Queen Anne’s County Commissioners Announce Plans to Proceed with Condemnation of Property for Future Recreation Center 

The County Commissioners of Queen Anne’s County have approved a resolution confirming their prior authorization to file and pursue condemnation proceedings for a 14-acre property located north of US Route 50 in Chester. The site, owned by Jemal’s Kent Narrows, L.L.C., carries a current state tax assessment valuation of $4.05 million and is being considered for the construction of a new County recreation center and related amenities. Despite the proximity of this property in the Kent Narrows, it does not directly border public waters and does not have direct water access. A prior owner subdivided the original waterfront areas and dedicated it to an environmental preservation group.  

The Commissioners authorized the filing of condemnation proceedings after the County and the property owner were unable to reach a good faith agreement on the terms for purchase.  Jemal’s asking price for the property was $25 million. Jemal later granted access to the property to allow a licensed third-party appraiser to evaluate and provide an independent, certified valuation of the property and improvements. The appraised value was determined to be $5.87 million.  

The action confirms the County’s intent to acquire the property through the exercise of eminent domain to advance this important public project. The planned recreation center is envisioned to expand access to indoor recreational opportunities, provide community programming space, and support long-term health and wellness needs for residents.  This location is considered ideal with direct access to the Cross Island trail along with other related amenities situated in the Kent Narrows, including recreational boating activities, hotels, restaurants and direct access from Maryland 18 and Route 50. The property has been largely vacant and unused since it was acquired by the current owner in 1999.     

In 2010, the property was the subject of a concept plan proposing a mixed-use development that included more than 110,000 square feet of retail, 58,000 square feet of office space, a 112-room hotel, and 221 commercial apartment units supported by structured parking. This initial concept plan was reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission in April 2010. 

A second concept plan was submitted in 2019, reflecting a significant shift in the project’s composition. While the amount of proposed commercial square footage decreased substantially, the number of residential units increased to 396 apartment units, again with parking garages. The Planning Commission approved this revised concept plan in February 2019, along with associated requests including shore buffer reductions and bonus building height allowances.

 Neither of these concepts were moved further along to formal site plan review, by choice of the developer, and did not go in front of the County Commissioners for consideration.  They also did not reach the point of requesting the additional sewer capacity needed for either of their development concepts.  

In addition to these development proposals, the property was included on the County’s 2019 Tax Increment Financing (TIF) project list when the applicant was in discussions with the County regarding potential infrastructure improvements with the anticipation of breaking ground in 2020. The County had offered a public-private partnership to financially assist with infrastructure upgrades to support the 2019 concept; however, Jemal chose not to advance his project. 

 While several development concepts for the property have been reviewed and approved by the Planning Commission over the years, only one proposal reached the County Commissioners for consideration:   Citizen-Sponsored Text Amendment 23-02, submitted in 2023 by Jemal. This amendment sought to change zoning regulations by increasing allowable residential density and reducing commercial requirements within the Waterfront Village Center District. The Commissioners held a public hearing on the proposal but took no action. Prior to this submission, Jemal proposed Citizen-Sponsored Text Amendment 22-07. This amendment also sought to increase residential density in the Waterfront Village Center District but was withdrawn by the applicant following Planning Commission approval. All other plans, specifically the 2010 and 2019 concept plans, were decisions made at the Planning Commission level and did not require approval by the County Commissioners.

 More information and plans for next steps will be announced at a future date.

 List of meetings for reference:

Concept Plan #04-09-06-0004-C – Planning Commission April 8, 2010

Minutes https://www.qac.org/DocumentCenter/View/24730/April-8-2010-Planning-Commission-Minutes , Video not available online (2010)

Concept Plan #17090003-C – Planning Commission, 2/14/2019, https://videoplayer.telvue.com/player/AbfNhigIqnG-4roGCxaFupXEKfme9dfT/playlists/6306/media/902816 

County Ordinance 22-07 - Planning Commission 6/9/22, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxFGcXlDyOU, 3:57:34 – 4:48:05

County Ordinance 23-02 - Planning Commission 4/13/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMQOyTXsdq4, 15:23 – 1:29:16

County Ordinance 23-02 County Commissioner Meeting 7/25/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M86xIkJ4LFA&t=5207s, 0:48 – 23:39

County Ordinance 23-02 County Commissioner Meeting 11/14/23, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClcA4cR9hVc, Public Comment - 7:06 – 15:33, Vote - 

1:02:04

SDAT – Department of Assessments and Taxation https://sdat.dat.maryland.gov/RealProperty/Pages/viewdetails.aspx?County=18&SearchType=ACCT&District=04&AccountNumber=067436