Calvert County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting - September 30, 2025
Calvert County Board of County Commissioners Regular Meeting - September 30, 2025
The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners held its regular meeting on September 30, 2025, starting at 10:00 a.m. The meeting included an invocation, approval of the agenda, and public service announcements. Major topics included a presentation from the Maryland Department of Transportation on the Consolidated Transportation Program (CTP), a public hearing on multiple zoning map and text amendments, updates on ADA compliance and school site certification, a work session on proposed changes to agricultural preservation rules, and public comments on library materials.
Consent Calendar
- The consent calendar (9 items) was approved unanimously, including: FY2026 agreements with the Health Department for a home visiting hybrid program, family engagement, Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act outreach, and community partnership; soil conservation plans for Biscoe Gray Heritage Farm and Gatewood Preserve; a memorandum of understanding for a diabetes self-management program; updates to the ADA service animal and mobility device policies; a state FY2026 gun violence reduction grant award; and a memorandum of agreement with the Calvert Marine Museum Society.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Map Amendment 25-01 (Dash In expansion): Matthew Tedesco, representing the applicant (Dash In Food Stores), spoke in favor of the rezoning, stating it would implement the comprehensive plan and facilitate redevelopment of an outdated gas station. He assured Commissioners the request was limited to two parcels and was not spot zoning.
- Public Comment Session (3:00 p.m.):
- Lenzusa (Calvert Rotary) requested support for oyster restoration in county creeks to improve water quality, offering to fund projects at no cost to the county.
- Elaine Zayner (farmer) strongly opposed retroactive application of proposed agricultural preservation rule changes to existing Transferable Development Rights (TDR) contracts, emphasizing that existing agreements must be honored. She urged the Board to protect farmers' investments.
- Beth Bubser, Jeanette Reineker, and Maggie Gorman (individuals) expressed concerns about the placement of books in the county library's children's section, citing an overrepresentation of LGBTQ-themed books and the shelving of traditional children's books in the juvenile section. They requested age-appropriate shelving and called for accountability from the Library Board of Trustees.
Discussion Items
- Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) Consolidated Transportation Program Tour (10:05 a.m.): Acting Secretary Samantha Biddle, SHA Administrator Will Pines, and modal leaders presented the draft FY2026-FY2031 CTP (total $21.5 billion). Key highlights included three safety projects on MD 231 totaling $32.5 million (intersections at MD 231 & MD 508, Toy Lane to Prince Frederick Blvd, and Skipjack Road) with construction anticipated 2027-2028. MDOT also reported progress on the Thomas Johnson Bridge replacement (underwater surveys, navigation study, Coast Guard permitting) and signal timing improvements in Prince Frederick. Commissioners discussed project limits, funding challenges, and crosswalk needs in Dunkirk and Prince Frederick.
- Public Hearing: Zoning Map Amendment 25-01 and Text Amendments 25-02 through 25-13 (10:30 a.m.):
- Map Amendment 25-01 proposed rezoning two parcels at 136 and 150 East Chesapeake Beach Road (Owings) from Rural Commercial/Rural Neighborhood District to Town Center Core District to allow expansion of an existing Dash In gas station. After debate about spot zoning and traffic impacts, the Board voted 5-1 to approve (Commissioner Hart dissenting), with a recommendation to include turn lanes. The applicant committed to a traffic impact study.
- Text Amendments (approved unanimously): Included revisions to definitions (retaining wall), permitting garden centers in farm/forest districts (capped at 7,500 sq ft), aligning accessory dwelling unit regulations with state law, reducing parking requirements for home daycares, clarifying home occupation procedures, updating critical area regulations per state mandate, and other administrative clarifications.
- Presentation: ADA Self-Evaluation and Transition Plan Update (1:00 p.m.): Special Projects Manager Sukeeko Nash reported that 65% of policy and procedural action items are completed or underway. $1 million in FY2026 capital funding is allocated for barrier removal (parking, ramps, etc.), and $12,000 for braille/ASL services. The grievance procedure and website have been updated. Board received the update.
- Presentation: Priority Funding Area (PFA) Certification for Calvert Country and Calvert Elementary School Site (1:00 p.m.): The county certified the 1450 Dares Beach Road site as a PFA, enabling eligibility for state school construction funding. The Planning Commission found it consistent with the comprehensive plan. The Board approved the certification unanimously.
