The Planning Commission on Nov. 13 provided a unanimous favorable recommendation to the Board of County Commissioners on citizen‑sponsored County Ordinance 25‑12, an amendment proposed by Gunston School to allow limited growth allocation within Resource Conservation Areas (RCA) for nonprofit institutional uses that existed on June 29, 1988.

Stephanie Jones of planning staff told commissioners the amendment is narrowly targeted: it would permit growth allocation only for nonprofit institutional uses that are secondary‑education facilities or youth camps that existed as of 06/29/1988, require that expansions be for the same use and property owner, and limit county‑wide awards for such expansions to a total of 150 acres out of the remaining 458 acres of growth allocation. Jones said the amendment was consistent with the comprehensive plan and had been discussed informally with the Critical Area Commission.

Applicant counsel Ryan Showalter said the language comes largely from staff work during the county's critical‑area rewrite and that Gunston has discussed the amendment with other local camps, which support flexibility to expand when appropriate. ‘‘This is not the camel's nose to convert to a hotel or something else,’’ Showalter said, stressing the proposal is limited to education and youth‑camp uses.

Public comment came from Joe Stevens, representing Hole in the Wall Gang Camps, who supported the amendment but asked for clarifying language so parcels that were institutional in 1988 but later converted to youth‑camp uses also can qualify. Staff said they and the applicant had provided edits addressing that concern. Commissioners moved to recommend the text amendment with the applicant's additional language addressing the Hole in the Wall property on Wye Island and found the change consistent with the county comprehensive plan, the Critical Area Act and the Annotated Code of Maryland. The motion passed unanimously.

The Planning Commission's favorable recommendation will be transmitted to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration and possible adoption.