Park lease, development discussed with Navy

A different kind of neighborhood watch took place when the St. Mary’s County commissioners held their bi-annual “Encroachment Mitigation and Prevention Joint Meeting” with officials from Naval Air Station Patuxent River Tuesday at the Frank Knox Building in Lexington Park.

The one-hour meeting covered several topics, including the Lancaster Park lease, an update on Millison Plaza and a proposed expansion of the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.

“I think any effort we can put forward to look at improvements is worthwhile, so this is an example of that,” Naval Air Station Patuxent River Commanding Officer Capt. Doug Burfield said. “We’re thinking of the future and mutually beneficial community and base partnerships. I’m really encouraged by it; I think it’s all worthwhile. It’s extremely [important] because it takes care of the families and the people and it’s going to improve morale and help them on their jobs and make them happy, happier anyway.”

Later in the day during the commissioners’ regular meeting, Commissioner President Randy Guy (R) said, “It was a very good joint meeting,” and added that Burfield was “very responsive to everything we were talking about and he’s more than willing to work with us through anything.”

Art Shepherd, the county’s recreation and parks director, discussed updates at Lancaster Park, including new walking trails, basketball hoops, security cameras and the new community garden, which opened last weekend.

“Military women have told me they want three things: flat walking trails, a playground and restrooms, which makes this a place to be,” Shepherd said.

Because the Navy owns the land, the county pays $42,000 per year for the land and the current lease is set to end June 30. The county is looking for a 25-year lease or even in-kind services in exchange for a lease.

“The Navy owns the property and Lord knows we put in these turf fields and did these other improvements down there, only to find out that now we have to start paying,” Commissioner Mike Hewitt (R) said during the regular meeting in Leonardtown after the joint meeting. “Let’s just say that $42,000 was a little bit of an irritant, especially after we know the Navy and their families enjoy Lancaster Park like the rest of us. It just didn’t seem to fit, but I’m glad we’re going to work out something to ameliorate that [lease].”

Atlantic Realty’s David Ross updated the members on redeveloping Millison Plaza across from Gate 2. He indicated there are 40 buildings set to be demolished when work gets underway in about a month.

There will be an Aldi grocery as well as a multi-tenant building that will house a Starbucks. He added that AMC Theaters is not renewing its lease and will be replaced by a daycare.

“We’re going to make the area a little more user-friendly,” he said.

A land transfer proposal with the Navy was also discussed in which the county would be given more land at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum while the Navy would receive property at the corner of Three Notch Road and Forest Park Road, which leads to Gate 3.

The transfer would allow the county to expand the museum with a new 22,000-square-foot visitor’s center and museum and parking space for up to 300 more vehicles at the back of the current museum. There are currently spaces for 85 vehicles.

“Naval Air Station Patuxent River is really lucky that we have such a strong working relationship with the county and our local communities,” Public Affairs Officer Patrick Gordon said. “Obviously we have a big presence in the Southern Maryland community and it’s not just the Navy and the local community. The base is the local community, and because of that we really relish these opportunities to work with our local partners and find really beneficial mutual opportunities to keep moving forward.”