Frederick City and County News of Interest VOL. 5, NO. 2 | February 7, 2026

VOL. 5, NO. 2  |  February 7, 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. Joan Strawson has retired from the City Planning Commission. As a thoroughly prepared member and chair, Ms. Strawson was a huge supporter of responsible growth within the City. CRG and our City residents will be at a major disadvantage having lost her protective approach to development. For quick access, click on a title here and jump to that article, below: City: Data Center Update City: Brickworks Update City: Brownfields Legislation County: Data Center Decisions and Referendum County: Housing Element Report County: IW2 Report and Discussion Upcoming Meetings & Events ______________ City: Data Center Update The City Council held an initial meeting on January 15 where a data center text amendment to the City's Land Management Code (LMC) was announced. Several CRG members provided fact-based testimony to the Council against data centers in the City. However, should the Council accept any data center developments in the future, CRG proposed a list of approximately 20 key regulations to enact that would protect residents, schools, senior centers, the Monocacy River, and our environment in general. The list included 5–6 non-negotiable requirements and then specific regulations for power, water, and environmental protections, with several escrow or other security reserves to ensure repair/recovery of damaged properties from data center stormwater runoff. For details, contact Kevin Sellner at kgsellner@gmail.com. City: Brickworks Update Lot 1 (at the corner of East and South Streets) was discussed at the January 12 City Planning Commission meeting. As a densely-built town home complex, it will be THE most visible façade for Brickworks for those leaving the City on East Street. As a brick complex, it is similar to the character of the immediate downtown area. It is awaiting guidance from Maryland’s Voluntary Cleanup Program on possible steps the developer, Wormald, must take should the lot’s soils be above MDE and EPA contaminant thresholds; a meeting of the VCP on Lot 1 will be convened at the C. Burr Artz Library on February 10, 6:30 PM. CRG applauds Wormald for moving forward with its application to the VCP to protect the future residents of any townhomes to be constructed. City: Brownfields Legislation Discussions have begun regarding City adoption of Land Management Code (LMC) revisions to require that any proposed development or redevelopment of land within City limits be inspected for soil and groundwater contaminants. In 2024, CRG had proposed ‘brownfield’ legislation to protect construction workers and future occupants of residential developments proposed for contaminated sites. We hope the new Council can move this forward as mandated requirements in the next months! County: Data Center Decisions and Referendum To many County residents, the County Council’s January 20 adoption of an expanded area (from 1,585 acres to 2,615 acres) for data center construction and operations in and around the Eastalco site near Adamstown was an unfortunate but expected outcome from the Council’s Data Center 5 (Young, Keegan-Ayer, Duckett, Knapp and Carter). As a result, many local residents are undertaking a County referendum where residents can either support or reject the Council’s decision through a vote. This requires collection of ~18,000 voter signatures to appear on the ballot, an onerous but achievable task that more than 100 volunteers will undertake over the next approximately 50 days. CRG is eager to assist in collection of signatures to allow the County’s voters the ability to determine how large a data center complex should be. Find out where you can sign a petition, or volunteer to help gather signatures, on the FCDC Referendum website: fcdcreferendum.org.  ALSO — there are many costs associated with the referendum petition. Please considering making a donation by using the DONATE button on their website. County: Housing Element Report County Planning staff presented a draft comprehensive Housing Element report (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/16193), to the Planning Commission (PC) on January 21. It’s an impressive summary of current conditions and future needs that the County should pursue. Affordable housing and Accessory Dwelling Units are addressed. Please read the report and be prepared to offer suggestions at the February 18 PC meeting on next steps the County could implement, particularly after release of the County and City Housing Assessment, due any day now. County: IW2 Report and Discussion On January 21, the County Planning staff presented the recommendations of the Investing in Workers and Workplace (IW2) Committee’s recommendations to the Planning Commission (PC). The report identified 7 areas that the development community has recommended for expanding economic growth, through changes in zoning to Light Industrial or General Industrial (LI, GI). County planning staff’s summary (https://www.frederickcountymd.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/16188) to the PC resulted in multiple questions and discussion to be aired at a March 18 hearing. Multiple developers and property owners raised concerns on several LI and GI zoning needs as well as concerns about several staff suggestions for changing zoning for current properties, jeopardizing their ability to develop as they have planned. As the last public comment, CRG encouraged that any proposed development be built as a partnership between constructed buildings and maintenance of green space/contiguous forests, a goal of a new multi-organizations group, ‘Share the Land’, that includes developers (Catellus Development Corp., Frederick County Builders Industry Association, Frederick County Realtors Association), Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, resident (CRG), and environmental organizations (Climate Change Work Group, Catoctin Land Trust), and several individuals. More to come on this group’s progress for ensuring that future growth includes similar commitments to natural systems and future development acreage. This goal is consistent with the Wildlife Connectivity and Crossings Act (HB0731) passed in 2025 in the state legislature. Upcoming Meetings and Events City Public Works Committee, February 10, City Hall, 4 PM: Housing Plan, Data Center Regulatory Framework, Sidewalk Maintenance, Brownfields Land Management Code Text Change City Brickworks MDE Voluntary Cleanup Program Lot 1, February 10, 6:30 PM, C. Burr Artz Library County Planning Commission meeting, February 18, 9:30 AM, Winchester Hall: Workers & Workplaces recommendations, Housing Element discussion ONGOING: Data Center referendum — make sure to sign a petition for posting a referendum on the fall ballot to accept or reject the recently passed County Council larger acreage for data centers in the County. Find out where you can sign a petition on the FCDC Referendum website: fcdcreferendum.org.  There are many costs associated with the referendum petition. Please considering making a donation by using the DONATE button on their website. Contributors: P. Gallagher, 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