OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of County Commissioners Special Meeting: Residential Permitting Info Session – March 11, 2026

County Commissioners & Boards — Wednesday, March 11, 2026
BodyCalvert County, Maryland
SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards
DateWednesday, March 11, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:09:26

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Good evening.

0:01

Thank you for being here this evening.

0:03

We really appreciate it.

0:05

Tonight's information session is about learning about our residential permitting process.

0:11

So my name's Linda Turner.

0:12

I'm the county administrator for Calvert County government.

0:16

I'm really excited to be here and delve into the permitting process and share new improvements that we have implemented to streamline it.

0:24

We want you to leave here this evening with an understanding of what to expect when applying to a residential permit and the process as the request continues throughout the system and throughout the process.

0:37

Before we get started, I just want to uh share a few expectations for tonight.

0:42

This is an information session similar to the one we held back in September.

0:47

It's just an opportunity for you to learn and ask questions.

0:51

So during this session, you'll hear a presentation provided by the team.

0:56

Um you've received cards.

0:58

So if you have any questions, just write your question down on the card.

1:02

You can wave it.

1:03

We have staff that will come collect it, and after the presentation, our team will answer as many questions as we can.

1:11

So tonight we have representatives from the following departments.

1:14

We have planning and zoning, public works, the health department, environmental health, and soil conservation district.

1:23

So together these uh departments work together throughout the residential permitting process.

1:28

You're gonna hear one coordinated presentation to uh present the overview of the process.

1:35

After the presentation, these are the panelists that will remain to answer your questions.

1:40

So now it's my pleasure to introduce you, Jason Brinkley, who's our director of planning and zoning.

1:50

Thank you, Linda.

1:51

And she said I'm the director of planning and zoning.

1:54

I've been director for about a year now.

1:56

And one of the first things I uh did whenever I took over as director is I actually met with staff individually and met with members of the public.

2:04

And one of the the frustrations that I think was shared across the board was some of the challenges in the permitting process, whether that's education, whether that's the process itself, whether that's regulations we have some sometimes some control over and sometimes not control over.

2:18

So that was one of the things that I think we've worked over the last year to try to tackle as a department, as a set of departments and reviewing agencies.

2:26

And that's something I think we're gonna talk about that process tonight.

2:29

So this is there's as Linda said, this is kind of a two-part thing.

2:32

There's an educational component of this is what it looks like going through the residential permitting process.

2:38

And these are while these are some of the agencies, these are not always all of the agencies, depending upon where it's at in the process.

2:44

And we're gonna walk through that and then we're gonna walk through some of the improvements that uh that we have implemented and some of the ones that are uh that are on the horizon, a teaser, if you will, of of what's to come.

2:55

And let's see if the PowerPoint works for me.

2:57

Yes, success.

2:59

Step one.

3:01

So what is the purpose of permitting?

3:04

And and I think you to understand the purpose, you gotta step back and think what is the purpose of any regulation at all.

3:12

And that is to provide for health safety and welfare of the citizens and of the county.

3:16

And that's done collectively through the comprehensive plan, which is kind of the overarching goal of zoning and and of the permitting process or of permitting.

3:26

And then it it kind of it's uh it's like a Smith Island cake.

3:29

It there's so many layers to that uh that really dive down through there.

3:34

And so um that's the main focus of permitting is health safety and welfare.

3:42

And and second is to plan for and hopefully achieve uh attractive communities with adequate infrastructure and public services.

3:50

So you you hear a lot about adequate services, adequate public services.

3:54

You hear a lot about that on the development review side, which is kind of a separate side of permit, then permitting, but it's also important at the permitting side as well.

4:03

And uh as as with any process, you want to ensure that it's fair and consistent approach to to property rights because we are dealing with property rights here and development and established use uses.

4:16

And so I think that's the goal of any permitting is to create a level playing field so that there is no favoritism for one person or the other.

4:23

It's it's a if somebody comes comes in, whether it's somebody you know, somebody you don't know, that everybody is treated equally and fairly in the eyes of the law.

4:32

And something uh that I've really tried to stir us with my team is you know, we deal with a lot of regulations.

4:39

It's it's simple as that.

4:41

And and a lot of times that's frustrating to your individual handlowner or or uh landowner that's looking to do something.

4:48

So although often we can't just say yes, we can find a way to get to yes.

5:00

We can help them through that process to find a way to say, hey, maybe you can't do it this way, but collectively, let's work to have to get you what you want, to get you that desired need you want.

5:05

And that's achieved through the permitting process and with the help of the agencies here tonight.

5:10

And and something else I I've tried to instill with with staff is there's a baseball term, and I don't know that it actually applies as much as it should, but tie goes to the runner.

5:19

So ties should go to the applicant.

