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 opportunities for preservation and protection; public opportunities 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 opportunities for recreation, commercial, recreation, commercial, and and opportunities for industrial development. development. industrial 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 W aterfront aterfront Sector using 31.6 acres of Critical Area Growth using 31.6 acres of Critical Area Growth Sector 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 over 1700 acres. over 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, public access public access partnerships, market realities,

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