Preserve Davidsonville’s Rural Character — Oppose Rezoning from Rural Agriculture to C-4 Highway Commercial

Davidsonville is a historic rural crossroads community defined by open fields, woodlands, and low-density development. The proposal to rezone the Homestead Gardens property from RA to C4 Highway Commercial would fundamentally alter this rural identity.

C4 zoning is intended for large, auto-oriented commercial corridors—not small rural towns. It allows buildings up to 72 feet tall and enables high-intensity commercial uses such as big-box stores and strip malls. This is not a minor administrative adjustment; it is a shift that opens the door to major commercial development incompatible with the community’s character.

Anne Arundel County’s Office of Planning and Zoning (OPZ), the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC), and the Davidsonville Area Civic Association (DACA) all oppose the rezoning request. Despite this, the applicant (Homestead Gardens) continues to pursue a modified request: 5.5 acres of C4 and 1.5 acres of C1.

The Planning Advisory Board (PAB) has expressed support, claiming the change is needed to bring the property “into compliance.” However, OPZ has clarified multiple times that Homestead Gardens is already fully zone compliant while remaining in the current Rural Agriculture (RA) zoning. No rezoning is required for the business to continue operating.

Representatives for Homestead Gardens have stated varying and inconsistent reasons for the request—including the need for zoning compliance (rebutted by OPZ), the need to secure financing (despite already holding more than $11 million in loans acquired between 2019–2023), having “no specific plans at the moment,” and acknowledging they face “no problems really” operating under the current zoning.

Key Concerns

1. Erosion of Rural Character

Davidsonville’s defining landscape would be overshadowed by large parking areas, tall commercial structures, and dense retail activity. C4 zoning is fundamentally incompatible with a rural crossroads community and would permanently alter the area’s visual and cultural character.

2. Massive Leap from Rural Agriculture to C4

RA zoning protects the area’s quiet, low-density nature. C4 zoning permits intense commercial activities, including grocery stores, telecommunications towers, and nightclubs.
A single C4 approval sets a precedent that other property owners will inevitably follow, putting the entire rural landscape at risk.

3. Traffic Congestion and Safety Risks

C4 development generates substantial traffic. Davidsonville’s two-lane rural roads were not designed for commercial volumes. Increased congestion would worsen safety risks—especially near Davidsonville Elementary—and strain aging infrastructure.

4. Misalignment with Plan2040

Anne Arundel County’s Plan2040 emphasizes preservation of rural and historic communities. It directs commercial growth to existing commercial corridors—not rural crossroads like Davidsonville. The proposed rezoning contradicts both county planning goals and decades of local community advocacy.

5. Gateway to South County

Davidsonville is the entry point to South County. Approving C4 here would invite overdevelopment throughout the broader region.

6. Burden on Community Resources

C4 uses typically require public water, sewer, and expanded utilities—systems Davidsonville does not have. Extending such infrastructure would create countywide development pressure and invite further growth well beyond what our rural systems can support.

7. Additional Considerations specific to Homestead Gardens 
 A. Comparisons to Other Sites

No Regional Precedent for C-4 Garden Centers

A review of more than 50 Maryland nursery and garden centers shows:

-No comparable business in Anne Arundel County operates on C4 zoning.

-Competitors such as Greenstreet Gardens and Riva Gardens operate on RA/R1 land without seeking rezoning.

-Even highly commercial operations—like Valley View Farms in Baltimore County—operate under zoning less intense than C4.

-There is no precedent in the region for C4 zoning for a rural garden center.

Homestead Gardens has also stated that the proposed mixed C4/C1/RA zoning is “not what [they] want,” suggesting further rezoning requests may follow if this one is approved.

B. Public Notification and Transparency Concerns

The rezoning request was filed after the standard application window and after the public open houses where such proposals are normally presented.
As a result:

-Residents were deprived of a reasonable opportunity to learn about or respond to the request.

-Homestead Gardens made no visible effort to inform or engage the community prior to the July 2025 filing or before the OPZ, SAC, and PAB meetings from August through early November 2025.

C. Relevant County Actions Supporting Homestead Garden is Compliant in RA Zoning

The County has repeatedly strengthened and expanded rural and agricultural uses permitted under RA zoning, including:

-Bill 75-16: Allowing composting facilities as a conditional use in RA.
-Bill 83-16: Allowing garden centers as conditional uses in RA, RLD, R1, and R2.
-Bill 67-17: Expanding agritourism and exempting certain agricultural buildings from permitting.
-Bill 68-20: Supporting farm alcohol production as a conditional use in RA, RLD, and R1.
-Bill 69-20: Expanding allowable farm and agricultural heritage events in RA.
These measures demonstrate that RA zoning is flexible, accommodating, and fully capable of supporting agricultural businesses like Homestead Gardens—without requiring C-4 commercial zoning.

Call to Action
Davidsonville deserves thoughtful, small-scale development that honors our rural identity—not intensive commercial zoning that threatens to reshape our community.

We urge decision-makers to reject the C4 rezoning request and preserve Rural Agriculture zoning.

Join us in preserving Davidsonville’s heritage for future generations.
Please sign the petition and share your concerns with our District 7 Council Member, Shannon Leadbetter:
SLeadbetter@aacounty.org | (410) 222-2417