Application/case no: ZAAP #06-132-017, FDR Colonial Square Office Building  

Property owner: FDR Holdings, LLC   

Location: 21975 FDR Boulevard, Lexington Park, MD

Parcel identification: tax map: 43 block: 22 parcel: 83

Election District: 8^th

Zoning: Downtown Core Mixed Use (DMX) District

Acreage: .72 acres   

Action requested: Appeal of an administrative decision by the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission in FDR Holdings, LLC to deny the Concept Site Plan for a proposed office building.  

LEONARDTOWN (Sept. 28, 2007) The owners of a property in Lexington Park are being denied the use of their property for construction of an office building for a roadway which is sometimes called FDR Blvd. a road once planned in the 1960's, talked about in the 1970's, chewed over in the 1980's, debated in the 1990's (even with Commissioner Chris Brugman suggesting it be renamed Ronald Reagan Blvd) and now in the 21st Century, the St. Mary's County Government is still yacking about this proposed road as if someone in the county or state is going to fund building it, which they aren't. 

The alignment is not certain, the funding is never going to happen, but this is St. Mary's County where Alice in Wonderland is reality and the Mad Hatter is in charge. 
Indeed, representing the owners of the FDR Holdings parcel was none other than former St. Mary's County Attorney John Norris with former States Attorney George Sparling representing the Board of Appeals.  The only thing missing was the Mad Hatter.

Norris quoted from chapter and verse of the county's own transportation plans and capital budget plans to show that the county has yet to decide where FDR Blvd. is going to go..."but this is not listed as a priority, much less a high priority," said Norris. 
 So what did the Board of Appeals do besides ask a bunch of very stupid questions? Delay a decision until Nov. 29th, of course.

St. Mary's County Attorney Christy Holt Chesser and Public Works Director George Erichsen were present at the Appeals Board meeting and attempted to explain 30 years of inaction, ineptness and idiocy. 

There, that's three words starting with "I" which only begins to describe how lunacy prevails in "planning" issues in Maryland's Mother County.  FDR Blvd. was supposed to be a parallel avenue to Rt. 235.  But the "planners" have allowed so many new housing units at Hickory Hills and behind Laurel Glen Shopping Center which now is home to so many new residents that don't want a new highway built next to them.  

The politicians will listen to the new residents and continue to not commit to a plan for FDR Blvd.
And for the property owners who are in the way of the FDR Blvd., the county maintains that since they are dreaming about doing this nightmare on Planning and Zoning Street, that all properties possibly affected by the "planned" road, which they admit is not in any stage of official plan, prevents property owners from using their properties and the county won't buy them out. 

Norris was in the thick of the "planning process" when he was county attorney, now he does a commanding job of explaining what idiots the officials are.  Board of Appeals Member Payne asked why the owners of FDR Holdings would buy property which was in the path of a proposed road. 
Norris just stared out him, considering everyone in the room had just listened to two hours of testimony as to how there really isn't any planned road, no one knows where it might go, there is simply a concept.

 Norris then gave Payne a very polite answer to the Appeals Board member who demonstrated that he had no more idea of what was being discussed than anyone else.

 It was hard to figure who to feel sorry for, the lawyer trying to politely explain 30 years of disjointed and delusional public policy or a citizen who had volunteered to serve on the board but didn't have a clue as to what was going on.