8/13/26 Board of Appeals

The St. Mary's County Board of Appeals convened on August 13, 2026, to hear three public hearings primarily focused on variance requests related to property development within critical area buffers. Key procurement-related discussions included variance applications for pier construction, septic system installation, and property expansions involving pools, decks, and garages. The board approved a variance for the Hawkins property to install a new septic system within the critical area buffer, citing the failure of the existing system and lack of alternatives. Another variance and conditional use approval were granted to the Schmidt and Rent property for a screened porch, deck, pool, stairs, and second-story garage expansion, with consideration given to the applicants' disabilities and the critical area regulations. The first case involving the Henderson property and a pier variance was continued to allow the parties additional time to reach a lateral line agreement, avoiding a contentious decision. The meeting also included a briefing on recent legislative changes to critical area variance statutes, emphasizing procedural clarifications and the codification of case law. Several orders from previous cases were approved with minor amendments. Overall, the meeting focused on balancing property development needs with critical area environmental protections and compliance with updated statutory requirements.