Changes Needed to take back our Government

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I  firmly believe that human beings were not meant to live on top of each other. Different families should not share walls. Every child should have a back yard.  There are plenty of cities in Maryland one could live in if that is what you desire. 

Large apartment complexes are not the right fit for Calvert County.

These projects pack hundreds of residents into small areas and place immediate strain on our roads, schools, and public services. Our infrastructure was never designed to handle that level of density.

Apartment developments also change the character of our communities. Calvert County has always been a place built around neighborhoods, home ownership, and open space—not large multi-story apartment complexes.

We must be willing to say no to developments that overwhelm our infrastructure and fundamentally change the character of our county.

Growth should strengthen our community—not overcrowd it.

Recently, Calvert County Commissioners signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and held private meetings with data center companies. These discussions happened behind closed doors, without first informing the public.

That lack of transparency has created distrust and confusion around the entire topic of data centers. What could have been an open and thoughtful community discussion quickly turned into a political flashpoint, with both Republicans and Democrats now opposing projects before the public has even seen the facts.

I believe the public should always come first.

Before entering into private negotiations, county leadership should have announced the possibility of a data center project, explained where it could be located, how it would be built, and what the potential tax benefits might be for our citizens. Only then should the community have been asked whether this is something Calvert County wants.

I support exploring a data center at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant site because it already has the power infrastructure needed for this type of project. But that discussion must happen openly, honestly, and with the public fully informed. Only as a community can we then choose a path

Government should never negotiate the future of our county behind closed doors. The citizens of Calvert County deserve a seat at the table.

 For years, Calvert County’s permitting and zoning process has made it extremely difficult for local entrepreneurs to open new businesses.

Starting a restaurant, sports facility, retail store, or other community amenity often means navigating a maze of regulations, expensive studies, and a permit process that can drag on for years. In some cases, business owners spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and wait three years or more just to get approval to build.

When the process becomes that complicated and expensive, local entrepreneurs simply give up. The result is that the unique businesses our community actually want never get built.

Instead, we continue to see the same generic chain stores and fast-food restaurants that large national corporations can easily push through the system.

Calvert County should be encouraging local investment—not pushing it away.

We need a local government that actively seeks out new and exciting amenities, adjusts zoning to accommodate them, shortens and simplifies the permitting process, and creates incentives that make it possible for small business owners to bring their ideas to life.

If we want better amenities in our county, we must first make it possible for the people who want to build them.

 Calvert County’s planning and zoning system has become overly complicated, slow, and discouraging to investment. The goal of planning should be simple: create clear rules, then allow citizens and businesses to move forward if they follow them.

Unfortunately, our current system often adds unnecessary layers of approval, delays, and costs that discourage new investment and innovation. We need a system that restores local control, simplifies the process, and encourages responsible development.

• Transition the Health Department from a state agency to a county agency.
   
• Calvert County already funds roughly 50% of its operations, and the State has indicated support for local control.
   
• When opportunities arise to return authority from the state to local government, we should take them.
   
• Local control would allow faster decision-making and reduce permit delays that often discourage new businesses.
   

• Current septic regulations often prevent homeowners from expanding or rebuilding existing homes.
   
• Property owners should be allowed to redevelop their homes if they are willing to install large-capacity holding tank systems (such as 6,000-gallon systems).
   
• This approach protects environmental standards while still allowing property owners to improve their homes.
   

• Site plans that fully comply with zoning regulations and do not require a variance should not need Planning Commission approval.
   
• Preparing for Planning Commission review can cost thousands of dollars and add months to the approval timeline.
   
• The Planning Commission’s role should be focused on shaping the Comprehensive Plan and zoning regulations, not approving routine projects that already meet those rules.
   

• Much of the county’s land use chart includes “conditional” approvals that give government excessive control over what businesses can operate.
   
• These restrictions create uncertainty and discourage investment.
   
• If a business meets zoning regulations, it should be allowed to operate without additional discretionary approvals.
   

• A Permit for a Pool, Deck, Addition or a pole barn should not take 6 months or more and $12,000 in engineered drawings, they should be done with AI in 30 minutes. NO MORE SITE PLANS REQUIRED

• The county currently controls site plan reviews, Interior permit reviews and inspections, despite having broad legal immunity when errors occur.
   
• Private-party inspections are already allowed in limited cases and have proven to work effectively.
   
• Several jurisdictions now rely heavily on private reviewers and inspectors to speed up permits and inspections.
   
• Expanding this system would shorten timelines, reduce government bottlenecks, and help end Calvert County’s reputation for endless permitting delays.
   

Calvert County should be known as a place where clear rules exist and small business is welcomed, not as the land of never-ending permits.

 Calvert County owns a significant amount of land that is currently unused or underutilized. While I firmly believe in expanding  public land usability for parks and recreation, public safety, schools, and environmental protection, the government should not be holding large amounts of property that serve no clear public purpose.

Taxpayers ultimately carry the cost of maintaining these properties, while the land itself produces no tax revenue for the county.

I have already begun reviewing county-owned parcels to better understand how much land is currently sitting idle. What we need now is a comprehensive public inventory of all county-owned property, identifying which parcels are actively being used and which are not.

• Conduct a complete inventory of all county-owned land.
   
• Identify properties that are unused or significantly underutilized.
   
• Make those parcels available to residents and or local small businesses. 

• Much of the unused land is open space. The government does not need to own open space for it to stay open space. If could be sold to nearby owners for farming, hunting and or private recreation.
   

Smaller governments are the most efficient.  Our government can incentivize desired uses and amenities without physically owning the land.

 Calvert County taxpayers provide a major share of the funding for our local school system. In the 2026 budget, county government funded the schools in the amount of $163,046,853, while the State contributed $109,739,721. Because of this significant local investment, county leadership must play an active role in ensuring our schools are properly funded and responsibly managed.

• The State of Maryland controls many education funding formulas.
   
• Our County Commissioners must actively advocate for Calvert County’s fair share of state education funding.
   
• Local taxpayers should not be forced to shoulder a larger burden while receiving less support from the state.
   

• State education regulations do not always reflect the values and priorities of our community.
   
• When state policies conflict with the interests of Calvert County families, our local leadership must be willing to push back and stand up for our community.
   

• The current school board, elected in recent years, has taken important steps to improve oversight and direction for our school system.
   
• Many of the financial and management issues facing the school system today stem from decisions made prior to 2024.
   
• Moving forward, county government and the school board should work together to ensure accurate budgeting, responsible spending, and full transparency.
   

Our students deserve a strong school system, and our taxpayers deserve responsible stewardship of the resources they provide. Strong leadership means ensuring both.