Citizens for Responsible Growth - Comment or Attend City Council Hearing on the Cricket Stadium Project

 

Please submit your comments or attend. City Council Hearing Thursday, July 16 at 6:00 pm   Considering the Cricket Stadium Project  on Rt. 144 next to Chesako RV   On Thursday, July 16 at 6:00 pm, the City Council will hold a public hearing to consider the Revised Annexation Agreement for the Frederick Gateway property (PC24-983ANX). This is the former Gladhill farm land that is next to Chesako RV and includes the current Golf Driving Range.  The plan is to fill in part of a flood plain and build a cricket field to be approved for up to 10,000 spectators. It will be a fairly basic facility. The field will be dual used for sports and special events. There will be only 300 parking spaces at the facility and the only spectators parking there will be VIPs, players, etc. Others will park at the fairgrounds and go to the facility by shuttle buses, Uber or charter buses that drop spectators off and pick them up at the complex. All Washington Freedom cricket games will have parking like a pop up event. Some special events may also have to employ this pop up event technique. This writer estimates the onsite parking will cover parking for approximately 1,000 people for other onsite events. To access the property, cars and buses will travel on a 2 lane road (Route 144) and turn into a State-owned Park & Ride prior to reaching the property.  On cricket game days, up to 91 out of town buses will travel onto and out of the facility during a 3 hour period with the same in-and-out trips at the end of the game. For people  parking at the fairgrounds, 35 buses will travel to and from the stadium at least 6 times to bring people  to the field during a 3 hour period, and at least the same 6 times when returning spectators to their cars at the fairgrounds. That is 182 trips on and off the property for the out of town buses alone. The City Council meeting will also cover the Zoning Map Amendment Rezoning from General Commercial to Institutional Floating Zone (PC24- 984ZMA). This will include a park on the property as well. The land to be rezoned for the cricket field and park will be approximately 24 acres of the approximately 49 acres discussed in the modified annexation agreement.  MORE INFORMATION BELOW. It is possible that the City Council will vote on both applications during this meeting. __________________ July 16 City Council agenda… see Item C regarding the Cricket Stadium for lots of accumulated information.  https://cityoffrederick.granicus.com//GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?event_id=5656&send_agenda=true More details from the Frederick News-Post: City Council dissects latest proposal for Frederick cricket stadium Joseph DeBell  Fri, June 26, 2026 Team pitches cricket facility with smaller maximum capacity to new Frederick City Council Nolan Wilkinson  Mar 27, 2026 __________________ Please send your comments about the Annexation Agreement and Rezoning to the City Council by July 14: Council President, Cesar Diaz, cdiaz@cityoffrederickmd.gov Council Vice-President, Katie Nash, knash@cityoffrederickmd.gov Council Member Peter Brehm, pbrehm@cityoffrederickmd.gov   Council Member Joe Atkins, jadkins@cityoffrederickmd.gov Council Member Libby Taylor, ltaylor@cityoffrederickmd.gov Council Member Derek Shackelford, dshackelford@cityoffrederickmd.gov Council Member Sarah Hemple Irani, shempelirani@cityoffrederickmd.gov

Please join the Citizens for Responsible Growth monthly email list by clicking here. See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com 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 Marge Rosensweig (marjorierosensweig@gmail.com), or Steve Jakubczyk (jakubczyksteven@gmail.com) for consideration of your issue. Check out our Facebook page! Find us on Instagram

