← All documents

june 2021 work session

Other June 2, 2021 · 36 page(s)

View original PDF ↗ Meeting

Full extracted text

The document's complete text, exactly as extracted — not a summary. Use “Summarize this document” above for the short version.

Dear Planning Commissioners:
In the preliminary draft below I included the land use chapter in the current Community Plan,
beginning on page 8 so that you can see how the new emerging draft chapter will compare to
the existing one. I used strike-though to indicate that it is not part of this new draft. That’s not to
say that the current land use chapter has or will be ignored. To the contrary, the text that is in
black font is in the current plan and the subsections beginning on page 9 indicate where I will
cut and paste relevant plan priorities—such as “downtown”—for deeper discussion. The
chapter will however be significantly re-organized and streamlined in keeping with our
charge….though it will longer than the nine pages of text seen here. Also, much of the current
chapter that is stricken is already covered in the new Municipal Growth chapter and would not
be repeated in this chapter. The new chapter—as well as each of the main functional elements
of the new plan -- is organized like this:
Introduction
Existing Pattern of Use
The Plan for Land Use
Land Use Objectives
Future Land Use Map
Recommendations
Downtown Centreville
PUD or Planned Residential Communities / Future Neighborhood Development
Balancing Land Use Planning with Adequacy of Public Facilities
Commercial / Light Industrial Land Use / Centreville Busines Park
Special Land Use Recommendations for the Designated Growth Area
Business Park
MD 304 Corridor
Greenbelt
-Chris Jakubiak
In the text that follows, note:
Blue - new proposed text
Black text – old text not changed
Strikethrough – old text not used
CHAPTER 4: LAND USE CONCEPT
Page 1 of 36

V. Land Use
Introduction
This chapter of the Centreville Community Plan proposes a land use pattern that
involves several concepts intended to improve use of land within the current Town
boundaries and accommodate future growth beyond the boundaries. These concepts
range from the development of vacant in-town parcels to the expansion of Centreville
through future annexations to accommodate projected growth. As noted elsewhere,
this is an update to the Centreville Community Plan of 2008 and is meant to be a 10-year
update as required by the State. The Town, as expressed by the Citizen Advisory
Committee (CAC), is generally satisfied with the content of the 1998 Plan and wishes to
update it with recent changes in land use, local conditions, infrastructure upgrades, and
future needs. Enactment of the concepts in this Plan will occur over a long period of
time that will be determined by market demand, private-sector interest in development,
and the availability of municipal services.
Implementation of the objectives and recommendations of this Plan will occur in many
ways, but the most prominent is through zoning. The reclassification of zoning districts
to encourage desired growth is one way in which Centreville can guide growth to
designated areas. Figure 9 (Existing Town Zoning Districts) and Figure 10 (Existing Town
and County Zoning Districts) show the current zoning. Modification of some existing
zoning districts is recommended in this Plan, as well as creation of additional districts.
Implementation of growth areas will require annexation and use of a Planned Unit
Development (PUD) zoning district.
Page 2 of 36

Existing Pattern of Use
The term “land use” refers to the way property owners use land and therefore it reflects
the cultural, economic, and environmental character of an area. A land use map is the
visual expression of that character and shows the distribution of residential, institutional,
commercial, and natural areas. Centreville’s existing land uses are shown on Map ___.
An overview of the existing pattern of land use follows:
• As the County seat, Centreville is a center of institutional and governmental uses
which are concentrated in downtown around the historic courthouse and green.
Downtown is also home to law and other professional offices, restaurants, and
shops. It is also home to the Town’s original residential settlement.
• From the downtown core, residential neighborhoods extend westward along
Chesterfield Road and eastward between Water Street and Kidwell Avenue. Over
recent decades, land further removed from downtown was subdivided creating
neighborhoods such as Providence Farms to the west, Symphony Village to the
south, and North Brook to the north. Single-family residential is the use that
accounts for most of the developed land in Town and is shown in yellow on Map
__.
• Residential apartment buildings and complexes are designated “multi-family
residential” on Map __ and shown in orange. Since adoption of the last
community plan, the east side of Little Hut Drive has been developed for multi-
family housing.
• The Centreville Business Park is a significant area of mixed commercial use,
including a community shopping center fronting Centreville Road (MD Route
213). Business offices and light industrial uses are situated internal to the busines
park. The Town’s existing commercial uses are shown in red and light industrial
uses in purple on Map __.
• An institutional center is emerging along Railroad Avenue (MD Route 304) at its
intersection with Kidwell Avenue near the County middle and high school
complex. Since the adoption of the last community plan, the County has
constructed its main governmental office building there, the YMCA has obtained
site plan approval for a major indoor / outdoor recreational facility, and the
County Board of Education has appeared before the Planning Commission to
discuss a conceptual plan to develop an office complex.
Page 3 of 36

• As documented in Chapter 3, there remains a significant amount of undeveloped
land within Town limits zoned for residential use. Nearly 280 undeveloped acres
are zoned for residential use. This land is shown in green on the map.
• Lastly, the extent of natural resource land including shorelines, wetland and
forested stream buffers within municipal limits is substantial. This land use
reflects the presence of underlying natural conditions. It is mapped and
discussed in detail in Chapter 4 of this report and shown here in a dark green
color.
Outside of Town, agriculture is the prominent land use. Scattered housing lots and
residential subdivisions can also be found throughout the countryside just beyond town
limits. The Town’s designated growth area, which is described in Chapter 4, is
comprised of very large tracts of land. Each has significant development potential, and
with thoughtful planning and coordination, an interconnected arrangement of open
spaces and naturalized areas can be preserved for recreational use and environmental
protection.
The Plan for Land Use
Through 2040, the Future Land Use Map is to be used along with the supporting text in
this Chapter to guide the location, type, intensity and character of development and
redevelopment. Every parcel of land is assigned a general land use category.
Land use plans are adopted nearly every ten years which allows for long term continuity
in development policy. When adjustments are made to that policy, they can be
understood by comparing the current plan with the newly recommended one.
Implementing this new plan would not fundamentally transform town planning in
Centreville; but would alter that policy in subtle but profound ways, including:
• Elevating the protection of the Town’s remaining forests, wetland, and resource
area, by specifically designating them for conservation and aligning them with
new park and recreational goals.
• Applying a Planned Unit Development designation to all major undeveloped
tracts of land in the Town (as well as in the growth area) to signal the Town’s
intent that future neighborhoods should include a mix of housing types and
densities plus supporting institutional, recreational, and to a limited degree,
commercial uses.
Page 4 of 36

Land Use Objectives
This updated Plan signals that Centreville will be especially intentional and purposeful in
its decisions about town development over the next 20 years. It is the intent of this Plan
that the conversion of vacant land to residential or commercial use advance the Town’s
improvement, progress, and enhancement--this is, its development as a community.
By virtue of its comprehensiveness, this Plan is general and cannot adequately address
specific issues or opportunities that may arise with any given land development
proposal. Therefore, as described below, this Plan recommends that all major
development proposals proceed through a deliberative phase during which the benefits
that can delivered to the Town will be investigated. The Town is receptive to allowing
flexibility where needed to achieve quality land development, but where individual
proposals fail to meaningfully advance the Town’s development (as defined above), they
will not comply with this Plan and should not be approved.
The main goal of this land use plan is that Centreville develop as a healthy, prosperous,
and beautiful town with a continual improvement in the quality of life for its residents
and the vitality of its businesses. Supporting objectives that give substance to this goal
are as follows:
• Create a network of open spaces and resource conservation lands which will
secure important environmental functions, form the basis of a town wide
recreational asset, and promote local health, vitality, and scenic beauty.
• Guide the development of the Town’s future neighborhoods into patterns that
encourage intergenerational communities, not neighborhoods separated by age
or income.
• Promote a land use pattern both within the existing Town and beyond current
boundaries into future growth areas that is consistent with a traditional small
town.
• Recognize the need to preserve the historic elements and economic vitality of
the Town by linking the Town center to surrounding areas with an efficient
system of roads streets, pedestrian walkways, community open space, and public
utilities.
Page 5 of 36

