of oysters are gone. Dement said for the quoted price we need it done.  Rollins said it could be done in 30 - 45 days.  </div> <div> The next item was the League of Women Voters discussing their affordable housing proposals.  Rosina Maiers, Bill Knoeller, and Jan Aldridge came to the table.  The League was formed in 1920 in conjunction with the passage of the 19<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> Amendment. They defend voting rights, they monitor voting in congress, they inform citizens through in depth, balanced analyses.  The League of Women Voters in Maryland has been addressing affordable housing.  Mr. Knoeller congratulated the Board with doing something about Lexington Manor.  He continued there are many people who would like to live in St. Mary’s County, but can’t afford to live here.  He submitted that the question of affordable housing has been studied to death.  In 1990 there was a study, in 2001 there was a study by the Univ of Md, in May of this year there was a $35,000 needs assessment.  You gentlemen, said Knoeller, have the power to do something.  I’m sure we can all remember when it was possible for someone making $35,000 a year to buy a house.  He quoted the editorial from the Enterprise saying the lack of housing will make it even harder to find the young teachers our schools need.  Knoeller said the days of Mother HUD coming in and solving the problem are gone.  The BOCC must solve the problem.  The problem also exists at St. Mary’s College where faculty leaves saying they cannot afford to live in St. Mary’s.  The College has trouble getting maintenance people.  These are people who will work.  This is a nationwide problem, said Knoeller.  In St. Mary’s it’s worse than it is in most places.  Land restrictions make it tougher to find building lots.  If you were a builder with a lot that could command a $500,000 home, would you build a $150,000 home?  We need incentives for affordable housing and you can do it. $70,000+ is our median family income and only expensive houses get built.  In the rental market the situation is similar.  Market rate rentals are 99% occupied.  The House Authority has 300 people on the waiting list.  If you set these up today, Knoeller said, it won’t take effect until a few years from now.  A housing trust fund, a community land trust, increase monetary incentives for developers to build affordable housing.  Knoeller said he read the “Cohen Report” which provides a blueprint for how to get started.  It looks a little ominous, but it has an executive summary and some conclusions.  You have the power to do it if you have the will to do it.  You can do adjustments with the impact fee.  Charge more for people who build the $1,000,000 houses and a lower fee for people who build affordable housing.  What you do this year won’t have an immediate effect.  If you can build up money in a housing trust fund and a community land trust, you can do.  You have good staff people who know how.  McK said he thinks the League has done an excellent job.  He believes the housing issue is a regional issue with Charles, Calvert, and St.Mary’s.  He asked if the policies in other counties aren’t affecting housing here.  Knoeller said it is a regional problem.  Knoeller noted that we are the farthest south and it is less likely that people will drive here to find an affordable home then commute elsewhere.  McKay noted that so much land is in critical areas.  He talked to a family who came over on the Ark and Dove, and had a lot of children.  They would like to give their children an acre to build a starter home and can’t do it because they don’t have 5 acres.  Children have to go into a subdivision to find a home.  They would build the home they could afford, but they can’t.  Knoeller noted that some families are still sitting on those farms and would like to sell the farms if they weren’t going to get killed by the taxes.  This is within your purview.  Show property owners how they are not going to get killed by selling their property.  McK noted 78% of our work force is below the median family income.  28% of households are overburdened with rent.  The question is how we address our own children living here.  Knoeller replied wouldn’t it be nice if St. Mary’s were a Camelot and everyone had a nice house?  But we would still have to have people to clean the offices.  We need homes for a community of incomes, said McKay.  He thinks it’s great that our kids make $35,000 a year right from the tech center, but that raises our cost of living.  Knoeller said he understands that people who live on the base are going to live off the base.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have housing for everyone?  We give them a strong disincentive.  Aldridge said this is an issue you should jump on and you are not going to get a lot of opposition.  The presented a concept for a broad based or narrow exemption for the impact fee.  Jarboe responded that the BOCC doesn’t have the authority to do an exemption.  Tell the delegation and let them know where you stand as voters.  85% of the County is in the 5 acre area.  Can we as commissioners find density incentives for a one acre lot for building a house within certain limits.  Those are the kind of things you need to discuss.  