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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of Commissioners Meeting - December 2, 2025

County Commissioners & Boards — Tuesday, December 2, 2025

BodyCalvert County, Maryland

SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards

DateTuesday, December 2, 2025

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 3:37:16

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:01

So good morning, everybody.

0:02

Welcome you to December 2nd, 2025 meeting of the Calvert County Board of Commissioners.

0:06

At this time, I'd like to ask Pastor Barry Knowle if he would come forward to give us an invitation.

0:12

Good morning, sir.

0:13

Good morning.

0:15

Good morning.

0:16

Privileged to be with you this morning.

0:19

Let me pray.

0:22

Our Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for who you are.

0:27

Thank you, Lord, for ordaining government.

0:29

Thank you, Lord, for calling each one of these commissioners to serve.

0:35

Lord, I thank you for their service.

0:38

Thank you for their labor.

0:39

Thank you for all of their countless hours.

0:43

And Lord, thank you for the sacrifice even of their families.

0:48

I pray you will bless them and bless their families.

0:52

Lord, we pray that you will guide them in their decisions.

0:57

Lord, as they meet today, that you will give them wisdom and discernment.

1:02

Lord, we pray that things would be done with justice and equity.

1:07

Lord, that everything would be done for your praise and glory.

1:11

Thank you, Lord, for each person here too this morning.

1:15

We pray for their families and their communities and all the things that are going on in their lives.

1:21

We ask, Lord, that you would uh bring uh renewal.

1:26

We pray that uh you will make uh bring wholeness and shalom uh to this place.

1:31

We thank you for this in Jesus' name, amen.

1:35

Amen.

1:44

One nation under God, individual liberty and justice for all thank you, Pastor Noel.

1:54

When Pastor Noel comes to us today from a Harvest Fellowship in Lesby.

1:57

Thank you.

1:58

We appreciate your invitation.

2:01

Next item on the agenda is to approve the agenda.

2:03

Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda as presented?

2:06

Mr.

2:06

President, I move that we approve and adopt the agenda submitted, but moving the budget adjustment to consent since there was no public input received during the open record period and removing the fourth work session.

2:17

Second.

2:18

I have a motion, a second to approve the agenda.

2:21

Is there any discussion on that motion?

2:23

Hearing none, all those in favor say aye.

2:25

Aye.

2:25

Opposed.

2:26

Motion carries.

2:29

So I do have a couple of public service announcements today.

2:32

Um over the weekend, the county was uh notified that uh the LNG facility down at Cove Point had uh had a minor issue back in March.

2:46

Uh the issue that occurred was an ethane leak.

2:49

It was uh very insignificant.

2:51

Uh the LNG facility, as we all know, has a monitoring system to detect if there are any leaks.

2:57

Uh those monitors are permanently placed uh inside the facility, outside the facility.

3:02

This leak was not detected by any permanent monitors.

3:06

It was only detected by a mobile handheld device.

3:10

It was the issue was immediately addressed.

3:13

Uh there was been some chatter on social media last week about this event.

3:17

A lot of that information that was shared on social media is incorrect.

3:21

Uh the Code Point LNG facility has issued a public statement that talks about the event and what happened and the uh process that occurred thereafter.

3:32

Uh you know, uh the uh just like the uh Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plant.

3:36

Uh, whenever an event occurs because they are FERC regulated, they have to report.

3:40

But there are levels of reporting.

3:42

Some incidents are non-reportable, some instances have to uh while they are non-reportable at the time, are reported at in the cycle of normal reporting to FERC.

3:53

So just want to make everybody aware that there was never any danger to any citizens, never any danger outside the facility.

4:00

Uh and uh, but once again, you know, people on social media have tried to uh blow this up into something that it's not.