• Encourage continual reinvestment in the real estate within Town, the
redevelopment of vacant or underutilized properties and the redevelopment or
improvement of substandard properties. Encourage quality development and
redevelopment of vacant or substandard properties within the Town through the
use of design standards, adequate building codes, and coordination with the
development community. Create incentives to encourage developers to
rehabilitate existing buildings and build new buildings in keeping with the
architectural style, desired features, and pattern of the existing Centreville
Business District (CBD).
• Ensure that Centreville will continue to function as one of Queen Anne’s
County’s primary residential and economic development growth areas by
planning for future land uses on adjacent unincorporated lands which will
accommodate town scale and suburban scale growth in appropriate locations.
• Ensure that future development and redevelopment within the Town and
surrounding lands is consistent with the Future Land Use Concept Plan Map in
this Centreville Community Plan.
• Ensure that future land use patterns are supported by transportation networks,
utility systems, open spaces, and community facilities.
• Encourage programs and develop regulations that will protect and preserve
sensitive natural areas within the Town and in future growth areas.
• Prepare, adopt, and implement an Economic and Revitalization Plan. Such a
plan should address the interrelationships of various land uses, the economic
vitality of Centreville, and the ways in which previously used sites can be
rejuvenated or redeveloped.
Page 6 of 36

Future Land Use Map
The Future Land Use Map is a guide to the town’s development. To realize the
recommendations in this chapter, the Centreville Zoning Ordinance and Map will need
to be updated and revised. Map __ shows the 2040 future land use plan. Each of the
major categories are described below.
Resource Conservation: Areas planned for Resource Conservation encompass the
shoreline and 100-year floodplain associated with the Corsica River and its tributary
streams. They also include significant forest areas and open spaces that are
environmentally sensitive such as the land so designated between the Centreville
Business Park and Symphony Village. These areas are, to the extent possible, meant to
be protected to perform their resource functions, like retaining flood waters, recharging
municipal ground water supplies, and protecting downstream water quality.
Open Space: Areas planned for Open Space generally include improved public and
private outdoor recreational areas but also the Chesterfield Cemetery. The designation
signals the Town’s intention that these lands remain in open space uses at least through
2040.
Town Residential: The yellow areas shown on Map __ encompass existing
neighborhoods and residential lots that are primarily zoned R-1 and R-2. The primary
purpose of the designation is to signal the Plan’s intent that these areas be conserved in
residential use or continue to be developed for housing under approved plats.
Traditional Neighborhood Development: This designation applies to the Carter Farm on
Chesterfield Avenue. The purpose of this designation is to signal a preference for
patterns consistent with pre-WW II residential neighborhoods that feature a mix of
housing types, open spaces, institutional uses, and small-scale retail near each other.
The recommended form of development is a grid street pattern with rear access alleys
and strong pedestrian orientation where single-family detached houses have shallow
front yards. This Plan’s TND designation corresponds exactly to the current Zoning Map.
Planned Unit Development (PUD) [or Planned Residential Community]: The PUD
designation envisions a neighborhood of primarily residential uses that thoughtfully
incorporates a major open space element. A PUD would contain a variety of housing
types, including single-family detached, duplexes, tri-plexes, attached houses, and
apartment buildings. Limited amounts of nonresidential use would be permitted and
land for future institutional uses would be required to be reserved. A PUD would
proceed through a master planning process in which an overall plan is proposed by the
developer and evaluated and approved by the Town. To realize the potential density
Page 7 of 36

allowed under a PUD, developers would need to demonstrate conformance with this
Plan and demonstrate the project provides a public benefit to the Town of Centeville.
This designation applies to the major proposed infill development sites (excluding the
TND Carter Farm) that are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4, Municipal Growth.
Specific recommendations are provided later in this Chapter.
High Density Residential: The primary purpose for the “high density” designation is to
signal the plan’s intent to conserve existing multiple-family housing areas in residential
use. For the most part, this designation covers existing townhouse neighborhoods and
apartment complexes, zoned R-3.
Institutional: This designation signals the Plan’s intent that the existing institutional uses
remain the preferred use on those properties so designated. The Plan supports the
development of institutional uses such as places of worship, schools, nursing homes, and
day care centers in certain residential and commercial areas and the zoning ordinance
would continue to accommodate them.
Central Business District: These are the properties within and near downtown where
mixed-use development is encouraged and a broad array of land uses would continue
to be allowed. The recommended maximum residential density on a developable lot
could be one housing unit per 1,200 square feet of lot area, or about 36 units per acre.
The Plan also encourages residential apartments above commercial storefronts. More
specific recommendations are provided in the next section of this Chapter.
Commercial: Recommended commercial areas are clustered along Water Street/
Railroad Avenue, Pennsylvania Avenue, Centreville Road, south of Town and Church Hill
Road north of downtown.
Office and Light Industrial: Office and light industrial uses within the Town’s existing
boundaries are recommended in the Centreville Business Park. More specific
recommendations are provided in the next section of this Chapter.
Recommendations -
To be completed
Page 8 of 36

Downtown Centreville
PUD or Planned Residential Communities / Future Neighborhood Development
Special Land Use Recommendations for the Designated Growth Area
County Business Park
MD 304 Corridor
Greenbelt
Balancing Land Use Planning with Adequacy of Public Facilities
SECTIONS OF THE CURRENT LAND USE CHAPTER, FYI
Page 9 of 36

Town Land Use Objectives
Figure 11 (Future Town Land Use) illustrates the relationship between existing
development and all areas proposed for development, including infill areas,
redevelopment areas, and elements such as greenways and proposed collector roads.
Residential Land Use
A significant portion of the Town’s geographic area is devoted to residential uses.
Residential communities vary from single-family detached neighborhoods to attached
townhouses to multi-family development. Residences can be found in all quarters of
Centreville, extending from North Brook along Rte. 213 north of town to Symphony
Village along Taylor Mill Road to the south of Town. Both of these communities are
under construction at this writing.
The presence of housing in and around Centreville is an important component of the
overall community vitality. Residents support the local stores, specialty shops, and
service businesses, particularly when they are located in close proximity to each other.
Residents may also find employment in local businesses and offices. In Centreville,
many are employed by government offices located near the courthouse and the nearby
area. Like most communities, Centreville has expanded its boundaries over the years to
absorb adjacent growth. This pattern will continue in the future, along with the
development of infill and redevelopment areas in Town. How this growth occurs and
how existing communities are maintained are serious considerations and form the basis
of the following issues and recommendations:
1. Affordable housing should be a component of the residential spectrum and is
needed in greater quantity in Centreville. To achieve affordable housing, density
must be greater than is traditionally built in suburban communities and located in
areas with convenient access to shopping, employment, services, and schools.
Ideally, affordable housing should include both owner occupied units as well as
rental units, in order to provide for the needs of a broad range of income levels.
2. New housing areas within Centreville should reflect the small town character and
should be considered for several of the large vacant parcels available for infill or
redevelopment. The concept of Traditional Neighborhood Development using grid
pattern streets, small lots, shallow front yards, rear access by alleys, and a strong
pedestrian orientation would be beneficial to Centreville. Such design
characteristics can also lead to affordable housing in the single-family market.
3. Centreville and its immediate surroundings have many sensitive lands due to the
presence of rivers, streams, wetlands, floodplains, woodlands, hydric soils and in a
Page 10 of 36

few cases, steep slopes. Proposed residential development, as well as other forms
of development, must be in compliance with existing regulations. Where necessary,
those regulations should be examined for effectiveness, and adjustments made
where necessary.
4. Shorefront lands adjacent to the Corsica River and its tributary streams in Centreville
need particular protection. Consideration should be given to creating significant
buffers in such cases, the use of which should be limited to passive recreation such
as trails and natural areas providing links between residential areas and other Town
land uses. These buffer areas should be part of an open space system and not on
private lots.
5. Areas designated as Planned Unit Development should be subject to specific design
standards based upon the character of the Town. Emphasis should be placed on
connectivity of these areas with the CBD. The inclusion of commercial uses in PUDs
should be considered in relation to the potential to dilute other commercial uses in
the CBD that could be accessed conveniently.
6. Encourage mixed uses in the CBD that include residences on the upper floors of
commercial businesses. This mix of uses fosters the support of businesses and
provides community vitality beyond business hours.
7. As Growth Areas around Centreville begin to develop, reserve lands for the
establishment of collector roads, such as the north-south road east of Town
connecting North Brook to Taylor Mill Road. In all cases, consider new roads that
provide alternative routes within the Town network.
8. The Town should consider allowing higher densities in Multi-Family Residential
Areas.
Proposed Residential Areas
1. Single-Family Residential. Three areas of the Town have been proposed for
single-family detached residential development. One of these areas, on the
south side of Kidwell Avenue and east of Kennard Elementary School, has an
approved plan and is currently under construction. The remaining area of this
parcel which extends to the Town boundary is expected to be an extension of
the first phase.
The second single-family residential area is an agricultural site located north of
Centreville, northwest of Rte. 213, and is bordered on its north side by Yellow
Page 11 of 36

