PUBLIC NOTICE

Charles County’s Draft 2022 Land Preservation, Parks and Recreation Plan 

The Charles County Commissioners will hold a Public Hearing on Wednesday, June 8­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­, at 6:00 p.m., in a hybrid format, both virtually and in person at the Charles County Government Building, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, Maryland, to consider the proposed 2022 Land Preservation Parks and Recreation Plan (LPPRP). The LPPRP is a comprehensive planning document that is used by the Maryland counties and Baltimore City as an opportunity to collect and evaluate parks, recreation, and land preservation data. These plans are meant to identify the rates of public participation in specific types of recreation and the availability of those facilities. There is special emphasis placed on the proximity of park facilities to where people live and especially to underserved communities.  Natural Resources Article § 5-905 (b)(2) requires that each county and Baltimore City submit a Land Preservation, Parks, and Recreation Plan every five years to the Departments of Natural Resources and Planning for joint approval. This is a prerequisite for county participation in Program Open Space. Per statute [(§ 5-905 (b)(2)], the Department of Natural Resources shall provide the legislators the opportunity to review and comment on the Plans. 

Individuals or representatives of groups wishing to make oral or written comments are encouraged to attend the hearing.

In-person: Speaker sign-up will begin 30 minutes (1/2 hour) prior to the hearing at the Charles County Government Building (200 Baltimore Street, La Plata) and will end at the commencement of the hearing.

Virtually: Call 301-885-2779 between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on June 8 to register to speak. Once registered, citizens will be called between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. after in-person speakers testify. If you are not available to speak when you are called, we have the right to move on to the next caller. Each speaker will be allotted three (3) minutes. 

Written comments may be submitted in lieu of oral testimony, or to expand upon oral testimony, and will be accepted May 20 starting at 8 a.m. through June 8, 5 p.m.  for:

E-Comment: https://www.charlescountymd.gov/government/public-comments/land-preservation-parks-and-recreation-plan

Phone message: call 301-645-0652

Mail: Commissioners of Charles County, 200 Baltimore Street, La Plata, Maryland 20646.

Comments sent by mail must be received no later than June 8 of public hearing 

Those citizens with special needs may contact the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism at voice phone number 301-932-3470 or Maryland Relay Service TDD 1-800-735-2258. 

The associated documents for this item will be available for inspection in the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism, Charles County Government Building, La Plata, Maryland or online at: https://go.boarddocs.com/md/chrlsco/Board.nsf/files/CDXS4W70CDA4/$file/Charles%20County%20LPPRP%202022%20Public%20DRAFT%204_29_22.pdf. For more information, please contact the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism at 301-932-3470.

BY ORDER OF THE CHARLES COUNTY COMMISSIONERS 

Reuben B. Collins, II., Esq., President 

In the event the notified meeting is canceled due to inclement weather or acts of nature beyond the control of the County, all items scheduled to be discussed or heard at the meeting will be rescheduled to a later date at 6:00pm in the County Commissioners Meeting Room.