Calvert County Planning Commission Regular Meeting – April 21, 2026

The Calvert County Planning Commission held a regular meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The meeting was originally scheduled for April 15, 2026, and was moved to this date. The Commission addressed a conceptual site plan and preliminary subdivision plan for a mixed-use development, discussed proposed text amendments for data center conditions, received a legislative update, and heard public comments. Key outcomes included deferrals of the Westside on Main project pending a traffic study and recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on data center regulations.

Consent Calendar

• Approved the proposed agenda unanimously.
• Approved the summary of actions from the March 18, 2026 Public Hearing and Regular Meeting (both unanimous).

Discussion Items

Westside on Main – Conceptual Site Plan (CSPR-143260) and Preliminary Subdivision Plan (SD-143478)

• Christine Finamore, Principal Planner, presented the project located in the Prince Frederick Town Center (Old Town sub-area) on approximately 3.9 acres. The proposal includes 24 residential townhome units, two commercial lots (one existing building to remain, one new ~2,100 sq ft building), common open space, recreational amenities, and parking (66 spaces required, 69 provided). A traffic impact analysis form was submitted, but the full traffic study was deferred to the detailed site plan stage by the Department of Public Works. The project is subject to the pre-March 2025 zoning ordinance because it was submitted prior to the adoption of the current zoning code.
• Commissioner Burry expressed concern about the lack of a completed traffic study and whether the development would worsen failing intersections in Prince Frederick. He moved to require that the traffic study, once completed, and all agency comments be submitted to the Planning Commission for review before final approval. The motion passed unanimously (6-0, with one commissioner not voting? Actually recorded as 6-0? The transcript says "Aye. Aye. Aye. With there any against Caris." – likely 6-0 or 6-1? It says "six to one" later for the deferral. We'll note the vote on the motion to require the traffic study was not tallied clearly, but it passed. The deferral vote was 6-1.
• Commissioner Gadway expressed strong opposition, stating the project was "rushed in" after the density reduction from 14 units per acre to 4, and that the visual appearance and traffic would dramatically change Main Street. He moved to defer any action until a current traffic study could be reviewed. The motion was seconded and passed 6-1 (Commissioner Weems dissenting). The deferral applies to both the conceptual site plan (item 7a) and the preliminary subdivision plan (item 8a), with a separate motion for the latter that also passed 6-1. The Commission also requested that the Board of Appeals variance order for wetland buffer impacts be provided at the next review.

Proposed Text Amendment #26-23 – Data Center Conditions

• Rachel O’Shea, Deputy Director of Zoning, presented the background. The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) directed staff to draft additional conditions for data centers, and the BOCC requested Planning Commission feedback. The Planning Commission had previously submitted individual comments by email. Staff compiled these comments and requested direction on which to forward to the BOCC. Staff also noted that the BOCC on April 7, 2026, directed the removal of I-1 as a special exception for data centers, so data centers would be conditionally permitted only in I-2.
• Commissioners discussed several proposed conditions:
  • Commissioner Gadway proposed a minimum 1,200-foot setback from residential areas and a minimum 400-foot vegetative buffer, plus a noise limit of 45 dBA at the property line.
  • Commissioner Burry recommended a noise ordinance addressing low-frequency tonal noise, with limits of 40 dBC (a different measurement scale) and requiring pre-construction ambient noise readings by a certified acoustic engineer.
  • Commissioner Freeland suggested an earthen berm up to 10 feet above the data center building height between the property and adjoining properties, and recommended testing on an existing data center to inform noise standards.
  • Commissioner Burry also moved that the Planning Commission recommend to the BOCC that grandfathering for data centers should only occur when construction begins (rather than upon application submission). This motion passed 7-0.
  • Commissioner Burry further moved to recommend that staff prepare text amendment language on: (1) restricting generator testing to weekdays 10 AM–4 PM, (2) requiring a construction traffic management plan, and (3) requiring a site decommissioning plan with a bond. This motion passed 7-0.
  • Commissioner McQueen moved to include a requirement for the county to hire a certified sound testing company to conduct noise studies on existing facilities. The chair clarified that this was already included in the previous motion, so it was covered.
• The Commission agreed to forward all their comments and recommendations, including those from the public, to the BOCC for consideration.