Bank Stream. It is situated in a single-family residential area and its potential use
would be similar to its surroundings. Its access is from Armstrong Avenue.
Single-Family Residential Summary:
• Develop incentives to encourage affordable housing in some new or
revitalized communities.
• Use Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) techniques to integrate
new development into the existing Town pattern.
2. Multi-family Residential Areas. An area of multi-family housing is proposed on a
parcel on the eastern edge of the Town on both sides of Little Hut Drive. This
area is bordered by the County Detention Facility to the north and commercial
development to its south. This site offers an opportunity to expand the now
limited amount of high-density housing available in Town.
A second multi-family residential area is proposed on the south side of Town,
east of Rte. 213. This location has access to Rte. 301 and is adjacent to stores and
businesses.
3. Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND). This form of development is
based on a grid street pattern and single-family detached houses with shallow
front yards, rear access from alleys, and a strong pedestrian orientation. It is
recommended that the Town Zoning Ordinance be amended to include a TND
base zoning district that includes design standards. An example of a location
where a TND form of development is appropriate is the historic Chesterfield
property on Chesterfield Avenue. If developed, this parcel could provide a TND
form of development that would relate to the surrounding community as well as
the nearby Central Business District.
This property is the location of “Chesterfield,” the 17th century land grant from
which Centreville was carved. The original house and remaining property are on
the banks of the Yellow Bank Stream, which joins the Corsica River immediately
to the west. The property around the historic site of Chesterfield provides a
glimpse of the origins of Centreville. Approximately 43 gross acres of land make
up the potential area, of which 26 acres are exclusive of the Chesterfield house
and areas associated with Yellow Bank Stream. Any future development of the
property presents a unique opportunity for replicating historic land patterns
found within the Town of Centreville while preserving a special piece of the
Town’s history.
The concept of a TND is that of a residential community built on a grid system of
streets and alleys with a strong pedestrian orientation. Houses are close to the
Page 12 of 36

street lines on the public side and private access is from the rear on alleys. Front
yards are shallow and usually abut a front porch. Design standards control these
features as well as landscaping, street furniture, lighting, and signage. Such
standards would need to be created if the Town were to adopt a TND zoning
district. Implicit in the design standards is a need to assure continuity between
the existing fabric of the Town and proposed development.
4. Mixed-Use Development (MUD). Locust Hill Farm is a viable agricultural
operation currently and should remain so as long as the owners are willing to
continue farming. In the future, its ultimate use offers a chance to provide a
mixture of housing types and some retail in a controlled design on the edge of
the Central Business District. A collector road is proposed through the site for
internal circulation and as a connection between Banjo Lane and Little Hut Drive.
This proposed collector road should be aligned so as to avoid the farmhouse
and the associated cemetery. The residential options within the MUD should
include apartments, townhouses, and small-lot single-family detached.
The 1998 Plan proposed this site as a Town Planned Unit Development and as a
Town Planned Business Park. This 2008 Plan proposes that both parts of the
property on both sides of the rail lines become a Mixed-Use Development that is
large enough to accommodate a well-designed project with pedestrian
connections to the Central Business District. An opportunity exists at this site to
develop a high-density residential project that would offer in-town residences for
those employed in Centreville. A density of about 8 to 10 dwelling units per acre
is envisioned, combining townhouses and garden apartments.
The reasoning supporting the change from a Business Park designation on the
southern portion of the site is the similarity of the two portions of the current
farm parcel. Another factor influencing the future land use was the presence of
the railroad right-of-way which separates the two portions. Although not
abandoned, this rail line is not used and its usefulness in attracting an industrial
use to any potential business park is questionable. As noted elsewhere in this
Plan, coordination with the Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company needs to
occur regarding the future of the line. This Plan has recommended that the
right-of-way has potential as a greenway connecting the center of Town with
outlying growth areas to the east.
5. Planned Unit Development (PUD). One area within the Town boundary is
projected to be a PUD and the reasoning is that it is part of a larger parcel that is
bisected by the Town boundary. The outer area is projected to be Growth Area
6 which, like all Growth Areas, is recommended to be a PUD. This site is
currently in agricultural use. Being part of the same parcel and land use, it is
intended that this area would be subject to an overall development plan. On the
Page 13 of 36

eastern side of the parcel is Mill Stream and single-family residences along Rte.
213 south of Town and Rte. 18. Similar to its surroundings, this site is envisioned
to become residential in the future.
The form of development envisioned for a PUD is one of primarily residential
development that provides significant areas of open space. Residential
development would contain a variety of housing types, including single-family,
attached houses and apartments, all subject to numerical limits established by
the Zoning Ordinance. Limited amounts of nonresidential uses may be
permitted if the PUD meets a defined minimum size requirement. Connections
to the Town would be by proposed connector streets, local roads, and proposed
greenways.
Commercial Areas
Centreville’s commercial community extends beyond the Central Business District (CBD)
to areas along Rte. 213 south of Town and Railroad Avenue. Geographically, these
commercial areas surround the CBD but have a character less well defined and more
oriented to automobile access. The areas are characterized by existing commercial uses
that have historically been used for nonresidential purposes. These uses are generally
not compatible with CBD uses in that they require parking and loading facilities nearby
and significantly larger land areas. Being located as they are along the major roadways
entering the Town, they are important for setting a visual tone or theme for those
visiting Centreville. The objectives and recommendations that follow are designed to
enhance the image of these commercial areas:
1. The gateway concept is important to the Town, as it provides a visual first impression
to visitors. The appearance of development on the periphery of the CBD is,
therefore, of significant importance. Every effort should be made to ensure that new
development contributes to a positive image and that any redevelopment of existing
buildings improves upon that image. Emphasis should be placed on architectural
style, parking, landscaping, signage, and pedestrian facilities.
2. Streetscape elements are a visual element of the community that not only affect the
appearance of an area, but also contribute to the comfort and mobility of visitors.
Street furniture such as benches, light standards, trash receptacles, tree grates,
bicycle racks, and signs all can create a positive image if coordination of the various
elements occurs.
3. The means to ensure consistent visual quality in the commercial areas is through the
use of design guidelines. Design guidelines should be developed in such a way as
not to replicate the CBD but reinforce the historic and pedestrian themes present.
Page 14 of 36

The roadside commercial areas are more automobile-oriented than the CBD and an
emphasis should be placed on providing them with controlled access, buffering, and
modified building location. An example of this would be to require buildings closer
to the roads with parking either in the side yard or to the rear of buildings.
Central Business District (CBD)
The CBD of Centreville is generally located along Rte. 213 in the central part of the
Town and is composed of commercial, service, office, residential, and governmental
uses. The predominance of governmental uses and related businesses is due to the
Town’s role as county seat of Queen Anne’s County and the presence of State, County,
and Town offices near the County courthouse. There are also a large number of law
offices in the vicinity of the courthouse. Collectively, these offices and businesses have a
significant economic impact on the Town, both directly and indirectly, by supporting the
local shops and service businesses.
The architectural character of the CBD reflects the historic assemblage of buildings that
have been preserved and in some cases reused for contemporary uses. Most buildings
are two or three stories in height and located at the edge of sidewalks with on-street
parking in some cases. The CBD is the core of Centreville, from which roads and land
use patterns radiate. Because of its importance to the vitality of the community,
emphasis must be placed on retaining and perpetuating its qualities, while ensuring that
future needs and growth can be accommodated. The following recommendations are
made to accomplish that objective:
1. Gateways into the CBD should be emphasized with positive images such as strong
architectural features, signage, or other elements to distinguish the CBD from the
surrounding residential areas.
2. The historic courthouse and other courts and government offices have a significant
economic and visual impact upon the Town. Efforts should be made to
accommodate parking needs, provide for related services and ensure adequate
related office space. The County Circuit Courthouse is the oldest courthouse in
Maryland still in use and draws many visitors interested in its history, if not the
proceedings inside. It remains a valuable and essential focal point in the CBD. Every
effort should be made to maintain the courthouse as a functioning courthouse for
the County.
3. The existing land use functions should be maintained and any infill development or
building reuse should be compatible with the predominant historic and architectural
character of the area.
Page 15 of 36

