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!