Two More Stories

The request to increase building height in St. Mary’s County in the areas outside of the Development Districts from forty to fifty feet high did not seem to be a big deal.

After all, people can build up to a hundred feet tall in the Development Districts and the St. Mary’s County Commissioners were correcting a glitch that allowed up to one hundred foot tall buildings outside of the Development Districts of Leonardtown and Lexington Park.

Of course, we had to correct the spelling error in the ordinance by including the letter “L” in the word public.

Land Use and Growth Management Director Denis Canavan recommended the height increase to diversify architectural design and roof pitches and also allow for ductwork between up to three stories. However, the Planning Commission bucked the proposal from our LUGM Director. The Planning Commission recommended that the existing forty-foot height limit stay the same.

Throughout discussion, the commissioners emphasized the concern of keeping the limitation of three stories though the height might increase. After discussion, Commissioners Dement, Mattingly, and Raley voted to increase the height limits. Commissioner President Jack Russell and I voted against the motion as we felt the Planning Commission’s recommendation was more appropriate.

Later that evening, during a public hearing on a Water Sewer Plan Amendment, Commissioner Dan Raley asked if the floors were kept nine feet or so apart, could a developer build a five story building with a fifty foot height limit.

The answer was yes.

Will we be seeing four and five story flat roofed buildings lined up along Rt. 235 in Town Creek? I hope not, but the door is open.

While a majority of the board is opening the door to increased development, I received a call from an Amish barn builder who had been denied a permit to operate his business because he did not have a sprinkler system installed in his work shed.

The Old Order Amish and Mennonites do not use electricity. Commercially available government approved sprinkler systems need a high-pressure water supply that is not compatible with the low-tech lifestyle of our gentle farming neighbors.

Following our County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday evening, I discussed this problem with Mr. Canavan. He assured me that agricultural buildings and workshops not intended for public use do not require installation of sprinkler systems.

Though it might be beneficial to have sophisticated fire prevention equipment in every chicken coop, equipment shed, and tobacco barn in St. Mary’s County, we are still free to make that choice based on practical and economic circumstances.

I hope, as the majority of our board allows wealthy developers to reach for the sky, they will not forget the importance of the local folks here on ground level.


Larry Jarboe 05/13/07