Approved: Courthouse Gateway Apartments
The Leonardtown Planning Board voted 3-1 on Oct. 19 to grant final site plan approval for Courthouse Gateway Apartments, a proposed three-story, 22-unit development at the intersection of Courthouse Drive and Fenwick Street.
Comprehensive Plan Approved
After a two-year planning process, the St. Mary’s County commissioners voted 4-1 on Oct. 20 to approve the county’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan. Commissioner Scott Ostrow was the only member to vote against the plan, citing too many unanswered questions.
Commissioners Move Comprehensive Plan to Public Hearing
The County Commissioners made a series of changes to the proposed St. Mary’s 2050 Comprehensive Plan, including revisions involving housing, infrastructure, economic development and county policies, as they prepare to consider the plan’s adoption next month.
7-Eleven Possible in Leonardtown
A proposed 7-Eleven convenience store and gas station at the intersection of Route 5 and Moakley Street will be presented to the Leonardtown Town Council Monday, with town officials already raising concerns about traffic safety at the intersection.
SMCPS Purchases Security Equipment
The St. Mary’s County Board of Education unanimously approved a $470,000 budget amendment Aug. 5 to redirect unused federal grant funding toward school security equipment and upgrades.
SMCPS Faces Rising Electric & Fuel Costs
Rising utility and snow removal costs prompted the St. Mary’s County Board of Education to unanimously approve a $931,859 budget amendment Aug. 5, including $689,144 in additional utility expenses as electricity and fuel costs have increased.
Sheriff’s Office Pursues Use of Automated License Plate Readers
St. Mary’s County is moving toward installing its first fixed automated license plate reader.
Cannabis Funds Public Hearing
St. Mary's County commissioners are expected to make a final decision July 21 on an ordinance that would establish how more than $1.5 million in state cannabis reinvestment funding can be distributed — including allowing some of the money to be spent outside Lexington Park, the county's only state-designated disproportionately impacted area.
Planning Commission Reviews Seven Land Use Change Requests
The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing July 7 to receive public feedback on requests to change the land use designation of seven properties across St. Mary's County. If approved, the changes could expand development districts and increase allowable development density.
County Reviews Zoning on Gas Stations, Dollar Stores
A proposed zoning change that would require new gas stations, small-box discount stores and vape shops to undergo additional public review is advancing to a public hearing after receiving preliminary approval from the St. Mary's County Commissioners.
St. Mary’s Early Learning Academy
The St. Mary's County Commissioners approved a priority enrollment list on April 14 for the new St. Mary’s Early Learning Academy, a county-backed childcare center scheduled to open in August 2026 in Leonardtown.
One in Four Marylanders Can’t Vote in the Primary
If you’re registered as an Independent or Unaffiliated voter in Maryland, you won’t be able to vote in this June’s primary election. Here’s why—and what options you still have.
Election 2026: What You Need To Know
Presidential elections generate the biggest headlines, but non-presidential election years often hold more significance for Maryland voters.