5:21

If there's a way to interpret that regulation to interpret that in the best way that within the eyes of the law, we should be doing that as staff.

5:29

And I think that's that because we are impacting landowners' rights, and we are in impacting our communities.

5:35

So we should be trying to find a way to help that individual uh achieve the goals that they're wanting to achieve.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Zoning And Land Use███████████████████████████████████████████43%
Engineering And Infrastructure███████████████████████████████31%
Environmental Protection████████8%
Procedural█████5%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Historic Preservation███3%
Public Engagement███3%
Public Safety██2%
Technology and Innovation█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Calvert County Board of County Commissioners Special Meeting: Residential Permitting Info Session – March 11, 2026

The Board of County Commissioners held a special informational session on March 11, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to discuss the residential permitting process and recent system improvements. County Administrator Linda Turner facilitated the session, which featured presentations from Planning & Zoning, Public Works, Environmental Health, and the Soil Conservation District. The meeting aimed to educate the public on what to expect when applying for a residential permit and to highlight process enhancements implemented to streamline reviews.

Presentation Overview

  • Purpose of Permitting: Director of Planning & Zoning Jason Brinkley emphasized that permitting ensures health, safety, and welfare, plans for attractive communities with adequate infrastructure, and provides a fair, consistent approach to property rights. He noted that the team aims to "find a way to get to yes" and that "ties go to the applicant."
  • What Requires a Permit: Beth Rimmer, Zoning & Permitting Division Chief, listed new dwellings, additions, accessory structures, commercial alterations, tower/antenna construction, trade work (electrical, plumbing, gas), demolition, exterior modifications, signage, and vegetation removal/clearing/grading as typical permit-required activities.
  • Why Permits Are Needed: Rimmer cited public safety (ensuring emergency responders are updated on new structures), compliance with local/state/federal laws (critical area, forest retention, stormwater management), zoning ordinance compliance (setbacks, permissible uses), building/electrical/plumbing/gas codes, and the requirement for licensed professionals.
  • Permit Process Steps: Danielle Rio, Residential Permit Coordinator, detailed the application, site plan, plat, floor plan, and architectural plan requirements. Applications are reviewed by multiple agencies: Environmental Health (well/septic), Zoning (ordinance compliance), Department of Public Works (water/sewer, stormwater engineering), and Soil Conservation District (sediment/erosion control). Reviews occur in a two-week window, with comments sent together after all agencies respond.
  • Agency Roles: Abigail Lingenfelter (Environmental Health) explained setback requirements from wells and septic, and noted that concept plan reviews are available to identify potential issues upfront. Beth Rimmer covered zoning review aspects (buildable lot, setbacks, parking, architectural requirements in town centers, critical area, cultural resources, environmental impacts). Lindsay Halterman (Public Works) described engineering review for stormwater management and road/site development compliance. Jason Levitt (Soil Conservation District) explained review for sediment/erosion control, including perimeter controls and stabilized construction entrances. Joe Hawkshurst (Inspections) outlined pre-issuance conditions and the inspection process (structural, electrical, plumbing, life safety).

Process Enhancements

  • Jason Brinkley reported that in 2025, for the first time, more permit submissions were made online than in person. He highlighted updates to the land management software (IPS) to improve tracking and alerts.
  • Electrical permit review times were reduced from several weeks to less than a week on average (a two-thirds cut).
  • Fast-track process is being finalized for simple permits like decks and sheds, aiming for same-day issuance (similar to previous "Fast Track Wednesdays").
  • Pre-concept meetings are available for applicants to discuss potential roadblocks before submitting.
  • A public dashboard was launched showing monthly permit review counts; average review times per permit type will be added soon.

