Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 4, NO. 3 | MARCH 12, 2025

 

VOL. 4, NO. 3  |  MARCH 12, 2025 Frederick City and County News of Interest Please join our monthly email list by clicking here. Learn more about CRG at the bottom of this newsletter. For quick access, click on a title here and jump to that article, below: City: Update on Historic Winchester Homestead Site City & County: Implications of the Mobilize Frederick / Hood Climate Summit City & County: Help Form a Community Climate Action Plan City: Legislative Committee Meetings City: Brickworks Update City: East Street Corridor/East Side Small Area Plan County: Critical Data Infrastructure Ordinance Upcoming Meetings and Events ______________ City: Update on Historic Winchester Homestead Site On Thursday, March 27, 2025, 6PM, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is scheduled to vote on the demolition request for 127 E. 6th Street Frederick, the former B.F. Winchester Homestead site. The developer is requesting demolition of both the historic house and stable/garage on the site. Although the Commission voted 3–1 on December 12, 2024 that the site, in its entirety (including the house and the stable/garage), IS a Contributing Resource in the Historic District, the owner is proceeding with the demolition request and is preparing a legal argument to be presented on March 27th. Citizens in the neighboring community welcome any and all legal advice and/or legal referrals from CRG Newsletter readers toward countering the developer's possible arguments at the March 27th hearing. Please contact Jim Wagner at 301-682-4836 (or click here to email Jim) with those leads, and please also plan to attend the hearing to continue your support for the community and their efforts to preserve this unique, treasured, and historic site. Thank you!    City & County: Implications of the Mobilize Frederick / Hood Climate Summit The 3rd regional Climate Summit was held on February 28–March 1 at Hood College with over 525 registrants and 46 exhibitors. Through multiple keynote and workshop presentations, the Summit’s content showed how responsible growth goes hand-in-hand with reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience in our existing and developing City and County communities. CRG applauds the summit’s organizers and commits to assisting adoption and implementation of the 40 recommendations proposed in the 2021 climate report delivered to City and County officials. Summit and report details are available at www.mobilizefrederick.org — so step up and provide informed suggestions to local officials and staffs on future policies responsive to improving our air, waters, and terrestrial environments! City & County: Help Form a Community Climate Action Plan Frederick County, the City of Frederick, and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) are engaging the community to create Frederick County's first Community-Wide Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP). According to the County website: "The CEAP will map out where our community is at risk, document what we are doing that contributes to the problems, and identify actions we can take to tackle these issues. It will provide a guide for how we can work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and prepare for the impacts a changing climate may have on our people, natural resources, businesses, and infrastructure. The CEAP is a data-driven project built in partnership with stakeholders, based on scientific research, and responsive to feedback from our residents." Read more at https://frederickcountymd.gov/9076/Community-Survey-Tell-Us-What-You-Think. You can get involved in this effort by taking an online survey here, and by attending events listed in the Upcoming Events below. City: Legislative Committee Meetings The new City Council established by adoption of the Charter Review Committee recommendations has created several legislative committees: the Government Operations Committee; Housing, Health, and Education Committee; and Land Use, Public Safety, and Community Development Committee. During twice-monthly committee meetings, policies and legislation are germinated. Agendas and supporting documents are published in advance and residents have an opportunity to weigh in at an early stage in the governing process in-person and virtually (e-comment). Below are highlights of meetings held in February–early March. City Government Operations Committee (GOC) On March 6, the recently formed Government Operations Committee (GOC) of the City Council met to discuss new operational procedures for the 5 City Districts selected in February. The discussion included various aspects of Neighborhood Advisory Councils (NACs) such as numbers per district, Council representation in districts and roles in NACs, and possible overlap of district boundaries, NACs, and Small Area Plans (8 SAPs in the City). The 3 Council members appeared to support postponing any decisions on NAC alignments with district boundaries until the new year when the new City Council will have been elected and begun governing. This would mean that the City-requested NAC recommendations derived from the mayor-established advisory commission begun in February 2023 would neither be considered nor adopted until mid-to-late 2026, 3 to 4 years after the commission was formed. CRG strongly disagrees with this possibility as any action in the current year on the recommendations for a more active NAC community could be easily amended by any new Council in the new year. CRG also disagrees with the GOC that district boundaries, NACs, and SAPs could not be bound within district boundaries as any SAP ought to include as many residents in the NACs and districts of the SAP areas in decisions on plans for their areas — after all, it’s their neighborhoods. Please urge GOC members to choose options for districts, NACs, and SAPs that best reflect the contributions and inputs of all residents of the affected areas! City Housing, Health and Education Committee (CHC) In