This past Thursday night at the St. Mary’s County Board of Zoning Appeals, a citizen of modest means asked the government for permission to rip out her old single-wide mobile home and replace it with a brand new double-wide home, manufactured to 2007 federal standards.

The request of Marquerite Barnes to build a new home on her land, a home slightly more than twice the size of her existing mobile home, fell on deaf ears.

The board members listened politely to her presentation. She had her home builder present to explain that they have completed their purchase arrangements, that Ms. Barnes has been qualified for her loan, that the home is new and conforms to federal standards.

But the staff of the county’s land use and growth department said that the home was more than a 50 percent larger than the old home and therefore, it exceeded the code, which was thought up by some consultant about ten years, likely at great cost to the taxpayers.

To his credit, planning administrator Denis Canavan reminded the board that they were the board of appeals and had authority to grant relief to a citizen, relief from silly rules which make no sense.

But the board of mental midgets did no such thing. This illustrious group of folks turned down Ms. Barnes and smiled as they noted that she could replace her old worn-out single wide mobile home, with one which isn’t so big. The difference in size is about that of one room.

This is all took place at the same time that mansions are being built with wild abandon for the rich and famous.

County leaders will wet their pants if they are invited to Ben Bradlee’s palatial mansion on the St. Mary’s River. If Ted Koppel’s wife ever invited the local high and mighty down to her joint, Cross Manor, they would break a leg getting in the door first.

The county or state hasn’t enforced storm water management rules on local builders in years, but the county has protected the public from Ms. Barnes replacing her old trailer with a brand new double-wide mobile home.

Ms. Barnes would be glad to get a modular home, but they cost about $15,000 more and it appears she had done well to be able to arrange for the home of her choice, to put on her own land.

How does a slightly larger brand new home affect the value of land next to that of Ms. Barnes? It doesn’t.

How does a larger brand new double-wide home hurt Ms. Barnes? It doesn’t.

At the time that the county fathers are just sitting on their duffs while two more mobile home parks are being replaced with new development, taking a couple of hundred more low and moderate income homes out of the county’s inventory, one would think that someone in Leonardtown might help Ms. Barnes.

If the problem is that bigger is somehow more harmful, take a look at the mansions being built next to Bennett’s bar in Redgate. It won’t be long before the bar and ballfield are replaced with a polo field and grazing showhorses.

St. Mary’s County needs to do more than shoot the bull when it comes to affordable housing. The politicians all talk big but when it comes down to Ms. Barnes, watch and see who helps her.

In this case is it snobbery or just stupidity? The folks who serve on the board of appeals, for the most part, are trying to do a good job, but on Thursday night, they failed Marquerite Barnes and their lack of common sense doesn’t bode well for anyone else who wants to rip out their old dilapidated mobile home and upgrade it to a new manufactured home.