The old Thompson’s Dairy in Waldorf is the center of a new development project of mixed uses. This site is near Pinefield on Rt. 301. ST. MARY’S TODAY photo by Thomas V. Stachowitz

By Thomas V. Stachowitz

ST. MARY’S TODAY

WALDORF --- Residential and commercial development in Charles County is aiming for increased urbanization rather then rural developments in order to encourage investments, increase revenues, decreases costs and help protect the environment, according to Jason Groth of the Charles County planning department. Development focus is shifting away from rural, single-family homes and towards upscale apartment buildings and townhouse parks, similar to Bethesda and Silver Springs.

Chaney Enterprises in Northern Waldorf is planning on constructing a residential townhouse park, retail park and office space on land near the intersection of Route 5 and Route 301. Approved plans show Bavarian-influenced retail space, office space and a pedestrian friendly community area similar to those found in the Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs of Washington DC.

The Chaney Enterprises plan is being built on one of only three overlay zones in Charles County. Overlay zones are established atop a base zone in order to facilitate construction without requiring a complete re-zoning of the proposed build region. Special consideration is given during the lengthy approval process for of an overlay zone.

Records for other commercial properties in the area have shown a steady increase in value over the past decade, with one Berry Road property that sold for less then $200 thousand in 1998 being assessed at nearly $1.5 million at the beginning of this year.

The movement towards urbanization is being driven by a desire to balance the population increase in southern Maryland – up an average of 14.3% across Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s Counties with Calvert and Charles Counties seeing the largest percentage increase in the state – with a need to provide high-quality services and protect the local environment and economy.

Development in urban areas allow developers to utilize already established infrastructures, utilities and sewage systems designed to reduce the impact on the local environment while developers in rural areas are obligated to provide appropriate utilities and road infrastructure when constructing residential parks. The level of infrastructure required is based on population thresholds which can leave a developer who is looking to build a modest development with a disproportionate infrastructure bill if their development happens to reach that threshold.

increasing population coupled with a county policy that puts the onus on profit-driven developers to improve the infrastructure will spread the population out into the rural areas of Maryland and present a less attractive proposition to businesses and individuals looking to move to the area. A push by the county government to build "up, not out" allows developers to utilize the already constructed sewer systems, treatment plants, utilities, roads and schools.

According to Groth, of particular concern is increasing the usage of sewers rather then septic tanks as septic tanks can leak into the county’s high water table, effecting the Chesapeake bay and the quality of the crabs.

Between 2000 and 2005 the number of single-family house permits issued in Charles County dropped from 1143 to 931 but remained well above the Maryland average. Population growth well exceeds the Maryland average.