Momentum cools for ban on new housing near Pax River NAS

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The zoning amendment would prohibit new single- and double-family homes in an area called the Accident Potential Zone-2 (APZ-2) to protect residents from increased noise from test flights on base, and to protect the Navy from complaints about its activities.

There are 1,100 acres in the APZ-2 area, including about 700 existing homes that would not be affected by the zoning change.

However, an encroachment study task force which came up with the idea in February came back Monday before the St. Mary’s County Planning Commission Monday evening to tell the planners hold off.

Pat Mudd, representing the encroachment group, said recommendations made in February to further protect Pax River from intrusive development were a stopgap measure to halt a sprawling development proposal called Glazed Pine. Developer Guy Curley sought approval for 1.2 million square feet of commercial and office space and 1,100 homes at a property between Route 235 and Hermanville Road.

The planning commission has already voted to oppose Glazed Pine, although the county commissioners have the final say.

‘‘The text amendment under consideration tonight, we believe, is in reaction to a specific project, and is a stop-gap measure, and as such may not be the best solution,” Mudd said.

Now, St. Mary’s should wait until the Navy begins a local study of airspace needs based on new noise levels and accident potential, Mudd said. That work could begin in September and may take eight months to complete.

He said county government should be involved in that process before prohibiting homes around the base.

Alan Hewitt, representing the Southern Maryland Association of Realtors, said the proposed zoning amendment is not backed up by sufficient noise data. The latest data from the Navy is dated 1999 and the new Joint Strike Fighter program will be louder than current operations at Pax River.

There is no emergency to approve this amendment, he said.

Jerry Nokleby, surveyor, said if this change were to take effect, it ‘‘would be disastrous to this development” at Essex Woods off Great Mills Road. The property owners paid $2 million for the land and another $500,000 for subdivision design. But lots don’t have final approval yet.

But Todd Morgan, president of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, still offered support on a new housing ban to protect the expanded mission at Pax River. Though official noise levels aren’t yet known, ‘‘We’re going to have to make decisions based on imperfect information,” he said.