Editor’s note: The following is part one of a three-part investigation into Calvert County’s retail future

Prince Frederick, MD – Local officials have proposed two major changes in the zoning restrictions of Calvert County and Prince Frederick Town Center, with the goal of stimulating economic growth by allowing large chain stores — often called “big box” stores — to set up shop in the Armory Square area. Many small business owners and residents have expressed concern over the possible annexation of Calvert’s small businesses.

In this three-part investigation on whether or not big box stores actually hurt small businesses, we’re going to look at a few different things:

First, what exactly is involved in the zoning issue? What is the overall goal, what would the real implications of such changes be, and how is the community reacting? There are several small businesses in the region already so it’s no surprise that tensions are high, and we want to take a look at exactly what that means.

Second, what is the history behind these big box stores, and how did they begin dominating the U.S. economy? How have these stores affected other small communities? We’ll take an in-depth look in this section about the different economic and social changes that are associated with big box stores.

Finally, we’re going to get to the bottom of a complicated question: Are big box stores really that much of a threat to small businesses? And if these chain stores were to come to Calvert County, would it be a bad thing?

The Proposed Zoning Ordinance Amendments
The amendments have been proposed by the Board of County Commissioners at the recommendation of the Department of Economic Development and the Calvert County Attorney’s Office.

According to the Department of Community Planning and Building, the zoning ordinance amendments are intended to “reduce and/or remove restrictions and provide more flexibility for development in the New Town and Village Subareas” in the Prince Frederick Town Center.

The “New Town” district includes Armory Square, which is owned by Calvert County and is better known to residents as the former location of Calvert Middle School. As reported by The Bay Net before, this piece of property is “a tract of prime town center land.”

As the Text Amendment document states, developers have found the current zoning restrictions too difficult and local officials have expressed concern that this is “prohibiting desired development in the Price Frederick Town Center.”

The two Text Amendments are as follows:
TA#15-08a: Amendments to the New Town Subarea to reduce setbacks and density requirements, increase the maximum building height & size and revisions to the land use conditions.

Reduce setbacks along all roadway rights-of-way from 35 feet to 10 feet.
Increase density of residential buildings from 14 dwellings units per gross acre to 24 dwelling units per gross acre.

Increase maximum building heights from 50 feet  to 60 feet.
TA#15-08b: Amendments to the Village Subarea land use charts and conditions to delete the requirement that at least 50 percent of the site is reserved for commercial, office or industrial use.
Permit a Home Improvement Center (25,000 sq. ft. minimum to 75,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Conditionally permit a Home Improvement Center (75,000 sq. ft. minimum to 120,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Conditionally permit a Home Improvement Center (120,000 sq. ft. minimum to 160,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Permit a Retail Commercial Building (25,000 sq. ft. minimum to 75,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Conditionally permit a Retail Commercial Building (75,000 sq. ft. minimum to 120,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Conditionally permit a Retail Commercial Building (120,000 sq. ft. minimum to 160,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Permit a Wholesale Lumber and/or other Building Materials Facility (25,000 sq. ft. minimum to 75,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Conditionally permit a Wholesale Lumber and/or other Building Materials Facility (75,000 sq. ft. minimum to 120,000 sq. ft. maximum)
Conditionally permit a Wholesale Lumber and/or other Building Materials Facility (120,000 sq. ft. minimum to 160,000 sq. ft. maximum)

All three types of buildings (Home Improvement Center, Retail Commercial Building, and Wholesale Lumber and/or other Building Materials Facility) would exclude garden centers from the maximum permitted building size, up to 50,000 sq. ft. worth of space.

The requirement for residential housing — 50 percent of reserved residential space for any commercial developments in the Village District — would be deleted.

To sum that up, the amendments would allow for three different types of commercial properties to be developed in New Town District, spanning an area no larger than 75,000 square feet (not including a garden center space of 50,000 square feet or less).  Additional conditions of the amendments, which may or may not be accepted, would allow these commercial buildings to occupy a space no larger than 120,000 square feet or 160,000 square feet.

For the sake of comparison, Southern Maryland News put together a short list of retail centers that already exist in the region. One notable example is the Target Center in California, MD; this Target store is similar in size (and in principle) to the types of home improvement and retail stores that the new amendments would allow. The Target store itself is 122,295 square feet and the entire shopping center has 220,491 square feet of space.

Local support
In a Nov. 24 work session, Commissioner Mike Hart [R – District 1] stated that the changes are “well-planned,” and he referred to the success of Calvert’s neighboring counties; specifically, the fact that these neighboring areas have experienced economic success because Calvert County has not permitted more development.

“St. Mary’s, Charles and Anne Arundel counties have benefitted by us not moving the needle at all,” said Hart. “It’s going to outweigh the negative. It will help the community much more than it will hurt it.”

Calvert County Chamber of Commerce President William Chambers also stated that the Chamber of Commerce has given its full support, explaining that greater commercial development flexibility will ultimately provide more jobs for the county.
Anthony Williams, a developer and representative of the Small Business Interest Group, stated that “the county is broke” because earlier restrictions on Calvert’s seven town centers have limited commercial growth too much.

Local dissent
It’s no surprise, though, that many small businesses in the region are worried that the new amendments would allow big box stores to move in — and take over.
Calvert County has largely relied on small business growth for its economic sustainability over the years, which echoes the fact that small businesses across the country have provided over 65% of all new jobs since 1995. Although residents may be shopping at box stores outside of the county, they’re also still supporting their local businesses to a certain extent. If the big box stores push out Calvert’s small businesses, residents have stated, even less money will stay in the community.

After a Dec. 9 work session presented several varying opinions on the amendments, local officials voted to extend the discussion to a public hearing. The date of this hearing has not yet been set.

Coming up Next: The history of big box stores and the real effects they’ve had on other small towns across America.