public meetings held February 20 and March 6, CHC committee members addressed several issues related to their housing focus. Rental Licensing and Affordable Housing Conservation Ordinance: As required, Housing Authority staff presented the annual report of inspections, compliance/non-compliance with the Ordinance, and use of funds. Results from year one document a high compliance rate and, ultimately, only two properties were subject to court procedures. Staff and council members assessed the Ordinance as being successful and anticipate similar results going forward. Discussion focused on use of the $630,536 funds (from license fees) in Ordinance-designated pots of money (i.e., 20% to Tenant Protection; 30% to Rental Assistance; 50% to Affordable Housing). To date, no funds have been utilized and the Committee agreed that, as only one tenant had to relocate while their unit was being repaired, Tenant Protection would be more useful as a part of Rental Assistance, increasing that pot to 50%. The City’s Legal department was charged with drafting changes to the Ordinance to eliminate “Tenant Protection”, increase the Rental Assistance pot to 50%, and include language that assures funds for tenants forced to move housing due to rental ordinance compliance (https://cityoffrederickmd.gov/1588/Rental-Licensing-Ordinance). Housing Policy Work Plan: A matrix of the numerous possible goals for housing was presented to/discussed by committee members, with several highlighted as potential priorities, including homeless services/emergency shelter; incentivizing private sector investment; tax credits; tenant protections; tax incentives, funding mechanisms, community land trusts, realtor education efforts, etc. Overall, members concurred with the proposed housing plan, adding some items for priority attention, including some rent control/rent stabilization programs; affordable housing overlay zones; use of excess City land for affordable housing; supporting generational wealth which emerges from land ownership; shared residences; accessory dwelling units; and status of the MPDU program. The housing plan will be updated based on the committee’s discussion, after which the committee will bring the plan to a subsequent meeting, reach consensus, then move to a public hearing. Side Note: At the March meeting, committee members acknowledged a need to help residents build generational wealth — see discussion above. The last agenda item concerned the private sale of a townhouse on W. 7th Street — an unusual item for a policy making committee. During the discussion, members were confronted with a dilemma that pits generational wealth building against City regulations. As a March 7th Frederick News Post article describes the situation, the sale of a Habitat home, which the homeowner is in the process of selling, has been derailed (at least temporarily). This dilemma arises from a phrase embedded in the original sales documents of the property — from the City to Habitat: i.e., the phrase states that the property be maintained as an affordable dwelling “in perpetuity.”  This phrase effectively bars a market-rate sale of the home until/unless it has been removed by the City. (https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/economy_and_business/real_estate_and_development/city-of-frederick-asked-to-waive-restriction-hampering-womans-property-sale/article_5fa996a7-1d35-5bec-ae48-97e0c7da2a6c.html.) Hopefully, while considering the priority list for the Housing Policy Plan, committee members and City staff can identify and remedy conflicts such as these. City Land Use, Public Safety, and Community Development Committee (CLU) The CLU met for the 1st time on February 13th with a brief description of the Planning Department’s decade timetable for developing 8 small area plans (SAP) across the City. Although CRG applauds the proposed move forward after multi-years languishing in ‘it will come’ monologues, it agrees with the challenges posed by Councilwoman Kuzemchak who, paraphrasing, stated bluntly, LET’S MOVE THIS FORWARD! Plans are sorely needed but implementation thereafter is imperative. We’ll see, hope springs eternal, eh? Will residents have an ‘official’ role in the development of a SAP for their neighborhoods? CRG urged that role for our residents. Additionally, the hospital requested that a hospital, normally permitted through IST zoning, be allowed in a mixed use (MU) zoned area between Monocacy Boulevard and Route 15. Officials and attendees all agreed that hospitals are a necessity wherever needed and the request passed and was adopted by the Council. Not considered, however, were the MU requirements for parking, setbacks, and a host of other MU zoning details. Further, there was no discussion of noise associated with hospitals and ambulances and the additional traffic for MU residential areas.   A final point, raised appropriately and effectively by Heather Goddard of East Frederick Rising: If it’s OK for sorely needed hospitals to be included in the MU zoning classification, why not schools as well? Kudos to Ms. Goddard!                          City: Brickworks Update On February 18th, the City Planning Commission heard updates on Parcels 4 and 6 within the Brickworks property on East and South Street (https://cityoffrederick.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=48&clip_id=6118). Site 4 will have a major grocery store at the corner of Monocacy Boulevard and East Street with 3 other retail/restaurant buildings to the north of the store and along East and Brickworks Street, which enters the property from East Street. There will also be 2 restaurant pads placed off Monocacy Boulevard further to the east of the grocery store.   