4:07

I just want to make sure you all are fully aware that this board would never, never sacrifice citizen safety over any facility over anybody.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Zoning And Land Use████████████████████████████████████36%

Agricultural Planning████████████████████████24%

Public Engagement███████████████15%

Procedural█████5%

Public Safety████4%

Engineering And Infrastructure███3%

Transportation Safety███3%

Personnel Matters██2%

Animal Welfare█1%

Summary of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of Commissioners Meeting - December 2, 2025

The Calvert County Board of Commissioners met on December 2, 2025, beginning at 10:00 a.m. and continuing through a lunch break, evening work session, and executive session. The meeting opened with an invocation by Pastor Barry Noll, followed by approval of the agenda (amended to move a budget adjustment to consent and remove a work session). Proclamations were issued, appointments made, a public hearing continued, consent items approved, and multiple work sessions held on town center master plans, agricultural preservation rules, and state legislative requests. The meeting concluded with commissioner reports and a recess into executive session for personnel matters.

Proclamations

Designated Driver Month (December 1, 2025 – January 2, 2026): Presented by the Calvert Alliance Against Substance Abuse. Awards given to 10 law enforcement officers for most DUI arrests. State’s Attorney Robert Harvey noted 360 impaired driving cases prosecuted in the prior year.
Southern Maryland Day of Giving (December 2, 2025): Recognized by Commissioner Hart. Representatives from multiple nonprofits highlighted the inaugural tri-county effort to support local organizations, many operating on budgets under $10,000.

Appointments

Commission for Veteran and Military Families: Mike Benton appointed as a local business owner representative (one vacancy remains).
Animal Matters Hearing Board: Aaron Farley (citizen) and Dr. Megan Noyes (veterinarian) reappointed (no vacancies).
Calvert Marine Museum Board of Governors: Kristen Fuller and Michael Bennett appointed (no vacancies).

Consent Calendar

Approved unanimously (no objections):
1. FY26 Local Government Energy Modernization (L-GEM) Grant Application (non-competitive).
2. State of Maryland Capital Projects Grant Agreement (Calvert Marine Museum).
3. Budget Amendment for Kings Landing Pool Septic Replacement (BA2026-000491 and BA2026-000492).
4. Ratification for Emergency Medical Billing Vendor Portal Access.
5. Grant Award for FY26 Spay/Neuter Program (Maryland Department of Agriculture).
6. Hall Aquatic Center HVAC and Roof Replacement Budget Adjustment and Project Approval.

Public Comments & Testimony

Public Hearing (Town Centers Master Plan): One in-person speaker, George Rathlev (representing Curtis Group, owner of ~10 acres at SW intersection of Route 231 and Prince Frederick Boulevard), expressed concern that removal of employment center zoning without inclusion in town center expansion would downzone the property. He urged the board to consider the full town center designation. No other speakers; one online caller (Bob) had no comments.
General Public Comment: No in-person speakers; one online caller (Mr. Estes) did not unmute.

Discussion Items

Public Hearing (Continuance) – Town Centers Master Plan Chapters 1 & 2: Staff confirmed Symphony Woods and Calvert Town subdivisions are built out. Revised language on adequate public facilities for roads was presented. Commissioners questioned the proposed expansion areas (purple on map) that incorporate employment centers and Calvert Health Medical Center. Discussion clarified that expansion does not increase density (max 4 DU/acre remains), but changes permitted uses. Commissioner Grasso requested information on buildable acres and potential development impact. The board voted to leave the record open for 30 additional days for public comment.
Work Session – Town Center Survey Results: Staff presented findings from public input meetings for Huntingtown (October 14, 25 attendees), Owings (October 20, 41 attendees), and St. Leonard (October 6, ~40 attendees). Key concerns across town centers: traffic congestion, limited walkability, fear of overdevelopment (becoming “another Prince Frederick”), confusion about major/minor designations and rural commercial district. Commissioners debated re-establishing minor town center status, shrinking Owings boundaries, or creating a new zoning district. Staff directed to provide analysis on impacts of changing designations for Huntingtown, Owings, and St. Leonard, including potential effects on existing properties and density.
Work Session – Agricultural Preservation Rules & Regulations: Staff (Jennifer David, Ron Moni) presented proposed updates to the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) program. Topics included: APD approval authority (now requiring BOCC final approval), TDR certification and allocation (consistent with March 2025 zoning ordinance), boundary survey options (staff recommends option 1: $200–$500 per TDR for first-time PAR applicants, or option 4: 90% certification without survey), public event criteria (need clearer definitions to avoid inconsistency), tenant house/ADU harmonization. Commissioners expressed concern about cost burdens on farmers and desire to grandfather existing tenant houses. Direction given: (a) combine survey options 1 and 4, allowing applicants to choose; (b) use in-house GIS for wetland delineation; (c) proceed with a text amendment to the zoning ordinance to align tenant houses with state ADU law and grandfather existing structures. Staff to return with revised draft.
Work Session – Requests for State Legislation: County Attorney John Norris reviewed 9 requests. Request #2 (data center tax relief) was pulled. Remaining requests included: bond authority (~$104M, staying under 9.5% debt-to-general fund and 1.8% debt-to-assessed value caps), emergency services tax (revenue-neutral shift from real property tax), historic tobacco barn tax credit (modeled after St. Mary’s/Charles County), LOSAP death benefit increase from $10,000 to $14,000 (or burial benefit), nuisance property injunctions for large parties, Calvert Health Medical Center name update, long-term infrastructure maintenance contracts (up to 20 years), and excise tax relief for caregiver ADUs. These will be further discussed at the 7:00 p.m. evening session.

