Carroll County Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting – March 17, 2026

The Planning and Zoning Commission of Carroll County, Maryland, met on March 17, 2026, at 9:00 AM in the Reagan Room. The meeting covered routine approvals, informational briefings, concept plan reviews, a text amendment vote, and a master plan work session. A quorum was established with five members present.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Agenda: Motion to approve the agenda passed unanimously.
• Approval of Minutes: Minutes from February 4, 2026, and February 17, 2026, were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Lionsgate Major Subdivision (Item 9): Two citizens spoke. The first, a resident of Collins Estates, requested a cluster of evergreens be planted on the development side of the submerged gravel wetland to break the visual corridor from his property to the proposed lot six. The second, a resident of Bartholow Road, requested visual screening (pine trees) and expressed concerns about an unmarked spring, drainage, and the need for updated plans to be shared with homeowners. He also noted that the existing plan does not reflect a third lot approved in the adjacent Alliance Crossing development. The developer offered to work with neighbors on aesthetic screening.
• No public comments were made on the City of Westminster Annexation, Bear Branch Solar, or the Text Amendment.

Discussion Items

• City of Westminster Annexation #72 (Patamy, LLC): Staff presented an informational briefing on the annexation of 8.3 acres (plus 1.446 acres of MD 140 roadbed) at 10 Sullivan Road. The petitioner seeks annexation to obtain 1,332 gallons of water per day for a convenience store with gas pumps. The annexation is consistent with the Westminster Comprehensive Plan and is located in the municipal growth area. No zoning waiver is required. The commission voted to concur with staff findings and support the annexation to the Board of County Commissioners.

• Lionsgate Major Subdivision (Concept Plan): Staff presented a proposal to create six residential lots on 12.43 acres off Hodges Road. Lots range from under 1 acre to 3.08 acres. Access is via a 16-foot wide use-in-common drive (wider than the required 12 feet) with a 35-foot cul-de-sac. Lots will be served by public water and private septic systems. The developer noted that the property is the last undeveloped Collins family parcel and that tree removal will be minimized. A landscape screening recommendation was noted for lots 1–3 adjacent to the county-owned Hodges Park salt barn. The commission recommended that the most current stormwater and grading plan be shared with nearby landowners to address flooding concerns.

• Bear Branch Solar (Concept Site Plan): Staff presented a 4 MW solar facility on 63 acres (20–27 acres impacted) at the terminus of Lamb Drive, off MD 97. The project received a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Maryland Public Service Commission on January 31, 2025. The solar array is set back 65 feet from property lines (preempting the county’s 100-foot setback requirement). A 50-foot landscape buffer of native trees (6–10 feet tall at planting) is proposed. No forest mitigation is required because no existing trees are removed—a point that drew concern from commissioners who noted that residential development would face significant forest mitigation costs. The developer stated the facility will power approximately 1,500–1,600 homes. No action was taken; the commission will review the plan again at a later stage.

• Text Amendment: Planned Commercial Centers: Staff proposed removing the residential accessory use provision from the Planned Commercial Center code (Sections 155.092 and 158.083). The change would prohibit new residential uses above commercial spaces while grandfathering existing approved projects as of December 18, 2025 (the date deferrals took effect). The commission discussed the need for better design guidelines for mixed-use development and agreed that the master plan process should address these questions. The motion to approve the text amendment and forward it with a favorable recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners passed 4–0.

Key Outcomes

• Vote on Annexation #72: Motion to concur with staff findings and support the annexation to the BOCC passed 4–0.
• Lionsgate Subdivision: No formal action required; commission directed staff to share the updated stormwater plan with affected landowners.
• Bear Branch Solar: No action taken; commission will review again at a later stage.
• Text Amendment: Approved 4–0 to remove residential accessory use from Planned Commercial Centers, with grandfathering as of December 18, 2025, and forward to the BOCC.
• Master Plan Work Session (continued): The commission began discussing land use recommendations from work groups, including extending the Priority Preservation Area east of Westminster and south of MD 27, exploring a Transfer of Development Rights program (retained for further study), and comprehensively reviewing zoning for commercial/industrial/mixed-use designations. The discussion will continue on April 1, 2026.

Next Meetings

• Evening Meeting: Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at 6:00 PM – Reagan Room
• Day Meeting: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM – Reagan Room