There is concern over required trees on-site and it appears that, if the developer cannot meet the requirement, they will have to place the trees on parcels 2 and 3 (where a proposed urban school might be located) or elsewhere in the City which currently has no space available for tree plantings (hard to believe, right?). This is a major concern, as the plan seems to call for a choice between a much-needed school and required trees. A suggested solution is working with several tree planting organizations to accept and plant the trees in City areas with little canopy or for example, recently annexed communities. Site 6 is east of Site 4 and will contain three 5-story multifamily buildings containing 340 units and a parking structure. CRG urges residents to follow these developments as this City gateway will define our southern City entrance and a first introduction to the Carroll Creek Linear Park and Historic District.   City: East Street Corridor/East Side Small Area Plan Many residents anticipate that with growth in Frederick City, Frederick County, and commercial/residential development along the East Street Corridor traffic will be continuously congested. Without completing transportation studies as a result of the Mobility Fee District Ordinance, there is no basis to judge the magnitude of congestion. While Monocacy Boulevard has been identified as a potential bypass, this corridor is littered with stop signs and traffic lights potentially impeding efficient traffic flow.   CRG wishes to work with East Frederick Rising and the City to create a workgroup focused on addressing East Side transportation issues and suggest mitigation measures. CRG further recommends expanding the East Street Corridor Small Area Plan into an East Side Small Area Plan to address the wider issues associated with growth and vehicle and pedestrian traffic on and through the multiple side streets and alleys in this sector. Additionally, this first effort would incorporate form-based code and perhaps serve as a template for the remaining 7 City Small Area Plans. CRG has begun discussions with City staff on how best to proceed. As East Street and Area planning moves forward by City officials and staff, CRG will identify opportunities for resident input into this lengthy and important process — make sure to provide comment! Contact R. Robey (click here to email him or write to roberthrobey@gmail.com) for additional information and discussion.   County: Critical Data Infrastructure Ordinance A revised Critical Data Infrastructure Ordinance (CDI) submitted by Council members Knapp and Young was brought forward in an informational presentation at the County Council meeting on February 25th. The bill, maintaining ‘by-right’ ownership and ability to construct data centers on land zoned GI or LI, was endorsed by 4 Council members, with McKay, Donald, and Carter dissenting. The latter group sought adoption of a floating zone for land proposed as a data center which would require County Council approval of any final site plan rather than solely Planning Commission review and approval.   Substantial Council member discussion was preceded and followed by public comment with data center representatives and large landowners voicing support for the ‘by-right’ option and 3x as many residents countering with convincing challenges to the Knapp/Young bill, particularly that siting of these major centers should be decided by elected officials and not by an appointed Planning Commission. Based on the Council meeting discussions on March 4th, the floating zone, anti-by-right bill will be brought forward in the Council in mid-May, thereby enabling consideration of the siting constraints advocated by McKay, Donald, and many residents.   Consistent with the recent recognition by Loudoun County officials that ‘by-right’ zoning has created major problems in data center development in northern Virginia, CRG STRONGLY supports deletion of the ‘by-right’ provision for data center siting. The decisions on the location of these 100’s of acre power- and water-hungry campuses should be regulated by our elected officials who should represent their constituents in major land use decisions for the County. CRG can’t believe we might replicate Loudoun County’s acknowledged major problems. Instead, we should learn from our neighbors and not repeat the errors of their ways! There will be a third reading of the Knapp/Young CDI Siting Ordinance bill on Tuesday, March 25 at 5:30 PM in Winchester Hall. This will be the LAST possibility for the public to speak out against "by-right" zoning for data centers. Please try to attend, and bring others with you if you can. (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/6511/Agendas-and-Minutes)   Upcoming Meetings & Events County Housing Element and the Green Infrastructure Plans and Historic Preservation Plan Open Houses The presented content will be the same at each of the three meetings. Open House 1: Thursday, March 13, 2025 from 6–8 PM — Thurmont Regional Library Community Room (TRL) 76 E. Moser Road, Thurmont, MD 21788 Open House 2: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 from 6–8 PM — Middletown Branch Library Meeting Room B 31 E. Green Street, Middletown, MD 21769 Open House 3: Monday, April 7, 2025 from 6–8 PM — Urbana Regional Library Anthony M. Natelli Community Room 9020 Amelung Street, Frederick, MD 21704 City Land Use, Public Safety, and Community Development Committee meeting, March 13, 2025, 1 PM, City Hall MDE Israel Creek Water Withdrawal Permit Request, March 18, 2 PM, Walkersville Town Hall, 21 W. Frederick Street, Walkersville. Open meeting on turf farm request for withdrawing >500,000 gallons/day during summer drought period.   County Council, Winchester Hall, March 25, 5:30 PM: Critical Data Infrastructure hearing. Third reading of the Knapp/Young CDI Siting Ordinance bill. IMPORTANT TO ATTEND. One Waverley Night: Climate Action Frederick Pop-Up Event March 26, 2025, 5:30–7:30 PM, Waverley Elementary School Learn about climate action in Frederick County — and how you can be a part of it. Help Form a Community Climate Action Plan! March 29, 2025, 1–2:30 PM, Walkersville Library, Darrell L. Batson Community Room Join in the development of a Community-Wide Climate and Energy Action Plan to help shape a sustainable future. Can't attend but would like to weigh in? Fill out the survey here!

