Planning commission approves West Side on Main concept and preliminary subdivision despite traffic concerns

The Calvert County Planning Commission voted Sept. 16 to approve the concept site plan (SPR 143260) and preliminary subdivision (SD 143478) for West Side on Main, a mixed‑use infill project in Prince Frederick that would add 24 townhomes and two commercial lots at 305 and 445 Main Street.

Staff recommended conditional approval following multi‑agency review and a traffic impact analysis (TIA) submitted in July 2026 by Lenhart Traffic Consulting that projected study intersections would operate at level of service C or better under projected conditions and estimated the development would generate about 190 daily trips. Several commissioners — citing local congestion on Route 4/24 and Prince Frederick intersections — challenged the TIA’s geographic boundaries and questioned whether the ITE trip generation rates used reflect Calvert County’s commuting patterns. A traffic consultant defended using nationally accepted ITE methodology and noted local jurisdictions sometimes maintain local rates, but agreed county staff and DPW could consider producing local trip‑generation measurements for future studies.

Commissioners also debated whether the project should be treated under the pre‑2025 density allowances through grandfathering. Legal counsel John Mattingly said the ordinance’s grandfathering provision allows applications submitted before the zoning update to be reviewed under the earlier rules, but he emphasized that the commission still must find consistency with the Comprehensive Plan. Supporters pointed to business letters backing downtown revitalization and renderings showing townhouses set back from Main Street; opponents warned the proposed 6.7 dwelling units per acre would change Main Street’s character and urged adherence to the county’s stated goal of reducing density in the town center. After discussion the commission voted to approve the subdivision and the concept site plan with conditions; the motions carried and will be followed by detailed engineering, DPW, SHA permitting and other reviews before construction approvals.