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Record of Proceedings

Calvert County Planning Commission Regular Meeting – October 21, 2026

County Commissioners & Boards — Wednesday, October 21, 2026
BodyCalvert County, Maryland
SessionCounty Commissioners & Boards
DateWednesday, October 21, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:12:32

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

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Wilson Freeland · Speaker 1Inferred

0:00

Of the Calvert County Planning Commission.

0:02

My name is Wilson Freeland.

0:04

This meeting is called to order.

0:06

I will do roll call to determine a quorum.

0:10

Commissioner Brewery.

0:11

Here.

0:12

Commissioner McQueen.

0:13

Here.

0:14

Commissioner Kernan.

0:15

Here.

0:15

Commissioner Gadway.

0:17

Present.

0:18

Commissioner Wings.

0:19

Here.

0:20

Commissioner Twee.

0:21

Here.

0:22

We have a quorum.

0:24

We have done the pledge of allegiance at the earlier public hearing, so we'll dispense with that.

0:29

Ruth, if you would go ahead and instruct.

Speaker 2

0:33

Thank you, Mr.

0:34

Freeland.

0:34

Yes.

0:35

This my name is Ruth Davis Rogers.

0:37

I'm the Planning Commission Administrator.

0:40

This meeting will be conducted as a hybrid meeting, allowing for both virtual and in-person participation.

0:46

And it's also being recorded on both audio and video for record keeping purposes.

0:51

If you are attending virtually or by phone, please keep yourself muted to ensure no interruptions for the evening.

0:57

Individuals call in advance of participating by telephone.

1:01

The number is one eight seven two one six two nine five three, and the meeting ID is 774-724-49 pound.

1:13

That's one eight seven two one six two nine five three meeting ID 774-724-49 pound.

1:25

And planning commissioners will accommodate public comment during the public comment period at the end of the meeting.

1:32

And again, at the back of the room, we do have a sign-in sheet.

1:37

And when we do have the public comment period, people can come up to the podium.

1:43

Okay.

1:44

And so tonight we have uh we have actions now on a proposed agenda, Mr.

1:52

Freeland.

Wilson Freeland · Speaker 1Inferred

1:53

Thank you.

1:55

The agenda was posted earlier.

1:57

Are there any comments discussions regarding the agenda

Speaker 3

2:01

this evening?

2:02

Mr.

2:03

Chair, move to accept as printed.

2:06

We have a motion to accept tonight

Wilson Freeland · Speaker 1Inferred

2:08

and a second.

2:09

Any discussion?

2:11

Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying aye.

2:14

Aye.

2:14

Opposed?

2:15

Motion carries.

2:17

I take this item number four, which would be the summaries of actions.

2:22

4A, September 16th, 2026 Planning Commission public hearing.

Speaker 4

2:28

Mr.

2:28

Chairman, I move that we approve and adopt the summary of actions for the September 16, 2026 public hearing, and the September 16th, 2026 regular meeting.

2:38

Second.

Wilson Freeland · Speaker 1Inferred

2:39

Motion is second.

2:40

Any discussion.

2:42

Hearing none.

2:43

All in favor, signify by saying aye.

2:45

Aye.

Speaker 5

2:46

Opposed.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation██████████████████████████████████████38%
Zoning And Land Use████████████████████████████28%
Planning And Development███████████11%
Procedural████████8%
Public Engagement███████7%
Data Center Regulation██████6%
Energy Management██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Calvert County Planning Commission Regular Meeting – October 21, 2026

The Calvert County Planning Commission met in hybrid format on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, after the 7:00 p.m. Water & Sewerage Comprehensive Plan public hearing. All seven commissioners were present, establishing a quorum. The commission approved routine items, initiated a 60-day review of a proposed comprehensive plan amendment, directed staff to move Text Amendment #26-31 to public hearings, and approved the 2027 regular meeting schedule. No major subdivisions, site plan applications, or long-range planning items were on the agenda. The agenda listed Teams/phone meeting ID 808 543 065#, while the meeting administrator read the ID as 774-724-49#.

Administrative Approvals

  • The proposed agenda was approved as printed by voice vote.
  • The Summary of Actions for the September 16, 2026 Planning Commission public hearing and the September 16, 2026 regular meeting were approved by voice vote.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Judy Peterson, an at-large county commissioner candidate and Lusby resident, supported the proposed comprehensive plan amendment and rezoning of Industrial-2 districts to prior designations. She urged immediate environmental assessments and an impact statement, and criticized the process by which the original change occurred with little public notice.
  • Pam Werner, representing Indivisible Calvert County, thanked the commission for directing the reversal of the February 2025 rezoning and the removal of data centers as a permitted use. She argued the comprehensive rezoning process was used to avoid the county's change-or-mistake rule and said the February 2025 rezoning was the mistake that should be reversed.
  • Patty Stuckler, an at-large county commissioner candidate, thanked staff for the Huntingtown and Owings Town Center histories and supported historic preservation.
  • Stephanie Perone, a representative of Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant and Constellation Energy Generation and a Lusby resident, said Calvert Cliffs contributes about $21 million a year in local taxes and employs hundreds of local workers. She explained that Constellation requested a zoning change through the 2024 comprehensive rezoning process, and urged the commission to consider whether changing the plant zoning status could hinder new energy projects at the site.
  • Alyssa Domsell, outside counsel for Constellation, clarified that the power purchase agreement upgrades are at the existing plant and that the proposed rezoning of Parcel B was not specific to those upgrades.
  • Dr. Jeanette Waisaki, a Chesapeake Beach resident speaking for herself, opposed the I-2 designation at Calvert Cliffs, saying all public comments during the relevant process opposed I-2 in Lusby and that the change was made after the public comment period. She supported returning approximately 600 acres of buffer.
  • Tom Cale, a Solomons resident, criticized the county permitting and bond process, saying he paid $87,000 for permits and bonds, including a $51,000 bond held for two and a half years. He called the process a burden and linked it to affordability concerns.