Frederick City and County News of Interest, VOL. 5, NO. 6 | June 5, 2026

VOL. 5, NO. 6 | June 5, 2026 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: Newsletter Update County Elections City: Affordable Housing City: Data Center Update City: CiviCon — Learning from a Historically Linked City County: Data Center Update Upcoming Meetings and Events ______________ Newsletter Update: Kevin Sellner, a co-editor of the CRG newsletter and organization member, is stepping aside from his involvement in the group’s activities and his participation in most County and City meetings, workshops, and events. After nearly 6 years of multiple meetings each week, newsletter composition and editing, and many conversations and discussions with officials, staffs, and a huge swath of local residents, Kevin’s decided to withdraw from all CRG activities and focus on his family and their interests. He may weigh in occasionally on two issues (affordable housing, data centers) as an independent, non-affiliated resident, as well as on candidate campaigns for responsible governance but otherwise, he’s taking a well-deserved break. He extends his thanks to everyone for their help and their interest! ______________ County Elections Early voting starts next Thursday, June 11 and each eligible voter should by now have the proper mail-in ballots in their hands, despite the earlier snafu. CRG obviously urges everyone to vote, but also to do your homework before making your choice. This election may be the most critical to the future of the County and, by extension, the City. The County Council you elect will be faced with several key decisions and choices of direction that will impact the very nature of our community — whether or not it will remain " livable " and — as importantly — affordable. For many the quality of life we have enjoyed for generations is on the line, both for the present and most critically, the future. Make sure you are comfortable with the people you elect to make these choices for you; go their websites, research each on the internet, talk to your neighbors, consider endorsements as an important factor — many have been well vetted by various respected organizations. Ignore the negative and counterproductive avalanche of mailers on one race, in particular. Finally, do not vote by reflex, do not just check a box based on name recognition — sometimes it's easily recognizable for the wrong reasons. This has been an ugly and noisy campaign season, but at the end of the day, our County's future is in your hands — choose wisely! City: Affordable Housing The City Council (through its committees and its own discussions) and the Mayor are moving forward with deep dives into possible options for actually providing affordable housing, as construction projects or rental assistance. The Mayor-convened Housing Task Force will soon publish its recommendations and rumor has it that there may be specifics on use of City MPDU (Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit) fees in-lieu (approximately $4.5M) and rainy day funds (more than $33M) to produce housing for our lower income residents. Should this occur, perhaps funding for a demonstration project might be explored at a religious campus as outlined in the May 19 multi-religious institution Faith and Housing Taskforce forum at the Trinity United Methodist Church on W. Patrick Street. CRG is strongly in support of the possible City commitment and will continue to urge City provisions for these housing units — both rentals and purchase! City: Data Center Update At the City Development Review Conference meeting on May 26, Bruce Dean and Trammell Crow representatives continued their efforts to get the City to consider a Zoning Text Amendment that would allow data centers within City limits. Again, without providing actual amounts of power and water needs, limited discussions of noise levels and boundary setbacks were the primary topics covered. The next step is a meeting of the City Planning Commission (PC) on June 15, so it’s very important that all residents show up to voice their opinions and demand responsible construction and operations. Let’s set the bar very high, so if the City Council fails to prevent data centers in the City, any future data centers would be required to protect residents, air quality and public health, schools and senior facilities, environmental damages, and make data centers all but invisible industries