1999 Waterfront Development Report 1999 Waterfront Development - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

1999 Waterfront Development Report 1999 Waterfront Development Report 2007 Update 2007 Update

• 297 miles of shoreline

297 miles of shoreline

• Limited waterfront

Limited waterfront attractions & attractions & amenities amenities

2007 Commissioner Goal 2007 Commissioner Goal

• Identify

Identify and and Prioritize Prioritize certain waterfront certain waterfront

• pportunities for preservation and protection; public
• pportunities for preservation and protection; public

access and/or development opportunities access and/or development opportunities

Summary of 1999 Findings Summary of 1999 Findings

1999 Task Force was charged with identifying 1999 Task Force was charged with identifying

• pportunities for
• pportunities for recreation, commercial,

recreation, commercial, and and industrial industrial development. development. 1) Identify appropriate areas for development 1) Identify appropriate areas for development 2) Identify opportunities for private/public 2) Identify opportunities for private/public partnerships partnerships

Key Areas for Waterfront Key Areas for Waterfront Development Development

• Upper Potomac

Upper Potomac (Marshall Hall to Indian Head) (Marshall Hall to Indian Head)

• Mattawoman Creek

Mattawoman Creek (Smallwood State Park / (Smallwood State Park / Sweden Point Marina) Sweden Point Marina)

• Middle Potomac

Middle Potomac (Wades Bay / Mallows Bay) (Wades Bay / Mallows Bay)

• Port Tobacco River

Port Tobacco River

• Potomac River Crossing

Potomac River Crossing (Aqualand) (Aqualand)

• Lower Potomac

Lower Potomac (Swan Point to Cobb Island) (Swan Point to Cobb Island)

• Benedict

Benedict

1999 Principal Recommendations 1999 Principal Recommendations

• Pursue resort/conference

Pursue resort/conference center facilities center facilities

• Support waterfront

Support waterfront development in Indian Head development in Indian Head

• Build waterfront travel

Build waterfront travel industry economy industry economy

• Continue community

Continue community discussion about balancing discussion about balancing protection vs. use of protection vs. use of waterfront resources waterfront resources

Other findings Other findings

• Greatest public support for waterfront resort /

Greatest public support for waterfront resort / conference center conference center

• Development of historic sites and heritage

Development of historic sites and heritage resources resources

• Strengthening the role of waterfront towns and

Strengthening the role of waterfront towns and

• villages. Indian Head, Benedict, Cobb Island
• villages. Indian Head, Benedict, Cobb Island

Projects Initiated since 1999 Projects Initiated since 1999

• Swan Point in the process of developing 192-

Swan Point in the process of developing 192- room hotel/conference center, marina room hotel/conference center, marina

• Town of Indian Head developing W

Town of Indian Head developing Waterfront aterfront Sector Sector using 31.6 acres of Critical Area Growth using 31.6 acres of Critical Area Growth Allocation; over 200 residential units built Allocation; over 200 residential units built

• 3 new passive waterfront recreation sites totaling

3 new passive waterfront recreation sites totaling

• ver 1700 acres.
• ver 1700 acres.
• O'Donnell Lake in St. Charles

O'Donnell Lake in St. Charles

• Interpretive signage at three sites

Interpretive signage at three sites

• Water trails under development

Water trails under development

2008 Issues/Recommendations 2008 Issues/Recommendations

Preservation and Protection Preservation and Protection

• 3 new

3 new waterfront park waterfront park properties properties

• 1700 acres

1700 acres protected protected

• No additional

No additional sites sites recommended recommended at this time at this time

Public Access and/or Development Public Access and/or Development

• Concentrate on Enhancement

Concentrate on Enhancement

– Waterfront Villages

Waterfront Villages

– Historic Sites/Special Events Venues

Historic Sites/Special Events Venues

• Evaluate other successful models

Evaluate other successful models

• Develop master plan for targeted sites

Develop master plan for targeted sites

Waterfront Villages: Benedict Waterfront Villages: Benedict

• Public water and sewer in

Public water and sewer in Benedict presents incentive for Benedict presents incentive for more intensive development more intensive development

• Strong historic themes: War of

Strong historic themes: War of 1812, Camp Stanton, Significant 1812, Camp Stanton, Significant steamboat landing, oyster steamboat landing, oyster processing processing

• Existing historic resources for

Existing historic resources for reuse: Maxwell Hall, large reuse: Maxwell Hall, large Victorian hotel, oyster packing Victorian hotel, oyster packing house house

Waterfront Villages: Cobb Island Waterfront Villages: Cobb Island

• Expected growth may

Expected growth may support more village support more village amenities in Cobb amenities in Cobb Island Island

• May warrant master

May warrant master planning planning

• Review of village

Review of village zoning permissible zoning permissible uses uses

Historic Sites/Special Events Venues Historic Sites/Special Events Venues

• Improvements at Port

Improvements at Port Tobacco Historic Tobacco Historic District District

• Potential at Mt.

Potential at Mt. Aventine as special Aventine as special events venue events venue

• Friendship Farm Park

Friendship Farm Park & Maxwell Hall & Maxwell Hall

Residential Development Residential Development

• 1999 plan largely excluded residential

1999 plan largely excluded residential development development

• All private projects proposed have been heavily

All private projects proposed have been heavily residential residential

• Limited CA growth allocation requiring public

Limited CA growth allocation requiring public access access

• Further study needed to balance private/public

Further study needed to balance private/public partnerships, market realities, partnerships, market realities, public access public access

Resort Conference Center Resort Conference Center

• Swan Point to come online

Swan Point to come online

• Feasibility Study to determine size of these

Feasibility Study to determine size of these resorts/conference center resorts/conference center

• Determine viable economic models

Determine viable economic models

• Partner with state agencies

Partner with state agencies

• Learn from past proposals/other jurisdictions

Learn from past proposals/other jurisdictions

• County to solicit private operators/investors

County to solicit private operators/investors

Financing Improvements Financing Improvements

• Active

Active Open Space Fund Open Space Fund

– Meet land preservation goal by creating dedicated

Meet land preservation goal by creating dedicated revenue stream for purchasing “active” open space. revenue stream for purchasing “active” open space.

• Fee-in-lieu Program

Fee-in-lieu Program

– Waiving open space requirements in exchange for

Waiving open space requirements in exchange for fees to be used for other land preservation efforts. fees to be used for other land preservation efforts.

Education/Interpretation/Marketing Education/Interpretation/Marketing

• Interpretation of natural and cultural resources

Interpretation of natural and cultural resources plays an important role in public perception plays an important role in public perception

• More concerted effort would enhance image of

More concerted effort would enhance image of Charles County as a waterfront community Charles County as a waterfront community

• Relatively inexpensive investment

Relatively inexpensive investment

• Strategies include on-site panels or kiosks,

Strategies include on-site panels or kiosks, printed material, website presence printed material, website presence

• Grant opportunities

Grant opportunities