- Work Session: Proposed Repeal and Replacement of Agricultural Preservation Rules & Regulations (2:00 p.m.): Staff presented the first comprehensive update since 1978. Key points included new boundary survey requirements for APD applicants, retroactive applicability to existing APDs, and counting tenant houses as density. Public comments and Commissioner discussion strongly opposed retroactive changes, with all Commissioners agreeing that existing contracts must be grandfathered. Options for surveys (e.g., 90% TDR certification without survey, upfront survey funding) and aligning tenant houses with ADU regulations were debated. The Board directed staff to produce a redline draft addressing these issues and to schedule a future work session before a public hearing.
Key Outcomes
- Approved Map Amendment 25-01 (5-1; Commissioner Hart opposed).
- Approved Text Amendments 25-02 through 25-13 (unanimous).
- Approved Calvert County Family Network Budget Amendment BA2026-00027 (unanimous).
- Approved Consent Calendar (9 items; unanimous).
- Authorized signing of Memorandum of Understanding for Out of School Time Youth Mentoring Program Grant ($60,000 cost-reimbursable; unanimous).
- Approved Declaration of Intent to Reimburse from Bonds (unanimous).
- Set TDR purchase price for FY2026 at $6,230 and directed staff to open the Purchase and Retirement (PAR) cycle and continue the TDR Reserve Program (unanimous).
- Certified Priority Funding Area for Calvert Country and Calvert Elementary School site (unanimous).
- Directed staff to revise the Agricultural Preservation Rules & Regulations draft to address retroactivity concerns, survey requirements, and tenant house/ADU consistency, and to return for a subsequent work session.
- Held Executive Session at 3:10 p.m. under permitted exemptions.
Meeting Transcript
Lift up your holy name. We thank you, Lord God, for the breath of life. We ask, Father God, for your hand to be on this board of commissioners, all of our leaders and those who are in authority, for we know that you have created all authority, and that those who are in authority are your servants. So we pray for your servants today to give them wisdom and knowledge to be men and women of character and integrity to uphold your truths and your values, Lord God, and to obey your word. We pray for our men and women in uniform, our emergency responders, and we pray for our police officers and firefighters, those who are willing to sacrifice themselves for our safety and freedom. We lift up all of our teachers, educators, and everyone who was in the school system. Please guard our children, watch over them and keep them in the schools, whether they be at home or in a public school or in a private school. We pray that the angel of the Lord would surround them and guard them. And now, Lord God bless this meeting. We pray, Holy Spirit, that you have your way as you continue to lead and guide the people of Calvert County and all truth and righteousness in Jesus' name. Amen. Thank you, Reverend Turner, Reverend Turner comes to us from Brooms Island Church today. And he's new to Calvert County, so we want to welcome you. It's a great community. Uh as you'll find the longer you stay here, and uh we welcome you back here any time. Thank you. Thank you. So we do have some special guests in the audience today. Some of them we're gonna get to a little later, but I do want to recognize the superintendent. If you have anything you want to say. Good morning, thank you for this opportunity. I realize you have a long agenda, so I just want to uh greet you. I'll do this. He's a professional. Thank you. Um so uh as um I've shared with several of you that my family and I moved to Calvary County several years ago because of the reputation of the school district uh for our grandchildren who are students in the school system, and I just happened to be living here when the call came out for someone to step in to fill the gap uh as superintendent. And so over the last several weeks, I can't tell you how humbled I've been by the reception that I've received, not only from you, but from our teachers, our students, educators, and members of this community. Uh this is um an amazing community with an amazing school system, uh, but we have a lot of work to do. We have to roll up our sleeves and continue to make our our schools even better so that we can provide a quality education. I think you all know the power of a strong school system. It builds the the economy. Um we have healthy citizens, healthier citizens. Uh, our property taxes are up. Uh we have less dependence on social services and government when we have a strong school system. And so I thank you for your support uh over these many years uh supporting our schools, and I just want you to know that we're ready to work hand in hand with the commissioners, the school board, and our staff and this community to make our schools even stronger. Thank you for this opportunity. Thank you. Thank you. Welcome you here, and uh, we've heard great things, so we appreciate all you're doing to improve our schools. It's a big job. Thank you. Absolutely. Thank you, sir. All right, the first item on the agenda is to approve the agenda. Is there any additions or corrections to the agenda as presented? I have none. I've none. I'll move that we approve and adopt the agenda submitted. Second. I have a motion and a second to approve the agenda as submitted.
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