in the City. A City Council review of any PC data center amendment would follow the PC's meeting(s), presumably with one member — Ms. Nash — recused for her data center-power lobbying activities. CRG, Mobilize Frederick, and multiple residents have submitted extensive lists of construction and operation requirements any future data center would have to meet should the Council allow any data center within City limits. We hope the Council will reject data centers outright, but should some text amendment allowing data centers move forward, mandated construction and operation requirements will either dissuade data center corporation investment, or require regulations of data centers to be extremely protective of all of us, and of what makes the City so treasured by residents and visitors. City: CiviCon — Learning from a Historically Linked City Three planners from Baltimore presented at Hood’s student union on May 27 and provided a superb summary of lessons learned from their revitalization efforts in Baltimore, and how these lessons might apply to our future City of Frederick. Tim Keane, Ren Southard, and Klaus Philipsen gave brief presentations on aspects of planning for the state’s largest city and the most important message was that we should develop and implement a conceptual design plan for the entire City, getting away from regulation and zoning as the primary drivers for what our City will be in decades to come. VISION matters, and input from residents on what they want their neighborhoods to be in the future is paramount. Maybe our 2030 Comprehensive Plan could shift to this future visioning option, and we then build to fulfill it? Wishful thinking — maybe… County: Data Center Update The legal challenge to the 23,261-resident referendum petition to limit the size of the County’s data center zone is now scheduled for mid-June. The legal challenge has been brought by wealthy data center corporations and their allies against the County’s residents and the Board of Elections, and is the epitome of a local, real-life David and Goliath story, as legal expenses will surely be well beyond most local resident means. Perhaps a GoFundMe campaign might be considered? THANK YOU to Envision Frederick County for your determined leadership in this battle! In other news, Amazon has requested that Maryland’s Department of the Environment (MDE) allow an additional 99 diesel generators for its Adamstown data center campus, to add to its already permitted 261 generators. Considering the established threats to public health (increased health costs from $53M-$99M/yr and 3 to 5 premature deaths each year — read more here) that have recently been reported in Loudoun County from generator-emitted particulate matter (PM, PM2.5), MDE should step up and reject this request. On May 27, a rally of referendum supporters and candidates urged stronger regulations for data centers, prior to a forum held by MDE staff, in which Amazon representatives made a presentation to attendees and then took input and questions from residents and elected officials. A raucous crowd challenged many of the industry’s claims and substantial public comment indicated huge pushback to Amazon’s MDE request. We’ll see what MDE rules, but state law only allows MDE assessments of single applications and does not consider cumulative/aggregate emissions from the entire data center operation area — that limitation will likely prevent rejection of Amazon’s request for the extra generators. Residents — not the industry — need HELP! Check out the coverage of the May 27 meeting in the FNP here. RISE Coalition Candidate Survey Our friends at the RISE Coalition, along with other community organizations, conducted a survey of candidates for local, state, and national office. Depending on the office they are seeking, candidates were asked to respond to issues within their sphere of responsibility. You can find the guide here: https://www.minorityvotersguidefrederick.org/ Upcoming Meetings and Events City Planning Commission, June 8, City Hall, 6 PM — Brickworks, Canterbury Candidate Forum, June 10, Grace United Church of Christ, 25 E. 2nd Street, 6 PM — Sam Newhouse, Tiffany Grant, Jess Douglas City Planning Commission, June 15, City Hall, 2 PM — City Data Center Zoning Text Amendment Primary elections: June 11–18: early voting for the primary elections June 23: primary election day Contributors: P. Gallagher, S. Jakubczyk, K. Sellner

