The St. Mary’s County Commissioners have tabled a decision on the realignment of Morgan Road in Hollywood. During a Dec 12 public hearing on the issue a number of residents complained about the proposal and particularly about the traffic to be generated from the proposed 22-lot subdivision that is the motivator for the realignment.
A current bend in Morgan Road would become an intersection with a stop sign to accommodate the new subdivision. That subdivision has yet to come up before the planning commission for approval.
At the public hearing residents said there were other access alternatives for the developer, although developers’ representatives said they would be more costly and could involve a wetlands crossing. The residents said a lot of people walked along the road and additional traffic would be a hazard.
St. Mary’s County Director of Public Works and Transportation George Erichsen told the county commissioners on Tuesday that they could vote on the road realignment. But he also noted that the majority of concerns at the public hearing were actually about the subdivision and not the realignment.
Erichsen then gave the commissioners a second option of tabling the decision and waiting to see what the planning commission does about the subdivision. That would give the neighbors a chance to log in their concerns.
St. Mary’s County Attorney George Sparling pointed out if the commissioners voted to realign the road and then the planning commission denied the subdivision there would be an unnecessary ordinance on the county books.
The commissioners picked up on Erichsen’s suggestion and voted unanimously to table a decision until the planning commission makes their decision.