Discussion Items

  • Comprehensive Plan Amendment: Rezoning Industrial-2 Districts to Their Previous Zoning Designations – Tay Harris, Long Range Planner, presented the proposed amendment. On September 22, 2026, the Board of County Commissioners directed staff to process the rezoning of Industrial-2 properties to their former zoning classifications. Affected areas are in Lusby and would revert to Rural Community District, Farm and Forest District, or Industrial-1. Staff stated the total proposed affected area is 1,352 acres, with 726 acres adjacent to Calvert Cliffs and the remaining 2,062 acres at the Appeal Convenience Center and landfill and the Solomons Wastewater Treatment Plant; those acreage figures do not sum to the stated total. The commission asked staff to initiate the 60-day review required by Maryland Land Use Article Section 3-203C.
  • Text Amendment #26-31: Prohibiting Data Centers – Rachel O'Shea, Deputy Director of Zoning, presented the text amendment prepared after the September 22, 2026 BOCC direction. The use table would remove data centers as a permitted use in I-1 and I-2 districts, and the definition of data center would state the use is not permitted in any zoning district. In response to a commissioner question, Planning and Zoning Director Jason Brinkley said Text Amendment #26-23, an earlier data-center restrictions amendment, is not being moved forward at this time because the BOCC directed staff not to proceed. The commission directed staff to schedule public hearings for the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners.
  • 2027 Planning Commission Annual Regular Meeting Schedule – The proposed schedule was presented by the PC Clerk and approved as submitted.
  • Histories of the Huntingtown and Owings Town Centers – Tay Harris and Christopher Sperling presented historical development patterns and regulatory/policy timelines for the two town centers. Topics included the 1706 Hunting Town, the Baltimore and Drum Point Railroad, town center establishment in 1983, TDR receiving areas, and changes to the town center master plans. Chris Sperling noted historic districts are voluntary, can restrict exterior appearance, and can make properties eligible for a 25% historic preservation tax credit. A commissioner corrected the presenter's spelling of Boone's Market to Bowen's Market (E.O. Bowen). No action was taken.
  • Site Plan and Subdivision Lists – The lists were included in the information packet; commissioners had no questions.

Key Outcomes

  • The commission voted unanimously to initiate the 60-day review of the proposed comprehensive plan amendment to rezone Industrial-2 districts to their previous designations.
  • The commission voted unanimously to direct staff to proceed with the public adoption process for Text Amendment #26-31, including separate public hearings before the Planning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners.
  • The commission unanimously approved the proposed 2027 Planning Commission regular meeting schedule.
  • No final decisions were made on rezoning or data-center policy at this work session; actions taken were procedural.

Meeting Transcript

Of the Calvert County Planning Commission. My name is Wilson Freeland. This meeting is called to order. I will do roll call to determine a quorum. Commissioner Brewery. Here. Commissioner McQueen. Here. Commissioner Kernan. Here. Commissioner Gadway. Present. Commissioner Wings. Here. Commissioner Twee. Here. We have a quorum. We have done the pledge of allegiance at the earlier public hearing, so we'll dispense with that. Ruth, if you would go ahead and instruct. Thank you, Mr. Freeland. Yes. This my name is Ruth Davis Rogers. I'm the Planning Commission Administrator. This meeting will be conducted as a hybrid meeting, allowing for both virtual and in-person participation. And it's also being recorded on both audio and video for record keeping purposes. If you are attending virtually or by phone, please keep yourself muted to ensure no interruptions for the evening. Individuals call in advance of participating by telephone. The number is one eight seven two one six two nine five three, and the meeting ID is 774-724-49 pound. That's one eight seven two one six two nine five three meeting ID 774-724-49 pound. And planning commissioners will accommodate public comment during the public comment period at the end of the meeting. And again, at the back of the room, we do have a sign-in sheet. And when we do have the public comment period, people can come up to the podium. Okay. And so tonight we have uh we have actions now on a proposed agenda, Mr. Freeland. Thank you. The agenda was posted earlier. Are there any comments discussions regarding the agenda this evening? Mr. Chair, move to accept as printed. We have a motion to accept tonight and a second. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed? Motion carries. I take this item number four, which would be the summaries of actions.

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