4. Continued preservation and sensitive rehabilitation of historic structures, especially
façades, should be maintained through the controlled adaptive reuse of buildings,
controlled alterations of historic buildings, and developer incentives. In its Historic
District, the Town should consider establishing associated design standards and a
plan review process that encourages preservation.
5. The Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides
technical assistance and consulting services to address community revitalization,
historic preservation, economic development, and strategic services. The Main
Street Maryland program also provides for downtown revitalization programs to
strengthen the economic potential of Main Streets and neighborhoods through
technical assistance, although no financial assistance is currently available through
the program.
6. Uses related to tourism and services, such as neighborhood specialty retail stores,
restaurants and small scale inns, arts and entertainment uses, should be encouraged
in the CBD and consumer-oriented retail businesses should be located in the Town’s
commercial districts. An example of a tourist related theme of uses would be
multiple antique shops. Strategies should be developed to support this goal and to
encourage the location of consumer related businesses in the commercial areas
outside the CBD.
7. Development of residential units on the upper floors of commercial and service uses
should be encouraged to provide community vitality during all hours of the day and
to support the concept of each of the uses being mutually supportive of the others.
Where mixed-use developments are planned, efforts should be made to ensure
design compatibility with the Town that includes adequate parking, pedestrian
connections, and positive use of street furniture and lighting.
8. Locations should be identified where additional parking may be located to serve
employees of existing offices, businesses, and services, as well as visitors and
shoppers. A parking study should occur which identifies current parking needs,
available spaces, future needs, and recommended future parking locations.
Emphasis should be on balancing the available parking for all users who contribute
to the vitality of the CBD.
9. Any future expansion of the CBD should occur into adjacent areas to the east and be
accomplished in moderation with design controls to encourage similar architectural
style and density. Any retail uses in this area should be of a low intensity form.
10. New development and redevelopment of areas in or near the CBD should be
subject to design standards that emphasize the pedestrian character of the area
through the use of landscaping, street furniture, lighting, and paving materials. The
Page 16 of 36

Town should continue to invest in streetscape improvements including street trees
that provide for community needs and aesthetically unify the Town’s appearance. A
more cohesive and thorough Site Plan Review and permit process utilizing the
Planning Commission should be instituted.
11. Connectivity of the various elements of the CBD is important and pedestrian links
should be incorporated into all new and restoration projects. Centreville has a
pedestrian character which should be perpetuated. Examples are connections
between parking locations, offices, residential areas, the courthouse, shops, and
service businesses.
12. Traffic calming techniques should be explored in order to reduce the speed of traffic
through the Town. The Town should consider how features such as traffic circles
might be used near the gateways to the CBD and how features like bulb-outs and
pedestrian crossings may reduce conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians.
Central Business District (CBD) Summary
• Emphasize and distinguish the entrances into the CBD from surrounding areas by
“gateway” locations using landscaping, signage, and other street furniture
elements.
• Reinforce the concentration of civic buildings and related services and offices
with pedestrian links and adequate parking.
• Create diversity of uses in the CBD by encouraging the location of small
businesses, residences, and entertainment destinations.
• Organize all CBD components into a group to promote common economic,
historic preservation, and land use interests.
Roadside Commercial
This form of commercial land use refers to retail and service-oriented businesses that are
not found in the Centreville Business Park or the Central Business District (CBD).
Roadside Commercial is found extensively in two areas, on the north side of Railroad
Avenue and on the west side of Rte. 213 south of the CBD. There are also several other
minor locations near the edges of the Central Business District. Typically, these
individual commercial uses have independent parking, access drives, and signage.
Further, there is seldom any visual connection or interior circulation. Roadside
Commercial uses, which may include a residential component, stand in contrast to the
Page 17 of 36

Centreville Business Park, where a unified plan with interior streets, common parking,
landscaping, and consolidated signage are present.
Roadside Commercial Summary:
• Consider design guidelines for Town gateway areas.
• Standardize streetscape elements for visual unity.
• Address automobile issues like site access, parking visibility and landscaping.
Page 18 of 36

Centreville Business Park
Centreville has one Planned Business Park which is located on the east side of Rte. 213 in
the southern portion of the Town. This park is zoned primarily PBD (Planned Business
Development), with two parcels on the northern edge being zoned I-1 (Light Industrial)
and C-2 (General Commercial). The Park was designated as a Town Planned Business
Park in the 1998 Community Plan. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) is generally
satisfied with the goals of the 1998 Plan as this Business Park continues to expand with
commercial and light industrial buildings.
To date, a large food store, related retail, a free-standing pharmacy, a fast food
restaurant, and several industrial uses have been constructed. About half of the acreage
in the park remains to be developed. An Overall Concept Plan, approved by the
Planning Commission, illustrates the manner in which the existing uses are situated and
how the proposed uses and interior streets would be aligned. It is intended that there
be an architectural theme and unified landscaping. Access to the park is from an
existing entrance road named Coursevall Drive, the several industrial uses being served
by an interior road named Comet Drive. Future plans call for an additional interior road
that loops onto Rte. 213 south of the existing shopping center to serve the remaining
parcels. It will be necessary for the State Highway Administration to be kept informed of
any on-going development in order to properly plan for signalization and roadway
improvements.
Because business parks in general may contain uses which are not necessarily
compatible with the central business district of a small, historic town, the following
recommendations are outlined:
1. The business park should be master planned to ensure compatibility with
surroundings, good design, adequate parking, connections, lighting, and other
amenities. In this case, an operating master plan has been approved by the Town
and serves as a guide to future development. Standards relating to physical layout,
dimensions, and permitted uses are found in the Zoning Ordinance.
2. Retail uses in Planned Business Parks should be limited to large uses that would
benefit by the features of a business park. Uses more suited to the CBD such as
specialty shops and primarily pedestrian related uses should not be located in
business parks. Of concern is the tendency for the location of some uses in business
parks to detract from or duplicate CBD businesses which should be of a smaller
scale.
Page 19 of 36

Centreville Business Park Summary:
• Require park master plans and use of design standards.
• Design parks with mix of commercial and light industrial uses that do not
compete with the Central Business District.
Town Center
As a land use category, the Town Center in Centreville is that area between and
adjacent to Liberty and Commerce Streets, with the exception of the Central Business
District (CBD) and public, quasi-public, and institutional uses. The remaining uses are
primarily residential. Unique to this area is the fact that the area is essentially the core of
the Town and is contiguous to the Rte. 213 north-south route and its high traffic volume.
The rationale for designating this area as a unique land use is to accommodate a need
to permit flexibility of uses and specifically permit the conversion of residences to low
intensity office and commercial uses. Such conversion needs to be accomplished with
standards that reflect the fact that the Town Center will be a mixture of residences and
other uses. As used in this section, conversion need not mean total conversion, but
could permit a mixture of residence and business, perhaps as an extension of the home
occupation concept. The interface between differing uses will need to be regulated to
permit harmonious but differing land uses. To that end, the following recommendations
are made:
1. Uses converted from residential to other uses will need to address parking
requirements. On-street parking will not usually be adequate and specific standards
should be formulated for parking calculations and design.
2. The appearance of the Town Center is primarily residential with a decided lack of
modern structures. Many of the houses are historic and large. As uses apply for
conversion, standards will need to be developed to insure architectural
compatibility. The area should remain in a residential character and scale. The
assemblage of parcels, demolition of residences, and construction of new and larger
buildings should not be permitted.
3. Hours of operation can often be a point of conflict between residential and
commercial uses. Zoning standards should address this issue and limit hours of
operation to typical daytime business hours that do not include evenings, nights,
and weekends.
Page 20 of 36