__________________ See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com Contributors: P. Gallagher, R. Robey, M. Rosensweig, K. Sellner, J. Wagner CRG is a grassroots coalition of Frederick residents who prioritize responsible growth, expanding infrastructure, and a functional natural environment. We advocate for development that accommodates projected population increases while fostering a strong and diverse community fabric and increasing economic opportunities. Our comprehensive approach emphasizes public safety, traffic mitigation, increasing school capacity, and housing for all members of our community. Many Frederick residents want to know — but cannot find — information about how to participate in discussions of important local issues. The City and County generally hold meetings from 3–10 p.m., making it impossible for most of us to attend meetings or weigh in on issues of interest. Our mission with this monthly newsletter is to highlight City and County activities so you can learn more and, with your limited time, weigh in on areas of growth and development, City and County policies, and other local activities. Occasionally, opinions or longer stories will be offered by knowledgeable experts/readers. We welcome suggestions for articles focused on specific topics. Contact Kevin Sellner (kgsellner@gmail.com), Marge Rosensweig (marjorierosensweig@gmail.com), or Steve Jakubczyk (jakubczyksteven@gmail.com) for consideration of your issue. We're on Instagram... follow us! Check out our Facebook page!

Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 4, NO. 2 | FEBRUARY 8, 2025

 VOL. 4, NO. 2  |  FEBRUARY 8, 2025

Frederick City and County News of Interest

Please join our monthly email list by clicking here.
Learn more about CRG at the bottom of this newsletter.

For quick access, click on a title here and jump to that article, below: City Streetscape Study Affordable Housing MPRP Update County Data Center Update Upcoming Meetings and Events ______________ City Streetscape Study On January 16, the Downtown Frederick Partnership informed the City Council that they were partnering with Montgomery County (MoCo) in the receipt of a $500,000 grant to expand on the initial Streetscape plan submitted in 2021.The (then) Board of Aldermen advised the Partnership at the 2021 meeting that additional information was needed. In response, MoCo and the Partnership secured additional funding to further study parking, utilities, and transportation impact. CRG applauds the Partnership’s initiative but encourages the City and Partnership to not only retrofit Market Street parking slots, tree canopy, and sidewalk width from Carroll Creek through 7th Street, but develop an overall Master Plan of the work to be done in various phases. A first step would repair the storm water drainage system to prevent flooding of streets in the downtown area as documented by the Army Corps of Engineers several years ago. The second step should repair or replace the deteriorating Church Street Parking Garage to relieve reduced parking further north on N. Market Street as it is revitalized as part of the revised project. After aggressively enforcing the Vacant Property Ordinance to finally address the blight caused by recalcitrant landlords, the third step would be to stimulate new businesses and new owners in N. Market’s 3rd–7th Street stretch, particularly focusing on the 300 block of N. Market. This will provide an unbroken chain of commercial opportunities from the Creek to the 7th Street Fountain. The Master Plan should conclude with a summary and timetable for meeting the study’s long-term goal of a cohesive and progressive N. Market Street for residents and visitors. CRG strongly advocated this strategy in 2021 and does so again!   Affordable Housing City of Frederick: Madison on N. Market CRG is excited to see the Madison on N. Market project move forward. It will provide 60 affordable housing 1–3-bedroom rental units in the convenient “Uptown Frederick” location, as well as a non-residential building for a Head Start program. In the works for several years, this is a large step forward for providing housing for individuals or families earning 30–60% Annual Median Income. Go to https://www.hacfrederick.org/development/ for details. While Madison on Market holds out hope for 60 families, three apartment communities in Uptown Frederick, closest to Madison on N. Market (Upper East/Canterbury Station, The Bottling Plant, and East of Market), offer no rental units that would be affordable for householders in 9 of the 10 most common occupations in the County (see discussion below), nor any units priced at the County’s median charged  rental (i.e., $1,777/month). Frederick County and City: Some But Not Enough At a January 23 seminar presented by the Frederick County Department of Housing as one of a series of community sessions on affordable housing revealed, a large portion of residents county-wide are, essentially, locked out of the housing market. The seminar focused on the nature of affordable housing, who needs it, what the gaps are, and how these gaps can be addressed through a strategic plan involving community stakeholders in the process. Through a contract with TPMA, an Indianapolis-based consulting firm that brings “decades of practical experiences…” to help communities “develop actional solutions…” to seeming intractable issues — such as affordable housing, the County’s 2016 housing needs assessment will be updated and a strategic plan developed to help close the gaps found. Key to TPMA’s process is a principle that such a plan will be unique to the current and anticipated status of affordable housing in Frederick County and will not be a “one size fits all” document. To begin, affordable housing is defined as housing that does not consume more than 30% of income, with the total including rent/mortgage, utilities, insurance, repairs, etc. Individuals and families are considered “cost burdened” if more than that 30% is required to secure and maintain a safe and healthy domicile. Frederick County and City data expose an existing and growing gap between income and housing affordability in Frederick County.  