St. Leonard Community Vision Meeting

St. Leonard Community Vision Meeting
April 23, 2002

Composite Results

Question 1. What are the special qualities, values or assets of St. Leonard?

Good neighbors
Citizen participation
Village quality
Rural
Good education facilities

Central location in County provides easy access to other county facilities
Approximate location to beaches
Feeling of safety
Tavern, pool, meeting of locals
Community services

Auction house
Polling House
Streetscape
Parks
--Flag Pond
--Flag Harbor
--Patterson Park
Rural Qualities
--Nice small town feel

Clean beaches
2 great liquor stores
Good people
Relaxed laid-back
Original stores (Buelher’s)with history

Small, friendly, local home
Family oriented
Nice cross-section of communities
Residential rural community
Family grocery store
P.O. (personal)
Not a lot of abandoned properties
Lots of potential
Unpolluted environment
Dominated by bay on one side and river on the other
Local school
American Chestnut Land Trust (trails, boy scouts, families)

Historical structures
Parks, Flag Pond, Garden of Remembrance, JPPM
Good population with need to serve diverse pop.
Willingness to take care and participate in community
# of residents who have grown up in the area

Small town atmosphere
--Minimal traffic—no traffic lights
Beautiful green trees and rolling hills
Boating
Beautiful beach: Nice marina
Low crime
Pretty scenery—likes idea of coming streetscape

Closeness to Calvert Cliffs and Flag ponds
Likes combination of rural farms mixed in with community
Friendliness of people
Glad to see excitement of newcomers as well as old timers
Elementary school

People who work here also live here
Heritage of Town
Fire Department
People who live here stay here

· History – Chesapeake Bay and Patuxant River
· Diverse area
· Rural nature
· Sense of community
· Small town center
· Casual atmosphere in town center. Easy access to elected officials and citizens
· Location to metro centers, DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, etc.
· Home atmosphere, quiet, low crime
· Close to Chesapeake Bay
· Close to Jefferson Patterson Park, Flag Pond Nature Center, American Chestnut Land Trust
· Merchants contribute to access of goods

· Patuxant River Naval Base, Power plant – employment opportunities
· Schools – two elementary schools
· Firehouse – safety aspect and close
· Quick response with rescue squad and VFD
· Jefferson Patterson Park Festivals and activities
· Quiz Night at Boyle’s Tavern

· Auction House
· Less traffic at night
· Ball fields and recreational areas (3rd location)


Question #2. What are your most important needs or concerns about the future of St. Leonard?

More local services
Restaurant and support for it
Professional offices
Youth social/ activity and community center/ library
More roads and traffic control from the East
Annual festival/ St. Leonard’s Day

Community information publication
Telecommunicating center
Improve appearance of buildings
Public sewer to take care of failing systems
Traffic
Sidewalks (into communities)

Close amenities for young people
Dowell House Capacity (too small)
Rec Center (indoor)
Restaurant (Gathering area)
Quality Bakery
Parking for Town Center

Neighborhood Swimming Pool (YMCA)
Woodburns (Food store)
Do not become too urban
Traffic safety w/Round About
18 Wheelers on Calvert Beach Road
--Beside Power Lines and Firehouse

Keep it the way we expressed—“most important thing said”
Some place to eat
Won’t be able to change—has to change
--sustainable
--thriving town center coexist (bus and res. Demds)
Several restaurants have gone out of business in same area
Over reliance on particular product services
Dealing with conflicting ideas
Bigger P.O.

Parking (head in) traffic and street control dangerous
Parking off street\
Pleasing business vs. residents (balance)
Developing partnerships
Do Not Litter Signs. Better awareness of keeping roadsides clean
Do something with vacant gas station
Improve storefront appearances of Town
No need for Target or chain stores or restaurant
Parking lot for van carriers, etc.
Attractive and quality signs

· Second access from Long Beach and Calvert Beach (one road now)
· Mosquito control
· Increase growth may lead to increase crime
· Maintaining small town atmosphere
· Controlled growth for St. Leonard (as compared to Waldorf and Prince Frederick)

· No more convenience or fast-stop stores
· Encourage local owned businesses
· Interesting businesses
· Public recreation – bike trails, tennis courts, community center
· Water access is needed for beach area and boating access, St. Leonard Creek, Bay and River
· Current parcel of 11 acres is now available south of town

· Sewage treatment needs upgraded
· Storm water management after water leaves property
· Restaurants – not fast food, sit down type moderate price, and family oriented atmosphere and clean.
· Approval of South Creek Rural Legacy Area to protect rural character of the area between Island Creek to Hungerford Creek
· Access to public water

· Off shore duck hunting in close proximity to occupied houses (hunting is not opposed – safety concern)
· Deer problem - too many
· Trash on Calvert Beach and other roads
· Light pollution
· Improved motel

· Affordable housing is needed
· Use of empty town buildings such as Sunoco
· Noise ordinance needed or needs enforced
· Neighborhood watch is needed in some areas and is good in other areas
· Adequate standards and security for special types of housing complexes


Question #3. What are short-term actions (2-12 months) actions should the community take to make St. Leonard a better place to live in, work in, or visit?

Develop a St. Leonard information packet
Better utilization of Dowell House
Start Planning Festival
Continued community involvement
Community involvement in Streetscape planting
St. Leonard website

Listing of upcoming events (future)
Summary of each meeting
Consolidation/ link to County website
Central location for Community Bulletin Board
St. Leonard Day

Eliminate Long-term parking for:
--cars for sale
--overnight parking
--moving vans (Tom Surles)
Clean up streets, etc—also road sides (Karen Dellinger, Fred, Judy, Dotty, Virginia)
Will Streetscape include flowers as well as trees? (Nancy Worster)
Christmas Caroling at Polling House
Communications in newspaper about coming happenings
Revival of St. Leonard Fiesta
Move up 2nd access priority
--put under capital improvements

Advocate for priorities
Solve septic problems in beach area
--failing systems
Infrastructure
--road, cable
Continue committee dialogue
Hold community spirit
--building event
Increase awareness and identify assets
Study/ visit similar areas to get ideas
Maintain uniqueness
Publicize historical and other sites to increase awareness of assets

Do more with Polling House
--voting
--garden
--events

Have information center
Get historical designations
· Trash – community clean-up day, Earth Day, Adopt-a-Highway, community effort
· St. Leonard’s Citizens Association
· Regular Town meeting

· Public better informed of business, zoning, concept plans for St. Leonard
· Car owners using Transmission line right of way as a used car lot and sale of vehicles – looks trashy
· Visual arts and public arts tie in to the park scape of the town
· Enforcement of speed limit in town on 765, especially with motorcycles and on Calvert Beach road
· Signage on road for speed reduction

· Utilize citizen process for growth
· Planning for employment opportunities to get something started
· Planning for Art Gallery and Art shop
· Community pool that is heated, indoor and has a Jacuzzi
· Starbucks with the pool


Question #4. Who is interested and willing to help with these actions?

Clients:
State
County
Residents*
Federal
Businesses*
Faith community
School
Civic and community organizations
Youth
Senior citizen
Commuters

Focus groups