Redevelopment Areas
The 1998 Community Plan designated six Redevelopment Areas located in various
sectors of the Town, from the wharf area on the Corsica River to a commercial property
on the west side of Rte. 213 and northeast of Mill Stream. Other areas are located
between these two geographic extremes and are found in or near the CBD. In most
cases, a parcel or parcels have existing structures that have been allowed to deteriorate
to a point where they pose either safety, aesthetic, or functional problems to the
community. The Citizens Advisory Committee found that those Redevelopment Areas
cited on the 1998 Plan are still worthy of inclusion in this Plan, with the notable exception
of Redevelopment Area 6, and are in need of some form of action, either by the Town or
the owner, or both. An additional area, now called Redevelopment Area 6, has been
added to those on the 1998 Plan.
Redevelopment Areas should not just be viewed as detriments to the Town, but as
opportunities for localized development that could contribute to the overall community
well-being and functioning. The individual sites, numbered as they were on the 1998
Plan except for Redevelopment Area 6, are shown in this Plan on Figures 11 (Future
Town Land Use) and 12 (Future Town Growth Area and Greenbelt). Because of the
potential for these parcels to have either negative or positive affects on the Town, the
following issues and recommendations are made:
1. Redevelopment Area 1 located on the east side of Banjo Lane, north of Railroad
Avenue and south of Turpin Lane, is the site of the former Agway store and several
other parcels. This is a Redevelopment Area that is close to the CBD and could have
a significant impact on that area. The parcels fronting on Banjo Lane contain a
collection of single story commercial and industrial buildings, currently occupied with
a variety of small businesses. The appearance of several parcels could be improved
by the removal of trash and trailers. This Redevelopment Area provides locations for
businesses that serve the Town in a place that is contiguous to the CBD.
Redevelopment could take the form of site clean-up and aesthetic upgrades or
could entail complete redevelopment, possibly by consolidating parcels for a unified
redevelopment.
Because of its location, this area has the potential to satisfy some of the parking
deficit in Town. Regardless of how redevelopment occurs in this area, consideration
should be given to providing some form of public parking. Pedestrian access from
the CBD to this location is good, with connections provided by Water Street and
Haydens Alley.
2. Redevelopment Area 2 is located south of Area 1 on the east side of Pennsylvania
Avenue. This is the site of the former railroad station and lumberyard south of
Page 21 of 36

Railroad Avenue. Construction and occupancy of an office and retail complex has
occurred recently along the west side of Pennsylvania Avenue.
The vacant land located on the east side of Pennsylvania Avenue is zoned Intensive
Commercial, C-3. Like Area 1, this area has the potential to provide for public
parking close to the CBD and any further development of the site should examine
that possibility. Railroad tracks and ties remain on this site, alluding to the fact that
the railroad company may retain an interest in the parcel.
3. Redevelopment Area 3 is located on the east side of Commerce Street (Rte. 213) and
north of Gravel Run. The parcel was previously a gas station with canopy that has
been converted into an antique store, a sandwich shop, and a donut shop. Much of
the appearance of a gas station remains. Similar to other Redevelopment Areas, this
parcel is highly visible upon entering or leaving Centreville and should have a more
positive visual impression. Any potential redevelopment should focus on building
façade improvements, landscaping, and upgraded entrances.
4. Redevelopment Area 4 is made up of parcels on either side of Rte. 213 on the south
side of the Town. Each area is bordered by Mill Stream. The eastern parcel has an
abandoned industrial building on site and is zoned R-3. A proposal to redevelop the
building with an apartment complex has been approved but not built. The western
parcel also contains an existing building that contains an auto parts business and
may have redevelopment potential, although no plans have been proposed. The two
western parcels are also characterized by trailers, abandoned cars, and trash around
the building and through the woods.
Together, the parcels making up this Redevelopment Area on either side of Rte. 213
as it crosses Mill Stream have the potential to form a visual gateway to the older part
of Centreville. Development of these sites should be encouraged to enhance this
situation by appropriate architecture and landscaping. Like most of the
Redevelopment Areas, this one has been emphasized due to its visual prominence.
5. Redevelopment Area 5 is the historic Wharf area of the Town at the head of the
Corsica River and along Front Street. This area is composed generally of three
portions. One is an area containing the Queen Anne’s County launch ramp and
parking lot. Use of the launch ramp and parking lot is by fee or permit, obtainable at
locations in the Town. There are 22 slips on either side of the ramp which are used
by permit for commercial fishing boats and several recreational boats. There is also
a small public restroom building located in the parking lot. The second area is
adjacent to the parking lot and is at the northernmost tip of the peninsula. It is
vacant and has been the subject of development proposals over time and most
recently has resulted in the approval of an office/residential complex fronting on the
river. Despite its plan approval, the plan is subject to numerous conditions which
Page 22 of 36

remain unresolved and the property is now owned by the Town. Adjacent to this
waterfront area are buildings used as businesses and residences which give the area
a historic context. A third area is across Watson Road from the first two areas and is
currently vacant.
The 1998 Community Plan made a proposal to develop the second and third areas
next to the current slips and launch ramp with uses that would retain the water-
oriented historic nature of the site with a marina, marine store, restaurant, and
waterfront park. No implementation of that concept has occurred due to private
development interests pursuing other options, although it remains a valid and
beneficial concept. Such a proposal will entail the cooperation of private interests
with the Town, but could yield a boating- oriented development with a positive
impact on the Town. At this writing, Centreville has initiated a plan to install a
transient pier for visiting boats as part of the proposed office/residential project.
The Wharf area is approximately ¾ mile from the CBD along Chesterfield Avenue,
making the CBD accessible to those visiting by boat. Marketing the site as a boating
destination and reinforcing the pedestrian link to the Town would create a new facet
of interest in Centreville and contribute to the local economy.
6. Redevelopment Area 6, as designated in the 1998 Community Plan, is currently
under construction and near completion of 14 dwelling units (8 semi-detached and
6 townhouse units). That location is no longer considered a Redevelopment Area
and therefore the RDA 6 designation has been reassigned to a community nearby,
south of Little Kidwell Lane, west of Kennard Elementary School and north of Mill
Stream Branch. One non-residential use is located in the community. At the south
end of Spring Street is an American Legion Hall with a large unstructured parking lot
across the street. Otherwise, this area is developed with approximately 25 to 30
single- family detached houses, including one semi-detached unit. There are several
undeveloped lots within the community that may provide an opportunity for minor
infill development. Adjacent and south of the housing development are wooded
lands associated with the floodplain and wetlands of Mill Stream. This wooded area
is primarily constrained from future development by these conditions, but may
contain some small land areas suitable for additional development. A physical
inspection of the area should occur to delineate the actual boundary of steep slopes
and floodplains. If an adequate area remains, potential development of housing
compatible with the existing community may be possible.
Regardless of whether or not additional housing is feasible, the current housing
stock is in need of upgrades. Most of the units are occupied, but are in need of
structural improvements such as roofing, siding, windows, doors and other building
rehabilitation. The roads, which consist of two cul-de-sacs (Holton and Spring
Streets) and the frontage on Little Kidwell Lane, are in need of resurfacing. The
community has sidewalks. This area is a candidate for a community-wide housing
Page 23 of 36

