Facilities Master Plan - 2012 - Chesapeake College

Chesapeake College January 2012 Facilities Master Plan UpdateFOREST CONSERVATIONEXISTING CONDITIONSDuring the approval process for the Caroline College Center addition and renovation, the Queen Anne’s CountyPlanning and Zoning Department required that the college address forest conservation for the proposed project, butnot the entire existing campus. Of the 9.77 acres of existing forest on campus, 6.81 acres was placed in a forestconservation easement. The majority of this forest is located in the ravine on the south end of campus, into whichthe primary stormwater pond discharges. The unencumbered area of forest is the relatively flat area south of thetennis courts and water tower.ANALYSISIt is difficult to extrapolate the previous forest conservation analysis to determine what effect it might have on futuredevelopment, because it only analyzed the proposed project, not the entire site. If this same methodology is appliedin the future, it would allow for a project area of 7.41 acres, at which point, the entire 9.77 acres of forest would needto be placed in a forest conservation easement. Any area in excess of 7.41 would presumably require a portion ofthe site to be afforested.RECOMMENDATIONSDue to the uniqueness of this site, all we can recommend at this time is to be aware that an analysis of forestconservation will need to be performed with any project that creates new floor area, and possibly with any project thatcreates any additional impervious area. This should be addressed at the time if site plan submittal to the County forreview.6-14