Aldridge said there are staff people who could present options.   Maier said you have good staff who can do it.  Since Charles and Calvert have already done that, said Knoeller, how can the legislators say yes to them and no to you.  Aldridge means including homes of various costs.  It doesn’t have to look bad or cause the community to be worth less.  It might take zoning changes, said McK.  Comm Dement said he likes the concept of the sliding impact fee, raising it on the homes that cost more.  Knoeller noted that the government may have to do some figuring, but the developers are always figuring.  There are, he said, a lot of angles in the report.  Raley said the community is every day becoming more and more aware of the problems.  Raley said they have talked about inclusionary zoning.  You ask us to examine the concept of monetary incentives.  Make it worth their while to include affordable housing or include a percentage of such housing in new developments.  Are you in favor of voluntary or mandatory inclusionary zoning?  Montgomery County had a wonderful plan until builders found they could buy their way out of it.  There has to be some reason for people to build affordable housing.  The League did not discuss the issue of mandatory inclusionary zoning.  The League is saying do something.  Knoeller said he wouldn’t exclude mandatory zoning.  If you want to have an executive session and talk about not wanting it, but don’t exclude it publicly.  </div> <div> Mattingly said it’s not an overnight solution.  It won’t be resolved over night.  The BOCC has allowed family transfers of up to 3 lots to children of property owners.  One can subdivide a one acre lot and retire the rights from 4 more acres.  We need the legislative piece to waive impact fees or amortize.  That’s a tool we need in our tool box.  There are concerns about developing in a rural area, and whether we can get development in the development district.  You know about the property on Willows Road, but it takes a lot to get that going.  Knoeller said it’s not just land, but sewer and water, infrastructure.  Mattingly said your report is on the mark with what we are trying to do.  Knoeller said it will get worse.  Something must be done now.  </div> <div> <B>Next came Father Ball, Arthur Standing and the group which has been supporting assisted living for seniors.</B>  Standing said the attractiveness of our county has caused us problems.  Many of our seniors want to spend their golden years in a place which is familiar.  There is a lack of affordable assisted living facilities.  Southern St. Mary’s Regional Housing has been seeking an appropriate site to provide affordable assisted living.  That the need is there can be demonstrated.  Standing is asking for support in locating land.  We are all getting older and have parents and family we need to worry about.  There are some which are high in cost, but many cannot afford those and must go out of county.  They lose their church, their family, their neighborhood, their friends.  Land is the problem.  A 30 or 50 unit facility can be on 5 - 7 acres.  They need some sort of deal with the land to get the builders and the County together.  In January of 2000, 6 people got together to talk about assisted living.  They have members, some of whom are in the audience.  There are 30 members.  They will present a petition from people who feel the need.  Over two days they have collected 200 signatures.  Father Ball said this came from his experience in ministering his parishioners.  He has watched people leave the community and lose their contacts.  Visits become occasional because it’s too far to go.  The goal is to develop small neighborhood centers and be close their support groups.  They have looked at land in St. Mary’s City, but St. Mary’s College has developed plans for using those.  When we found the need for a shelter for the homeless, we developed the Three Oaks Center.  He thinks we can have neighborhood facilities.  As the Baby Boomers age, we will have a huge need.  The Three Oaks Center Leases land from the County. Episcopal Senior ministries has provided a document with costs of operations.  Everybody has family members who will be in need. McK said his parents look like they are going to outlive him.  He asked what they would do if they had the land.  Standing said they would work with a developer.  Ball said he has worked with a number of alternatives, Victory Housing and private developers.  They are a facilitator, said Ball.  They will not operate it.  McK said the Taylors are operating one in the 7<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> District.  Standing said if you make the place too small, you lose 12% of your income when you lost a resident.  Standing said they are looking for a site with sewer, water, and reasonable transportation.  He recognized Joan Wagner’s contribution to this type of work   Ball said most sites require that you have a site to work with.  Joan Wagner is interested in providing health care in this area.  A Medicaid waiver, said Joan, would provide level 2 and level 3 care.  The facility she wants would be funded by medicaid for 60 people.  Residents must supply about $420 for this program.  Mck asked if the County donates the tax payers land, how would they be assured that it would benefit seniors in St. Mary’s County.  