While housing prices have increased substantially in the past five years (median sales prices rose by 69% in the County and 71% in the City), median income for homeowners rose by 21% and renter income by 23%. As of 2023, the median household income in the County was $114,360, with that of owner-occupied households at $135,851, and renter-occupied households at $64,619. By 2023, the median price of a house was $499,990, and the median charged monthly rent $1,777. Using these data, it is estimated that 26% of Frederick County households are cost burdened. Of these, 19% are owner-occupied households, as are 47% of renter-occupied households. Moreover 7% of owner-occupied households spend 50% or more of their income on housing while 23% of renters (almost 1 in 4) do so as well. A deeper dive into the data indicate that workers in 9 of the 10 most common occupations in Frederick County earn less than the AMI (Annual Median Income) with the housing affordable threshold at $689/month for cashiers and $1,127/month for construction laborers. The median household income of the tenth category of earners, general and operations managers, is $109,156, the only category above the AMI. The chart below, from the TPMA presentation, is a snapshot of families in need of affordable housing. Here are some hypothetical scenarios facing these households: A schoolteacher at step 10 with one child earning $65,629 has an affordability threshold of $1,647/month. Yet only 4% of 2+ bedroom dwellings are in their price range. The combined income of a cashier and customer service representative with no children is $69,244. Their affordability threshold is $1,731/month. Twenty-two percent of the rentals and 5% of homes are in their price range. A sheriff with a stay-at-home spouse and two children earns $70,000. Her/his affordability threshold is $1,751/month. Twelve percent of two-bedroom rentals, 1% of three-bedroom rentals, and 6% of homes are available for them. And, finally, a senior citizen with a social security income of $23,000 would find there are 0 rentals and 1 home for sale available to her/him with a household affordability threshold of $593/month. An interesting feature of the session was the opportunity for attendee (including virtual attendees) input via online quick surveys with results available for viewing and discussion immediately. These surveys engaged the audience and helped highlight what the community knows and understands about affordable housing and what residents think might help to address the problems. Hopefully future sessions will include the same or similar feedback options. TPMA’s plan and timeline include several opportunities for community input. Residents are invited to participate as the process goes forward. Presenters emphasized the importance of the Community workshops and Community Survey and urged residents to assist in publicizing the survey when it is available. From TPMA's presentation: We encourage readers who want to know more to tune in to the presentation available on the Frederick County website at https://frederick.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=10&clip_id=10150 or at TPMA.com, then click Webinars. MPRP Update The County Executive has officially challenged construction of the MPRP transmission line passing through the County, joining multiple other organizations and governmental bodies in opposing construction of the proposed power project intended to deliver power from southern Pennsylvania through Baltimore, Carroll, and Frederick Counties. The County Council approved the resolution this past Tuesday, February 4. The opposition has proposed multiple bills in the just-convened state legislature, as we await deliberations at the Public Service Commission where the next decision (to seek a Certificate of Public convenience and Necessity — CPCN) will be vetted. Learn more at StopMPRP.org. County Data Center Update The County Council continues its discussion of revisions to the Critical Data Infrastructure Ordinance that will regulate siting constraints on future centers proposed for construction and operations in the County. The Council will now have sole responsibilities to propose ordinance content because the County Executive (CE) has withdrawn text for both the Data Center Workgroup’s recommendation for a data center floating zone and the siting legislation. CRG is surprised at these CE decisions — data centers are perhaps one of the most critical issues for the County's future economy, power demand, water allocation and treatment, and runoff impacts for our treasured environment. A floating zone and other requirements to protect the environment are imperative. Council member McKay has written amendments to the CE's bill to include a floating zone so data centers would not be a "by right" development in certain zoning districts but instead would need to be approved by a vote of the County Council (our elected officials), rather than receiving final approval at the Planning Commission level. However — rather than Council member McKay's amendments, a revised bill that does not include a floating zone and appears less protective of County water and infrastructure, will be introduced by Council members Knapp and Young on Tuesday at the scheduled Council Workshop. CRG urges County residents to attend Tuesday's meeting (see information below), or send in your comments, to insist on strong requirements for the siting, construction and operations of the data center industry in Frederick County.   