Leonardtown town council OK's senior housing expansion

Seniors may have a few extra options when deciding where they live after Cedar Lane Living Center filed for an annexation with the town of Leonardtown to expand.

Three parcels of land were requested for annexation in April, one for 25,894 square feet and two others for 3.91 acres and 1.34 acres, for a total amount of about 5.86 acres.

On Monday, the Leonardtown Town Council had a public hearing to address any concerns associated with the proposed expansion.

One resident who lives next to Cedar Lane voiced his concerns.

“As a concerned resident that is adjacent to the senior living center, I think I am one of only three [property owners], so does the town offer an exemption from the annexation fee for me to join the town if this is going to happen?” he asked.

He also wondered if Cedar Lane Living Center receives its annexation, would there be an exemption for the cost of joining city water and sewer, and questioned if a privacy fence would be erected for the construction phase of the project.

“If you wanted to be part of this annexation as a group you would pay one annexation fee or alone it would be $750,” Town Administrator Laschelle McKay said. “[The project was] presented in April so we would not be able to add it on at this point, but we could do a separate annexation. Annexation fees are very low [in Leonardtown] compared to other counties.”

A report “determined the market has excess demand for 306 senior rental units” and is in “the best interest of the town since it is likely to result in the construction of a facility which will serve the housing needs of the senior residents of the Town and surrounding areas.”

A letter from Director, Research, Review and Policy Division Jason Dubow said the town zoning “appears to allow substantially higher density than the current county zoning, as the proposed town zoning district allows housing densities ranging from 4 to 10 dwelling units per acre and the existing county zoning permits a maximum of 1 dwelling unit per acre. Therefore, [Maryland Department of Planning] recommends that the town seek a waiver from the St. Mary’s County Commissioners prior to annexation, if the town wants to allow development of the annexed land within the next five years for land uses substantially different than those authorized uses.”

The commissioners did sign off on that waiver, allowing for the town’s annexation to go forward.