The Leonardtown Planning & Zoning Commission has unanimously recommended approval of the ten rezonings submitted to them. The comprehensive rezoning proposal was developed during a series of meetings by the town’s Comprehensive Rezoning Committee. The proposals will now be the subject of a public hearing by the town commissioners at their regular February 10 meeting.
The Planning commission decisions came after a public hearing Monday at which several people asked questions and there was one dissenting opinion.
One of the proposals changes the zoning for properties along the main entrance into the downtown. The properties across the street from St. Aloysius Church from the Winegardner used car lot to the Pub will be changed from multi-family to commercial-business. The two blocks along Washington Avenue contain a mix of current uses along with a vacant lot.
The area behind Winegardner, which contains several houses, will remain zoned for multi-family uses.
The properties farther north on Washington Street across Route 245 from the corner up to Peabody Street and across from College of Southern Maryland, will be changed from multi-family zoning to commercial office. The properties include several owned by Brinsfield Funeral Home.
The listing agent for the Saunders property at the Route 245/Washington Street intersection, asked for the property to be changed to general commercial. But Town Administrator Laschelle McKay said there had been previous discussion about doing that but it was decided the intersection was too dangerous to have a more intense use on that corner property. There used to be a general store there but it was taken when the road was widened.
The Metrocast “head end” property at the end of Greenbrier Road was down zoned from industrial to residential-single family to make it more in keeping with the neighborhood. The existing use will be allowed to continue. Another property along Greenbrier was also change to single-family residential. There have been previous concerns about development along that narrow road.
Also the Long property at the intersection of Point Lookout Road (Route 5) and Moakley Street was proposed to be rezoned from residential single-family to commercial office, more in keeping with the other uses in Singletree.
Several of the proposals correct errors made in previous town rezonings, such as an area behind the old Pennies’ Bar on Route 5, which is slated to become a shopping center. That will be changed from PUD (the zoning of Tudor Hall Farm) to highway commercial, the same as the properties along Route 5.
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