Growth Slow in Lexington Park & South
Close to half of the commercial properties in Lexington Park and southward have fallen in value during the past three years, even though the overall cash value of all commercial properties in the area showed an 8 percent since 2012.
Maryland property is assessed every three years. The 2015 assessment included the 1st and 8th Districts of St. Mary’s County. While the growth is modest compared to the state average of value hike of 18.6 percent, it is also the first time since 2009 these cash values in St. Mary’s Couty weren’t falling.
Residential property value was a great deal more modest than that, showing less than a 1.5 percent increase from 2012.
Both Gate 2 and Gate 3 to NAS Patuxent River has closed since the last assessment and commercial and residential vacancy rates are growing down Great Mills Road and Lexington Park neighborhoods nearest the base and along the southbound Route 235 corridor.
Patuxent Park, a historic mixed-use, residential/office neighborhood between Great Mills Road and Pegg Road, is stalled in the years overdue road and utility upgrade project. The neighborhood was built by sailors in the 1940s and some still operate service businesses downstairs and maintain residential accommodations upstairs. But fewer properties are being renovated than those showing wear, vacancies and vandalism is increasing, and this year’s assessments had some of their values falling by double-digits.
Only two businesses have sought planning commission approval this fiscal year, which began July 1, 2014. Lime Lounge at Twist Liquors received building approval for a 1,400 square foot lounge on northbound Route 235 across the highway from San Souci Shopping Center. And in January 2015 Kremelong Pharmacy received building permission for a 1,574 square foot business at 21728 Great Mills Road.
No approvals have yet been issued this fiscal year for new residential or commercial development south of the base in the other communities down Route 235 or Route 5 that were reassessed this year.
We could make our land more valuable if we used our assets wisely and promoted the things that would benefit even others beyond our community. The economy based on the military needs some adjustment. St. Mary’s can still build our economy around technology, but not primarily military. It is not a healthy thing that wars and weaponry drives our whole country’s economy. There are many peaceful applications for technology, with renewable energy, up to date mass transit, and communication heading the lists of things that come to my mind. These things are possible with nurturing right here in St. Mary’s. Money just contributed to this education is a good start. We have miles of shorelines and with that are tides that come and go on a regular basis. Why is this not utilized for energy? We have decent rainfall, but we suck the aquifers dry while rainwater runs off taking our land with it. Why not save that water somehow? We have decent sun light upon which each household could run their home handsomely with solar panels. Why not find ways to support that and give much more meaningful incentives to improve energy savings in our homes? We have some now, but they do not do enough. With the millions spent on weaponry and the support of fossil fuel energy companies abroad, who are not even “American”, why not divert some of that to our own immediate energy safety?