Hollywood, MD — The St. Mary’s County Planning Commission Oct. 26 approved the concept site plan for a new, relocated Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad. But the approval is only the first step in an anticipated several-year process, according to Stanley Williams, Jr., the squad’s president.
The new site will be south of the existing squad building on Route 235 between Route 245 and St. John’s Road and in front of the Broad Creek subdivision. The proposed new 20,172 square-foot building would be on slightly more than eight acres of vacant land (except for a burned down barn).
Williams told The Bay Net that the squad does not yet even own the land. They applied to the planning commission to see if the site was acceptable to them for a squad building. The planners unanimously approved the concept plan. Their only questions were about the proposed Route 235 median cut to accommodate northbound rescue squad vehicles.
The commission members were incredulous that the State Highway Administration (SHA) has so far made no comments on that median cut. “I am concerned about the safety of the traveling public,” said member Shelby Guazzo, in wondering if maybe a light activated by the rescue squad, similar to what is done on Route 5 in Leonardtown, might be in order.
The squad’s consulting engineer Bill Mehaffey told the planners that he expected a light would be required. The commission was assured that the Director of Land Use and Growth Management (LUGM) Phil Shire could not sign off on a final site plan until SHA reviewed and approved it.
Williams said the crossover would only be used for vehicles heading north in response to a call. Other traffic, such as northbound vehicles wanting to enter the squad property, would have to go north and make a U-turn at the next crossover.
Williams said he expects the squad would sell their existing building once the new one is built. The existing building has proven inadequate for the squad’s needs and the land on which it sits too small to accommodate the needed expansion.
The new building is planned to have an assembly hall. It would require a new commercial entrance off Route 235. According to the LUGM staff report on the project, “The drive aisles and parking are designed in such a manner as to allow for smooth traffic flow throughout the site.”
With the planning commission approval, the big task now facing the squad is raising the money to accomplish the ambitious project. Williams says there is no estimate of the cost. He said he expects the squad will at some point go to the county for a loan from the revolving loan fund for fire and rescue companies.
“We’re several years away,” Williams said of the timetable for the new building.
Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com