Planning commission recommends adoption of six zoning text amendments including electronic message centers and home‑occupation clarifications

The Calvert County Planning Commission on Sept. 16 conducted a public hearing on six proposed zoning text amendments and voted to close the record and recommend adoption of each to the Board of County Commissioners.

Staff from the Department of Planning and Zoning outlined the package and explained the changes. Amendment 2625 would allow electronic message centers (EMCs) to replace existing reader boards at public recreation areas where a reader board existed as of March 1, 2025; staff said the EMC must be ‘‘replaced in kind’’ to satisfy size limits. Amendment 2626 extends the sunset for preliminary approval of exception lots by one year, from March 1, 2027 to March 1, 2028, citing Perc‑testing delays that have prevented some property owners from securing approvals. Amendment 2627 lowers replacement‑planting obligations in limited development areas from three times the cleared area to two times in narrowly defined circumstances to reduce costs for property owners.

Amendment 2628 clarifies home‑occupation rules to explicitly exempt in‑home daycares and home commercial kennels from the rule that an occupation must be conducted entirely within a dwelling; it adds a special‑exception requirement for home‑occupation kennels so neighbors receive notice and the Board of Appeals can impose conditions. Staff noted zoning does not regulate noise; enforcement of excessive noise would fall to the Calvert County Police Department or animal control. Amendment 2629 removes duplicative agricultural preservation provisions from the zoning ordinance and relocates them to updated Agricultural Preservation Rules & Regulations; 2630 restores pre‑update setback policy for new lots in the Dunkirk town center that was omitted during last year’s zoning update.

There was no public comment during the hearing on the amendments. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about limits (for example, that EMCs must be 'in kind' replacements of existing reader boards and that 600 sq ft is the indoor limit referenced for home‑occupation kennel spaces), then moved to close the record and recommend adoption on each amendment. The recommendations now proceed to the Board of County Commissioners for final action.