Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 3, NO. 8 | AUGUST 11, 2024

Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 3, NO. 8  |  AUGUST 11, 2024 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: OUR PERSPECTIVE: New Construction in the City’s Historic District City: Pending Charter Review Vote City: Westside Update City: Free Curbside Composting Program County: Power Transmission Line County Schools: Moratorium and New School Construction Proposed by County Executive County: Solar Farms in County Agricultural Land Upcoming Meetings & Events ______________   OUR PERSPECTIVE: New Construction in the City’s Historic District For more than 5 years, even prior to the newsletter’s initial publication in 2021, CRG’s members have been committed to encouraging the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) to protect the historical character and architecture of the City. CRG routinely provides comment on proposed developments in the historic district and Carroll Creek Overlay (CCO) strongly suggesting the City follow its established 2009 and 2019 guidelines in review and adoption of proposed construction. From our perspective, the published guidelines for new construction have largely been ignored since the insertion of the word “contemporary” before “design” in the 2019 guidelines. This seemingly innocuous insertion has resulted in inconsistency replacing consistency with surrounding neighborhood character and architecture. “Modern” styles are now preferred and routinely adopted in HPC decisions, with architecture complementing surrounding historical buildings (also known as “contributing” in guideline parlance) minimized. Examples abound with the most obvious Maxwell Mews on Maxwell Avenue, the Oddfellows property on N. Market Street, the Visitation Academy on Church and 2nd Streets, and the B&O townhouses behind the McCutcheon’s property. Other pending contemporary projects include the Galleria adjacent to the Delaplaine and the downtown hotel and conference center. This shift in downtown design and architecture, in our opinion, threatens the recognized historical character of the City. However, it is apparent that CRG’s efforts to convince HPC members and City staff to protect Frederick’s unique identity are inconsequential and, hence, frustrating for CRG members as the City’s character changes. As a result, we are increasingly reluctant to provide comment and specific guideline text to HPC members to encourage Commission compliance with its own requirements. Friends, please know our position on the “contemporizing” of downtown has not changed even though our public comment may have. We wonder, is it time for setting up review committees like the Charter Review Committee for the HPC’s guidelines as well as the broader Land Management Code that governs all new and renovated construction? Is there a need to make these two documents and their requirements more in line with the aspirational 2020 Comprehensive Plan, which currently has no legal standing? The latter document is routinely and continuously used for waiving specific requirements outlined in both the HPC guidelines and the LMC. City: Pending Charter Review Vote On July 25th, the Board of Aldermen and Mayor met with members of the mayor-appointed Charter Review Committee to discuss the 19 recommendations the committee had submitted to the Mayor and Board in December 2023. The committee members addressed specific questions from board members offered in previous meetings, as well as during the meeting of the 25th. It was agreed that City staff will complete and provide specific language for all 19 recommendations to the Board for a vote to accept or reject, with the unanimously accepted recommendations to be completed in the meeting on September 4th, and the remainder at the meeting of the 18th. As a result, by the end of September the status of each recommendation should be known — an important milestone for all recommendations, especially those recommendations that would be considered prior to and in the 2025 local election. City: Westside Update  On July 31st, the Board of Aldermen requested that the consultant hired by the Ausherman Family Foundation move forward with initial development plans for the Westside Regional Park. This first step would include a 24,000 sq. ft. Community Center, 2 multi-purpose fields, a 2,000 ft. bike/walking trail, and a Little League baseball field. When combined with the adjacent Sophie and Madigan playground, the relocation of the National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center, and the potential for development of affordable housing in the same corridor, it is very encouraging to see the utilization of this property the City has held since 2009 finally start to come to fruition! The City has also begun the process of transferring the land currently known as Hillcrest Park to the County for construction of a 15,000 sq. ft. library. Because this transfer requires several steps, including public notice/input, an official vote to authorize is not expected until January 2025. It is important to note that the County has already allocated funding in their 2026 budget. CRG strongly supports these efforts for Westside residents! City: Free Curbside Composting Program The City of Frederick has a FREE pilot program for all City residents who receive trash pick up by the City. Put your organics in a bucket provided by Key City Compost and have it picked up weekly. Sign up here! County: Power Transmission Line Public Service Electric & Gas Co. (PSEG) has proposed several tracks for construction of 500 kV power lines from northern Baltimore County, through Carroll County to southwestern Frederick County. The company has held 3 public meetings for resident