Charles County Board of Appeals Meeting – July 14, 2026

The Charles County Board of Appeals met on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The board conducted a public hearing on Docket 1488, a special exception request for a boarding house, granted a continuance for Docket 1489, adopted findings and decisions for prior cases, and discussed future meeting dates. Member Damian Trisada was absent.

Consent Calendar

• The board accepted the agenda for July 14, 2026, as changed.
• The board approved the June 9, 2026 meeting minutes related to the Wycomico Sports Renewal.
• The board approved a continuance for Docket 1489 (Falcon Ridge), moving the hearing to September 22, 2026; September 15 was unavailable, so staff recommended September 22 and the board concurred.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jabina Spencer, 2490 Creston Place, whose home is adjacent behind the subject property, opposed the boarding house special exception. She said the community was developed as single-family homes and argued that a boarding house with multiple unrelated adults would differ from a single household, increasing traffic, noise, resident turnover, and activity. She also cited concerns about the shared forest preservation area and privacy, and argued the applicant had not shown compatibility with the established neighborhood.
• Deborah Joe Ferguson, 2480 Creston Place, also opposed the request. She listed five concerns: safety and accountability, property values, density and loss of the single-family neighborhood character, infrastructure strain, and the risk that approval would encourage similar future requests. She asked the board to deny the application to protect the integrity of the single-family community.

Discussion Items

• Planning staff member Tatiana Anderson presented Docket 1488 for John Pedro’s property at 11890 Acton Park Place, Waldorf. The site is 0.33 acres, zoned RH (high-density suburban residential), and contains a single-family detached home built in 2025. The applicant requested special exception approval for a five-bedroom boarding house, with the sixth bedroom used by the owner. Staff recommended approval subject to the conditions in the staff report.
• Board members questioned staff and the applicant about the difference between a boarding house and a rooming house; the single kitchen’s one stove, oven, and refrigerator requiring tenant scheduling; driveway and on-street parking coordination; leases and background checks; the applicant’s LLC and certificate of good standing; fire and building code compliance; and whether bedroom five had direct garage access, which would raise carbon monoxide safety concerns. The applicant, John Pedro, stated he would live on site, operate through an LLC, use leases with assigned schedules, and conduct background checks.
• Board members noted that the special exception record needed a defined neighborhood boundary and exterior photographs of the building showing no more than three entrances. Board counsel also asked staff to provide a memo on the county’s newly adopted accessory dwelling unit law, noting it was unlikely to affect this boarding house application directly.

Key Outcomes

• Docket 1488 (Pedro boarding house) hearing was held, but the record was left open for one week to receive: the LLC certificate of good standing, exterior photos of the house, and a staff memo on the ADU law. The board planned to meet virtually on August 11, 2026, to discuss and decide the case.
• Docket 1459 Rivers Edge administrative appeal: the board approved the decision and order; Watkins, Walker, Grindle, and Humbert voted in favor, and Trainer voted against.
• Docket 1474 Duke 925 LLC: the board adopted the decision and order as amended to note dissents by Chairperson Humbert and Ms. Walker. The recorded vote to adopt was unanimous among the members present.
• Docket 1483 Riverside Shores variance: the board approved the decision and order; Watkins, Walker, Trainer, and Grindle voted in favor.
• Docket 1484 Riverside Shores Critical Area variance: the board approved the decision and order; Watkins, Walker, Trainer, and Grindle voted in favor; Chairperson Humbert was not polled in the transcript.
• Docket 1059 Wycomico Sports Special Exception Renewal: the board approved the decision and order; Watkins, Walker, Trainer, and Humbert voted in favor, and Grindle did not vote.
• The board extended its review period for proposed changes to the rules and procedures for another 30 days and penciled in a possible virtual meeting on September 8, 2026, to discuss the proposed changes. The meeting was adjourned by unanimous motion.