LA PLATA, Md. — Charles County residents will have two opportunities in January to weigh in on proposed development projects, including a small residential subdivision and a planned Sheetz convenience store and gas station, according to public notices issued this week.
The Charles County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Jan. 12, 2026, to consider a preliminary subdivision plan known as Liberty Bell, while the county’s Board of Appeals is scheduled to hear a special exception request Jan. 13, 2026, tied to the construction of a Sheetz store with fuel sales along U.S. Route 301.
The Planning Commission hearing on the Liberty Bell project is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 12 and will take place in the Government Building Conference Room, commonly referred to as the Blue Room, as well as via video teleconference. The hearing will be open to the public, and residents are encouraged to provide testimony either in person or virtually.
The Liberty Bell application, filed as PSP-250001, proposes a residential subdivision consisting of five single-family homes. The project site is located near the intersection of Smallwood Church Road and Mason Springs Road, also known as Maryland Route 425. The property is zoned Village Commercial.
In addition to the preliminary subdivision plan, the applicant is seeking approval of a modification under Section 278-104 of the county’s Subdivision Regulations, commonly referred to as a Mod104. If approved, the modification would allow the five proposed one-acre lots to be served by a private drive rather than a public roadway, a deviation from standard subdivision requirements outlined in Section 278-80B(1).
County officials said limited in-person seating will be available for the hearing. Residents who cannot attend in person may watch the meeting live on CCGTV through Comcast channel 95 or Verizon FIOS channel 10, or via an online livestream. A call-in option will also be available for those who wish to listen by phone.
Public testimony for the Planning Commission hearing will be limited to three minutes per speaker. Virtual speakers must register in advance, and county officials noted that if a registered speaker is not available when called, the commission may move on to the next participant. Instructions for virtual participation and other ways to submit comments are available on the county’s website.
Documents related to the Liberty Bell proposal are scheduled to be available for public review beginning Dec. 17, 2025, through the Department of Planning and Growth Management or online. Questions about the project may be directed to Melissa Hively, a planner with the county.
The following evening, Jan. 13, 2026, the Charles County Board of Appeals will hold a separate public hearing focused on a proposed Sheetz convenience store and fueling station. The hearing is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and will be conducted in person only, with no virtual attendance option.
The Sheetz request, filed under Special Exception SPEX-250002 and listed as Docket No. 1475, was submitted by Jeff Parana on behalf of Charles County Resource Investors LLC. The application seeks approval for motor vehicle fuel sales associated with a commercial use exceeding 3,500 square feet, as defined in the county’s zoning ordinance.
According to the public notice, the proposal calls for construction of a 6,132-square-foot food and beverage convenience store, along with five multi-product gas dispensers providing a total of 10 fueling positions. The site is located at the corner of northbound U.S. Route 301, also known as Crain Highway, and Pembrooke Square.
The property address is listed as 11355 Pembrooke Square and is identified as Tax Map 15, Grid 2, Parcel 643, Lot 1. The overall parcel contains about eight acres, though approximately 1.9 acres are subject to the special exception request. The site is zoned Central Business and is within the Highway Corridor overlay district.
The Board of Appeals hearing will take place in the Charles County Government Building Auditorium at 200 Baltimore St. in La Plata. As with the Planning Commission hearing, public testimony will be limited to three minutes per speaker. Residents may register in advance to speak or submit written comments through the county’s online portal.
County officials said a full recording of the Board of Appeals hearing will be available for viewing the following business day on the county’s cablecast website. Documents related to the Sheetz application, which was originally filed May 13, 2025, are expected to be available for public inspection on or after Dec. 29, 2025, both in person at the Department of Planning and Growth Management and online.
Both public notices state that if either meeting is canceled due to inclement weather or other events beyond the county’s control, the items scheduled for consideration will be rescheduled for a later date.