Acreage for Prince Frederick park and ride increased

Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2009

The Calvert County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously at its Tuesday meeting to amend an August 2008 agreement between the county and the Maryland Transit Administration to construct a park and ride in Prince Frederick.

The amendment was needed to reflect an increase in the space needed for the project's completion from 5.5 to 6.53 acres.

The original agreement stated that a 5.5 acre parcel alongside Fairground Road just north of Silverwood Lane would be sufficient to construct the 400-space parking lot. But the planned underground stormwater management system and modifications needed for final Calvert County Planning Commission approval will require more space, according to a memo from Department of Community Resources Director Maureen Hoffman to the board.

The decision was the latest to come on a project that has been eight years in the making.

"The wheels of progress, but at least they're still moving," Commissioner Barbara Stinnett (D) said.

The commissioners mentioned that while the increase could affect a neighboring Housing Authority of Calvert County project, the housing authority had given its endorsement. Commissioner Linda Kelley (R) asked for a clarification on any impacts the park and ride could have on the housing authority project.

Housing authority Executive Director Wayne Boyle said the increase would not have an effect on the authority's project but that the stormwater management system eventually could.

The commissioners also voted 4-1 to approve the county's updated Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, with Kelley dissenting. The plan, which is needed for the county to receive certain federal grants, was first adopted by the county in 2001 and is periodically updated, with the last revision coming in February 2008.

The plan uses a formula comparing the sex and race of county employees in specific job groups to the sex and race of all county residents employed in the same groups to determine each class's "utilization." The plan sets objectives to increase recruitment of black and Hispanic males and black, white and Hispanic females, which were found to be underutilized in county employment.

White females were particularly underutilized in the "technicians" and "service/maintenance" job groups. White males were also significantly underutilized in the "office/clerical" and "skilled craft" groups, but no objectives are needed since white males are not a protected minority class.

Kelley expressed concerns over the plan's data, stating it should consider that 60 percent of Calvert's workforce works outside of the county.

"I support equal opportunity, but the devil is in the details and I have some concerns about this one," she said.

In other business, the commissioners:

-Voted unanimously to submit a proposal for the 2010 U.S. Forest Service National Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Cost-Share Grant Program. The requested grant funding would be used to begin tree and forest surveys in Lusby and Dunkirk and complete a similar survey for St. Leonard. The St. Leonard survey began with grants from the Department of Natural Resources, which also funded Solomons and Huntingtown surveys.

Under the proposal, an intern would be hired to conduct the surveys and tree canopy goals and requirements would be adopted in each town center's master plan and zoning ordinance.

The requested grant would cover all of the intern's salary, supplies and 25 percent of Watershed Planner Steve Kullen's salary. Kullen, who was originally hired to oversee the county's nitrogen-removing septic tank system, would manage the grant. His current salary is paid through grant money.

-Voted unanimously to correct the Calvert County Zoning Maps, which incorrectly labeled several properties at the intersection of Broomes Island Road and Ball Road as a rural community district. Under the correction, the properties will be zoned as R-1 single-family residential, as was originally decided. The current maps went into effect in 2006.

-Voted unanimously to appoint 18 members from 13 county agencies and community groups to the county's Census 2010 Complete Count Committee. The committee is charged with planning a community outreach campaign to emphasize the importance of the 2010 census. Additional groups may recommend committee representatives to the commissioners for appointment.

-Voted unanimously to appoint Josephus Harris Jr. to the Calvert Housing Opportunities Committee.

-Voted unanimously to reappoint Linda Fadely and Russell Mogel Jr. and appoint Pat Carpenter, Phyllis Minik and Kathleen Brookes to the Tourism Advisory Committee.

- Voted unanimously to approve a tax credit of $69.50 for Steve and Renée Stadelman for work done on the Schultz Cabin, a historic structure owned by the Stadelmans. The county offers a 10 percent tax credit for eligible restoration work done on structures within county or municipal historic districts or designated as historic landmarks. Of the $1,195 recently paid by the Stadelmans for work on the Shultz Cabin, $695 was eligible for the tax credit.

jnewman@somdnews.com