Wagner said 29% of the seniors in the County are on Medicare and Medicaid.  The grant monies aren’t going to cover everything.  McK said he assumes our neighbors have similar issues.  Standing said Calvert County has a lot more assisted living facilities than we do.   Jarboe said local residents would have to get first priority.  Is there County land you have an interest in?  Ball responded he would like help from County staff.  Gene Carter noted we cannot get overly optimistic about Medicaid Waiver providing funding.  The current roll of Medicaid Waiver is frozen and will top out at about 40 - 50 people.  Raley asked and was told a somewhat larger facility than can be put in a home is economically feasible.  Mattingly said there can’t be any guarantee that St. Mary’s citizens will be the only ones cared for.  McK said they will address the matter with County staff, but he believes there should be some State land available.  </div> <div> <B>The next item was Phil Rollins presenting the Piney Point Lighthouse Museum and Park Plan.  </B>Rollins began by reviewing the history.  The Board has reviewed the recommendations and strongly supports them.  They want to return the emphasis to the lighthouse.  They want to renovate the Stewart Building, and have changed the plan.  They want to preserve the Harry Lundberg boat collection.  They want $115,000 to preserve the boat collection and renovate and expand the metal building.  They have $75,000, and can get more grant money.  They believe they can come up with the additional $40,000.  Phase 2 would renovate the Stewart property and relocate the gift shop into to the Stewart building.  The estimated cost for that is about $380,000 to renovate, $75,000 for site development and $20,000 for exhibit development.  The total is $475,000.  They realize it may take some time.  They propose doing this over the next two or three years.  They will pursue State and Federal grants as well as private money.  They will make improvements to the Board Workshop building.  Phase IV will create a restroom facility out of the chief petty officer’s quarters.  That building is beyond renovating.  The interior has been eaten away by termites and mold. They suggest leaving the slab for a picnic pavilion.  They realize the previous plan was overly optimistic.  They understand that getting County funding is going to be scarce.  McK said he really appreciates what the Board of Trustees has done, so we will all be in unison.  Museums are important to our County.  We have the challenge of doing everything that we can with the monies we have.  We have to build 4 schools.  He noted the first phase is $115,000 and you have $75,000.  He asked if they would come back.  The Friends of the Museum want to help, said Rollins.  They will apply for two separate grants.  We won’t know until spring whether the grants will come forward.  We will ask the Friends to front the money with the understanding that if the grants don’t come through the money is ours.  Most of the $40,000 would be a restroom, a chair lift for the second floor.  It will make the upstairs ready for use.  The museum can be reopened, or at least the grounds can.  The building won’t open for some time.  County contractors will do the work.  There is an annual event which is the opening of the Piney Point Museum on May l.  It was noted we get support from the Harry Lundberg school and Christmas in April.  They might help.  The HVAC only works in part of the building.  The Callaway family has provided a site for the museum gift shop to continue to exist until the building can be reopened.  Comm Raley asked why the metal building in Phase I needs expanding.  Will we have problems expanding the building, he asked.  Veith says no, said Rollins.  They would still like to have a Potomac River Museum, but Isabel has changed things.  Rollins said they will check to be sure they don’t need a budget amendment and they will bring forward a revised master plan.  McK asked if there is any way to open the museum and was told they are trying to come up with a way and will continue to try.  The Board asked that they still remember that the museum needs a director. </div> <div> Commissioner Dement went to the business after hours at Blair’s Jewelry.  He was at the Chamber of Commerce Tourism Seminar.  He attended a couple of ribbon cuttings.  There is now a new Hospice office in Leonardtown.   Commissioner Mattingly said he followed Comm Dement.  He went to Southern Maryland Works, and worked with Laschelle Miller in Leonardtown.  Jarboe said he went to the Chamber Tourism Seminar.  He reminded the BOCC that a fire/rescue station is needed in Chaptico.  Raley congratulated Hospice on their new facility.  He thanked Comms McK and Dement for their contributions to the dessert auction.  He thanked Comm McK for bidding on several items.  McK said the Business and Professional Women held their annual function.  McK said the comptrollers office sent out employer withholding guides for 2004.  They have combined all local rates into just 4.  They were raising our withholding.  The office has responded.  This Friday is Halloween and the BOCC and Sheriff encourage residents to have a safe Halloween.  There will be patrols by the Sheriff.  