Upcoming Meetings & Events City Planning Commission, City Hall, February 10, 6 PM — Church institutional zoning change for on-site affordable housing County Council Workshop, Winchester Hall,  Tuesday, February 13, 5:30 PM — consideration of proposed Critical Digital Infrastructure revised bill regarding data centers. Attend or send comments via email on the Council’s public portal, FrederickCountyMD.gov/CouncilMeetings City Land Use, Public Safety and Community Development Committee, City Hall, February 13, 1 PM — City Small Area Plans City Council Meeting on Districts (mid-February, dates TBD) — Defining district boundaries (important for future small area plans and NAC boundaries). Mobilize Frederick 3rd Annual Climate Summit at Hood, February 28–March 1, 2025 (https://www.mobilizefrederick.org/summit-2025-overview)

__________________ See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com Contributors: P. Gallagher, S. Jakubczyk, M. Rosensweig, K. Sellner CRG is a grassroots coalition of Frederick residents who prioritize responsible growth, expanding infrastructure, and a functional natural environment. We advocate for development that accommodates projected population increases while fostering a strong and diverse community fabric and increasing economic opportunities. Our comprehensive approach emphasizes public safety, traffic mitigation, increasing school capacity, and housing for all members of our community. Many Frederick residents want to know — but cannot find — information about how to participate in discussions of important local issues. The City and County generally hold meetings from 3–10 p.m., making it impossible for most of us to attend meetings or weigh in on issues of interest. Our mission with this monthly newsletter is to highlight City and County activities so you can learn more and, with your limited time, weigh in on areas of growth and development, City and County policies, and other local activities. Occasionally, opinions or longer stories will be offered by knowledgeable experts/readers. We welcome suggestions for articles focused on specific topics. Contact Kevin Sellner (kgsellner@gmail.com), Marge Rosensweig (marjorierosensweig@gmail.com), or Steve Jakubczyk (jakubczyksteven@gmail.com) for consideration of your issue. We're on Instagram... follow us! Check out our Facebook page! Reply to the email authors

Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 4, NO. 1 | JANUARY 6, 2025

 

VOL. 4, NO. 1  |  JANUARY 6, 2025 Frederick City and County News of Interest Please join our monthly email list by clicking here. Learn more about CRG at the bottom of this newsletter. For quick access, click on a title here and jump to that article, below: City: A New Look for City Governance in 2025 City: Winchester Update County: Data Center Update / Water County: Water Resources Element Report Upcoming Meetings & Events ______________ City: A New Look for City Governance in 2025 Happy New Year to all! Looking forward to 2025, we here at CRG are reflecting on the progress made during 2024 as well as the opportunities and challenges for the coming year. Certainly, a major challenge — for CRG and all City residents — is how to assess and respond to the changes in City government resulting from approval of the recommended Charter Amendments which includes the separation of local government into distinct executive and legislative branches. The Mayor will lead and guide the former and an expanded City Council the latter. As an aside, we note with pride that community residents, comprising the majority of the ad hoc Charter Review committee members, were instrumental in formulating the adopted recommendations which will guide us all through the 21st century. Although we are not in the business of endorsing candidates, we certainly hope the elected mayor and 7 council members (5 district and 2 at–large) are as invested as we are in “responsible growth” — our guiding principle. To that end, we highlight here our guiding vision, and pose questions for our readers and others to ask the candidates so that you can determine who, from your perspective, is most closely aligned with your vision for the City’s growth and development. First, the vision as we state on our blog: CRG is a grassroots coalition of Frederick residents who prioritize responsible growth, expanding infrastructure, and a functional natural environment. We advocate for development that accommodates projected population increases while fostering a strong and diverse community fabric and increasing economic opportunities. Our comprehensive approach emphasizes public safety, traffic mitigation, increasing school capacity, and housing for all members of our community. Based on that vision, we will ask (and ask you to do so, as well) each candidate to tell City residents: What are the most important considerations to assure adequate affordable housing in the City? Which comes first — growth or