Southern Waves Dispensary
Location Planned in California
Cannabis enthusiasts may soon have another business to patronize in St. Mary’s County. Southern Waves Dispensary filed documents in January 2025 with Land Use & Growth Management (LUGM) to undergo a minor site plan review for a proposed location in California. The dispensary would take over the former Coldwell Banker location just south of the intersection at Miramar Way and Town Creek Drive.
The land is owned by Reuben F. Lilly Jr., operator of Coldwell Banker real estate. Checks and Balance LLC ℅ Kwasi Johnson, with a residential address in Capitol Heights is the applicant, with COA Barrett LLC serving as the engineering firm. Checks and Balance LLC lists their principal office at a residential address in Landover, 4 miles away from the business address on planning documents. The resident agent for the business is listed as Genevieva Levy, at a residential address 2 miles away.
Current view, from Google Maps
Planning documents show only slight changes to the exterior of the location, and the interior will be remodeled to suit the new business’s needs. Interior plans show a sales floor with reception and waiting area. The exterior walk-up ATM will convert to a walk-up pick-up window for pre-orders in addition to the drive thru lane. Traffic in the area is expected to increase significantly from 43 to 633 average daily trips.
In 2022, an amendment was passed for the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (CZO) to include medical cannabis as an authorized use. The amendment defines use 76A - Medical Cannabis Dispensary and sets regulations such as the following:
May not be located within 500 ft of a property line for a public or private school, a daycare facility, or substance abuse treatment facility;
Offensive odors must not be detectable by the public from outside the facility;
Must post “no loitering” signage, and outdoor signage can only identify the trade name of the business
Passed in August 2022, the CZO amendment was signed by Commissioners Randy Guy, Eric Colvin, Mike Hewitt, John O’Connor, and Todd Morgan.
Concept Rendering from SM+P Architects
Use type 76A is permitted with conditional use approval by the Board of Appeals (BOA) in the following zoning districts: Rural Service Center, Rural Commercial Limited, Town Center Mixed Use, Corridor Mixed Use, Mixed Use High Intensity, and Mixed Use Low Intensity. When deciding, the BOA must find the project:
Complies with district standards and applicable use;
Will not be detrimental to or endanger the public health, safety, convenience, morals, order, or general welfare;
Will not be injurious to the use and enjoyment of other property in the immediate vicinity for the purposes already permitted.
Using the GIS map available through the county’s website, I estimated the distance to several nearby properties:
The nearest home is ~70 ft away in Hickory Hills.
Christian Science Society church is ~380 ft away.
Creative Beginning Preschool and Daycare is ~513 ft away.
The nearest school, Esperanza Middle, is ~2,100 ft away.
The BOA will conduct a public hearing on July 10, at 6:30PM at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown, after which they will rule on whether to provide conditional use approval for the project to move forward. If you cannot attend, email your comments to Sherrie.Young@stmaryscountymd.gov.