Question & Answer Session

  • Prefab sheds: Permits required if 200 sq. ft. or larger; smaller sheds still must meet setbacks. All structures in critical area require a permit.
  • Setbacks: Vary by property; consult recorded plat or county for specific information.
  • Fences: Permits required in critical area and for fences over 7 feet tall.
  • Inspection calls: Property owner or contractor can call for building inspection; licensed contractor must call for plumbing/electrical.
  • Tree removal: Up to 20 trees may be removed without permit outside critical area if no stump removal or earth disturbance. Tree removal in critical area or recorded forest retention areas requires a permit.
  • Concept review for environmental health: Anyone can request it prior to permit submission.
  • Critical area specialist: Ron Marnie currently holds the role but recently moved to a new division; replacement will be announced.
  • Impact fees/water-sewer taps: Director Cosgrove explained that preservation requires proof of occupancy (e.g., 12 months of electric bill) and that existing structure must be present to take advantage of setback adjustments.
  • TDR program: Update to come before the planning commission in coming weeks.
  • Forest retention area development: Cannot be developed; can be relocated to another forested area or a planted area with bonding if approved.
  • ADU regulations: Maximum 1,500 sq. ft. (state law); property owner must occupy either primary or ADU. Separate septic often needed; percolation testing required.
  • Parcel of record: Property existing prior to June 29, 1967, without being subdivided out.
  • Agricultural division development: Agricultural structures are allowed for bona fide agricultural purposes; farm plan required for tax-designated ag parcels.
  • Online portal: Use different email addresses for individual vs. professional accounts.
  • Database of permitted site plans: No public-facing database.
  • Stormwater as-builts for residential: Not required.
  • Environmental health approvals: Not required prior to submission; concept plan optional. If plan changes, re-review occurs.
  • Grading: DPW vs. Soil Conservation: DPW reviews for stormwater management (drainage, runoff to neighbors) and prevention of flooding; Soil Conservation reviews for sediment/erosion control (preventing sediment leaving site). Grading permit required if disturbing >5,000 sq. ft. or moving >100 cubic yards of earth.
  • Setbacks in Chesapeake Ranch Estates: 15-ft front setback; 5-ft side/rear; corner lots have two front setbacks.
  • Environmental health requirements: Based on total square footage of living space (changed from bedrooms in 2018).
  • Open well/septic permits: Cannot be transferred to new owner; must be closed before new permits or subdivision can proceed.

Key Outcomes

  • The session was purely informational; no formal votes or decisions were made.
  • Staff encouraged ongoing feedback through cards and future meetings to further improve the permitting process.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. Thank you for being here this evening. We really appreciate it. Tonight's information session is about learning about our residential permitting process. So my name's Linda Turner. I'm the county administrator for Calvert County government. I'm really excited to be here and delve into the permitting process and share new improvements that we have implemented to streamline it. We want you to leave here this evening with an understanding of what to expect when applying to a residential permit and the process as the request continues throughout the system and throughout the process. Before we get started, I just want to uh share a few expectations for tonight. This is an information session similar to the one we held back in September. It's just an opportunity for you to learn and ask questions. So during this session, you'll hear a presentation provided by the team. Um you've received cards. So if you have any questions, just write your question down on the card. You can wave it. We have staff that will come collect it, and after the presentation, our team will answer as many questions as we can. So tonight we have representatives from the following departments. We have planning and zoning, public works, the health department, environmental health, and soil conservation district. So together these uh departments work together throughout the residential permitting process. You're gonna hear one coordinated presentation to uh present the overview of the process. After the presentation, these are the panelists that will remain to answer your questions. So now it's my pleasure to introduce you, Jason Brinkley, who's our director of planning and zoning. Thank you, Linda. And she said I'm the director of planning and zoning. I've been director for about a year now. And one of the first things I uh did whenever I took over as director is I actually met with staff individually and met with members of the public. And one of the the frustrations that I think was shared across the board was some of the challenges in the permitting process, whether that's education, whether that's the process itself, whether that's regulations we have some sometimes some control over and sometimes not control over. So that was one of the things that I think we've worked over the last year to try to tackle as a department, as a set of departments and reviewing agencies. And that's something I think we're gonna talk about that process tonight. So this is there's as Linda said, this is kind of a two-part thing. There's an educational component of this is what it looks like going through the residential permitting process. And these are while these are some of the agencies, these are not always all of the agencies, depending upon where it's at in the process. And we're gonna walk through that and then we're gonna walk through some of the improvements that uh that we have implemented and some of the ones that are uh that are on the horizon, a teaser, if you will, of of what's to come. And let's see if the PowerPoint works for me. Yes, success. Step one. So what is the purpose of permitting? And and I think you to understand the purpose, you gotta step back and think what is the purpose of any regulation at all. And that is to provide for health safety and welfare of the citizens and of the county. And that's done collectively through the comprehensive plan, which is kind of the overarching goal of zoning and and of the permitting process or of permitting. And then it it kind of it's uh it's like a Smith Island cake. It there's so many layers to that uh that really dive down through there. And so um that's the main focus of permitting is health safety and welfare. And and second is to plan for and hopefully achieve uh attractive communities with adequate infrastructure and public services. So you you hear a lot about adequate services, adequate public services. You hear a lot about that on the development review side, which is kind of a separate side of permit, then permitting, but it's also important at the permitting side as well. And uh as as with any process, you want to ensure that it's fair and consistent approach to to property rights because we are dealing with property rights here and development and established use uses. And so I think that's the goal of any permitting is to create a level playing field so that there is no favoritism for one person or the other. It's it's a if somebody comes comes in, whether it's somebody you know, somebody you don't know, that everybody is treated equally and fairly in the eyes of the law. And something uh that I've really tried to stir us with my team is you know, we deal with a lot of regulations.

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