assessment and improvement program. Potential use of Community Development
Block Grants should be pursued by the Town and County.
Redevelopment Areas offer the opportunity for growth and revitalization to occur within
the town limits of Centreville. These areas should be given consideration for
development scenarios prior to assuming that outlying parcels in the growth areas must
be developed. These in-town parcels may also contribute to solving known problems
such as parking and pedestrian connectivity. As plans are proposed for in-town parcels,
the Town should examine them for opportunities to provide both on-site and on-street
parking that would satisfy stated deficits and needs. In the CBD, there are limited
locations for parking of town residents and employees of the government offices, local
service businesses, and shops. Emphasis should be placed on locations that offer
convenient pedestrian connections to these destinations and also on the ability to
landscape the parking area to ameliorate visual impacts to the community.
Redevelopment Areas Summary:
• Target Town “gateway” areas for redevelopment with economic incentives
and use of design standards.
• Address in-town needs like parking, pedestrian links, and visual character.
• Pursue means to retain Town Wharf as a marine-oriented destination facility for
boaters and residents.
• Enforce housing and building codes uniformly and develop plans to encourage
owner compliance.
Growth Element: Future Growth Areas
Providing for the future growth of the Town is one of the most important functions of a
Community Plan. Figure 12, Future Town Growth Area and Greenbelt, illustrates the
growth areas of the Town. As has been discussed in earlier sections of this chapter, the
promotion of infill development on existing Town parcels and the redevelopment of
declining properties should be ongoing. While these in-town parcels will not supply
enough land for all future growth, they will contribute to growth accommodation, with
land that is already served with adequate infrastructure and services. However, it will be
necessary to expand the confines of Centreville to accommodate populations that have
been projected to occur in and around the Town. Table 4-2, Centreville Population
Growth Table, is located at the end of this chapter and provides a tabulation of housing
and population projections for the Infill Areas and the Growth Areas. It is the intent of
the Centreville Community Plan to offer an orderly progression of future land
Page 24 of 36

development to geographically relate to the Town and its services. The number of
dwelling units projected for all of the Growth Areas is considerably larger than the
current Town development and should be viewed as a long-range plan that, if it occurs,
will be many years into the future and after future updates to this Community Plan.
All of the designated Growth Areas in this Plan are also within the Queen Anne’s County
Comprehensive Plan Growth Areas boundaries. Map LU-2 of the County Plan of 2002
illustrates the County-wide areas targeted for future growth. By virtue of that
designation, the Town’s Growth Areas are eligible to be included in the Maryland
Priority Funding Areas, as established by the Smart Growth legislation of 1997. Multiple
criteria must be met, including areas that reflect a long-term policy for promoting an
orderly expansion of growth and an efficient use of land and public services, areas that
have existing or planned water and sewer systems, and areas that have a permitted
density of 3.5 or more units per acre for new residential development. It is the intent of
Centreville to be able to participate in the multiple sources of the State’s Priority
Funding Program for the Growth Areas. One of the key requirements is maintaining a
projected density of 3.5 dwellings per acre, a density which has been used in the
calculations of Table 4-2 (Centreville Population Growth Table). The Town should
ensure that as annexations occur the official Priority Funding Area maps are certified by
the Maryland Department of Planning. Current Priority Funding Areas are depicted on
Figure 3 (Centreville Planning Area).
The Growth Areas generally include parcels of land contiguous to the east and west
sides of the current Town boundaries. It is anticipated that growth pressures will occur,
for the most part, on the Rte. 301 side of Centreville, due to the multiple road
connections. Most of the Growth Areas are in this area. Current growth patterns in and
near the Town support this premise. The Town anticipates a phased approach to
annexation: phase one would include Growth Areas 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8; phase two Growth
Areas, numbers 3, 5, 7, and 9, would be annexed subsequently. Emphasis has been
placed on including parcels that are adjacent to existing communities where the pattern
of Town development could readily be extended. An example would be Growth Area 1
north of Hope Road (Rte. 305) where the adjacent grid street pattern could be
replicated, if not extended. Included in the Growth Areas are two parcels which will not
contribute to residential growth, but are added because they are already in use and
should be incorporated into the Town boundary. The school property on Rte. 304
containing the County high school and the middle school is a logical extension
geographically and is already connected to the Town’s water and wastewater systems.
The other parcel is the Town’s wastewater spray irrigation site on the north side of Hope
Road (Rte. 305). This use of the property is not expected to change during the planning
period of this Plan.
Page 25 of 36

Growth Element: Future Growth Areas Summary:
• Areas should develop outward from Town center with logical extension of
utilities.
• Growth Areas should be subject to annexation and be developed as PUD.
• Future roads should be integrated into new development plans.
• Greenways should be reserved and developed with new communities.
• Rte. 304 Mixed-Use corridor should be preserved as a focal area for uses on
frontage road (see Mixed-Use Corridor section following).
• In order to maximize use of available lands, future residential densities in the
Growth Areas should be a minimum of 3.5 dwelling units or more per acre.
Mixed-Use Corridor
1. The Growth Areas that have been discussed earlier in this Chapter have focused on
future residential growth. It is intended that most of the commercial and institutional
uses supporting that growth continue to be centralized in Centreville, including its
Business Park. One exception to that concept acknowledges that the Town is
oriented toward Rte. 301 in many ways, including transportation. There are three
roads in Centreville that provide access to Rte. 301. They are Hope Road (Rte. 305),
Railroad Avenue and Ruthsburg Road (Rte. 304), and Centreville Road (Rte. 213).
One element that makes the Rte. 304 corridor unique is the fact that the Queen
Anne’s County Comprehensive Plan has designated an area on the west side of the
intersection of Rts. 304 and 301 as a County Planned Business Park. The same area is
also shown on the Centreville Plan as a future business park. The precedent for the
Business Park designation is the presence of Tidewater Direct on one parcel on the
west side of the intersection and a truck service center and other industrial uses on
the east side of Rte. 301. Providing a location for similar uses near the intersection is
a logical extension of the precedent.
2. The 2002 Queen Anne’s County Comprehensive Plan noted that Rte. 304 and other
major roads leading into town were in need of access control to avoid strip
development along entrance roadways, and in need of roadside buffers. Given that
a future business park may be established in the area of Tidewater Direct on Rte.
301, it is reasonable to assume that nonresidential growth will be attracted to the
Rte. 304 corridor between Rte. 301 and Centreville. Planning for corridor growth
Page 26 of 36

along Rte. 304 should include providing limited access points along the length from
the Town boundary to Rte. 301. Additionally, this Plan proposes the establishment
of a parallel frontage road on the south side of Rte. 304 connecting the access points
and providing frontage to adjacent parcels of mixed-use development. This form of
development would include medium to high-density housing, institutional, retail,
and service businesses. The Mixed-Use Corridor and the adjacent frontage road
would require approximately 500 feet of depth from the Rte. 304 right-of-way. It is
recommended that the Town consider the adoption of a Mixed-Use Corridor zoning
district for this corridor that would provide for residential, commercial, residential
units over commercial uses, service uses, and institutional uses. Of considerable
importance to the concept of mixed use is design control. Standards for
development should be included with the Mixed-Use Corridor district to ensure
compatibility of uses, buffering where necessary, standardization of street furniture,
landscaping and lighting, façade materials, and building massing.
3. Implementation of a Mixed-Use Corridor district along Rte. 304 east of Centreville
will require the cooperation and coordination of Centreville, Queen Anne’s County,
and the Maryland Department of Transportation. The area of discussion is today
located within the County. While the development of the Mixed-Use corridor is
viewed as being incremental and phased to the advancement of Growth Areas
adjacent, it needs to be preserved in some form. The development of the MUC
should not proceed in advance of adjacent residential development in Growth Areas
4 and 5 and should be master planned with those residential areas. Discussions with
Queen Anne’s County need to occur in order to develop a strategy for implementing
this concept. It is intended that the Growth Areas, and by extension the Mixed-Use
Corridor, become part of the Town and subject to its Zoning Ordinance. Adding
emphasis to this Mixed-Use Corridor concept is the fact that the Queen Anne’s
County Comprehensive Plan of 2002 recommended that Rte. 304 between
Centreville and Rte. 301 be upgraded to four lanes with left turn lanes at key
intersections. Timing of the project was forecasted beyond 2007. In addition, the
County Plan recommended construction of an interchange for Rtes. 301 and 304, the
priority timing of which was 2003 to 2005. Both of these projects are yet to be
initiated but are consistent with the intent of creating a Mixed-Use Corridor along
the southern side of Rte. 304.
Greenbelt
1. A major concept shown in Figure 12 (Future Town Growth Area and Greenbelt) is
that of a greenbelt. A greenbelt is an undeveloped area of land that generally
encircles areas of development that may serve as a transition between differing land
uses. In this case, a greenbelt is being proposed around the Growth Areas that will
Page 27 of 36