Please join the Citizens for Responsible Growth monthly email list by clicking here. See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com 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. Check out our Facebook page! Find us on Instagram

Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 5, NO. 5 | May 12, 2026

 

VOL. 5, NO. 5  |  May 12, 2026 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: Data Center Confusion City: Brickworks Update City: Affordable Housing Update City: 2027 Budget City: Land Management Code (LMC) Review and Revision City-County: Housing Authority County: Investing in Workers and Workplace (IW2) Update County: Sustainable Monocacy Commission Watershed Summit Upcoming Meetings and Events Candidate Forums ______________ Data Center Confusion It has come to our attention that many residents assume that most of the recent decisions on data center zoning and regulations apply to both the County and City. This is incorrect. Currently, data centers are allowed in the County, but not in the City. Here are differences at this point in time:  Only in the County: Recent decisions on an expanded area for data centers to 2,600 acres pertain only to the Eastalco site and some surrounding parcels near Adamstown. Any ‘regulations’ now in place, inadequate as they are for building facades, berms, buffers, proximity to residential development, noise, emissions, monitoring, water use and power, are for data centers now in or to be proposed for the Adamstown area. The Critical Data Infrastructure Overlay Zone referendum recently accepted by the County Board of Elections pertains solely to the County Council’s legislation expanding the allowed construction areas for data centers from the Eastalco site to the surrounding parcels; it has NO legal bearing or relevance for Frederick City. For the City: Data centers are not allowed in the City currently; they are not described as an acceptable land use in the Land Management Code. There are NO data centers nor applications for centers in City limits at this time. A data center developer (Trammell-Crow) has now begun the process to seek adoption of a text amendment to the City’s Land Management Code to allow data centers within City boundaries. That amendment is working its way through the City Planning Department and could then move on to the City Planning Commission and City Council for possible adoption. Only after a supportive City Council decision could a developer submit an application for appropriate zoning and then construction and operation of a data center. Should the City Council permit urban data centers, City officials, staff, and residents would then establish/mandate City-specific regulations for these new urban industries. City: Brickworks Update On April 20, Greenberg-Gibbons representatives notified the City Planning Commission (PC) of their intent for 2 buildings on Lot 4. One building, just south of the new Brickworks Avenue that bisects the large property, is now proposed as a white, 2-story Club Studio, a boutique gym and exercise center. A second building located just north of Monocacy Blvd. is a retail complex, again white and apparently 1 story. The PC members raised concerns on requested window modifications for the former, while a CRG member recommended changing the white facades of the 2 building complexes to be more consistent with the red brick character of the adjacent historic district buildings — the Brickworks is the gateway to our City-identifying architecture, including facades and designs. City: Affordable Housing Update The City receives federal funds through Community Development Block Grants which are distributed to various organizations to provide affordable housing (AH) to local residents. Habitat for Humanity is the recipient of the largest grant, at $300K with 3 other organizations splitting approximately $160K. In a separate commitment through the 2023–24-adopted Rental Licensing Agreement, the City is designing a program to distribute approximately $620K for rental assistance and AH preservation, after deducting $250K for administration of the $921,106 it amassed from 2 years of collections from landlords of private properties. Although the $413,000 for FY26 projects will provide substantial benefits for our neediest community members, CRG is concerned at the high administrative costs for City administration of only 10–11 projects, exceeding 20% of the collected rental licensing fees. Other communities (e.g., MoCo) allow only 1–2% administrative cost recovery for overseeing 20–25 projects. Additionally, organizations receiving grants from the collected fees also charge administrative fees, meaning large portions of these limited funds don’t provide assistance or AH to residents, but cover salaries of staffs in the City and the recipient organization. Might there be a better way to ensure collected fees provide housing or services rather than salaries? Perhaps City staff salaries could be covered through general revenues (property taxes, recordation, impact fees) so more of all fees dedicated to AH could provide rental assistance or preserve/increase actual housing. We hope the City Council has several options in its ongoing AH deliberations. City: 2027 Budget The City Council has just announced a schedule for its deliberations on the City's 2027 Budget. A City Council Discussion of Priorities will occur on May 13, the mayor's final budget on May 14, a May 21 final budget and tax rate discussion, and adoption of the Final Budget on May 28. These are the only times residents can influence the City's budget for 2027, which begins July 1, so please either attend these meetings or provide e-comments on priorities for potential collection and allocation of public funds for critical City needs! City: Land Management Code (LMC) Review and Revision Long in need of revision, the regulations that define all activities