162 Units Planned on Willows Road

Thirty-two acres on Willows Road may see development of 162 townhomes if the concept site plan is approved by the Planning Commission. The neighborhood, called The Meadows Townhomes, is planned a quarter mile north of the Willows Rd / MD 5 intersection on land that was previously part of the Pembrooke subdivision.

Meadows Way Development, LLC filed documents with the Land Use & Growth Management (LUGM) seeking approval. The property passed from one developer’s company to the next over the last three decades, and was originally subdivided for single-family residential development. The concept plan shows a main entrance at Meadows Way / Willows Rd with signage, and a smaller entrance/exit further south.

Roughly sixteen acres will remain as open space, with about half of that usable open space for residents. Plans indicate a playground and gazebo area with landscaped green lawns in the center of the development and smaller areas with walking paths towards the northeastern property line. The majority of the open space is stream and wetland buffers where Pembrooke Run comes through the property.

Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR), in a letter from May 2025, wrote there are no “official records…of rare plant or animal species” on the property. However, DNR did write that their “remote analysis” found habitats for birds with decreasing populations due, in part, to “forest loss or fragmentation because of urbanization.” DNR “strongly encouraged” habitat preservation.

A parking justification letter from the project's engineer, COA Barrett, says there are 372 proposed spaces, 48 more than required. Each townhome must have two spaces, satisfied here with one driveway and one garage space. Extra parking is “spread throughout the development…for owners and their guests.” Every extra spot requires 200 SF of additional landscaping, provided throughout the neighborhood according to the letter.

The traffic impact study, prepared by Traffic Concepts, Inc., looked at key intersections including Willows Rd and MD 5, Meadows Way, Mistflower Way, and Colby Drive. Current traffic volumes were increased by nine percent to provide a conservative estimate. The development will generate 949 additional daily trips, and all intersections will remain at either an A or B level of service. The intersection of Willows and MD 5 currently operates with “unacceptable side street delays,” an issue made worse by the development. Drivers might wait up to four minutes to turn off Willows Road, causing a backup as motorists queue.

Past studies have noted the need for a signal at this intersection. To mitigate delays caused by the development, a fee of $23,112.54 ($142.67/lot) towards the signal costs will be paid to the county. Infrastructure improvements are largely developer financed because of the expense. A fee-in-lieu of infrastructure improvements is accepted when the upgrade costs are too burdensome or unfair for one developer.

Attached to the traffic report is a letter from the Department of Public Works & Transportation to LUGM. The letter sets the fee for Pembrooke Subdivision Phases 2–5 at $142.67 per lot (a total of $54,500), which is the same rate paid by the nearby Hunting Creek and Ranieri Run developments. The letter, dated July 3, 2006, also estimates the cost of signalizing the Willows Road and MD 5 intersection at $100,000. This information is included in the traffic report to support the calculation of fees for the Meadows Townhomes.

In a January 2025 letter reviewing the proposed townhomes, the SHA noted that the $100,000 estimate “seems like it should be updated to a current figure more in line with today’s values.” Based on available records, the county has collected about $70,000 from Hunting Creek, Ranieri Run, and Pembrooke combined. If the Meadows Townhomes payment is added, the total rises to $93,000.

*Willows Rd/MD 5 intersection, from Google Maps*

When adjusted for inflation, the $100,000 signalization cost from 2006 equals roughly $160,000 in 2025. Assuming Meadows Townhomes pays the original per-lot rate, an additional 470 homes would still need to be built before the inflated cost could be covered. However, if the per-lot fee were updated to reflect inflation—$228.62 per lot—Meadows would contribute $37,036.44, and the number of additional homes needed to reach the funding target would drop to 232.

Scheduled on September 8th at 6:30pm, the Planning Commission will review the concept site plan for Meadows Townhomes. The public can attend to offer their comments at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown, or send thoughts via email to megan.higgs-carter@stmaryscountymd.gov for inclusion in the record.

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