in the future define the edges of Centreville and provide a green, natural area
between the Town and the unincorporated portions of Queen Anne’s County.
2. The proposed greenbelt will be capable of performing several different functions.
The ability of a greenbelt to act as a transitional zone is based on it being of a
sufficient depth to effectively intervene between dissimilar uses. Even if the uses on
either side of the greenbelt are similar, it serves to define the edge of the inner area,
in this case the outer limits of Centreville. Once a greenbelt is in place, it may serve
at least two other functions. Centreville, including its future Growth Areas, will need
increased capacity in its sanitary sewer system, both in terms of treatment and
disposal. One favored means of disposal, which is already in use today, is spray
irrigation. Additional lands will be needed to accommodate increased future
growth. A system of linked parcels in a greenbelt around the Town’s Growth Areas
may partially serve as spray irrigation fields. A secondary use of the land being
sprayed may be agriculture.
3. Another potential use for the greenbelt lands is that of passive recreation. This
option would only be available if the greenbelt lands became publicly owned. It
should be noted that the preservation tools listed below typically assume private
ownership. Public entities, however, always have the option of purchasing the lands
for a public purpose. If publicly owned, the extent of passive recreation should be
trails, nature preserves, and similar nonintrusive activities. An informal trail network
encircling Centreville and its Growth Areas would be an asset to the community and
could be coordinated with similar regional trail systems. Use of the greenbelt for
active recreational lands is not deemed desirable in that such a use would tend to
“blur” the edges of the Town.
4. Acquisition of greenbelt lands could occur in a variety of ways, all of which are
consistent with the ways a municipality could acquire lands for conservation and
preservation. In this case, however, the lands are intended to be contiguous in
specific locations. This Plan proposes and illustrates on Figure 12 (Future Town
Growth Area and Greenbelt) the assembly of numerous parcels into a future
greenbelt. Those parcels total 3,183 gross acres. The following is a discussion of
various techniques which could be used in combination or individually:
a) Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program has been created to redirect State funds into
focused and dedicated land preservation programs that have been designed to
limit the adverse impacts of sprawl on agricultural and natural resources areas.
The funds may be used to purchase conservation easements on large tracts
under development pressure. The program is targeted to lands where public
access and use is needed. Local governments and land trusts are encouraged to
apply for these funds which may be combined with other sources. A Rural
Legacy Board in the Department of Natural Resources reviews applications.
Page 28 of 36

Consistency with the County Comprehensive Plan is a criteria for the granting of
funds. Queen Anne’s County has used the program for two areas along the
Chester River.
b) Private Conservation Easements can be another means to protect agricultural
and environmentally sensitive lands from development. Private land trusts, such
as the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy and Maryland Environmental Trust, have
assisted landowners in Queen Anne’s County in the establishment of easements
to assure continued preservation of these lands. Advantages to be gained
include tax reductions, perpetual preservation, and continued use of the land
within guidelines.
c) Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation has operated an agricultural
lands preservation program in the State since its creation in 1977. Its programs
have been applied to over 200,000 acres of farmland in Maryland and it is one of
the leading programs nationally. Funds are available for the purchase of
easements for lands that qualify. In 2003, a report prepared for the General
Assembly recommended specific changes to the program. These
recommendations related to targeting farms in rural communities and making
allowances for nonagricultural uses to supplement the farm income. Important
to the selection process is the need for the counties to institute a Priority
Preservation Areas designation. From a funding standpoint, the General
Assembly report recommended the increased use of bond funds to operate the
program.
d) The Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) can also be a means to preserve lands
that would otherwise be subject to increased value and taxes due to
development potential. If the land is located in a designated “sending area,”
the owner may sell the development rights to another party who would apply
those rights to lands that would be classified as being in a “receiving” area of the
jurisdiction. Sending areas are lands that are determined to have qualities
worthy of preservation. Receiving areas are designated at having adequate
infrastructure for development and are viewed as growth areas. Lands within the
proposed greenbelt are located within Queen Anne’s County, which has
transferable development rights provisions in its zoning ordinance.
e) Open Space Impact Fees imposed on parcels within the Growth Areas could be
enacted through joint agreement of the Town and County. These would be
conditions placed on designated parcels that would generate fees for the
acquisition of greenbelt lands when development within the Growth Area was
proposed. The collection and administration of these fees would be done by the
Town.
Page 29 of 36

The establishment of a greenbelt around the Town of Centreville will take many years to
implement and will involve the cooperation of the Town and County in order to be
effective. It is not intended that the implementation of the greenbelt be forced upon the
landowners but that participation in any of the above programs be voluntary. As such, it
is important that the Town and the County maintain an active educational program that
presents the above alternatives to the landowners subject to the greenbelt. The Town
and the County should institute a Greenbelt Implementation Committee to provide
awareness of such programs and to actively monitor the progress of the greenbelt
implementation.
County Business Park
The 1998 Community Plan for Centreville included narrative and mapping for a County
Planned Business Park on the western side of the intersection of Rts. 301 and 304, as
discussed earlier in the Mixed-Use Corridor section. This designation has been carried
forward into this Plan and is to remain a valid concept for the County. There is
precedent for such a Business Park at this location because of the industrial uses on the
east side of the intersection and the printing company to its north. Future planning for
the County Business Park should include a vegetated buffer along Rts. 304 and 301.
Zoning
The most important implementation tool for accomplishing recommendations of this
chapter of the Community Plan is the Centreville Zoning Ordinance. As currently
configured, the Ordinance establishes the following residential, commercial, and
industrial zoning districts:
Page 30 of 36

TABLE 4-1
Zoning Districts
Minimum Maximum
Lot Size, Density,
Zoning District Description Square feet Per acre
R-1, Residential Single Family Detached 15,000 3
R-2, Residential Single Family Detached 8,000 5
R-3, Residential Single Family Detached 7,000 6
Duplex 5,000 6
Townhouse 1,800 8
Apartment n/a 8
CBD, Central Business --- --- ---
C-2, General Commercial --- --- ---
C-3, Intense Commercial --- --- ---
I-1, Light Industrial --- --- ---
Floating Zones
PUD, Planned Unit Development District
PBD, Planned Business Development District
PRA, Planned Redevelopment Area
CAOZ, Critical Area Overlay District:
IDA, Intensely Developed Areas
LDA, Limited Development Areas
RCA, Resource Conservation Areas
GA, Growth Allocation District
Proposed Zoning Districts
The Centreville Zoning Ordinance and the various zoning districts provided for within
the Ordinance offer a wide variety of development options based on the geometry
imposed by the standards. This Community Plan recommends that future development
within the Town and its adjacent Growth Areas occur in a manner consistent with five
proposed zoning districts.
1. Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND). The distinguishing features of a
TND are grid street patterns, shallow front yards, use of alleys for rear access,
significant public open spaces, and a strong pedestrian orientation. The density of
Page 31 of 36

development has been projected to be about 3.5 dwelling units per acre, a figure
that has been established by the State to meet Priority Funding Area requirements.
This form of development is highly compatible with small, traditional towns and is
readily adaptable to both infill and contiguous growth areas. Implicit to TND
development are design standards, since the bulk and area regulations of traditional
zoning districts will not accomplish what is desired in the proposed Growth Areas.
Design standards provide parameters for many physical attributes of land
development, both residential and nonresidential. In order to implement a TND
program, design standards would have to be formulated that would apply to all
development within such districts. Such regulations would need to be formulated in
conjunction with the adoption of a TND zoning district or overlay district. Design
guidelines should address the physical qualities of proposed TND development,
including building massing, façade materials, circulation, street furniture, parking,
lighting, signage, and other features. Design aspects subject to standards could be
density, street and alley pattern, lot orientation and configuration, architectural
character, building and trim materials, street furniture, landscaping, fencing,
buffering, signage, and other similar aspects of the physical layout of a community.
2. Mixed-Use Development (MUD). The MUD district is envisioned to be applied to the
area between Banjo Lane and Little Hut Drive on both sides of the railroad right-of-
way. It is intended that this new zoning district permit apartments, attached housing,
and a limited amount of commercial development. There should be a significant
open space requirement and design standards addressing landscaping, lighting,
architectural character, vehicular and pedestrian circulation, parking, and street
furniture. The residential density in this zoning district should be between 8 and 10
dwelling units per acre, in addition to one or more areas being designated for
commercial business.
The intent of the MUD is to have an urban character, where residents can walk to
nearby services, offices, and employment. Its intended location contiguous to the
CBD is the basis for the intended density and the character of development. Design
standards will be necessary to integrate multiple residential forms and any
commercial development. Similar to the other proposed zoning districts, design
guidelines will be needed to address those aspects of a MUD that make it part of the
urban pattern. The guidelines should address circulation, paving materials,
landscaping and buffering, lighting, and signage.
3. Planned Unit Development (PUD). The proposed PUD zoning district is intended to
have wide application in the implementation of the future Growth Areas. Each
Growth Area is intended to be developed in accordance with this district. A
residential density of 3.5 dwelling units per gross acre is intended. Development is
intended to include a variety of residential housing forms and in some limited cases,
commercial uses. Cluster forms of layout should be required. The provisions of this
Page 32 of 36