allowed within the City limits are now in initial stages of an overall review. On May 11, the City's Public Works Committee discussed potential changes to the LMC to best align its content and requirements with the 2020 Comprehensive Plan. These first discussions identified key parts of the process from resident Listening Sessions, development and submission of a Project Plan, hiring and role of a project manager/consultant, membership, and duration. As THE MOST IMPORTANT set of rules for the City, CRG STRONGLY encourages resident participation in — at a minimum — the Listening Sessions and if deeply concerned and knowledgeable, seeking membership on the LMC Review Commission or attending and providing comment throughout the review. Additional meetings will be scheduled, so be prepared to step up and weigh in. Without participation, there can be no complaining about future City procedures. City-County: Housing Authority Angie Lollar, director of the Housing Authority (HA), presented a summary of the organization’s progress in providing affordable housing in the area. The HA has provided about 500 housing units in the last several years, aiming to provide some units for those earning 30% or less of the Average Median Income. These include Catoctin View, Foundry, Mosaic (formerly Lucas Village), and under construction, Madison on Market; a previous project was the North Point development at W. 7th and Bentz. The City donated land and around $1.8M for two of these projects, thereby easing some of the financial burden for housing construction. Housing was made possible through the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, as well as a voucher program. The Housing Authority maintains a list of residents seeking housing, now at 4,000; without more units, the list has been closed. CRG looks forward to learning more about the possibilities from the Housing Authority, advocating where possible for continued fiscal and donated land support. County: Investing in Workers and Workplace (IW2) Update The County Planning Commission (PC) continued (April 8, 15) to review and provide comment on the County’s IW2 plan. At the most recent meeting, following substantial local resident requests, PC members asked planning staff to reduce potential rezoning acreage (from the proposed 1,935 acres of primarily agriculturally-zoned land to primarily light industrial (LI) or general industrial (GI) in the Jefferson Pike area. https://www.fredericknewspost.com/news/economy_and_business/employment/planning-commission-considers-reduced-version-of-industrial-zone-expansion/article_8c210461-a596-5b7d-ab17-48bc86b6377b.html). Planning staff will revise the proposed rezoning areas for future PC meetings; LI- or GI-zoned land could be developed for data centers, a major concern for local residents of the area.  County: Sustainable Monocacy Commission Watershed Summit In the first annual Watershed Summit on April 25, multiple topics were covered that impact watersheds throughout the region. Historical, current, and future threats in regional watersheds were identified and discussed by the approximately 40 participants, including salt accumulation jeopardizing local waterways and drinking water; tire removal in several basins in the area; and Carroll County stormwater management, creek rehabilitations, and tree planting. An enlightening outcome was Carroll County's progressive approach to protecting local lands, buffers, floodplains, and creeks from stormwater runoff by vastly exceeding MDE requirements for stormwater protections from waters 1 inch above an impervious surface to 2-2.5 inches, thereby better coping with the erosive impacts of the very intense rainfalls and runoff typical of our new climate. CRG applauds this ‘high bar’ to protect Carroll County’s natural resources and encourages Frederick County and City to adopt similar requirements! Upcoming Meetings and Events Public Budget Workshop, May 13, 6 PM, City Hall Boardroom, 101 N Court Street: Follow-up and general discussion of the City budget City Historic Preservation Commission, May 14, 6 PM, City Annex, 140 W. Patrick Street: 111 E. 7th Street Single Room Occupancy Civicon Event, May 27, 6:30 PM, Hood College Campus | Whitaker Campus Center, Commons: The View from Baltimore: What We Can Learn from Our Historically Linked Cities. The focus will be on how design can best shape Frederick's rapid growth. Tim Keane, Baltimore's acting Commissioner of Housing and Community Development / Ren Southard, Baltimore’s acting Planning Director / Klaus Philipsen, a long-time Baltimore observer, commentator, and activist. Candidate Forums Sheriff Candidate Forum, by NAACP, Tuesday, May 12, 7 PM–9 PM, C. Burr Artz Library, 101 E. Patrick Street, Frederick: Karl Bickel, Jason Ciemielewski, Chuck Jenkins, Tony Lawson County Council District 1 Candidate Forum, Monday, May 18, 6:30 PM–7:30 PM, Middletown Library, 31 E. Green Street, Middletown: Jenn Alcorn, Louisa Conklin, Eric Smothers Congressional District 6 and County Council District 3 Discussion, by CRG, May 20, 6 PM–7:30 PM, 8 W. 5th Street, Frederick: Alexis Goldstein, Natasha Valencia  County Council District 1 Candidate Forum, League of Women Voters, Tuesday, May 26, 5:30 PM–7:30 PM, In Person, Richland Golf Club, 50 Glenbrook Drive, Middletown: Jenn Alcorn, Louisa Conklin, Eric Smothers, Frank Hollewa Democractic House of Delegates, District 4 Candidate Forum, Wednesday, May 27, 6:30 PM–7:30 PM, Walkersville Auxiliary Building, 79 W Frederick Street, Walkersville: Jerry Donald, Andrew Duck, Paul Gilligan, Alleria Stanley Contributors: P. Gallagher, S. Jakubczyk, K. Sellner

Please join the Citizens for Responsible Growth monthly email list by clicking here. See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com 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. Check out our Facebook page! Find us on Instagram Reply to the email authors