inspection and fact-finding for the proposed tracks, each drawing overflow attendance. Another meeting (PSEG Maryland Piedmont Reliability Project Public Forum) on July 31st was attended by more than 900 residents, the vast majority objecting to the proposed line locations that jeopardize local businesses and employees, homes, and valued and preserved agricultural land with no recourse for those on the impacted land. The tracks would be new routes for power delivery from an unknown power generating station near Baltimore and are requested to meet greater power demand in the area. PSEG staff have been reluctant to state that the lines were for power needed for data centers in northern Virginia and southwestern Frederick County, but persistent queries by many residents has resulted in such acknowledgement. PSEG has chosen NOT to use the existing transmission line track and towers in the County and rather build an entirely new route, with little explanation. PSEG has stated that a new route should be selected by late fall, potentially resulting in seizure of multiple private properties through eminent domain — unacceptable to many residents who have built their permanent homes, commercial firms, and livelihoods there. In a recent request, PSEG seeks near autonomy on their decision process, countered by strong opposition from Maryland’s Office of People's Counsel, Sierra Club, and multiple local organizations (e.g., https://stopmprp.com/). The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has also weighed in with a specific request for a 20-year power plan that would explain the long-range power supply process by the company, a process the company has avoided for the past 2 decades. Without thorough vetting of power needs (and for whom), routes, use of existing routes, power generators, and costs to residents, CRG strongly supports community resistance to this rapid demand for property access and power delivery for northern Virginia data centers. CRG encourages all residents to participate in scheduled meetings with the company, officials, and other interested organizations. See information about upcoming meetings below. County Schools: Moratorium and New School Construction Proposed by County Executive Due to the extreme over-crowding of schools in the Linganore area, largely a result of the County Council waivers for Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) requirements for development proposed in 2014, Councilman S. McKay has proposed adoption of a temporary 2-year building moratorium for County areas with projected school capacities exceeding 120%, where, in that time a school construction plan would be developed and adopted for remediating the overcapacity situations in our area schools. On implementation of construction remedy, the moratorium would end. Affordable/workforce housing, senior housing, and developments under 50 units would be exempt (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/352252/071624---PROPOSED-BILL---Growth-Moratorium-Bill). In a direct challenge, County Executive Fitzwater documented her resistance to this approach in a letter (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/351726/24-06-04_Administrative-Co mment---CM-McKay_Growth-Moratorium-Bill) to the Council as well as proposing $3M supplemental funding to ease overcrowding at Oakdale Elementary School, expanding portable classrooms at the site, and purchasing additional land for schools in the Linganore area (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5384). CRG strongly supports adoption of a variety of strategies to quickly build schools, exemplified by 4 options for school funding noted in our April 2024 newsletter https://citizensforresponsiblegrowth.blogspot.com/2024/04/ . Using these options, Prince George’s County built 19 schools in 10 years. Might the moratorium be an additional option to build schools, another “tool in the toolbox” for ensuring more seats in classrooms for a County population growth rate that is the highest in Maryland?   County: Solar Farms in County Agricultural Land On July 16th, the County Council adopted an ordinance allowing construction, operation, and — on completion of power generation — removal of solar farm equipment from farmland in the County (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/DocumentCenter/View/352246/071624---Bill-No-24-10---Solar-Design-Criteria-in-the-Ag-Zone). Long sought by Councilwoman Keegan-Ayer, this is an impressive step in the production of renewable energy in the County while also perpetuating use of the land for farm crop or animal production. An additional ordinance/amendment is likely in August, addressing aspects of land maintenance in the solar farms, i.e., practices to minimize runoff, ensure percolation, trap carbon, and maintain vegetative cover. Upcoming Meetings & Events City Planning Commission, August 12, 6 PM, City Hall: Final site plans for the B&O townhomes behind McCutcheon’s and downtown hotel and conference center. City Mayor and Board of Aldermen Workshop, August 15, 7 PM, City Hall: Approval of resolutions for the Christoff and Winpenny annexations to the City’s boundaries and its infrastructure. Transmission line informational meeting, August 14, 6–8 PM, virtual: Community webinar hosted by Public Service Electric & Gas Co. (PSEG). Questions can be posted in advance when you register here. County Planning Commission, August 21, 9:30 AM, Winchester Hall: Growth/development moratorium. County Council, August 27, 7 PM, Winchester Hall: Growth/development moratorium. Data Center Summit, August 29, 8AM–4PM, Frederick Community College: Hosted by the Maryland Tech Council. More info and agenda here.

__________________ 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!