Heide Detterer is the new Assistant County Attorney.  The Critical Areas Commission will be holding a hearing in Leonardtown on Monday at 6:30.Comm Dement said the BOCC overlooked the retirement of Michael Sirk from the Board of Elections Supervisor.  They broke for lunch.</div> <div> When I arrived, Mattingly was advocating for a less disruptive reorganization Jarboe said he thinks the Government has certain missions and that would help.  McK said he thinks Mattingly is not very different from George’s proposal.  The County administrator would have DPW, LUGM, Emergency management, Community Enhancement would have the Office on Aging, Recs and Parks, and Office of Community Services, Housing, and two others.  McKay said when thinking of Community Enhancement, the idea is to have at the top level everyone is at the table and the organization is small enough that information goes up and down the ladder. It’s intended to reduce costs at the administrative level, which could lead to property tax caps.  He looks at other Counties.  Charles includes all these together.  McK said this is not unlike what most local governments are doing.  Forrest said they looked at services and programs for individuals and those for businesses as part of Community Enhancement.  Mattingly said he doesn’t agree with the 5 clusters.  The scenario he put together left tourism and parks where they are today.  One of the key functions of government is economic and community development, especially when we go to the bond market.  We take, he said, the Director of Economic Development, when we go to the bond market.  Mattingly said it depends on the number of clusters, 5, 7, or 8.  McK asked if they could speed this by finding out who is in favor of the six clusters.  Raley, Dement and Mattingly were not.  Now let’s move the discussion to why we’re not in favor of the 6 clusters. Raley said he is concerned that the community enhancement cluster is too big.  It has 6 major programs.  Forrest said we have two major sets of people doing grass cutting.  That should be managed by one operational entity.  Mattingly said they don’t get many complaints from the way we do it now.  Forrest said he was told to take a look at whether there was a more efficient and effective way to do it.  McK said you brought a lot of thought to it.  Dement asked who says this will make it any better.  He believes if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.  Raley said if we can do reorganizations that will result in savings for the citizens.  The departments in Community enhancement deal with a lot of people.  Raley said the pool is up and running.  The Office on Aging deals with a lot of people every day.  He doesn’t think we will save the money.  Forrest said everyone is using the pool.  McK said a lot of counties do it this way.  He said if you don’t start with the premise of admin savings, you can’t do it.  McK said the Public Works cluster is even larger.  McK asked if they could agree on the public safety cluster.  McK asked if we can agree on these.  The Department of Land Use and Growth Management will stand alone. Public Works will stand as it is.  Forrest said he thinks IT needs to be a separate department.  McK wants to retain something like the Department of Economic Development needs to be retained.  Dement wants to Office on Aging and Recreation and Parks need to be separate.  Community Enhancement and Office on Aging will be separate.  Jarboe wants housing in the Department of Community Enhancement.  George would like to make recommendations as to who should go in the boxes.  This is where we thinks the functions should be.  County Attorney and Public Information should be service providers to the Board.  Forrest wants a chief of staff for his office.  Raley said each of the 8 should have a deputy.  Why couldn’t one of the 8 be assigned that position now?  Forrest said he concurs.  Forrest said when he submits his leave he can be comfortable it can be approved.  Comm Raley had a question about $672.00 at the Fairfield Inn.  His question was were we renting a conference room or was it for out of county people’s accommodations.  It was for accommodations for the interviewers.  </div> <div> Next came the Lexington Park Concept Plan.  It was presented by Jeff Jackman and a consultant.  This is a small area plan prepared in 1988 and readopted in 1999.  The development district is much larger, but this is the plan that was launched with a community meeting at the Loeffler Center.  Environmental Services from Annapolis, represented by Clive Brown.  This has been presented to the Planning Commission.  They gave direction.  There will be another community workshop on November 17.  The consultant will continue to mold and form the concept.  The Planning Commission will look at it.  Then there will be another community meeting as well as another briefing for the BOCC if it is wanted.  Brown said this process is the same exercise as the reorganization.  He showed the areas that are our development districts.  He asked the BOCC to interrupt with questions and comments.  He showed Myrtle Point and Lexington Park as the development district.  It’s 17,000 acres and not quite the same as the 8<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >th</FONT> election district.  