Key Outcomes

Agenda: Approved as amended (moved budget adjustment to consent, removed work session #4).
Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously.
Appointments: All three appointments approved.
Public Hearing (Town Centers): Record left open until January 2, 2026 (30 days) for additional public comment. Staff to provide analysis on buildable acres in proposed expansion areas.
Town Center Work Session: Staff directed to evaluate re-establishing minor/major town center designations and provide impact analysis for Huntingtown, Owings, and St. Leonard, including options for shrinking boundaries or creating new districts.
Agricultural Preservation Work Session: Staff directed to develop final draft incorporating survey options 1 and 4, in-house wetland delineation, and a text amendment to the zoning ordinance for tenant houses/ADUs to grandfather existing structures and align with state law.
State Legislation Requests: Request #2 (data center tax relief) removed from consideration; remaining requests to be presented at evening session.
Executive Session: Board voted to recess into closed session pursuant to §3-305(b)(1)(i) to discuss personnel matters.

Meeting Transcript

So good morning, everybody. Welcome you to December 2nd, 2025 meeting of the Calvert County Board of Commissioners. At this time, I'd like to ask Pastor Barry Knowle if he would come forward to give us an invitation. Good morning, sir. Good morning. Good morning. Privileged to be with you this morning. Let me pray. Our Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for who you are. Thank you, Lord, for ordaining government. Thank you, Lord, for calling each one of these commissioners to serve. Lord, I thank you for their service. Thank you for their labor. Thank you for all of their countless hours. And Lord, thank you for the sacrifice even of their families. I pray you will bless them and bless their families. Lord, we pray that you will guide them in their decisions. Lord, as they meet today, that you will give them wisdom and discernment. Lord, we pray that things would be done with justice and equity. Lord, that everything would be done for your praise and glory. Thank you, Lord, for each person here too this morning. We pray for their families and their communities and all the things that are going on in their lives. We ask, Lord, that you would uh bring uh renewal. We pray that uh you will make uh bring wholeness and shalom uh to this place. We thank you for this in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. One nation under God, individual liberty and justice for all thank you, Pastor Noel. When Pastor Noel comes to us today from a Harvest Fellowship in Lesby. Thank you. We appreciate your invitation. Next item on the agenda is to approve the agenda. Are there any additions or corrections to the agenda as presented? Mr. President, I move that we approve and adopt the agenda submitted, but moving the budget adjustment to consent since there was no public input received during the open record period and removing the fourth work session. Second. I have a motion, a second to approve the agenda. Is there any discussion on that motion? Hearing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed. Motion carries. So I do have a couple of public service announcements today. Um over the weekend, the county was uh notified that uh the LNG facility down at Cove Point had uh had a minor issue back in March. Uh the issue that occurred was an ethane leak. It was uh very insignificant. Uh the LNG facility, as we all know, has a monitoring system to detect if there are any leaks. Uh those monitors are permanently placed uh inside the facility, outside the facility. This leak was not detected by any permanent monitors. It was only detected by a mobile handheld device. It was the issue was immediately addressed.

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