infrastructure to accommodate said growth? If a candidate’s response focuses on growth first, ask how the City will deal with the inevitable traffic, school, and water/sewer problems. The City continues to annex properties outside the current City boundary, with neither long-range assessments of long-term cost recovery nor school construction requirements. How does the candidate stand on the short-term increase in property tax revenue vs. long-term costs that exceed the short-term tax gains as well as school construction that is not required of the developer? What steps can the City take to mitigate flooding, damage to older homes, rental properties, and health issues arising in individuals or families with limited incomes from water damage? How can the County control the inevitable data center development/operations and the impact on the community’s electricity, water, neighbors’ properties and wells, local streams, etc.? How will you and other council members work with the County to advance much-needed school construction in light of significant state budget deficits that will affect the Maryland Blueprint? How can you assure that new development in the historic district honors its unique character? During the campaign, which will culminate in a September 2025 primary and a November general (City) election, CRG plans to hold informal candidate forums as often as possible with as many candidates interested in participating. We will also attend forums sponsored by other organizations and by the candidates themselves to ask these, and other, questions to more clearly understand where the candidates stand on the issues. We urge you to do the same. A final plea. One of the most critical open issues is the need for serious and qualified candidates to step forward and run for the 8 elected offices (mayor and 7 council members). With districting now in place (pending only boundary details), no longer will one section of the City be the dominant voice at the table. For true accountability and representation, the primary ballot should reflect several candidates for City Council from each district, with the primary qualification being residence in the district a candidate wishes to represent! The recent Charter revisions require an “all in” approach by City residents. Without a spirited commitment in each district, there is a risk of non- or under-representation by an unopposed candidate who doesn't reflect the overall values and needs of the majority of the district’s community. Information on how to register, along with additional details, can be found on the City website or by contacting the City clerk, Phyliss Hane (click for her email address).   City: Winchester Update As mentioned in a recent Frederick News Post article, on December 12, 2024 the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) approved a motion by Commissioner Anne Hart that the Winchester site as a whole (including the on-site house and stable/garage) is Historically Contributing. This was a very favorable turn of events and again, as in the neighbor-led opposition to construction of a Hood NCAA baseball field in the Max Kehne Memorial Park, neighborhood residents acting together can challenge and alter proposed City developments that exclude resident opinions and interests!   For the Winchester site, it’s looking good that both the house and the stable/garage on the site will be preserved and the applicant’s demolition request denied. However, the Commission’s discussion, and their formal vote on the developer’s demolition request, still must take place. These proceedings are scheduled for this Thursday, January 9, 2025 at the 6 PM HPC Hearing at City Hall. Despite the positive developments from December 12, there may yet be surprises, and the local community is taking nothing for granted. Verbal comments at the January 9 hearing, as well as written comments in advance to City staff (for forwarding on to the Commission), are very welcome. Please contact Jim Wagner (click for his email address) or 301-682-4836 for more information. Thank you for your continued engagement and help to save this site and its contribution to City character. And on that point regarding City character: We suggest you check out a Letter to the Editor (LTE) in the Frederick News Post (FNP) written in response to a recent newspaper Board of Contributors column challenging the CRG position regarding the trend towards “contemporary” architecture in the Historic District (https://www.fredericknewspost.com/opinion/columns/group-will-advocate-for-protecting-established-identity/article_3002a8ff-755d-5eb9-a962-967c28562e63.html). At CRG, we firmly believe in smart, measured growth and development but, as was asserted by two of our members in the letter, it is incumbent on the City and its planners to cherish (as we do) and preserve the historical context and expression of our downtown by following City documents (the Frederick Towne Historic District Design Guidelines and the 2020 Comprehensive Plan) as well as guidance from national experts and organizations.  