district would be applied to each Growth Area and would be a condition of
annexation.
The current Town Zoning Ordinance includes a PUD district as a Floating Zone
permitted in the R-1, R-2, and R-3 districts. It is the intent of this Community Plan to
create a PUD zoning district as a primary district that would allow various
combinations of housing and limited nonresidential uses according to established
standards. Standards would need to be created to allow for a mixture of housing
types and limits for nonresidential uses. The PUD needs to be a primary district in
order to assure that its standards are employed as opposed to traditional land
development in the current residential zoning districts, particularly R-1 and R-2. It is
recommended that the size of parcel be used in determining the housing types
permitted, with a larger parcel having more options than a smaller one.
4. Central Business District (CBD). The CBD of Centreville is that part of the Town that
encompasses the offices and commercial uses in the downtown area, generally
around the courthouses. The CBD is distinct from other districts that permit similar
uses in that the density is such that parking is almost always off-site. Any proposed
building placement on lots should reflect the pattern of curbs, sidewalks, and front
façades where the only setback is the sidewalk itself. Unique standards should apply
to building form and materials, signage, landscaping, and lighting. Permitted uses
include government offices and related facilities, small scale retail, and residences
located over first floor commercial uses.
The current Centreville Zoning Ordinance contains a Central Business District (CBD)
zoning district. It permits a variety of uses, including apartments with commercial
uses on the ground level. This Plan proposes revisions to the CBD primary zoning
district that will accommodate the uses noted above in a form consistent with the
existing pattern of development in the mapped area. Area standards and design
guidelines will be needed to address building massing, lot placement, and other site
design issues. The major modification to the CBD district is the establishment of
design guidelines to perpetuate the historic character expressed in the district,
through building massing, materials, façade treatments, and relationship to the
street pattern.
5. Centreville Town Center (CTC). The CTC district is peripheral to the CBD, yet also
centered around the major transportation corridor in the Town. The creation of this
zoning district is recommended to acknowledge that there are distinctions between
most residential areas within Centreville and that those residences along Liberty and
Commerce Streets are unique by location and conversion pressures. The Town
Center designation is depicted on Figure 11, Future Town Land Use. The intent of
this district is to permit the conversion of residences, either completely or partially,
into office or limited commercial use. In order to accommodate this mixture of uses,
Page 33 of 36

design standards will be needed to address typical site planning issues, as well as
hours of operation, buffering, and parking.
In order to permit the conversion of residences in the CTC district, it is important to
realize that not all residents will wish to be converted. Therefore, standards will need
to be established to allow for the interface of somewhat dissimilar uses. Care will
need to be exercised in the creation of buffering standards, setback requirements,
and parking regulations. Another aspect of this district is the need to regulate hours
of operation in order to minimize conflicts over noise and lighting. Signage should
be of a size appropriate to a residential community, rather than that of roadside
commercial uses. The issue of whether a residence would be allowed a complete
conversion or merely partial will need community input.
This Community Plan has recommended many land uses and related design standards
that do not currently exist in the Town Zoning Ordinance or are in need of modification.
Those being recommended include the following:
• TND (Traditional Neighborhood Development)
• MUD (Mixed-Use Development)
• PUD (Planned Unit Development)
• CBD (Central Business District)
• CTC (Centreville Town Center)
• MUC (Mixed-Use Corridor)
Capacity Analysis
Table 4-2 (Centreville Population Growth Table) represents the calculation of dwelling
units capable of being placed on each Infill Area and Growth Area. From the total gross
acreage of each parcel, a deduction was made for the presence of forested land,
wetlands, floodplains, and streams. The resulting net acreage was then multiplied by 3.5
dwellings per acre (with the exception of Infill Area 1 for which 8.0 dwellings per acre
was used) to achieve a total of dwelling units per parcel, resulting in 5,698 additional
housing units and additional population of 13,675. Figures 11 (Future Town Land Use)
and 12 (Future Town Growth Area and Greenbelt) illustrate the locations of Infill and
Growth Areas.
Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) Capacity Analysis
The MDP has prepared a document entitled “Draft Centreville Development Capacity
Analysis,” dated April 12, 2007. This document and the accompanying table and map
have been included in this Community Plan as Appendix D. Several points are worth
noting in this portion of the chapter on Centreville’s Land Use Concept. The first is that
Page 34 of 36

the totals reached by MDP and those of this Community Plan differ by only 10 housing
units, out of totals near 5,700 housing units. The second point is that the methods used
to arrive at these conclusions differ in their assumptions. For instance, the Plan’s
projections for Growth Areas 3 and 4 were based on a future situation where higher
density housing would be allowed after annexation, contrary to current deed restrictions.
The MDP model projected only limited low-density growth in these two areas.
Additionally, the MDP model projected infill growth on individual lots now unoccupied
within the current Town limits. The Plan’s methodology chose not to evaluate individual
circumstances for these lots, recognizing that some would be developed and would be
accounted for as background growth. Other differences occurred because of the
manner in which sensitive lands were factored into the process. See Appendix D for the
MDP report, which is offered as a comparison to that of this Plan.
Summary
This chapter of the Centreville Community Plan has addressed the qualities of
Centreville that relate to land use. Its small town characteristics include a historic central
business district, surrounding commercial businesses, and residential communities. The
size of Centreville and the grid street pattern make vehicular and pedestrian circulation
convenient. Issues facing the Town are the condition of buildings in several sectors, the
availability of parking, and decentralization of the Town by new commercial
developments on its periphery. Retention of the high quality aspects of Centreville will
entail ensuring that infill and redevelopment of land within the Town occurs in a positive
manner and contributes to the community visually, functionally, and economically. The
Central Business District needs to focus on diversity of uses to create a balanced
community. Techniques such as adopting a Main Street Program should be investigated
for potential benefits to the Town.
Future growth has been projected to occur in phases, growing outward from the Town
Center. Expanded development areas should be designed to amplify the qualities of
Centreville and be connected to it by a network of greenways and collector roads.
Recommendations have been made to use design standards for future development
and specifically to incorporate Traditional Neighborhood Development standards in
order to preserve open space and create sustainable communities. Centreville should
encourage residential development that is affordable to all citizens. Growth of
residential, commercial, and industrial areas will occur and the Town needs to be
mindful of its commitment to make the Centreville of the future as good a place in which
to live and work as it has been.
Page 35 of 36

Table 4-2
Centreville Population Growth Table
Gross Acres Sensitive Acres Net Acres Density (du/ac) Housing Units Population (2.4/du)
2004 Population (MD. est.) 2534
2006 Population (adjusted) 2872
Infill Area One 66 30 36 8.0 288 691
Infill Area Two 44 9 35 3.5 122 293
Infill Area Three 43 17 26 3.5 91 218
Infill Area Four 39 16 23 3.5 80 192
Infill Area Five 61 18 43 3.5 150 360
Infill Subtotals 253 90 163 731 1754
Growth Area One 281 72 209 3.5 731 1754
Growth Area Two 86 33 53 3.5 185 444
Growth Area Three 102 3 99 3.5 346 830
Growth Area Four 341 50 291 3.5 1018 2443
Growth Area Five 294 48 246 3.5 861 2066
Growth Area Six 109 18 91 3.5 318 763
Growth Area Seven 202 55 147 3.5 514 1234
Growth Area Eight 169 9 160 3.5 560 1344
Growth Area Nine 136 12 124 3.5 434 1042
Growth Area Subtotals 1720 300 1420 4967 11921
TOTALS 1973 390 1583 5698 13675
Centreville Community Plan 4-28 December 12, 2007