The goals are to be part of the overall comprehensive planning program and is the first ever detailed overall concept plan for the whole area.  They believe the needs are to 1.  Position the County for BRAC 2. Economic diversification, affordable housing, adequate school facilities, good transportation network, and one other.  The development district contains 26,000 of the 86,000 people there.  The population is younger; there are fewer elderly.  It has more townhouses and mutifamily units. There are more renters.  It is more racially diverse.  There are slightly lower household incomes.  The state is projecting 114,800 people in 2020 for S.C.  The development district growth is a little lower than population as a whole.  St. Mary’s County’s plan does not direct growth to the development district.  There are about 9,701 units planned approved or in process.  Both Stewarts Grant and Wildewood have approval for 3,987 homes.  There are 6,965 to be built.  There are about 3,000.  The development district has averaged about 290 per year of the 840 permits issued per year.  The 1999 Comprehensive Plan has no growth capture goal for Lexington Park.  He showed the vision for the town center.   38% is committed, 40% is for future development.  He showed a color map.  As planners, he said they try to simplify things.  He showed two large employment areas, the Vase and the airport.  He showed Town Creek, the development on Chancellors Run Road, and about 13 new residential developments.  There is growing traffic, overcrowded schools, large areas zoned for retail/commercial use which disperses this activity.  The planning commission said traffic is the #1 issue.  In 2002, Rt 4 and 235, First Colony light, Chancellors Run, and Pegg Road are Level of Service d or e. Canavan said we don’t have a clear answer what the intersections will be.  Canavan said if there are no further improvements that is what will happen.  He wants to take some ideas to the public.  He has limited the commercial areas, and shown neighborhood clusters.  Does the way we have drawn these lines indicate how people think about their neighborhood?  Brown wants to know if a neighborhood school could be made a neighborhood center.  The offices outside gate I of the base could be an activity center could be more diversified.  He thinks the area around the high school on Great Mills could be an activity center.  There could be a mix of uses.  These things feed off each other and could be a neighborhood center.  Could there be a neighborhood center in Great Mills.  He raised the question as to whether Clearfields shouldn’t be removed from the development district.  He thinks the more activity that can be in the wedge, the less press there will be on 235.  There is some long range transportation planning.  The intent is to bring the plan to you next summer.  As a land planner, that’s how it should be.  McK asked what geographical attributes defined the development district.  Jackman said this area was based on emerging trends.  In 1976 the map was done.   In two areas there were constraints connected with the St. Mary’s River watershed that were removed in 1999. Raley said that’s the problem.  Once people are in the development district, you can’t take it away, said Raley.  Canavan said there will always be an edge and it must be considered carefully.  You lead with the master plan, then complement it with the water and sewer plan.  McK said sometimes one comes before the other.  It was in sequence for this board, he said, but out of sequence. Canavan said they will see it again in three years.  Mattingly said we have failing septic systems that we have to provide for.  Do we use those to determine the direction of development?  Maybe the public health problems overcome.  Do you try to tie the two development districts together?  There’s a lot of different ways you can look at.  There are a lot of scenarios you can put in this thing. McK said we have to control growth, but he doesn’t think there is a feeling that growth should stop.  What the people want is important.  People don’t want to live in the southern end of the County, said McK.  The development district should go north and northwest, not south.  They want new schools in the northern area.  Dennis said they wanted comments.  There will be a workshop on November 17.  He wants to do more work with Clive.  He thinks he is on target with some of the facts and some of the issues.  Canavan said you want to make this area suitable for development.  Development may still ensue, but this is the plan for targeting development.  They will be meeting with State Planning tomorrow.  Raley said the State is going to tell you our development districts are too big.  You want direction on transportation options, land use designations in development district.  He is opposed to changing the development district.  McK said there may be some property that should not be in the development district.  Mattingly said the two development districts are going to meet.  If you fix the failing systems problems in Hollywood, the two systems could interact.  Should that be included in the water and sewer plan, said McK.  There is always an opportunity to amend the water and sewer plan to match this plan, said Canavan.  </div> </td> </tr></table></body>