County: Data Center Update / Water In a surprise decision for everyone involved in development of the Eastalco site near Adamstown, Quantum Loophole (QL) will no longer be leading preparation of the property for future data center construction and operations (https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/continuing_coverage/quantum_loophole/updated-quantum-loophole-removed-as-manager-developer-of-its-data-center-projects/article_27636b9e-846e-5f1d-9ed1-a3fe4b8bea83.html). The decision has resolved differences between QL’s activities on the site and those expected from QL’s major financial backer TPG (a global asset manager). As a result, QL is withdrawing from its primary management role for the property. Water issues must be dealt with right away. Consequences of this dramatic change are unknown at this time, but an important consideration will be the commitment QL made to building water recycling infrastructure to supply future cooling water for prospective Eastalco data centers, which must remain a priority — there is insufficient water, otherwise, for center operations. This must be resolved quickly, as the County Planning Commission has accepted the proposed site plan for two data center projects at the Eastalco property near Adamstown. The projects — owned by Rowan Digital Infrastructure — are called Bauxite II and III, and include 7 data center buildings on the property. The potable water usage Rowan has proposed for its data centers alone is the maximum allowed for the entire Eastalco property, implying that any future center applications will require identification of other sources, such as the QL proposal for the non-potable water recycling infrastructure noted above. CRG joins the Sugarloaf Alliance and the Fellowship of Scientists and Engineers to encourage the County Executive to quickly revise the County’s Critical Data Infrastructure ordinance (CDI) so that the now-accepted 11 data center buildings (the 7 above plus 4 for the Align computing campus) at the Eastalco site will be bound by the more comprehensive requirements proposed by the County’s Data Center Workgroup and multiple other organizations. Otherwise, inadequate protections for County residents, water supplies, adjacent neighbors, and the area’s environment will prevail if those properties permitted under weak regulations are ‘grandfathered’ to only follow the regulations under which they were permitted, and not the more rigorous requirements likely needed, as we learn more about data center operation impacts that will be identified in future years. See Events list below for upcoming presentations and hearings on the County's Critical Data Infrastructure Ordinance. County: Water Resources Element Report In an additional County project relevant to data centers, County staff have also drafted a state-mandated Water Resources Element report, a comprehensive summary of water usage now and into the future for the County. Unfortunately, the report has largely ignored water demand by data centers. On December 17, at least 3 Council members and 4–5 residents asked County staff multiple questions about likely underestimates of water demand by centers on the Eastalco site and potentially elsewhere in the County where the IWW (Investing in Workers & Workplaces advisory group) has identified other possible areas for potential center development and operations. CRG congratulates County Council members focusing on future water demand and possible County intervention to revise the CDI ordinance by this water-thirsty industry. CRG hopes Council commitment expands well beyond a minority of 3 members to a unanimous agreement on specific water use requirements that data centers must meet to begin operations in the County. Upcoming Meetings & Events County Council, January 7, 2025, Winchester Hall, 7 PM — Information/presentation for revised Critical Data Infrastructure ordinance, Water Resources Element hearing (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/15600) City Historic Preservation Commission, January 9, 2025, City Hall, 6 PM — Demolition of contributing historical house and barn/stable at 127 E. 6th Street, Frederick. Agenda here: https://www.cityoffrederickmd.gov/920/City-Archived-Meetings County Council, January 28, 2025, Winchester Hall, 7 PM — Critical Data Infrastructure ordinance hearing Mobilize Frederick 3rd Annual Climate Summit, February 28–March 1, 2025, Hood College (https://www.mobilizefrederick.org/summit-2025-overview)

__________________ See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com Contributors: P. Gallagher, S. Jakubczyk, M. Rosensweig, K. Sellner, J. Wagner CRG is a grassroots coalition of Frederick residents who prioritize responsible growth, expanding infrastructure, and a functional natural environment. We advocate for development that accommodates projected population increases while fostering a strong and diverse community fabric and increasing economic opportunities. Our comprehensive approach emphasizes public safety, traffic mitigation, increasing school capacity, and housing for all members of our community. Many Frederick residents want to know — but cannot find — information about how to participate in discussions of important local issues. The City and County generally hold meetings from 3–10 p.m., making it impossible for most of us to attend meetings or weigh in on issues of interest. Our mission with this monthly newsletter is to highlight City and County activities so you can learn more and, with your limited time, weigh in on areas of growth and development, City and County policies, and other local activities. Occasionally, opinions or longer stories will be offered by knowledgeable experts/readers. We welcome suggestions for articles focused on specific topics. Contact Kevin Sellner (kgsellner@gmail.com), Marge Rosensweig (marjorierosensweig@gmail.com), or Steve Jakubczyk (jakubczyksteven@gmail.com) for consideration of your issue. We're on Instagram... follow us! Check out our Facebook page!