VOL. 2, NO. 7 | JULY 10, 2023
Frederick City and County News of Interest
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.
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To our Readers:
The newsletter is organized with dynamic links so you can click the topics listed here, to connect to the specific topics below.
City Brickworks Project
City Form-Based Code
Charter Review Update
Data Centers
City Rental Management Ordinance
South Frederick Corridors Plan (the 85/355 area)
Upcoming Events & Meetings
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City Brickworks Project
Greenberg
Gibbons presented their Master Plan for the Brickworks project on June
20 to the City’s Planning Commission (PC). This plan provides the vision
and major elements of a 1,260 residential unit and 130,000 sf
commercial/retail development (the latter characterized by the developer
as a “town center”) bordered by East/East South Sts. and Monocacy Blvd.
Following the 30+ minute presentation, the PC members and Board of
Aldermen liaison in attendance posed numerous pointed questions,
focusing on key issues such as proposed approval and construction before
the City’s form-based code can be adopted, public health issues with
soil contaminants from the site’s 150-year industrial history, lack of
connectivity with the current downtown grid system, school locations
on-site, lack of commitment to build MPDUs, and designs for the
residences at the corner of South and East Streets. City planners did
not express strong concern about major issues raised and indicated that
the PC has no legal basis for objections to the public health concerns, a
position rebutted by community members who cited Section 202 of the
Land Management Code which indicates the PC can make assessments that
safeguard public health and safety (see below highlights of Section 202
(b): the role of the PC):
Role. In accordance with the provisions of this article, …this planning and zoning authority may be used to promote the health, safety, morals, order, convenience, prosperity, and general welfare of the city; to provide good civic design and arrangement;to promote the wise and efficient expenditure of public funds; to make adequate provisions for traffic; to secure safety from fire, panic, and other dangers…”
To
a substantial extent, community members’ public comments mirrored the
concerns of PC members, with emphasis on the environmental issues, lack
of connectivity with downtown, extensive space devoted to a
suburban-like shopping center with surface parking, and lack of plans to
include MPDUs in the housing mix. Additionally, several commenters
mentioned minimal green space in the project with a linear park on the
west side of East Street which would be accessed by crossing the 4 lane
East Street.
Post-meeting discussions between workshop attendees and the developer
were somewhat positive with the developer verbally committing to
MDE-compliant contaminant remediation prior to any construction. Much
remains to be discussed at the first hearing including whether the
developer enrolls in the state’s Voluntary Clean-up Program and adopting
and implementing a site-specific remediation plan.
City Form-Based Code
Training
sessions for the proposed City form-based code continue, with the
second session held on Monday, June 26 that covered architectural
standards for future buildings on East Street and potentially other City
(and County) areas designated as small area plan locales (https://cityoffrederick.
Charter Review Update
With
the Frederick City’s Charter Review Committee (Committee) report
anticipated in the Fall, it is important to better understand the scope
of potential recommendations by the Committee to the Mayor and BoA. In
that regard, and although whatever is recommended needs to be considered
in its entirety, how the City might reset its basic governing structure
is perhaps the most significant. These recommendations will likely
focus on Districting, Term Limits, Timing of Elections, and Non-citizen
Resident Voting:
- Districting: The first option appears to be to divide the City into 5 distinct voting districts, each with its own Alderperson and increase the BoA from 5 to 7 members with the addition of two at-large representatives covering the City as a whole (much like the current County Council). Proponents assert this will allow for more balanced representation along with a clear avenue for better accountability to individuals and underserved segments of the City. Open questions remain as to where to draw the boundaries and how within-district voting is accomplished.
- Term Limits: Currently the County limits the Chief Executive to 2 terms and the Council members to 3 terms. Committee members are discussing a similar option for the City’s Mayoral and Aldermanic offices.
- Timing of Elections: City voters have voted—with less than stellar voter turnout results—in three of the past 4 years (2020 presidential election; 2021 Mayor and Board election; 2022 County Council/MD Governor and House of Delegates/Senate; US House and Senate elections). A different approach, under discussion by the Committee, is to combine the Mayoral/Aldermanic election with the presidential election. Hopefully, such a schedule will encourage greater voter participation and reduce voter burnout.
- Non-Citizen Resident Voting: The Committee is discussing an opportunity for non-citizen residents to vote in local elections. A documented one-year City residency would be required for individuals who live in and pay taxes to the City so they have a voice in electing their local officials.
Data Centers
Some very good news: County Executive Jessica Fitzwater has formed a workgroup to identify potential revisions for the County’s initial Critical Data Infrastructure ordinance. In addition, she has initiated a 9-month moratorium on data center zoning decisions — extremely important, considering that:
- there have been substantial environmental violations and MDE stop-work orders for drilling of the fiber conduit to the Eastalco data center property as well as more than a month’s discharges of contaminated water into Tuscarora Creek from dewatering activities at the site, exceeding 70,000 gallons/day; and,
- one data center corporation (Align) has already submitted and received PC approval for one data center on its Eastalco property, with possibly three more to follow.
City Rental Management Ordinance
On June 15, the City’s Board of Aldermen adopted an ordinance that mandates landlord maintenance of rental properties that ensures safe conditions in a property, adequate heating and cooling, and other City-established maintenance standards (https://cityoffrederick.
South Frederick Corridors Plan (the 85/355 area)
County planning staff presented the South Frederick Corridors Plan to the County Planning Commission on June 29 (for a summary, https://www.frederickcountymd.
Upcoming Events & Meetings
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See the CRG blog at: responsiblegrowthfrederick.com
Contributors: M. Currier, S. Jakubczyk, M. Rosensweig, K. Sellner
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)
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