Legislative Update

• Eric Valentine and Eddie Williams, Legislative Affairs Specialists, presented a summary of bills passed in the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session affecting planning and land use. Key bills included:
  • House Bill 240 and 243: procedural updates to comprehensive plan information sharing and alignment with the principles framework.
  • House Bill 247 and 258: Critical Area Commission bills on variances and definitions of adjacent/contiguous.
  • House Bill 238 and 654: Heritage area administrative changes.
  • House Bill 1071: Stormwater management standards for agritourism areas.
  • House Bill 1504 (Great Ann Healy Act): Complete streets, passed again after a veto.
  • House Bill 870 (Large Buildings for Tomorrow Act): Energy conservation requirements for buildings over 35,000 sq ft, including data centers, effective October 1, 2028, with permit notification to MDE by July 1, 2026.
  • House Bill 548 (Housing Certainty Act): Makes Maryland an early vesting state for housing projects and changes impact fee collection to final inspection.
  • House Bill 1532 (Relief Act): Requires a study to streamline energy zoning and permitting.
  • Senate Bill 807: Limits county zoning restrictions on agritourism activities on Class 8 farms.
  • House Bill 1137 (Bring Back Main Street Act): Became a study bill on mixed-use development.
• Commissioners asked clarifying questions about early vs. late vesting and the impact of the new energy standards on data centers.

Adequate Public Facilities for Schools Report – April 1, 2026

• Tamara Blake Wallace presented the semi-annual report. Two schools are over capacity: Mount Harmony Elementary at 101.9% and Northern Middle School at 104.3%. These figures are similar to the November 2025 report. No residential development has been affected by the overcapacity to date.

Public Comment

• Several citizens addressed the Commission, primarily concerning data centers and the Westside on Main project. Key points included:
  • Patrick Flaherty: Requested that the Planning Commission recommend the BOCC delete all data center language from the zoning ordinance and start with a clean reset after proper studies.
  • Sherry Verden: Questioned cumulative water/sewer demand from high-density housing and data centers, ratepayer burden, and requested a unified timeline of infrastructure planning and funding decisions.
  • Carl Elwine: Played audio recordings of ambient noise at a data center in Loudoun County, arguing that noise levels in a rural setting are unacceptable. He also alleged improper rezoning of 780 acres on Camp Conoy Road from forest/farming to I-2, claiming it was done at the request of a powerful property owner.
  • Megan Farringer: Thanked the Commission for the joint meeting with the Environmental Commission, expressed concerns about rapid development, and urged responsible growth.
  • David Hill: Recommended codifying study requirements in the text amendment process to prevent data centers from "sneaking through" via grandfathering.
  • Lily Sheeline: Emphasized the need for independent, rigorous noise studies that account for topography and wildlife impacts.
  • Jeff Dixon: Shared his experience living near the Dominion LNG facility and played a video of data center noise in Loudoun County, describing it as like a helicopter hovering.
  • Claire Hill: Asked the Commission to consider the 15-year-old study recommending Calvert become "Napa Valley" instead of "Silicon Valley."
  • Sylvia Batang: Called for removal of data centers from I-2 zoning or a moratorium, and proposed strict regulations including quarterly reporting, real fines, and decommissioning bonds.
  • Don McNullis: Cited a University of Cambridge study on the "data heat island effect" that can raise land surface temperatures up to 16.4°F and radiate up to 6.2 miles.
  • Kathy Decker: Submitted a proposed text amendment for a one-mile student safety zone near schools, noting that the BGE Park property shares a boundary with Southern Middle School. She asked for clarity on whether a signed agreement with Amazon exists.
  • Joseph Cormier (online): Questioned the county attorney's office staffing while paying $144,000 to Perry and Jacobson, and cited comments from AWS developers about generator costs in the text amendment process.
  • Shannon Got: Provided data on Amazon's $20.5 million settlement for nitrate groundwater contamination in Oregon, and questioned the compatibility of heavy industrial data centers near five public schools.

Key Outcomes

• Westside on Main: Deferred both the conceptual site plan (CSPR-143260) and preliminary subdivision plan (SD-143478) until a current traffic study and all agency comments (including from State Highway Administration and Department of Public Works) are provided to the Planning Commission. The Board of Appeals variance order for wetland buffer impacts is also to be included. (Motion passed 6-1 for each item.)
• Data Center Text Amendment: The Planning Commission directed staff to forward all their recommendations and comments to the BOCC, including:
  • Recommended grandfathering only when construction begins (passed 7-0).
  • Recommended staff prepare text amendment language on: generator testing restrictions (weekdays 10 AM–4 PM), construction traffic management plan, and site decommissioning plan with bond (passed 7-0).
  • All other submitted comments (noise limits, setbacks, berms, independent testing, etc.) are included in the package.
• Legislative Update: Noted for information; no action taken.
• Adequate Public Facilities Report: Received and filed.
• Public Comment: All comments received and will be considered as part of the record.